Responses to influenza vaccination in different T-cell subsets: a comparison of healthy young and older adults

T-lymphocyte responses to influenza vaccination were measured in healthy young and older adult volunteers. All participants were vaccinated with the 1995-96 trivalent influenza vaccine. Cytokine and granzyme B levels were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures after virus stimulation, prior to and 4 and 12 weeks after vaccination. The major findings in the older adult group were the different types of helper T-cell (Th) responses to each of the vaccine strains of virus and a very poor cytotoxic T lymphocyte (as measured by granzyme B) response to vaccination. IL-10, which is produced in a Th-type 2 response, was higher in PBMC stimulated with A/Texas/36/91 (H1N1) compared with A/Johannesburg/33/94 (H3N2); this difference was more marked in the PBMC from older compared with younger adults. In contrast, IL-2, which is produced in a Th-type 1 response, was measured in the same cultures and was significantly higher in A/Johannesburg/33/94-stimulated PBMC. IFN- gamma levels were highest in the PBMC stimulated with B/Harbin/7/94. The greatest age-related difference was the level of granzyme B in all virus-stimulated PBMC from the young compared with the older adult group. The strain of influenza virus contained in the vaccine, as well as the age of the subject, appear to be very important determinants of the T-cell response to vaccination.