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Influenza vaccine-induced human bone marrow plasma cells decline within a year after vaccination. Science (New York, N.Y.) Davis, C. W., Jackson, K. J., McCausland, M. M., Darce, J. n., Chang, C. n., Linderman, S. L., Chennareddy, C. n., Gerkin, R. n., Brown, S. J., Wrammert, J. n., Mehta, A. K., Cheung, W. C., Boyd, S. D., Waller, E. K., Ahmed, R. n. 2020

Abstract

A universal vaccine against influenza would ideally generate protective immune responses that are not only broadly reactive against multiple influenza strains, but also long-lasting. Because long-term serum antibody levels are maintained by bone marrow plasma cells (BMPC), we investigated the production and maintenance of these cells after influenza vaccination. We found increased numbers of influenza-specific BMPC four weeks after immunization with the seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine, but numbers returned to near their pre-vaccination levels after one year. This decline was driven by the loss of BMPC induced by the vaccine, while pre-existing BMPC were maintained. Our results suggest that most BMPC generated by influenza vaccination in adults are short-lived. Designing strategies to enhance their persistence will be a key challenge for the next generation of influenza vaccines.

View details for DOI 10.1126/science.aaz8432

View details for PubMedID 32792465