Characterization of rubella-specific humoral immunity following two doses of MMR vaccine using proteome microarray technology

Introduction//Background: The lack of standardization of the currently used commercial anti-rubella IgG antibody assays leads to frequent misinterpretation of results for samples with low/equivocal antibody concentration. The use of alternative approaches in rubella serology could add new information leading to a fuller understanding of rubella protective immunity and neutralizing antibody response after vaccination. Methods: We applied microarray technology to measure antibodies to all rubella virus proteins in 75 high and 75 low rubella virus-specific antibody responders after two MMR vaccine doses. These data were used in multivariate penalized logistic regression modeling of rubella-specific neutralizing antibody response after vaccination. Results: We measured antibodies to all rubella virus structural proteins (i.e., the glycoproteins E1 and E2 and the capsid C protein) and to the non-structural protein P150. Antibody levels to each of these proteins were: correlated with the neutralizing antibody titer (p<0.006); demonstrated differences between the high and the low antibody responder groups (p<0.008); and were components of the model associated with/predictive of vaccine-induced rubella virus-specific neutralizing antibody titers (misclassification error = 0.2). Conclusion: Our study supports the use of this new technology, as well as the use of antibody profiles/patterns (rather than single antibody measures) as biomarkers of neutralizing antibody response and correlates of protective immunity in rubella virus serology.