Selectivity in IgG subclass response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers

IgG subclasses of antibodies to the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in sera from 40 healthy infants immunized with the vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with monoclonal antibodies. The infants were born to asymptomatic HBsAg-positive mothers. Total serum IgG subclasses were also tested to exclude a deficiency of certain subclasses in these infants but their distribution was the one expected according to age. In contrast, IgG subclass antibodies to HBsAg were predominantly IgG1 and IgG4. The collected data indicate that infants produce significantly higher levels of IgG1 and IgG4 than IgG2 and IgG3 in response to the vaccine for HBV. The IgG4 response to anti-viral vaccinations is uncommon. The role of that IgG4 subclass is not yet clear: even if an anaphylactic role was suggested, no adverse reactions were observed in vaccinated children.