Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination

Influenza vaccine efficacy and T-helper cell differentiation change with aging

13^th Annual Congress on Vaccines, Therapeutics & Travel Medicine: Influenza & Infectious diseases

December 01-02, 2016 Atlanta, USA

Laura Haynes

UConn Health, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Vaccines Vaccin

Abstract:

The ability to generate a robust immune response to influenza infection declines with age. As a preventative measure, the common influenza vaccine is administered yearly. But, due to age-related changes in immune function, this current vaccine strategy fails to protect thousands of elderly people each season. Exactly how these age-related changes contribute to poor influenza vaccination efficacy however remain to be elucidated. In this study, we show that while vaccination with influenza nucleoprotein (NP), a candidate for a universal influenza vaccine, reduces lung inflammation and susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection in young mice, it does not have the same effect in aged mice. NP vaccination of aged mice does induce NP-specific antibodies that protect from death due to influenza and NP-specific CD4 T-cells are more likely to differentiate towards a T follicular helper (Tfh) phenotype in aged mice. This is in contrast to young mice, where CD4 T-cells are driven more towards a T-helper type 1 (Th1) phenotype, which may be more beneficial for viral clearance. This age-associated change in T-helper cell differentiation patterns could account for some or all of the age related differences in vaccine efficacy. Our results highlight the importance of examining parameters other than antibody responses when testing influenza vaccines in preclinical models of aging.

Biography :

Email: lhaynes@uchc.edu