title: Comparing Humoral and Cellular Immune Response Against HBV Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Patients.
abstract: Host protection upon vaccination usually results from the complex interplay of humoral and cellular components of the immune system. Exploring hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific T cell responses and their correlation with humoral responses under immunosuppression, we analyzed 51 renal transplant recipients, differing in HBV vaccine-specific antibody titers (non [NRs]-, low [LRs]-, and high responders [HRs]) and in 22 healthy controls (HCs) in a cross-sectional study. HBsAg-specific T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry according to expression of activation markers CD40L and/or CD69, and the cytokines IFNγ, IL-2, TNFα, and IL-17. No significant differences in responder rate and magnitude of HBsAg-specific T cell responses were found between HCs and HRs. Interestingly, HBsAg-specific Th-cells were also observed in 50% of humoral NRs. Frequencies of HBsAg-specific CD40L+ Th-cells were significantly higher in HRs compared to LRs (p = 0.009) and in LRs in comparison to NRs (p = 0.043). All but NRs showed a predominance of multi-potent HBsAg-specific TNFα+IL-2+ Th-cells. As expected, HBsAg-specific CD8(+) T cells were rarely found. In conclusion, mounting of hepatitis B vaccine-specific T cell responses is possible in kidney transplant recipients despite immunosuppression. Detection of HBV-specific Th-cells in a significant proportion of humoral NRs contributes to the current discussion on conferring immune protection by cellular memory in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sattler
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nienen
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.|Department of Nephrology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Virchow Clinic, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reinke
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.|Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babel
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006085:Graft Survival; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
keywords: Basic (laboratory) research/science; T cell biology; flow cytometry; immunobiology; immunosuppressant; infection and infectious agents; kidney transplantation/nephrology; vaccine; viral: hepatitis B