Human antibodies elicited by a pneumococcal vaccine express idiotypic determinants indicative of V(H)3 gene segment usage

J Infect Dis. 1998 Sep;178(3):707-16. doi: 10.1086/515369.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons manifest decreased antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines. Since human antibody responses to polysaccharides are often restricted, the molecular structure of antibodies elicited by a 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine was analyzed. Anti-idiotypic reagents were used to detect V(H)1, V(H)3, and V(H)4 gene usage by antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides in HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected subjects by ELISA. HIV-uninfected persons generated beta-mercaptoethanol-sensitive and -resistant antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides expressing V(H)3 determinants recognized by the D12, 16.84, and B6 monoclonal antibodies; antibodies expressing V(H)1 determinants were not detected, and V(H)4 determinants were expressed by beta-mercaptoethanol-sensitive antibodies only; and HIV-infected subjects had significantly lower capsular polysaccharide-specific and V(H)3-positive antibody responses. These findings confirm decreased antibody responses to pneumococcal vaccination in HIV-infected persons and suggest that their poor responses may result from HIV-associated depletion of restricted B cell subsets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Vaccines / immunology*
  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • HIV Infections / blood
  • HIV Infections / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / immunology
  • Mercaptoethanol
  • Mice
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumococcal Vaccines
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Pneumococcal Vaccines
  • Mercaptoethanol