Fig. 8: B cell responses in vaccine responders and non-responders.

Frozen sera derived from vaccinees 21 days after vaccination in the two seasons were used for quantification and qualification of humoral immune responses by HAI and MN assays, respectively. A Correlation of the HAI and MN titer. The shown data is derived from the 1st and the 2nd study (n = 33 biologically independent samples). Asterisks denote significant relationships as calculated by Spearman correlation (two-tailed). Cryopreserved PBMCs isolated from vaccine triple responders and non-responders were stimulated with the vaccine antigens and stained for surface antigens identifying B memory B cells (CD27⁺CD19⁺CD3^-), transitional B cells (CD24^hiCD38^hiCD19⁺CD3^-, day 3 triple non-responders vs. responders p = 0.0039, day 6/7 triple non-responders vs. responders p = 0.0386) and plasma blasts (CD20^-CD38⁺CD27⁺CD19⁺CD3^-). Heat maps show the means of frequencies (% of CD19⁺CD3^- B cells) of re-stimulated samples (2nd study, n = 6 non responders and n = 7 responders, biologically independent samples). C Fold increase of B_REG cells (IL-10⁺CD24⁺CD38⁺CD19⁺CD3^-) at the indicated time points as compared to day 0 (2nd study, n = 6 non responders and n = 7 responders, biologically independent samples, day 6/7 triple non-responders vs. responders p = 0.0199, day 21 triple non-responders vs. responders p < 0.0001, day 70 triple non-responders vs. responders p < 0.0001). Columns represent the mean ± SEM of data from re-stimulated samples with individual values depicted as dots. Asterisks denote significant values as calculated by Two-way ANOVA without correction for multiple comparisons (uncorrected Fisher’s LSD) comparing triple vaccine responders and non-responders at a given time point. n.s. = not significant. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.