Taxa of the Nasal Microbiome Are Associated with Influenza-Specific IgA Response to Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine

PLoS One. 2016 Sep 19;11(9):e0162803. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162803. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) has demonstrated varying levels of efficacy against seasonal influenza; however, LAIV may be used as a tool to measure interactions between the human microbiome and a live, replicating virus. To increase our knowledge of this interaction, we measured changes to the nasal microbiome in subjects who received LAIV to determine if associations between influenza-specific IgA production and the nasal microbiome exist after immunization with a live virus vaccine. The anterior nares of 47 healthy subjects were swabbed pre- (Day 0) and post- (Days 7 and 28) LAIV administration, and nasal washes were conducted on Days 0 and 28. We performed next-generation sequencing on amplified 16s rRNA genes and measured mucosal influenza-specific IgA titers via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significant increase in alpha diversity was identified (Observed, CHAO, and ACE) between Days 7 vs 0 (p-values = 0.017, 0.005, 0.005, respectively) and between Days 28 vs 0 (p-values = 0.054, 0.030, 0.050, respectively). Several significant associations between the presence of different microbial species, including Lactobacillus helveticus, Prevotella melaninogenica, Streptococcus infantis, Veillonella dispar, and Bacteroides ovatus, and influenza-specific H1 and H3 IgA antibody response were demonstrated. These data suggest that LAIV alters the nasal microbiome, allowing several less-abundant OTUs to establish a community niche. Additionally, specific alterations in the nasal microbiome are significantly associated with variations in influenza-specific IgA antibody production and could be clinically relevant.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / immunology*
  • Female
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology*
  • Influenza A virus / immunology*
  • Influenza Vaccines / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / immunology
  • Influenza, Human / microbiology
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Microbiota*
  • Nasal Cavity / microbiology*
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Influenza Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Attenuated

Grants and funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.