Transcriptomic profiling following de novo hepatitis B vaccination reveals role of granulocytes in non-responders

As hepatitis B virus is widely spread, WHO recommend vaccination from infancy to reduce acute infection and chronic carriers. However current subunit vaccines are not 100% efficacious and leaves 5-10% persistent non-responders unprotected. To handle large inter-individual variability in immune response after the first Engerix-B vaccination, we employed whole blood early gene expression signatures at day 3 and 7. Immune related pathways are differential expressed in the responders group mostly at day 3 and at day 7 in the non-responders. A notable difference between both groups are significant differential expressed genes at day 0, before vaccination, showing the inter-individual variation. The granulin precursor (GRN) was significant downregulated in responders while upregulated in non-responders. Further absolute granulocytes numbers were significant higher in non-responders. So there is a certain diversity in basic innate immune system. Overall design: Whole blood mRNA gene expression profiles at day 0, 3 and 7 from individuals vaccinated with a de novo Engerix-B dose at day 0 (after blood draw).