0
0
Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the influence of metabolic health on the effectiveness of influenza vaccinations. Their findings, published today in Nature Microbiology, highlight the critical role of metabolic function in determining vaccine efficacy, challenging previous assumptions about the impact of obesity alone.
The study, led by Dr. Stacey Schultz-Cherry and her team from the St. Jude Department of Host-Microbe Interactions and Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response, found that it is not obesity itself but rather metabolic dysfunction that affects the body’s response to flu vaccines.
Contrary to earlier beliefs, the researchers discovered that obese mice, despite receiving vaccinations, remained highly susceptible to influenza. Even after returning to a healthy weight post-vaccination, these mice still succumbed to the disease upon exposure to the actual virus. However, switching to a healthy diet four weeks before vaccination drastically improved survival rates, irrespective of BMI.
Dr. Schultz-Cherry emphasized the significance of the findings, stating, “We found that the vaccines worked effectively if the animal was metabolically healthy at the time of vaccination.” Conversely, mice with metabolic dysfunction showed poor vaccine response, regardless of their outward appearance or BMI.
Further investigations revealed that metabolic dysfunction compromised the immune system’s ability to mount an effective defense against the flu virus. T cells, crucial components of the immune response, were found to be dysfunctional in animals with poor metabolic health, even during subsequent viral exposure. However, a healthy diet before vaccination restored T-cell function, resulting in a robust anti-flu response.
The study underscores the importance of metabolic health at the time of vaccination and suggests that improving metabolic function may enhance the effectiveness of influenza vaccines. While the research was conducted in mice, it opens avenues for potential interventions to improve vaccine efficacy in humans.
“We can do better at protecting our vulnerable populations, and this study is a step towards understanding how,” noted Dr. Schultz-Cherry. The findings pave the way for future investigations into improving vaccine effectiveness, potentially benefiting millions of individuals worldwide.
While the study’s focus was on mice, its implications for human health are significant. With the development of metabolic improvement drugs, such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, there may be promising opportunities to enhance vaccine response through metabolic interventions.
As research continues, scientists remain optimistic about the potential for improving influenza vaccine effectiveness and safeguarding public health.
