AUTHOR=Cait Alissa , Mooney Anna , Poyntz Hazel , Shortt Nick , Jones Angela , Gestin Aurélie , Gell Katie , Grooby Alix , O’Sullivan David , Tang Jeffry S. , Young Wayne , Thayabaran Darmiga , Sparks Jenny , Ostapowicz Tess , Tay Audrey , Poppitt Sally D. , Elliott Sarah , Wakefield Georgia , Parry-Strong Amber , Ralston Jacqui , Beasley Richard , Weatherall Mark , Braithwaite Irene , Forbes-Blom Elizabeth , Gasser Olivier TITLE=Potential Association Between Dietary Fibre and Humoral Response to the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.765528 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.765528 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

Influenza vaccination is an effective public health measure to reduce the risk of influenza illness, particularly when the vaccine is well matched to circulating strains. Notwithstanding, the efficacy of influenza vaccination varies greatly among vaccinees due to largely unknown immunological determinants, thereby dampening population-wide protection. Here, we report that dietary fibre may play a significant role in humoral vaccine responses. We found dietary fibre intake and the abundance of fibre-fermenting intestinal bacteria to be positively correlated with humoral influenza vaccine-specific immune responses in human vaccinees, albeit without reaching statistical significance. Importantly, this correlation was largely driven by first-time vaccinees; prior influenza vaccination negatively correlated with vaccine immunogenicity. In support of these observations, dietary fibre consumption significantly enhanced humoral influenza vaccine responses in mice, where the effect was mechanistically linked to short-chain fatty acids, the bacterial fermentation product of dietary fibre. Overall, these findings may bear significant importance for emerging infectious agents, such as COVID-19, and associated de novo vaccinations.