title: Humoral, T-cell and B-cell immune responses to seasonal influenza vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients receiving anti-T cell therapies.
abstract: We analyzed the impact of the anti-T-cell agents basiliximab and antithymocyte globulins (ATG) on antibody and cell-mediated immune responses after influenza vaccination in solid-organ transplant recipients.
  
  
  
  71 kidney and heart transplant recipients (basiliximab [n=43] and ATG [n=28]) received the trivalent influenza vaccine. Antibody responses were measured at baseline and 6 weeks post-vaccination by hemagglutination inhibition assay; T-cell responses were measured by IFN-γ ELISpot assays and intracellular cytokine staining (ICS); and influenza-specific memory B-cell (MBC) responses were evaluated using ELISpot.
  
  
  
  Median time of vaccination from transplantation was 29 months (IQR 8-73). Post-vaccination seroconversion rates were 26.8% for H1N1, 34.1% for H3N2 and 4.9% for influenza B in the basiliximab group and 35.7% for H1N1, 42.9% for H3N2 and 14.3% for influenza B in the ATG group (p=0.44, p=0.61, and p=0.21, respectively). The number of influenza-specific IFN-γ-producing cells increased significantly after vaccination (from 35 to 67.5 SFC/10(6) PBMC, p=0.0007), but no differences between treatment groups were observed (p=0.88). Median number of IgG-MBC did not increase after vaccination (H1N1, p=0.94; H3N2 p=0.34; B, p=0.79), irrespective of the type of anti-T-cell therapy.
  
  
  
  After influenza vaccination, a significant increase in antibody and T-cell immune responses but not in MBC responses was observed in transplant recipients. Immune responses were not significantly different between groups that received basiliximab or ATG.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Center, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: delphine.hequet@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Héquet
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Center, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.affiliation: Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lartey
authors.affiliation: Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Rishi D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Pathirana
authors.affiliation: Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bredholt
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Microbiology Services Colindale, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoschler
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hullin
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meylan
authors.affiliation: Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Jebsen Centre for Influenza Vaccine Research, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Center, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manuel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000077552:Basiliximab; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D066027:Transplant Recipients
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077552:Basiliximab
keywords: Biological agents; Immunogenicity; Induction; Prevention; Viral infection