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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, April 2006, p. 507-510, Vol. 13, No. 4
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.13.4.507-510.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Immunoglobulin G Subclass Response to a Meningococcal Quadrivalent Polysaccharide-Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine

Helen Findlow,^1* Jo Southern,³ Lesley Mabey,¹ Paul Balmer,¹ Robert S. Heyderman,^2,5 Cressida Auckland,³ Rhonwen Morris,⁴ Elizabeth Miller,³ and Ray Borrow¹

Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Health Protection Agency North West, P.O. Box 209, Clinical Sciences Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom,¹ Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom,² Immunisation Department, HPA Centre for Infections, Collindale, London, United Kingdom,³ Gloucester Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Gloucester HPA, Gloucester, United Kingdom,⁴ Bristol HPA Laboratory, Bristol, United Kingdom⁵

Received 8 December 2005/ Returned for modification 9 December 2005/ Accepted 15 February 2006

Changes in the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1)/IgG2 ratio following vaccination can indicate the activation of cellular control mechanisms typical of a T-cell-dependent response. We examined IgG subclass ratios in 17 healthy adults (26 to 55 years of age) before and 4 to 6 weeks following immunization with a quadrivalent meningococcal-polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine against serogroups A, C, Y, and W135. Serologic responses were determined by serum bactericidal antibody assay and serogroup-specific IgG, IgG1, and IgG2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Prevaccination serogroup A-specific IgG1/IgG2 ratios were <1 for all subjects and differed by subject for C, Y, and W-135. Postvaccination, significant increases in IgG, IgG1, and IgG2, were observed for all serogroups. Serogroup-specific IgG1/IgG2 ratios increased for group A (14/17 subjects, 88%), decreased in more than half of subjects for groups C (9/17, 53%) and W135 (12/17, 71%) and decreased for serogroup Y (16/17, 94%). IgG1/IgG2 ratios differed between individual vaccinees and were similar to the responses of adults who received pneumococcal conjugate vaccines or a monovalent C conjugate vaccine. Further studies on IgG subclasses following meningococcal polysaccharide and conjugate vaccination are needed.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Vaccine Evaluation Unit, Health Protection Agency North West, P.O. Box 209, Clinical Sciences Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, M13 9WZ, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 161 2766793. Fax: 44 161 2766792. E-mail: helen.findlow{at}hpa.org.uk.

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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, April 2006, p. 507-510, Vol. 13, No. 4
1071-412X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.13.4.507-510.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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