Immunologic response to vaccine challenge in pregnant PTPN22 R620W carriers and non-carriers.

OBJECTIVES: Influenza infection is a significant cause of respiratory morbidity among pregnant women. Seasonal influenza vaccination engages innate immune receptors to promote protective immunity. A coding polymorphism (R620W) in PTPN22 imparts elevated risk for human infection and autoimmune disease, predisposes to diminished innate immune responses, and associates with reduced immunization responses. We sought to quantify the effects of PTPN22-R620W on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to the inactivated influenza vaccine among healthy pregnant women. STUDY DESIGN: Immune responses were measured in healthy pregnant R620W carrier (n = 17) and non-carrier (n = 33) women receiving the 2013 quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (Fluzone). Hemagglutination inhibition assays were performed to quantify neutralizing antibodies; functional influenza-reactive CD4 T cells were quantified by flow cytometry, and influenza-specific CD8 T cells were enumerated with MHC Class I tetramers. Antibody seroconversion data were evaluated by Chi-square analysis, and the Mann-Whitney or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied to T cell response data. RESULTS: PTPN22 R620W carrier (n = 17) and non-carrier (n = 33) groups did not differ in age, parity, BMI, gestational age at time of vaccine, or history of prior influenza vaccination. After Fluzone exposure, 51.5% of non-carriers met criteria for antibody seroconversion to H1N1 influenza, compared with 23.5% of R620W carriers (p = 0.06). Influenza-reactive CD4 T cells showed modest increase at days 9-15 after vaccination in both R620W carriers and non-carriers (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). However, there was no difference in overall response between the two groups (p = 0.6). The vaccine did not result in significant induction of influenza-specific CD8 T cells in either group. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference among healthy pregnant R620W carriers and non-carriers in H1N1 antibody seroconversion rates after influenza vaccination. Studies of larger cohorts will be needed to define the effect of PTPN22 risk allele carriage on antibody and T cell responses to influenza vaccination during pregnancy.

Cervical Ectopic Pregnancy: Persistence Despite a Serologically Negative ß-hCG. A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Cervical pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy that can be associated with significant hemorrhage and loss of fertility. Given its rarity, most effective treatment protocols are not well established. CASE: A 33-year-old primigravid woman at 11 weeks' gestation presented to our institution with a cervical ectopic pregnancy with an initial ß-hCG of 114,080 IU/L. She received 2 doses of systemic multidose methotrexate (1 mg/kg) with oral leucovorin on alternating days. Fetal intracardiac potassium chloride injection was also performed. Despite an appropriate decline to undetectable levels of serum ß-hCG, as well as resumption of menses, there was persistent sonographic demonstration of the cervical ectopic pregnancy. Surgery was ultimately required to remove the ectopic products of conception. CONCLUSION: Despite seemingly successful medical treatment of the cervical ectopic pregnancy with resultant undetectable serum ß-hCG levels, surgery was necessary for complete resolution of the cervical pregnancy. This report supports the need to integrate both serum ß-hCG levels and ultrasound to ensure complete resolution of these rare pregnancies.