Investigation of memory B cell responses to hepatitis B surface antigen in health care workers considered as non-responders to vaccination

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 28; no. 39; pp. 6411 - 6416
• Main Authors: Valats, J.C, Tuaillon, E, Funakoshi, N, Hoa, D, Brabet, M.C, Bolloré, K, Ducos, J, Vendrell, J.P, Blanc, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 07.09.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; Female; Flow cytometry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health care; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - immunology; Hepatitis B - prevention & control; Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - blood; Hepatitis B Vaccines - immunology; Hepatitis B virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Hypotheses; Immune system; Immunoglobulins; Immunologic Memory; Infections; Infectious diseases; Injections; Lymphocytes; Male; Medical sciences; Memory B cell; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Studies; Vaccination; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Virology; France; Memory B cell; Vaccination; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Orthohepadnavirus; Hepatic disease; B-Lymphocyte; Infection; Virus; Viral hepatitis B; Hepadnaviridae; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Hepatitis B virus
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.07.058

Abstract Up to 20% of health care workers are considered as non-responders to hepatitis B vaccination (anti-HBs < 10 mUI/ml in serum). We have explored memory B cells differentiated in vitro into anti-HBs antibody-secreting cells (anti-HBs-SCs) by ELISPOT assay. Anti-HBs-SCs were detected in vaccinated responders ( n = 11) and non-responders ( n = 10) but IgG anti-HBs-SCs were significantly lower in the non-responder group ( p < 0.001). Low amounts of HBs antibodies were also quantified by ELISA in non-responders’ sera. These results indicate that a suboptimal B cell response exists in non-responders to HBV vaccination. This B cell response may mediate a protection against clinically significant breakthrough hepatitis B infection.