2087
CONCISE COMMUNICATION
P o ec ion agains Bo de ella pe ussis in Mice in he Absence o De ec able
Ci cula ing An ibody: Implica ions o Long-Te m Immuni y in Child en
Be na d P. Mahon, Mi iam T. B ady,
and Kings on H. G. Mills
In ec ion and Immuni y G oup, Depa men o Biology,
Na ional Uni e si y o I eland, Maynoo h, Co. Kilda e
Mos accines used o humans wo k h ough humo al immuni y, ye many appea o be
p o ec i e e en a e speci ic ci cula ing an ibody le els ha e waned o unde ec able le els.
Fu he mo e, i has been di icul o de ine a se ologic co ela e o p o ec ion agains a numbe
o in ec ious diseases, including hose caused by Bo de ella pe ussis. B. pe ussis clea ance in
immunized mice has been shown o co ela e wi h pe ussis accine e icacy in child en. This
mu ine espi a o y challenge model was used o demons a e pe sis en accine-induced p o-
ec ion agains B. pe ussis in he absence o ci cula ing an ibody a he ime o challenge.
Whole-cell and acellula pe ussis accines induced pe sis en memo y T and B cells and
anamnes ic an ibody esponses a e challenge. The indings sugges ha immunologic mem-
o y is mo e signi ican in p o ec ion han is he induc ion o immedia e an ibody esponses
and imply ha accina ed child en s ill may be p o ec ed agains disease ollowing he dis-
appea ance o speci ic se um IgG.
Whole-cell pe ussis accines appea o induce long-las ing
immuni y agains se e e whooping cough in child en and young
adul s. Howe e , conce n abou he sa e y o whole-cell ac-
cines has esul ed in he de elopmen o acellula pe ussis ac-
cines p epa ed om pu i ied componen s o Bo de ella pe ussis.
The new accines, which ha e a highe sa e y p o ile, ha e
eplaced whole-cell accines in many de eloped coun ies. Re-
sul s om clinical ials ha e indica ed ha acellula pe ussis
accines con e ela i ely high le els o p o ec ion agains se e e
disease [1–4], bu hese s udies ha e no p o ided de ini i e
in o ma ion abou a ela ionship be ween an ibody le els
agains p o ec i e an igens and immune p o ec ion. Follow-up
s udies ha e indica ed ha an ibody esponses in immunized
child en decline o low o unde ec able le els 2 yea s a e a
comple e cou se o accina ion [5, 6]. These child en do no
appea o be de eloping o e disease [7], bu , wi hou a his o y
o exposu e and he applica ion o sensi i e indica o s o in-
ec ion in la ge pos immuniza ion su eillance p og ams, i is
impossible o de e mine whe he hey a e immune o in ec ion
and o es ablish he mechanisms ha media e p o ec ion. Al-
Recei ed 17 Decembe 1999; e ised 15 Feb ua y 2000; elec onically
published 5 June 2000.
P esen ed in pa : B i ish Socie y o Immunology Annual Cong ess, Ha -
oga e, Uni ed Kingdom, Decembe 1999 (abs ac W2.2).
Financial suppo : Wellcome T us (“New Blood” ellow o B.P.M. and
p ojec g an 052317 o K.H.G.M.); Heal h Resea ch Boa d o I eland ( o
M.T.B.).
Rep in s o co espondence: D . Kings on Mills, In ec ion and Immuni y
G oup, Dep . o Biology, Na ional Uni e si y o I eland, Maynoo h, Co.
Kilda e, I eland (kings [email protected]).
The Jou nal o In ec ious Diseases 2000;181:2087–91
q2000 by he In ec ious Diseases Socie y o Ame ica. All igh s ese ed.
0022-1899/2000/18106-0036$02.00
hough hese undamen al ques ions a e di icul o answe in
a clinical se ing, we ha e been able o add ess hem by use o
a well-es ablished animal model.
By use o a mu ine espi a o y challenge model o B. pe ussis
in ec ion, in which p o ec ion co ela es wi h accine e icacy
in human clinical ials, oge he wi h gene knockou mice, we
ha e iden i ied complemen a y oles o cellula and humo al
immuni y in p o ec ion [8–11]. In ou s udy, we used his model
o examine he ela ionship be ween he pe sis ence o he im-
mune esponse and he de elopmen o immunologic memo y
and p o ec ion agains espi a o y in ec ion.
Ma e ials and Me hods
Immuniza ion. BALB/c mice we e immunized in ape i oneally
(a 0 and 4 weeks) wi h 0.04 human dose o ei he Wellcome whole-
cell pe ussis accine (B i ish Re e ence eagen 88/522; Na ional
Ins i u e o Biological S anda ds and Con ol, Po e s Ba , He s-
o dshi e, UK) o Chi on acellula pe ussis accine (Chi on Vac-
cines, Siena, I aly), equi alen o 0.2 mg o ecombinan pe ussis
oxin (PT), 0.1 mg o ilamen ous hemagglu inin (FHA), and 0.1
mg o pe ac in (PRN). Con ol mice we e immunized wi h adju an
(alum) only.
Challenge and cou se o B. pe ussis in ec ion. Respi a o y in-
ec ion o mice wi h B. pe ussis was ini ia ed by ae osol challenge
as desc ibed elsewhe e [8]. The kine ics o bac e ial clea ance we e
de e mined by coun ing colony- o ming uni s (c u) in he lungs on
days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21 a e challenge [8]. Resul s a e epo ed as
he mean numbe o iable B. pe ussis o indi idual lungs om
a leas 4 mice pe ime poin pe expe imen al g oup.
An ibody esponses. The le els o se um an ibody o B. pe -
ussis and bac e ial componen s we e de e mined by ELISA as
desc ibed elsewhe e [9]. B. pe ussis sonica e (5.0 mg/mL) o PT,
2088 Mahon e al. JID 2000;181 (June)
PRN, o FHA (1.0 mg/mL o each) we e used o coa pla es. Bound
an ibodies we e de ec ed by use o alkaline phospha ase–conju-
ga ed an i–mouse IgG. An ibody le els a e exp essed as he mean
end-poin i e (5SE), de e mined by ex apola ion o he s aigh
pa o he i a ion cu e o 2 SE abo e he backg ound alue
(OD <0.2) ob ained wi h nonimmune mouse se um. Assays we e
s anda dized wi h e e ence an ise um p epa ed om mice im-
munized wi h he B i ish e e ence p epa a ion o whole-cell pe -
ussis accines [9]. Ti e s >1/20 (1.3 log
10
) we e conside ed posi i e.
T cell cy okine assays. Spleen cells om indi idual mice we e
es ed a di e en ime poin s a e immuniza ion and a e chal-
lenge o in i o cy okine p oduc ion in esponse o hea -killed B.
pe ussis (10
6
/mL), PT (5.0 mg/mL; hea -inac i a ed a 807C o 20
min), FHA (5.0 mg/mL), PRN (5.0 mg/mL), concana alin A (2 mg/
mL), o medium alone as con ol. Supe na an s we e emo ed om
iplica e cul u es a e 72 h, and in e e on-gand in e leukin-4
concen a ions we e de e mined by immunoassay [7].
Assessmen o memo y B cells. An ibody- o ming cells we e
quan i ied by an insoluble subs a e B. pe ussis–speci ic ELISPOT.
The wells o pla es (Mul isc een HA; Millipo e, Bed o d, MA) we e
coa ed o e nigh wi h 100 mL o sonica ed B. pe ussis o inac i-
a ed PT (5 mg/mL). Bo h su aces o he memb ane we e washed
5 imes asep ically wi h PBS and hen we e blocked o 1 h wi h
8% ( ol/ ol) e al cal se um in RPMI medium. A e blocking,
spleen o pe iphe al blood mononuclea cell p epa a ions we e
added o quad uplica e wells a concen a ions om o
4
1310
/mL and we e incuba ed a 377C wi h 5% CO
2
o 2 days.
7
1310
A e being washed 6 imes in PBS, pla es we e incuba ed o 2 h
wi h ho se adish pe oxidase–conjuga ed goa an i–mouse IgG
(Sigma, Do se , UK). Pla es we e washed 3 imes mo e be o e he
addi ion o 200 mL/well 3-amino-9-e hylca bazole subs a e bu e .
A e 45 min, his was emo ed, and he pla es we e washed once
wi h wa e and allowed o ai d y. Spo s ep esen ing indi idual
an ibody- o ming cells we e coun ed by use o a zoom s e eo
mic oscope.
Resul s
Acellula and whole-cell pe ussis accines p o ec agains B.
pe ussis a e he disappea ance o se um IgG esponses. Im-
muniza ion o mice wi h 2 low doses o ei he a whole-cell o
an acellula pe ussis accine induced s ong se um IgG e-
sponses agains PT, FHA, and PRN, bu an ibody le els de-
clined apidly a e 3 mon hs and we e unde ec able by 6–9
mon hs ( igu e 1A). Immunized mice we e challenged wi h B.
pe ussis ei he a he peak o he an ibody esponse 6 weeks
a e p ima y immuniza ion o once ci cula ing an ibody i e s
had waned, 44 weeks a e p ima y immuniza ion. Despi e he
decline in B. pe ussis–speci ic se um IgG o unde ec able le els,
bo h accines s ill con e ed p o ec ion agains B. pe ussis
when challenged 44 weeks a e immuniza ion ( igu e 1B). The
numbe s o bac e ia in he lungs we e signi ican ly highe in
con ol han in ei he whole-cell accine– o acellula accine–
immunized mice a all ime poin s es ed ( ). In pa -P!.01–.001
icula , mice immunized wi h whole-cell pe ussis accines dis-
played a high le el o p o ec ion ha was equi alen o ha
obse ed a he peak o he an ibody esponse 6 weeks a e
immuniza ion; coun s o c u we e signi ican ly g ea e in whole-
cell accine– han in acellula accine–immunized mice 3, 7,
and 10 days a e challenge a 44 weeks.
Immuniza ion induces memo y T and B cells. Recall T cell
esponses o B. pe ussis an igens pe sis ed in whole-cell ac-
cine– and acellula accine–immunized mice, and, on he day
o challenge a 44 weeks a e p ima y immuniza ion, B. pe -
ussis–speci ic T cell esponses clea ly we e de ec able in im-
munized mice ( igu e 2A). Whole-cell pe ussis accine induced
a Th1-domina ed esponse, whe eas acellula pe ussis accine
induced a Th2- ype esponse, and hese pa e ns o cy okine
sec e ion pe sis ed o a leas 44 weeks. Howe e , 14 days a e
challenge, he cy okine p o ile o B. pe ussis an igen–s imula ed
spleen cells om mice immunized wi h acellula pe ussis ac-
cine had swi ched o a mixed Th1/Th2- ype esponse (18–33
ng/mL in e e on-gand 100–217 pg/mL in e leukin-4), whe eas
he Th1 esponse was main ained in mice immunized wi h
whole-cell pe ussis accine (58–160 ng/mL in e e on-gand
unde ec able in e leukin-4).
Memo y B cells speci ic o B. pe ussis also we e induced
by immuniza ion wi h whole-cell and acellula pe ussis ac-
cines and pe sis ed o a leas 44 weeks a e accina ion. By
use o an ELISPOT echnique, speci ic an ibody- o ming cells
we e de ec ed in pe iphe al blood mononuclea cells and spleen
cells a e s imula ion wi h PT o B. pe ussis sonica e ( igu e
2B). Signi ican ly g ea e numbe s o B. pe ussis–speci ic B cells
could be de ec ed in he blood and spleens o immunized mice
han in hose o con ols. Memo y induc ion was con i med by
he obse a ion o an anamnes ic an ibody esponse o B. pe -
ussis an igens in immunized mice a e challenge ( igu e 1A).
IgG esponses o B. pe ussis could no be de ec ed in unim-
munized con ol mice o a leas 21 days a e challenge. In
con as , 7 days a e challenge, ci cula ing an ibodies we e de-
ec ed agains PRN and B. pe ussis sonica e in whole-cell ac-
cine–immunized mice and agains PRN and PT in acellula
accine–immunized mice.
Discussion
Ou s udy demons a es ha ci cula ing an ibody, conside ed
o be he majo e ec o mechanism agains i uses and bac e ia,
need no be de ec able a he ime o exposu e o he main-
enance o accine-induced p o ec i e immuni y agains a bac-
e ial pa hogen o humans. P o ec i e le els o ci cula ing an-
ibody ha e been iden i ied o ce ain pa hogens, such as
polio i us, he agen s o diph he ia and e anus, and Haemo-
philus in luenzae. Howe e , ce ain pe sons who ha e an ibody
le els below hese h eshold alues appea o be p o ec ed. Fu -
he mo e, i has been di icul o es ablish p o ec i e le els o
an ibody induced wi h ce ain accines, including hose agains
pe ussis [1–4]. Recen epo s om household con ac s udies
ha e indica ed ha an ibody esponses o PT, PRN, and im-
JID 2000;181 (June) Pe ussis and Immunologic Memo y 2089
Figu e 1. Pe sis ence o p o ec ion agains Bo de ella pe ussis espi a o y in ec ion a e decline in speci ic se um IgG o unde ec able le els.
Mice we e immunized a weeks 0 and 4 wi h 0.04 human dose o whole-cell pe ussis accine (Pw) o acellula pe ussis accine (Pa) o wi h
adju an only as con ol. A, Se um an ibody esponses o B. pe ussis (BP) sonica e, pe ussis oxin (PT), ilamen ous hemagglu inin (FHA), and
pe ac in (PRN), de ec ed by ELISA a in e als a e immuniza ion and 1, 2, and 3 weeks a e espi a o y challenge. B, Immunized and con ol
mice a e exposu e o ae osol challenge wi h B. pe ussis 6 o 44 weeks a e p ima y immuniza ion. Resul s a e mean (5SE) colony- o ming
uni s (c u) in lungs, es ima ed o 4 mice/g oup a each ime poin (e o ba s a e smalle han symbols a ce ain ime poin s o con ol mice).
* ; ** , whole-cell s. acellula accine (Mann-Whi ney U es ).P!.05 P!.01
b iae may co ela e wi h absence o se e e disease [7, 12]. Al-
hough hese s udies sugges ed ha an ibodies o PRN and
imb iae a e he mos impo an , a monocomponen pe ussis
oxoid accine con e ed 71% p o ec ion agains se e e disease
in a clinical ial [4]. Fu he mo e, an ibody le els in child en
decline apidly a e accina ion [5, 6, 13]. The esul s o he
p esen s udy sugges ha , i exposed o B. pe ussis, hese chil-
d en s ill would be p o ec ed agains de eloping whooping
cough.
The e a e a numbe o explana ions o he main enance o
p o ec ion a e he decline in ci cula ing an i–B. pe ussis an-
ibody. I is possible ha an ibody does no play a ole in
p o ec ion and ha immuni y is con e ed exclusi ely by cel-
lula mechanisms. Analysis o cell-media ed immuni y in mice
demons a ed ha speci ic T cell esponses we e main ained up
o he ime o challenge, 44 weeks a e immuniza ion. Whole-
cell pe ussis accines selec i ely induced B. pe ussis–speci ic
Th1 cells, whe eas acellula pe ussis accines induced T cells
mo e pola ized o he Th2 sub ype, which is consis en wi h
epo s on sho - e m immuniza ion [8, 9]. We ha e sugges ed
elsewhe e ha he Th1 subpopula ion con e s op imal p o ec-
ion agains B. pe ussis [8–11] and ha hese cells may unc ion
by p omo ing he an ibac e ial ac i i y o mac ophages and
neu ophils and by s imula ing opsonizing an ibodies.Howe e ,
acellula pe ussis accines also can con e a high le el o p o-
ec ion agains se e e disease, and his appea s o be media ed
solely by an ibody wi h help om Th2 cells. The sligh ly lowe
le els o bac e ia in he lungs o whole-cell accine–immunized
mice, compa ed wi h acellula accine–immunized mice a e
challenge a 44 weeks, is consis en wi h p e ious s udies on
sho - e m p o ec ion wi h a ange o whole-cell and acellula
pe ussis accines [8] and may e lec he con ibu ion o cell-
media ed immuni y o p o ec ion. Ne e heless, he esul s sug-
ges ha he Th1/Th2 dicho omy does no impinge on memo y
2090 Mahon e al. JID 2000;181 (June)
Figu e 2. Recall T and B cell esponses o Bo de ella pe ussis an igens a e immuniza ion wi h whole-cell pe ussis accine (Pw) o acellula
pe ussis accine (Pa). A, 44 Weeks a e immuniza ion, spleen cells ( /mL) we e incuba ed wi h hea -inac i a ed pe ussis oxin (PT),
6
2310
ilamen ous hemagglu inin (FHA), pe ac in (PRN), hea -killed B. pe ussis (BP), concana alin A (Con A) o medium only as posi i e and nega i e
con ols, espec i ely. Supe na an s we e emo ed a e 72 h and assessed o in e e on-g(IFN-g) and in e leukin-4 (IL-4). Resul s a e mean
(5SE) cy okine concen a ions o 4 mice/g oup, assayed in iplica e. Cy okines we e unde ec able in supe na an s om cells s imula ed wi h
medium alone. B, 44 Weeks a e immuniza ion, pe iphe al blood mononuclea cells and spleen cells om immunized o con ol mice we e
incuba ed in pla es coa ed wi h B. pe ussis sonica e (BP) o inac i a ed PT, and nos. o speci ic an ibody- o ming cells (AFC) we e de e mined
by ELISPOT. Resul s a e mean alues (5SE) o iplica e de e mina ions om 4–6 mice/g oup. Cy okine and AFC da a a e ep esen a i e o
4 di e en ime poin s a e immuniza ion in 2 independen expe imen s, wi h simila le els o s a is ical signi icance a each de e mina ion.
* ; ** ; *** s. con ol (S uden ’s es ).P!.05 P!.01 P!.001
induc ion. Fu he mo e, al hough hese pa e ns o cy okine
sec e ion a e s able, hey a e no immu able o “locked in.”
A e bac e ial challenge, he e is a b oadening o he pa e n
o cy okine esponses obse ed in acellula pe ussis accine–
immunized mice, om a Th2 esponse 7 days a e challenge
o a mixed Th1/Th2 o Th0- ype esponse he ea e . In a s udy
o child en immunized wi h acellula pe ussis accines, he
mixed Th1/Th2 p o ile obse ed ea ly a e accina ion [14, 15]
had swi ched o a Th1- ype esponse 3–4 yea s la e [13]. I was
sugges ed ha exposu e o subclinical in ec ions, which would
enhance Th1 esponses, may explain he pe sis en p o ec ion
agains ypical pe ussis, despi e a subs an ial waning o bo h
an ibody and T cell esponses induced by he p ima y immu-
niza ion [13].
An al e na i e, bu no mu ually exclusi e, hypo hesis o ex-
plain long- e m p o ec ion in child en a e declining an ibody
esponses is ha immune e ec o mechanisms gene a ed om
memo y B and T cells a e bac e ial exposu e a e capable o
clea ing he bac e ia om he espi a o y ac . This is consis-
en wi h ou s udy and wi h ecen sugges ions ha an ibodies
agains mul iple an igens can media e p o ec ion agains B. pe -
ussis [3, 8]. Gi en he long incuba ion pe iod o B. pe ussis
in ec ion, anamnes ic an ibody esponses a e exposu e may
be su icien o p o ec agains se e e whooping cough. How-
e e , i appea s ha cu en pe ussis accines do no con e
s e ilizing immuni y agains B. pe ussis. These accines a e
capable o p e en ing se e e disease bu a e less e icien when
judged on he c i e ion o p e en ing in ec ion o mild disease,
e en in he p esence o high le els o ci cula ing an ibody a
he ime o in ec ion. Al hough he induc ion o a gi en con-
cen a ion o ci cula ing an ibody ea ly a e accina ion may
s ill p o ide a use ul co ela e o p o ec ion, in ha i may
p edic he le el o B cell p iming, i is no clea ha i will
p edic he ex en o memo y T and B cell induc ion. Al hough
we do no ye ha e de ini i e in o ma ion on he ela i e im-
po ance o T o B cell memo y, we ha e demons a ed else-
JID 2000;181 (June) Pe ussis and Immunologic Memo y 2091
whe e ha sho - e m memo y B and T cells bo h con ibu e
o p o ec ion induced by na u al in ec ion [10].
Ou indings ha e impo an implica ions o pe ussis ac-
cina ion policy in ela ion o he le el o p o ec ion in he ace
o waning an ibody le els and he need o boos e immuni-
za ion. The da a om he mouse model sugges ha pe sis ence
o ci cula ing an ibody is no a p e equisi e o he main enance
o p o ec i e immuni y. These obse a ions also ha e impli-
ca ions o he e alua ion and de elopmen o accines agains
a ange o in ec ious diseases. Al hough ci cula ing neu alizing
an ibodies clea ly a e impo an o con e s e ilizing immuni y,
especially agains i al in ec ions, i also appea s ha ce ain
accines can p o ec by ecall o immunologic memo y a he
T and B cell le el.
Acknowledgmen s
We hank Ge aldine Mu phy and Helen S ewa o echnical assis-
ance and Chi on Vaccines (Siena, I aly) o supplying pe ussis ac-
cines and an igens.
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