A single birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine induces polyfunctional CD4 + T helper cells

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology Vol. 13; p. 1043375
• Main Authors: Strandmark, Julia, Darboe, Alansana, Diray-Arce, Joann, Ben-Othman, Rym, Vignolo, Sofia M, Rao, Shun, Smolen, Kinga K, Leroux-Roels, Geert, Idoko, Olubukola T, Sanchez-Schmitz, Guzmán, Ozonoff, Al, Levy, Ofer, Kollmann, Tobias R, Marchant, Arnaud, Kampmann, Beate
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 08.11.2022
• Subjects: antibody titres; BCG; CD154; CD4 + T helper cell; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Hepatitis B vaccine; Hepatitis B Vaccines; Humans; Immunology; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; T-cell activation; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; CD154; BCG; CD4 + T helper cell; Hepatitis B vaccine; neonate; antibody titres; T-cell activation
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1043375

A single birth-dose of Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) can protect newborns from acquiring Hepatitis B infection through vertical transmission, though several follow-up doses are required to induce long-lived protection. In addition to stimulating antibodies, a birth-dose of HepB might also induce polyfunctional CD4 T-cells, which may contribute to initial protection. We investigated whether vaccination with HepB in the first week of life induced detectable antigen-specific CD4 T-cells after only a single dose and following completion of the entire HepB vaccine schedule (3 doses). Using HBsAg- stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 344 infants, we detected increased populations of antigen-specific polyfunctional CD154 IL-2 TNFα CD4 T-cells following a single birth-dose of HepB in a proportion of infants. Frequencies of polyfunctional T-cells increased following the completion of the HepB schedule but increases in the proportion of responders as compared to following only one dose was marginal. Polyfunctional T-cells correlated positively with serum antibody titres following the birth dose (day30) and completion of the 3-dose primary HepB vaccine series (day 128). These data indicate that a single birth dose of HepB provides immune priming for both antigen-specific B- and T cells.