Will DNA-based Flu Vaccines Work Better for You

Scientists may have identified new methods to predict a specific individual’s responses to the influenza vaccine.

Experts from Yale University and a national research consortium confirmed the effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies widely among different genetic profiles.

They identified several gene "signatures," or groups of genes, that were associated with a stronger response to the flu vaccine.

The immunization response was determined by increases in antibodies that protect against infection.

“We were able to identify genes at baseline, before vaccination, that would predict how individuals would respond to the vaccine," said Ruth Montgomery, associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and a study co-author.

The researchers also found that while the genes were predictive of a robust vaccine response in adults younger than age 35, those same genes did not improve responses in adults over age 60.

"Another finding is that genes that contribute to good immune response are different in young and older people," reported Montgomery.

"Surprisingly, we found that baseline differences, both at the gene and module level, were inversely correlated between young and older participants," added Steven Kleinstein, associate professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine and a corresponding author on the study.

The findings offer new insights into the biology of vaccine response. They may also help investigators predict responses in individuals and develop strategies to improve vaccines, Montgomery noted.

Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted research to determine how well the current flu vaccine was working.

The CDC data shows the risk of flu illness can be reduced by 50% among the overall population, when the flu vaccine matches the circulating flu viruses.

However, even during years when the vaccine is a good match, the benefits of vaccination will vary across the age-segmented population.

There are various flu vaccines available each year, such as trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines. Most pharmacies offer several flu vaccines, and the cost varies, depending upon your insurance, and which state you live.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector vaccine prices for general information.

The Yale researchers' analysis was based on data from the Human Immunology Project Consortium (HIPC) and the Center for Human Immunology (CHI), which include samples from individuals spanning a range of geographical locations and vaccination seasons.

The initial findings were validated by an independent cohort of study subjects. All of the study data are available through the NIAID ImmPort repository and ImmuneSpace.

Study authors are the HIPC Signatures Project Team and HIPC-I Consortium. The work was funded in part by National Institutes of Health grants. The researchers did not disclose any conflicts of interest.