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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, February 2006, p. 202-207, Vol. 13, No. 2
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.13.2.202-207.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Influence of Exogenous Reproductive Hormones on Specific Antibody Production in Genital Secretions after Vaginal Vaccination with Recombinant Cholera Toxin B Subunit in Humans

Lotta Wassen1,2* and Marianne Jertborn1,3

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Göteborg University Vaccine Institute—GUVAX,1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,2 Department of Infectious Diseases, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden3

Received 7 September 2005/ Returned for modification 23 September 2005/ Accepted 23 November 2005

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of exogenous reproductive hormones on the local and systemic production of specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies after vaginal vaccination with recombinant cholera toxin subunit B (CTB). Three groups of women using either progesterone-containing intrauterine devices (n = 9), oral contraceptives (n = 8), or no hormonal contraceptive methods (n = 9) were vaginally immunized twice, 2 weeks apart. Cervical secretions, vaginal fluids, and serum were collected before and after vaccination. Total and CTB-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in genital secretions and serum were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A majority of the women presented strong CTB-specific IgA and IgG antibody responses in cervicovaginal secretions after vaccination, whereas the antitoxin responses in serum were weaker. Exogenously administered steroid hormones did not seem to have any impact on the production of specific antibodies. Both the frequencies and the magnitudes of IgA and IgG antitoxin responses in genital secretions were comparable among the three immunization groups. An association, in particular for IgA, was found between the magnitudes of the CTB-specific antibody responses in cervical secretions and vaginal fluids after vaccination. The sensitivities and positive predictive values of vaginal antibody analyses to reflect responses in cervical secretions were also high, suggesting that vaginal fluids alone might be used for evaluation of genital immune responses in large-scale vaccination studies in the future.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, SE-416 85 Göteborg, Sweden. Phone: 46-31-3434335. Fax: 46-31-254387. E-mail: lotta.wassen{at}obgyn.gu.se.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, February 2006, p. 202-207, Vol. 13, No. 2
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.13.2.202-207.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Cassone, A., De Bernardis, F., Santoni, G. (2007). Anticandidal Immunity and Vaginitis: Novel Opportunities for Immune Intervention. Infect. Immun. 75: 4675-4686 [Full Text]  


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