Mabasa Vusumuzi, Seheri Mapeseka L, Magwira Cliff A
Diarrheal Research Pathogens Unit (DPRU), Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.
Front Immunol. 2025 May 16;16:1517893. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1517893. eCollection 2025.
The metabolism of nutritional iron, required by viruses to replicate and proliferate, is regulated by hepcidin, a peptide hormone of 25 amino acids. Overexpression of hepcidin results in iron deficiency anemia (IDA), while its downregulation can lead to an iron overload. Recently, IDA has been highlighted for its role in the impairment of adaptive immunity and poor vaccine effectiveness. Here, we assessed the possible role of IDA in oral rotavirus (RV) vaccine take among South African infants.
Paired stool and unstimulated saliva were collected from oral RV vaccinated infants, who attended a routine immunization program at Oukasie Healthcare clinic, north of Pretoria, South Africa, to decide vaccine shedders (n = 20) and non-shedders (n = 18). IDA was determined by assaying the salivary hepcidin levels using an ELISA kit, while expression of hepcidin, hepcidin inducer IL-6, Interferon I (IFN I) and IFN-γ were determined by qPCR.
There were no significant differences in the average hepcidin levels between vaccine shedders and non-shedders ( = 0.83). Hepcidin levels were decreased 0.43-fold a week after vaccination versus pre-vaccination, = 0.0001. Unlike the concentration, the expression of hepcidin increased 5-5-fold in non-shedders compared to vaccine shedders. Similarly, the expression of IL-6 and IFN I were increased 5.2- and 4.9-fold, respectively, in non-shedders compared to shedders. In contrast, the expression of IFN-γ was increased 3.2-fold in shedders compared to non-shedders.
Collectively, our observations suggest a possible role for IDA in impediment of oral RV vaccine take among South African infants.
病毒复制和增殖所需的营养性铁的代谢受铁调素（一种由25个氨基酸组成的肽激素）调节。铁调素过表达会导致缺铁性贫血（IDA），而其下调则会导致铁过载。最近，IDA因其在适应性免疫损害和疫苗效果不佳中的作用而受到关注。在此，我们评估了IDA在南非婴儿口服轮状病毒（RV）疫苗接种中的可能作用。
从在南非比勒陀利亚北部的奥卡西医疗诊所参加常规免疫计划的口服RV疫苗接种婴儿中收集配对的粪便和未刺激的唾液，以确定疫苗排出者（n = 20）和非排出者（n = 18）。使用ELISA试剂盒检测唾液中铁调素水平来确定IDA，同时通过qPCR测定铁调素、铁调素诱导剂IL-6、干扰素I（IFN I）和IFN-γ的表达。
疫苗排出者和非排出者之间的平均铁调素水平无显著差异（ = 0.83）。接种疫苗一周后铁调素水平与接种前相比降低了0.43倍， = 0.0001。与浓度不同，与疫苗排出者相比，非排出者中铁调素的表达增加了5 - 5倍。同样，与排出者相比，非排出者中IL-6和IFN I的表达分别增加了5.2倍和4.9倍。相比之下，与非排出者相比，排出者中IFN-γ的表达增加了3.2倍。
总体而言，我们的观察结果表明IDA在南非婴儿口服RV疫苗接种障碍中可能起作用。
