Abstract

Background. The immunological bases for the efficacies of the two currently licensed influenza vaccines, the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), are not fully understood. The goal of this study was to identify specific B-cell responses correlated with the known efficacies of these two vaccines.Methods. We compared the B-cell and antibody responses after immunization with 2010/2011 IIV versus LAIV in young adults, focusing on peripheral plasmablasts at days 6-8 post-vaccination.Results. The quantities of vaccine-specific plasmablasts and plasmablast-derived polyclonal antibodies (PPAb) were significantly higher in IIV recipients than in LAIV recipients. No significant difference was detected in the avidity of vaccine-specific PPAb between the two vaccine groups. Proportionally, LAIV induced a greater vaccine-specific IgA plasmablast response as well as a greater plasmablast response to the conserved influenza nuclear protein than did IIV. The cross-reactive plasmablast response to heterovariant strains, as indicated by the relative levels of cross-reactive plasmablasts and the cross-reactive PPAb binding reactivity, was also greater in the LAIV group.Conclusions. Distinct quantitative and qualitative patterns of plasmablast responses were induced by LAIV and IIV in young adults; a proportionally greater cross-reactive response was induced by LAIV.

View details for DOI 10.1093/infdis/jiu190

View details for PubMedID 24676204