Immune responses to flu vaccine are diminished in lupu...(8+ T-cells) to influenza were lower in S...),Health

Date:7/29/2009

8+ T-cells) to influenza were lower in SLE patients prior to vaccination. Following vaccination, cell-mediated responses remained lower in SLE patients than controls. CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which was used as a positive control, were normal in patients with SLE, indicating that their decreased cell-mediated response to the flu vaccine was not attributable to a decreased responsiveness of T cells in general. However, the use of the medications prednisone and/or azathioprine was associated with lower cell-mediated responses following vaccination.

Previous studies have shown that antibody production following flu vaccination is lower in SLE patients than in the general population and the current study confirmed these results. The authors evaluated the relationships between antibody and cell-mediated responses because CD4+ T-cell help is necessary for antibody responses. While they did not find a correlation between CD4+ T-cell and antibody responses using flow cytometry, they did find a modest correlation using ELISpot assay, a more sensitive technique. They also found that flu vaccination did not induce disease activity over three to four months.

Although the sample size in this study was not large, the authors conclude that the diminished cell-mediated immune and antibody responses to flu vaccination in SLE patients are representative of what occurs in daily practice. "Clinicians should be aware that this combined defect might increase the morbidity and mortality due to influenza virus infection, in particular in patients receiving prednisone and/or azathioprine," they state, adding that evaluating clinical protection against influenza in SLE patients following vaccination may be warranted in order to assess whether more effective influenza vaccines or vaccination strategies are warranted.

'/>"/>

Contact: Jennifer Beal medicalnews@wiley.com 44-124-377-0633 Wiley-Blackwell Source:Eurekalert

0 GOOD

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Penn study finds pro-death proteins required to regulate healthy immune function
2. Immune deficiency linked to a type of eye cancer
3. Tumors use enzyme to recruit regulatory T-cells and suppress immune response
4. Melanoma drug revs immune cells but cancer cells ignore it
5. Study identifies key player in the bodys immune response to chronic stress
6. MedImmune Resolves FDA Observations Regarding Manufacturing Process for FluMist(R)
7. UVA researchers find important clue to immune infertility
8. M.D. Anderson-led team reports possible key to autoimmune disease
9. Their immune cells, fighting your cancer
10. MedImmune Licenses Reverse Genetics Technology to GlaxoSmithKline for Use in Influenza Vaccine Development and Production
11. Occupational exposures may be linked to death from autoimmune disease