AS03-adjuvanted chimeric HA-based influenza vaccine induces long-lived stalk-specific plasma cells in bone marrow and lymph nodes of non-human primates

ABSTRACT: Current influenza vaccines face challenges due to antigenic evolution of the circulating virus and waning immunity in humans. Here, we investigated the durability of humoral immunity induced by an AS03-adjuvanted chimeric hemagglutinin (cHA) based influenza vaccine in non-human primates (NHPs). Two groups of NHPs (n=7 or 8) received two doses of a seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) on weeks 0 and 4, followed by sequential immunization with split virus cHA vaccines cH8/1N1 (week 21), and cH5/1N1 (weeks 33 and 94). One group received cHA immunizations with AS03 adjuvant. We monitored serum antibodies and long-lived plasma cells in bone marrow for nearly 2 years after the final vaccination. The seasonal QIV vaccine induced poor HA stalk-specific antibodies and failed to give rise to detectable long-lived plasma cells in bone marrow. In contrast, cHA vaccines significantly induced stalk-specific antibody responses. Importantly, the addition of AS03 enhanced both the magnitude and durability of humoral immunity by establishing the persistence of long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow and lymph nodes for nearly 2 years. Passive transfer of NHP serum provided protection against challenge with heterologous influenza A virus strains in mice. This study highlights the potential of the AS03-adjuvanted chimeric HA vaccine strategy to provide durable and broadly protective humoral immunity.

ORGANISM(S): Macaca mulatta

PROVIDER: GSE294334 | GEO | 2025/09/04

REPOSITORIES: GEO