Cytokine and antibody profiles in 1-year-old children vaccinated with either acellular or whole-cell pertussis vaccine during infancy

Vaccine. 2009 Oct 9;27(43):6042-7. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.07.075. Epub 2009 Aug 7.

Abstract

Two different types of pertussis vaccines are currently available to protect children against whooping cough, the first-generation whole-cell (Pw) vaccines and the more recent acellular (Pa) vaccines. Both types provide good protection, yet induce different types of immune responses in 6-month-old infants, with a strong Th1 response induced by Pw vaccines compared to a mixed Th1/Th2 response and a delay in non-specific IFN-gamma secretions after the administration of Pa vaccines. We show here that at 13 months of age, most Pw- or Pa-vaccinated children display Bordetella pertussis-specific T-cell responses, in addition to significant antibody levels, although a higher Th2/Th1 cytokine ratio remained in Pa recipients compared to Pw recipients. In contrast, the proportion of children with tetanus toxin-specific T-cell responses was lower in Pa than in Pw vaccine recipients, although most children had protective anti-tetanus toxin IgG levels. In addition, the global Th2 bias observed in 6-month-old infants vaccinated with a Pa vaccine was normalized at 13 months.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Infant
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Pertussis Vaccine / immunology*
  • Tetanus Toxoid / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Vaccines, Acellular / immunology
  • Whooping Cough / immunology
  • Whooping Cough / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Cytokines
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Pertussis Vaccine
  • Tetanus Toxoid
  • Vaccines, Acellular