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Predominant influence of environmental determinants on the persistence and avidity maturation of antibody responses to vaccines in infants

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 17:09 authored by Arnaud Marchant, Maria Pihlgren, Tessa Goetghebuer, Helen A Weiss, Martin O C Ota, Susana E Schlegel-Hauter, Hilton Whittle, Paul-Henri Lambert, Melanie NewportMelanie Newport, Claire-Anne Siegrist
BACKGROUND Immune responses are complex traits influenced by genetic and environmental factors. We previously reported that genetic factors control early antibody responses to vaccines in Gambian infants. For the present study, we evaluated the determinants of the memory phase of immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses. METHODS Antibody responses to tetanus toxoid (TT), measles vaccines, and environmental antigens (total IgG levels) were measured in 210 Gambian twin pairs recruited at birth. Intrapair correlations for monozygous and dizygous pairs were compared to estimate the environmental and genetic components of variations in response. RESULTS In contrast to antibody responses measured in infants at age 5 months, 1 month after immunization, no significant contribution of genetic factors to anti-TT antibody and total IgG levels was detected at age 12 months. Genetic factors controlled measles antibody responses in 12-month-old infants, which indicates that the increasing influence of environmental determinants on anti-TT responses was not related to the older age of the children but, rather, to the time elapsed since immunization. Environmental factors also predominantly controlled affinity maturation and the production of high-avidity antibodies to TT. CONCLUSIONS Genetic determinants control the early phase of the vaccine antibody response in Gambian infants, whereas environmental determinants predominantly influence antibody persistence and avidity maturation.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Journal of Infectious Diseases

ISSN

0022-1899

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Issue

11

Volume

193

Page range

1598-605

Department affiliated with

  • Global Health and Infection Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-05-09

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