Immunogenicity and Immunological Memory Induced by the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Followed by the 23-Valent Polysaccharide Vaccine in HIV-Infected Adults.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine-induced memory B-cell (MBC) subsets have distinct roles in the establishment of protective immunity; MBCs expressing nonswitched immunoglobulin M (IgM+ MBCs) replenish the MBC pool, whereas MBCs expressing isotype-switched immunoglobulin (sIg+ MBCs) differentiate into plasma cells upon antigen reencounter. We investigated immunogenicity and MBCs induced by combined 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults.

METHODS: Forty HIV-seropositive adults receiving ART with undetectable viral loads were enrolled. Seventeen had a CD4+ T-cell count of ≥400 cells/μL (group A), and 23 had a CD4+ T-cell count of 200-399 cells/μL (group B). All adults received PCV13 and, 1 year later, PPV23. Levels of IgM+ MBCs (defined as polysaccharide [PS]-specific CD19+CD10-CD27+CD21++IgM+ MBCs) and sIg+ MBCs (defined as PS-specific CD19+CD10-CD27+CD21++IgM- MBCs) and antibodies against PS14 and PS3 were measured prior and 1 month after each vaccination.

RESULTS: Immunization caused a significant increase in PS antibodies, compared with levels at baseline (P < .001). Group B achieved significantly lower titers than group A (P < .05 for both PS14 and PS3). After receipt of PCV13, levels of IgM+ MBCs were unchanged, whereas levels of sIg+ MBCs increased significantly (P < .05 for PS14 and P < .001 for PS3). In contrast, following PPV23 receipt, levels of IgM+ MBCs were significantly reduced, and levels of sIg+ MBCs remained stable. A positive correlation was observed between baseline IgM+ and sIg+ MBC counts 1 month after PCV13 receipt but not after PPV23 receipt.

CONCLUSIONS: PPV23 receipt 12 months after PCV13 receipt improved PCV13 immunogenicity. The reduction in the IgM+ MBC count observed after PPV23 receipt suggests that PPV23 has a depleting effect on PCV13-associated immunological memory.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT03041051.