Convergent antibody evolution and clonotype expansion following influenza virus vaccination

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 22;16(2):e0247253. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247253. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Recent advances in high-throughput single cell sequencing have opened up new avenues into the investigation of B cell receptor (BCR) repertoires. In this study, PBMCs were collected from 17 human participants vaccinated with the split-inactivated influenza virus vaccine during the 2016-2017 influenza season. A combination of Immune Repertoire Capture (IRCTM) technology and IgG sequencing was performed on ~7,800 plasmablast (PB) cells and preferential IgG heavy-light chain pairings were investigated. In some participants, a single expanded clonotype accounted for ~22% of their PB BCR repertoire. Approximately 60% (10/17) of participants experienced convergent evolution, possessing public PBs that were elicited independently in multiple participants. Binding profiles of one private and three public PBs confirmed they were all subtype-specific, cross-reactive hemagglutinin (HA) head-directed antibodies. Collectively, this high-resolution antibody repertoire analysis demonstrated the impact evolution can have on BCRs in response to influenza virus vaccination, which can guide future universal influenza prophylactic approaches.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Cross Reactions / immunology
  • Female
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / immunology
  • Hemagglutinins / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / immunology*
  • Influenza Vaccines / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Vaccination / methods
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Hemagglutinins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Influenza Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Inactivated