Analysis of the Mechanisms of Protective Humoral Immunity in Response to the Pneumococcal Vaccine

Overview

The lack of clear guidelines and studies addressing the proper response to the pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax ®) has hampered our ability to diagnosis and care for our immunodeficiency patients. Should an age matched normal response range to the Pneumovax ® be established, it would have a profound impact in the diagnosis, safety and care of immunodeficiency patients. Moreover, characterizing the B cell compartments response to the Pneumovax ® may better delineate the mechanism of protective immunity from Pneumovax ® and provide an additional tool for the diagnosis and care for immunodeficiency patients.

The ability to respond to a polysaccharide vaccine antigen is an integral part of evaluating a patient with immunodeficiency. The pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax ®) remains the only readily available and the most widely used unconjugated polysaccharide vaccine. Although the pneumococcal vaccine is widely used test the immune systems response to a polysaccharide antigen, no clear guidelines or studies exist to what is considered a proper response to the Pneumovax ®. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) memory B cells are thought to play an important role in protection against pneumococcal disease. It is not known to what extent the ability of B cells to be activated in response to pneumococcal vaccination contributes to protective immunity. To address these issues, the following two specific aims are proposed: Specific Aim 1. Assess Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to pneumococcus pre- and post-pneumococcal immunization in healthy controls Specific Aim 2. Analysis of B cell subsets in blood of healthy controls pre-and post-pneumococcal immunization to identify changes in memory B cell, class switched and activated B cells.