RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Cutting Edge: Long-Term B Cell Memory in Humans after Smallpox Vaccination
JF The Journal of Immunology
JO J. Immunol.
FD American Association of Immunologists
SP 4969
OP 4973
DO 10.4049/jimmunol.171.10.4969
VO 171
IS 10
A1 Crotty, Shane
A1 Felgner, Phil
A1 Davies, Huw
A1 Glidewell, John
A1 Villarreal, Luis
A1 Ahmed, Rafi
YR 2003
UL http://www.jimmunol.org/content/171/10/4969.abstract
AB Memory B cells are a central component of humoral immunity, and yet little is known about their longevity in humans. Immune memory after smallpox vaccination (DryVax) is a valuable benchmark for understanding the longevity of B cell memory in the absence of re-exposure to Ag. In this study, we demonstrate that smallpox vaccine-specific memory B cells last for >50 years in immunized individuals. Virus-specific memory B cells initially declined postimmunization, but then reached a plateau ∼10-fold lower than peak and were stably maintained for >50 years after vaccination at a frequency of ∼0.1% of total circulating IgG+ B cells. These persisting memory B cells were functional and able to mount a robust anamnestic Ab response upon revaccination. Additionally, virus-specific CD4+ T cells were detected decades after vaccination. These data show that immunological memory to DryVax vaccine is long-lived and may contribute to protection against smallpox.