Non-specific effects of vaccines: Current evidence and potential implications.

L C J de Bree, Valerie A C M Koeken, Leo A B Joosten, Peter Aaby, Christine Stabell Benn, Reinout van Crevel, Mihai G Netea

Journal: Seminars in immunology 2018;39():35-43

PMID: 30007489

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Besides protection against specific microorganisms, vaccines can induce heterologous or non-specific effects (NSE). Epidemiological data suggest that vaccination with live-attenuated vaccines such as Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), measles vaccine, and oral polio vaccine results in increased overall childhood survival, and several of these observations have been confirmed in randomized trials. Immunological mechanisms mediating NSE include heterologous lymphocyte effects and induction of innate immune memory (trained immunity). Trained immunity induces long-term functional upregulation of innate immune cells through epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming. An overview of the epidemiological evidence of non-specific effects of vaccines and the latest insights regarding the biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon is presented, and future research priorities and potential implications are discussed.

Address: Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.; Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.; Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark; Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.; Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department for Genomics & Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2018.06.002

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MeSH Terms: BCG Vaccine, Cellular Reprogramming, Child, Epigenesis, Genetic, Humans, Immunity, Heterologous, Immunity, Innate, Immunologic Memory, Lymphocytes, Macrophages, Measles Vaccine, Poliovirus Vaccines, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Sex Factors, Vaccination