Seasonal IM flu-vaccines boost antibody titers to epitopes common to influenza virus strains (113.35)

Abstract

Abstract Human serum IgG anti-influenza virus antibodies (Abs) to components of the inactivated, tri-valent 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, and 2010/2011 vaccines were measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR; BIA3000). Pre- and post (2 wk) 2007/2008 vaccination (N=20 healthy volunteers) serum IgGs were assayed for binding to the 2006/2007, 2007/2008, and 2008/2009 vaccine preparations. Overall, the IgG binding was greatest to the 2006/2007 vaccine components, but binding was also observed against the 2008/2009 vaccine which did not include strains within the 2006/2007 or the 2007/2008 vaccines. Several control individuals who had never received a flu-vaccine showed no binding to any of the vaccines studied. Pre- and post (2 wk) 2010/2011(H1N1, pandemic strain) vaccination Abs were assayed for binding against the 2006/2007, 2007/2008, and the 2010/2011 vaccines. Vaccination with the 2010/2011 vaccine showed a >10 fold boost in IgG binding to both the 2006/2007 and 2010/2011 components and somewhat lower to 2007/2008, compared to the 2-3 fold boosts to the 2006/2007 components observed with the previous vaccinations. The results emphasize that Abs raised against one vaccine preparation can bind strains present in other vaccine preparations. The 2006/2007 vaccine preparation seems to have one or more of these highly antigenic epitopes. Future studies will involve delineation of these sites and investigation into their ability to protect against influenza viral infection.