Immune Responses to HBV Vaccine in People Living with HIV (PLWHs) Who Achieved Successful Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Understanding immune responses after HBV vaccination is important to prevent HBV infection in PLWH and to achieve successful treatment. Methods: Thirty-two PLWHs with CD4(+) cell count > 350 cells/mu L and HIV RNA < 200 copies/mL were vaccinated with 20 mu g of HBV vaccine at weeks 0, 4, and 24 in this prospective study. We measured total HIV DNA levels, HBsAb titers and HBsAg-specific T-cell responses during follow-up time. Results: All patients achieved protective HBsAb titer after immunization. The magnitude of the IFN-r and TNF-a response to HBsAg was 22.0 (IQR: 6.5-65.0) and 106.50 (IQR: 58.5-203.0) spot-forming cells (SFC)/10(5) PBMC, respectively at week 0. The level of IFN-r secreted at weeks 12 and weeks 36 to 48 was comparable with that at week 0. However, IFN-r response was higher at weeks 12 than that at weeks 36 to 48 (p = 0.02). The level of TNF-a secreted at weeks 12 was higher than that at week 0 (p < 0.001). Total HIV DNA levels were 2.76 (IQR: 2.47-3.07), 2.77 (IQR: 2.50-3.09), 2.77(IQR: 2.41-2.89) log(10) copies/10(6) PBMCs at weeks 0, 12, 36 to 48, respectively. No correlation was observed between IFN-r and TNF-a levels and HBsAb titer as well as total HIV DNA levels after immunization. Conclusion: Humoral immunity was satisfactory, but cellular immunity and decline in HIV reservoir were not optimal after HBV vaccine immunization in these patients.

Automated summary

In this prospective study, PLWHs achieved protective antibody levels after HBV vaccine immunization, but cellular immunity and decline in HIV reservoir were suboptimal.