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Priming to heat shock proteins in infants vaccinated against pertussis
G Del Giudice1, A Gervaix, P Costantino
1Department of Pathology, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Insights
Infants vaccinated with whole-cell pertussis vaccines develop antibodies to microbial heat shock proteins (hsp). This immune priming to hsp occurs early in life, suggesting a common phenomenon.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Heat shock proteins (hsp) are crucial for cellular function and can elicit immune responses.
- Vaccination can potentially prime the immune system to various antigens, including microbial components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if infants experience immune priming to microbial heat shock proteins (hsp) after vaccination.
- To investigate the proportion of infants developing antibodies to mycobacterial hsp post-vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from infants (2-4 months) were analyzed for antibodies to mycobacterial hsp before and after DTP vaccination.
- Antibody responses were compared between whole-cell pertussis and acellular pertussis vaccine recipients.
- Mice were immunized with DTP to assess cellular and antibody reactivity to hsp.
Main Results:
- 88.9% of infants vaccinated with DTP showed antibody responses to mycobacterial hsp.
- This response was linked to the whole-cell pertussis component, not observed with acellular pertussis vaccines.
- Anti-hsp antibodies cross-reacted with other hsp family members, including human hsp.
Conclusions:
- Infant vaccination with whole-cell pertussis primes the immune system to microbial heat shock proteins.
- Immune priming to hsp is a common event occurring early in life.
- Cross-reactivity suggests potential implications for autoimmune responses or cross-protection.
Abstract:
To investigate whether and in which proportion normal individuals experience a priming to microbial heat shock proteins (hsp), the presence of antibodies to two mycobacterial hsp was tested in serum sample from 2- to 4-mo-old children before and at different times after vaccination with the trivalent vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (DTP). We show that 88.9% of infants vaccinated with DTP developed antibody responses to mycobacterial hsp. Such a response was due to the whole-cell pertussis component of the vaccine, because it was not observed in infants receiving an acellular pertussis vaccine. Antibodies and cells reactive to the mycobacterial 65-kDa hsp were also found in mice immunized with DTP. Interestingly, whole-cell pertussis vaccine-induced anti-hsp antibodies cross-reacted with the Escherichia coli GroEL hsp, and at a some extent with the human 60-kDa hsp, belonging to the same hsp family. These data suggest that priming of the immune system to hsp is a common phenomenon occurring very early in life.