Analysis of the Mechanisms of Protective Humoral Immunity in Response to the Pneumococcal Vaccine

The ability to respond to a polysaccharide vaccine antigen is an integral part of evaluating a patient with immunodeficiency. The pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax ®) remains the only readily available and the most widely used unconjugated polysaccharide vaccine. Although the pneumococcal vaccine is widely used test the immune systems response to a polysaccharide antigen, no clear guidelines or studies exist to what is considered a proper response to the Pneumovax ®. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) memory B cells are thought to play an important role in protection against pneumococcal disease. It is not known to what extent the ability of B cells to be activated in response to pneumococcal vaccination contributes to protective immunity. To address these issues, the following two specific aims are proposed:

Specific Aim 1. Assess Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to pneumococcus pre- and post-pneumococcal immunization in healthy controls Specific Aim 2. Analysis of B cell subsets in blood of healthy controls pre-and post-pneumococcal immunization to identify changes in memory B cell, class switched and activated B cells.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients from 20 to 70 years of age

Exclusion criteria

• Previous or current diagnosis of an immunodeficiency (primary and secondary)
• Previous or current diagnosis of a rheumatological disorders (Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Sjögren, vasculitis), cancer, diabetes, active infection and/or other chronic diseases (multiple sclerosis, etc)
• Current or previous use (within that last 6 months) of systemic/inhaled corticosteroids, sulfasalazine, and other immunosuppressive agents (cyclosporin, methotrexate, CellCept) anti-convulsants (phenytoin, carbamazepine), gold, d-penicillamine, and anti-malarials (quinine, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine)
• Pregnancy