Sex-Specific Immune Responses to Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Diabetic Individuals: Implications for Vaccine Efficacy

Figure 5

ELISA and FACS-based analysis of the immunoglobulin levels and subtypes indicates a drop in antibody response in the diabetic female while the same being elevated in the diabetic male. (a) The IgG1 level and (b) IgG2 level in the permeabilized B220^low CD19^low/neg IgM−IgD−CD138+ plasma cells were studied via FACS and represented in the bar diagram. (c) The antibody titer specific for anti-HA IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3 were measured by ELISA with the plates coated with HA-specific for H1N1 for studying the serum IgG subtypes specific for the antigen. (d) Fold change expression for the antibody titers for anti-HA IgG specific for H1N1 and H3N2 hemagglutinin. (e) A hemagglutination inhibition assay was performed to evaluate the potential of the serum antibodies to neutralize the live influenza virus. The highest serum dilution factor that is still capable of neutralizing the virus is represented. (f) The alternation in body mass percentage as observed in 3 day-points that have been represented in the graph as 5-, 14-, and 25-days postinfection challenges. The statistical significance in the 14th day point represents for both MD+ versus MD− and FD+ versus FD−. The statistical significance bar for the 25th day indicates the significance for MD+ versus FD+. Data in graphs are derived from at least four independent experiments (, , and ). For each group n = 5, the error bar indicates the standard deviation.

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