Table_1_Sex-Related Differences in the Immune Response to Meningococcal Vaccinations During Adolescence.DOCX

BackgroundImmune responses to pediatric vaccinations have been reported to differ according to sex. Such sex-differential responses may become more pronounced during adolescence due to hormonal differences. We investigated whether the vaccine response following primary vaccination against meningococcal serogroup A (MenA), MenW and MenY and booster vaccination against MenC differed between girls and boys using data from two clinical studies.
MethodsChildren aged 10, 12, and 15 years, who had been primed with MenC vaccination between 14 months and 6 years of age, received a booster MenC vaccination or MenACWY vaccination. Polysaccharide-specific IgG concentrations and functional antibody titers [determined with the serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay] were measured at baseline, 1 month, 1 year, and 3 years (only MenC group) after vaccination. We calculated geometric mean concentrations and titers (GMC and GMT) ratios for girls vs. boys adjusted for age group. Additionally, we compared the proportion protected individuals between girls and boys at all timepoints.
ResultsThis study included 342 girls and 327 boys from two clinical trials. While MenAWY antibody levels did not differ consistently 1 month after vaccination, all GMC- and GMT-ratios were in favor of girls 1 year after vaccination [range: 1.31 (1.02–1.70) for MenA IgG to 1.54 (1.10–2.16) for MenW IgG]. Overall, MenC antibody levels were slightly higher in girls at all postvaccination timepoints (GMC- and GMT-ratios: 1.16/1.17 at 1 month, 1.16/1.22 at 1 year and 1.12/1.15 3 years postvaccination). Higher MenC antibody levels were observed in 12- and 15-year-old girls compared to boys of the same age, whereas 10-year-old boys and girls had similar antibody levels. The percentage of participants protected (SBA titer ≥ 8) was very high (95–100%) at all timepoints, and did not differ significantly between boys and girls.
ConclusionAntibody responses were higher in girls than in boys for all serogroups at most timepoints after primary MenAWY vaccination and booster MenC vaccination. The differences in average titers were however small and the percentage participants with protective titers was very high for both sexes.

背景 已有研究显示，儿童疫苗接种后的免疫应答存在性别差异。青春期阶段，由于激素水平差异，这种性别差异可能会更为显著。本研究依托两项临床研究的数据，旨在探究儿童在接种脑膜炎球菌血清群A（MenA）、MenW、MenY基础疫苗，以及MenC加强疫苗后，免疫应答是否存在性别差异。
方法 本研究纳入10、12及15岁儿童，这些儿童曾在14月龄至6岁期间完成MenC疫苗基础免疫，本次分别接受MenC加强疫苗或MenACWY联合疫苗接种。分别于接种前（基线）、接种后1个月、1年，以及接种后3年（仅MenC疫苗组）检测多糖特异性IgG浓度与功能性抗体滴度[采用血清杀菌抗体（serum bactericidal antibody, SBA）实验测定]。本研究计算了校正年龄组后的女童与男童的几何平均浓度及滴度（GMC和GMT）比值。此外，还比较了各时间点女童与男童的保护个体比例。
结果 本研究共纳入两项临床试验的342名女童与327名男童。接种后1个月时，MenACWY抗体水平未呈现一致的性别差异；但接种后1年时，所有GMC及GMT比值均显示女童抗体水平更优，其中MenA IgG的比值范围为1.31（1.02~1.70），MenW IgG的比值范围为1.54（1.10~2.16）。整体而言，在所有接种后时间点，女童的MenC抗体水平均略高于男童：接种后1个月时GMC及GMT比值分别为1.16、1.17，接种后1年时为1.16、1.22，接种后3年时为1.12、1.15。与同年龄段男童相比，12岁及15岁女童的MenC抗体水平更高，而10岁女童与男童的抗体水平无显著差异。各时间点的保护性参与者比例（SBA滴度≥8）均极高（95%~100%），且男童与女童之间无显著差异。
结论 接种MenACWY基础疫苗及MenC加强疫苗后，多数时间点下各血清群的抗体应答在女童中均高于男童。但平均滴度的差异较小，且两性的保护性滴度参与者比例均极高。