Test Can Predict Immune Responses to Flu Shots

Researchers at the Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University,Atlanta, Ga., have developed a method for predicting whether someone will produce high levels of antibodies against a flu shot a few days after vaccination. Based on a series of clinical studies during the annual flu seasons in 2007, 2008 and 2009, healthy young adults were vaccinated with a standard flu shot (trivalent inactive vaccine), while others were given live attenuated vaccine nasally. Researchers then surveyed the activity levels of all human genes in blood samples from the volunteers, which revealed that the activity of many genes involved in innate immunity, interferon and reactive oxygen species signaling was changing after flu vaccination. They also identified genes necessary for cells to adapt to the stress of producing high levels of antibodies. Knowing the extent to which carefully selected genes are turned on in white blood cells, the researchers can predict on day three, with up to 90 percent accuracy, who will make high levels of antibodies against a standard flu shot four weeks later.

“The main goal of our study was to demonstrate the feasibility of predicting how strongly a vaccine will stimulate the immune system,” says Bali Pulendran, PhD, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory School of Medicine and Yerkes National Primate Research Center. “Along the way, we have developed an assay that focuses on a handful of genes, which could be the basis for a customized vaccine chip to make these predictions cost-effectively.” The researchers now want to examine whether the signatures that predict immune response to flu can predict responses to other vaccines. The results were published online July 10 in Nature Immunology.