Associations between markers of cellular and humoral immunity to rubella virus following a third dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Issue 50 (25th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crooke, Stephen N.; Ovsyannikova, Inna G.; Kennedy, Richard B.; Warner, Nathaniel D.; Poland, Gregory A.
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 38:Issue 50(2020)
• Page Start: 7897
• Page End: 7904
• Publication Date: 2020-11-25
• Subjects: Rubella -- Measles-mumps-rubella -- MMR -- Cytokine -- Chemokine -- Immunity, Innate -- Immunity, Cellular -- Immunity, Humoral; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Rubella virus (RV) was eliminated in the United States in 2004, although a small portion of the population fails to develop long-term immunity against RV even after two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. We hypothesized that inherent biological differences in cytokine and chemokine signaling likely govern an individual's response to a third dose of the vaccine. Methods: Healthy young women (n = 97) were selected as study participants if they had either low or high extremes of RV-specific antibody titer after two previous doses of MMR vaccine. We measured cytokine and chemokine secretion from RV-stimulated PBMCs before and 28 days after they received a third dose of MMR vaccine and assessed correlations with humoral immune response outcomes. Results: High and low antibody vaccine responders exhibited a strong pro-inflammatory cellular response, with an underlying Th1-associated signature (IL-2, IFN-γ, MIP-1β, IP-10) and suppressed production of most Th2-associated cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13). IL-10 and IL-4 exhibited significant negative associations with neutralizing antibody titers and memory B cell ELISpot responses among low vaccine responders. Conclusion: IL-4 and IL-10 signaling pathways may be potential targets for understanding and improving the immune response to rubella vaccination or for designing new vaccines that induce more durable immunity.