Session Information
Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)
Background/Purpose:
Hepatitis-B vaccine (HBVv) was proven to be successful and cost effective in preventing HBV infection and associated liver disease. However, in recent years concerns were raised regarding its safety, particularly among patients with autoimmune diseases (i.e. SLE)#. Additionally, the Aluminum adjuvant included in HBVv has been related to immune mediated adverse events. Thus, in the current study we set to evaluate the effects of immunization with HBVv or Alum in an animal model of SLE.
Methods:
Three groups of 20 NZB/W F1 mice (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME), were immunized with HBVv (Engerix), Aluminum hydroxide (Alum) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Mice were followed for weight, autoantibodies titers, blood cell accounts, urine protein, kidney histology and neurocognitive functions (i.e. novel object recognition, staircase, Y-maze and the forced swimming tests).
Results:
Mice immunized with HBVv had significantly higher titers of anti-dsDNA antibodies (p<0.01), accelerated proteinuria (p<0.05) and advanced kidney damage on biopsy compared to those immunized with PBS or Alum. Mice immunized with HBVv or Alum had decreased cells counts and hemoglobin levels (p<0.001) compare with mice immunized with PBS. Similarly, long and short term memory were significantly decreased following immunization with HBVv or Alum (p<0.01). Mice immunized with alum displayed anxiety-like behavior.
Conclusion:
Herein we have found that immunization with the HBVv accelerates kidney disease in an animal model of SLE-like disease. Both Alum and HBVv, which contains alum as an adjuvant, affected blood counts and neurocognitive functions. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms by which different ingredient of HBVv affect SLE-like disease in animal models.
# Agmon-Levin N, et al. Ten cases of systemic lupus erythematosus related to hepatitis B vaccine. Lupus. 2009;18:1192-7.; Bassi N, et al. Induction of the ‘ASIA’ syndrome in NZB/NZWF1 mice after injection of complete Freund‘s adjuvant (CFA). Lupus. 2012;21:203-9.
Disclosure:
N. Agmon-Levin,
None;
M. Teresa Arango,
None;
S. Kivity,
None;
A. Katzav,
None;
B. Gilburd,
None;
M. Blank,
None;
J. M. Anaya,
None;
G. Zandman-Goddard,
None;
J. Chapman,
None;
Y. Shoenfeld,
None.
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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/immunization-with-hepatitis-b-vaccine-accelerates-sle-like-disease-in-an-animal-model/