Human Lymphocyte Proliferation Responses following Primary Immunization with Rabies Vaccine as Neoantigen

Abstract

Evaluation of the T-cell immune response following primary antigenic challenge with a neoantigen is a critical aspect of assessment of the cellular immune response. While many antigens can be used to accurately assess in vitro T-cell proliferation to a recall antigen, only a few neoantigens have been tested for their capacities to measure T-cell responses in vitro to a primary immunization. Rabies vaccination is an excellent candidate for the testing of T-cell proliferation responses to a primary immunization because few individuals have been exposed to rabies virus antigens. In the present study 14 rabies vaccine-naïve, healthy adult volunteers were immunized against rabies virus, and T-cell proliferation and antibody responses were measured before and after vaccination. Optimal lymphocyte proliferation to soluble rabies virus antigen occurred after 8 days in culture. The average level of uptake of tritiated thymidine postimmunization was 29,620 ؎ 4,448 cpm, whereas preimmunization levels were 12,660 ؎ 3,448 cpm (P ‫؍‬ 0.002). All individuals showed increases in rabies virus antibody titers from <0.05 to 5.59 ؎ 1.64 IU/ml. The degree of proliferation to tetanus toxoid as a recall antigen was similar to the response to rabies virus antigen among the cohort. Due to high levels of preimmunization proliferation, four subjects failed to demonstrate a twofold increase in response to rabies virus antigen. The high levels of T-cell responses may be due to a viral superantigen effect in some individuals. Rabies vaccination offers a safe and effective means for measurement of both T-and B-cell immune responses to a neoantigen in healthy and immune suppressed individuals.

Retrospective Analysis of Wound Characteristics and Tetanus Development in Captive Macaques

“…Although non-human primate SIV studies often used tetanus as a neo-antigen to evaluate the immune response after a primary immunization,28,37 pre-exposure to the tetanus antigen does not necessarily negate its utility in monitoring immunologic parameters in SIV-+ macaques. Considering the availability of other recall antigens, neo-antigens, mitogens, alloantigens and the continued development of other available immunological assays1,3,5,8,11,13,15,17,27,28,31,32,37, withholding the prophylactic vaccination of nonhuman primates is not warranted. TNPRC began vaccinating its animals in 2005.…”

Use and interpretation of diagnostic vaccination in primary immunodeficiency: A working group report of the Basic and Clinical Immunology Interest Section of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

“…(IIb B) Rabies virus as a neoantigen has been evaluated for an ability to elicit lymphocyte proliferative responses after immunization. 136 Specifically, 3 doses of rabies virus (Imovax IM) administered intramuscularly over the course of a month, with 1 dose each on days 0, 7, and 28, were used. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated for proliferative responses to rabies virus 4 weeks after the final rabies vaccine immunization.…”

IL‐10 and TGF‐β1 are associated with variations in fluke burdens following experimental fasciolosis in sheep

“…The dry paper was soaked with scintillation liquid (Betaplate Scint) (PerkinElmer), sealed, and read using Trilux Microbeta Counter (Perkin-Elmer). The mean cpm obtained from the unstimulated wells (PBS alone) was subtracted from the mean cpm obtained from the stimulated wells to obtain delta (D) cpm as described by Ghaffari et al (22).…”