npj Vaccines (May 2024)

Sustained antigen delivery improves germinal center reaction and increases antibody responses in neonatal mice

  • Leda Lotspeich-Cole,
  • Swetha Parvathaneni,
  • Jiro Sakai,
  • Lunhua Liu,
  • Kazuyo Takeda,
  • Robert C. Lee,
  • Mustafa Akkoyunlu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-024-00875-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 6

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Neonates and young infants are known to have limited responses to pediatric vaccines due to reduced germinal center formation. Extended vaccine antigen dosing was previously shown to expand germinal center formation and improve humoral responses in adult mice. We report that sustained antigen delivery through sequential dosing overcomes neonatal limitations to form germinal center reactions and improves humoral immunity. Thus, vaccine strategies that extend the release of vaccine antigens may reduce the number of doses, and time needed, to achieve protective immunity in neonates and young infants.