A Systems Vaccinology Approach Reveals the Mechanisms of Immunogenic Responses to Hantavax Vaccination in Humans

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 18;9(1):4760. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41205-1.

Abstract

Hantavax is an inactivated vaccine for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The immunogenic responses have not been elucidated yet. Here we conducted a cohort study in which 20 healthy subjects were administered four doses of Hantavax during 13-months period. Pre- and post- vaccinated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and sera were analysed by transcriptomic and metabolomic profilings, respectively. Based on neutralizing antibody titers, subjects were subsequently classified into three groups; non responders (NRs), low responders (LRs) and high responders (HRs). Post vaccination differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with innate immunity and cytokine pathways were highly upregulated. DEG analysis revealed a significant induction of CD69 expression in the HRs. High resolution metabolomics (HRM) analysis showed that correlated to the antibody response, cholesteryl nitrolinoleate, octanoyl-carnitine, tyrosine, ubiquinone-9, and benzoate were significantly elevated in HRs, while chenodeoxycholic acid and methyl palmitate were upregulated in NRs and LRs, compared with HRs. Additionally, gene-metabolite interaction revealed upregulated gene-metabolite couplings in, folate biosynthesis, nicotinate and nicotinamide, arachidonic acid, thiamine and pyrimidine metabolism in a dose dependent manner in HR group. Collectively, our data provide new insight into the underlying mechanisms of the Hantavax-mediated immunogenicity in humans.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood*
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Antibody Formation / immunology
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Female
  • Hantaan virus / immunology*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / immunology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / prevention & control*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / virology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Male
  • Metabolome / physiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Transcriptome / genetics
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccinology / methods
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Cytokines
  • Viral Vaccines