Cell-mediated immune responses to influenza vaccination in Wegener's granulomatosis.

摘要

BACKGROUND: Both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses are involved in the defence against influenza. In Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), antibody responses to influenza vaccination appear to be similar to those in healthy controls, but cell-mediated responses have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cell-mediated responses to influenza vaccination in WG vary from those in controls. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with WG and healthy controls received subunit influenza vaccine. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained before and 1 month after vaccination. Cell-mediated responses to A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 were assessed using interferon gamma (IFN gamma) ELISpot and intracellular cytokine staining for IFN gamma, tumour necrosis factor and interleukin 2. RESULTS: Before vaccination, patients and controls showed similar recall responses to A/H1N1 and A/H3N2. After vaccination, patients and controls showed similar levels of increase in spot-forming cells against A/H1N1 and A/H3N2. By flow cytometry, upon vaccination, proportions of cytokine-producing CD4 T cells increased in patients and controls for A/H1N1 and A/H3N2. CONCLUSIONS: Cell-mediated responses to influenza vaccination in patients with WG are comparable to those in healthy controls.