Immunization generated in eggs prompts an antibody response towards an egg-related glycan component

The University of Chicago Medicine, one of the nation's leading academic health systems, has made a significant finding in the field of vaccine research. On June 15, the results of their study were published in the journal mBio.

Led by researchers at the Wilson lab at the University of Chicago, in collaboration with researchers from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, the study sheds light on a previously unknown aspect of influenza vaccine production.

The researchers discovered that antibodies produced in response to various viruses bind to a sugar molecule found in chicken eggs, specifically in the allantois. This sugar molecule is known as N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) with a sulfur modification.

Interestingly, these antibodies appear to be fairly common following flu vaccination. However, it's not clear whether or not the production of anti-egg antibodies has an impact on vaccine effectiveness. More research is needed to determine what, if anything, these antibodies mean for the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.

It's worth noting that these antibodies do not bind to known egg allergens. This finding is significant for individuals with egg allergies, as it suggests that the presence of these antibodies does not pose a risk to their health. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the presence of these antibodies has any negative impact on an individual's health.

The study, titled "An Egg-Derived Sulfated N-Acetyllactosamine Glycan Is an Antigenic Decoy of Influenza Virus Vaccines," was supported by several grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Center for Functional Glycomics.

The University of Chicago Medicine, established in 1927, is renowned for its contributions to medical research. With a main campus in Hyde Park and several ambulatory facilities, it offers a full range of specialty-care services for adults and children through more than 40 institutes and centers. Notably, it is associated with twelve Nobel Prize winners in physiology or medicine.

As part of a regional network of care, the University of Chicago Medicine has 1,296 licensed beds, nearly 1,300 attending physicians, over 2,800 nurses, and about 970 residents and fellows. The study was published in the journal mBio on June 15, 2021, with the DOI 10.1128/mBio.00838-21.

While the findings of this study are intriguing, further research is necessary to fully understand the implications of these anti-egg antibodies for influenza vaccine production and effectiveness.