Alloantibodies against MHC class I: a novel mechanism of neonatal pancytopenia linked to vaccination

J Immunol. 2011 Dec 15;187(12):6564-70. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1102533. Epub 2011 Nov 14.

Abstract

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is a frequent disease in humans where alloantibodies against platelet Ags lead to platelet destruction and hemorrhage. Although a role in the disease for Abs against MHC has been suspected, this has not been formally demonstrated. Since 2007, a hemorrhagic syndrome due to thrombocytopenia and designated as bovine neonatal pancytopenia (BNP) has been recognized in calves in several European countries. An inactivated antiviral vaccine is strongly suspected to be involved in this syndrome because of its highly frequent use in the dams of affected calves. In this study, we show that BNP is an alloimmune disease, as we reproduced the signs by transferring serum Abs from vaccinated BNP dams into healthy neonatal calves. Ab specificity was strongly associated with the presence of allogeneic MHC class I Abs in the dams. MHC class I staining was also observed on Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells, a cell line related to the one used to produce the vaccine Ag. Our report emphatically demonstrates that alloimmunization against MHC class I is associated with a substantial risk of developing cytopenia-associated syndromes in neonates when a cell line of the same species is used to produce an inactivated vaccine injected into the mother.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease / immunology*
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral / immunology
  • Female
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / administration & dosage
  • Immunoglobulin G / adverse effects
  • Isoantibodies / administration & dosage
  • Isoantibodies / adverse effects*
  • Leukopenia / immunology
  • Pancytopenia / immunology*
  • Thrombocytopenia / immunology
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / adverse effects
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / immunology
  • Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Viral Vaccines / adverse effects

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Isoantibodies
  • Vaccines, Inactivated
  • Viral Vaccines