biostudies-literatureMcIntire KMMinistry of EducationNCATS NIH HHSNIAID NIH HHSCollaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation CentersNational Institutes of HealthNational Research Foundation of KoreaCenters of Excellence for Influenza Research and ResponseNIH HHSCenters of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillancee20240668https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11211068biostudies-literatureUnknown221(8)Germinal centers (GC) are microanatomical lymphoid structures where affinity-matured memory B cells and long-lived bone marrow plasma cells are primarily generated. It is unclear how the maturation of B cells within the GC impacts the breadth and durability of B cell responses to influenza vaccination in humans. We used fine needle aspiration of draining lymph nodes to longitudinally track antigen-specific GC B cell responses to seasonal influenza vaccination. Antigen-specific GC B cells persisted for at least 13 wk after vaccination in two out of seven individuals. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from persisting GC B cell clones exhibit enhanced binding affinity and breadth to influenza hemagglutinin (HA) antigens compared with related GC clonotypes isolated earlier in the response. The Journal of experimental medicineMaturation of germinal center B cells after influenza virus vaccination in humans.PMC11211068U19AI089992HHSN272201400008C75N93019C00051U01 AI1446165T32AI007163-44R01AI168178-01U01 AI141990UL1 TR0018632021R1A6A3A03041509U01 AI1507475U01AI144616-02R01AI104739R01 AI10473975N93021C00014U01AI141990T32 AI007163U19 AI0899921U01AI150747R01 AI168178Turner JSZhou JQYellin TWang MSuessen TMiddleton WDKrammer FMcIntire KMKleinstein SHMcMahon MMalladi SKMoore NEWard ABSchmitz AJEllebedy AHLin THWilson IAKim WMohammed BMCarreno JMPresti RMHan JTeefey SAMeng HHoehn KBfalseMaturation of germinal center B cells after influenza virus vaccination in humans.Germinal centers (GC) are microanatomical lymphoid structures where affinity-matured memory B cells and long-lived bone marrow plasma cells are primarily generated. It is unclear how the maturation of B cells within the GC impacts the breadth and durability of B cell responses to influenza vaccination in humans. We used fine needle aspiration of draining lymph nodes to longitudinally track antigen-specific GC B cell responses to seasonal influenza vaccination. Antigen-specific GC B cells persisted for at least 13 wk after vaccination in two out of seven individuals. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from persisting GC B cell clones exhibit enhanced binding affinity and breadth to influenza hemagglutinin (HA) antigens compared with related GC clonotypes isolated earlier in the response. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Aug2026-06-01T18:09:36.949Z2025-04-03T23:44:23.204ZS-EPMC112110683893507210.1084/jem.20240668