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Stem Cell-Derived Viral Ag-Specific T Lymphocytes Suppress HBV Replication in Mice
Published on: September 25, 2019
Hepatitis B immunisation induces higher antibody and memory Th2 responses in new-borns than in adults
Martin O C Ota1, Johan Vekemans, Susanna E Schlegel-Haueter
1Medical Research Council Laboratories, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia.
Abstract:
New-borns raise limited antibody responses to most T cell-dependent antigens but little is known about neonatal T lymphocyte responses to vaccines. In this study, we compared the immune response induced by the hepatitis B vaccine in new-borns and nai;ve adults. Infants produced markedly higher serum anti-hepatitis B surface (HBs) antibody titres than adults. This was not associated with greater HBs Ag-specific Th2 cytokine responses but with lower primary IFN-gamma responses. At 1 year, the infant memory response to HBs Ag was characterised by higher Th2 responses than those of adults. We conclude that neonatal antibody and T cell responses to hepatitis B vaccine differ from those induced in adults.
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