%0 Journal Article
%T Children with perinatally acquired HIV exhibit distinct immune responses to 4CMenB vaccine.
%A Cotugno N
%A Neri A
%A Sanna M
%A Santilli V
%A Manno EC
%A Pascucci GR
%A Morrocchi E
%A Amodio D
%A Ruggiero A
%A Ciofi Degl Atti ML
%A Barneschi I
%A Grappi S
%A Cocchi I
%A Giacomet V
%A Trabattoni D
%A Olivieri G
%A Bernardi S
%A O'Connor D
%A Montomoli E
%A Pollard AJ
%A Palma P
%J JCI Insight
%V 9
%N 10
%D 2024 Apr 11
%M 38775152
%F 9.484
%R 10.1172/jci.insight.177182
%X Children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) have special vaccination needs, as they make suboptimal immune responses. Here, we evaluated safety and immunogenicity of 2 doses of 4-component group B meningococcal vaccine in antiretroviral therapy-treated children with PHIV and healthy controls (HCs). Assessments included the standard human serum bactericidal antibody (hSBA) assay and measurement of IgG titers against capsular group B Neisseria meningitidis antigens (fHbp, NHBA, NadA). The B cell compartment and vaccine-induced antigen-specific (fHbp+) B cells were investigated by flow cytometry, and gene expression was investigated by multiplexed real-time PCR. A good safety and immunogenicity profile was shown in both groups; however, PHIV demonstrated a reduced immunogenicity compared with HCs. Additionally, PHIV showed a reduced frequency of fHbp+ and an altered B cell subset distribution, with higher fHbp+ frequency in activated memory and tissue-like memory B cells. Gene expression analyses on these cells revealed distinct mechanisms between PHIV and HC seroconverters. Overall, these data suggest that PHIV presents a diverse immune signature following vaccination. The impact of such perturbation on long-term maintenance of vaccine-induced immunity should be further evaluated in vulnerable populations, such as people with PHIV.