2025 Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 87-91
【Objective】The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the efficacy of the herpes zoster vaccine in kidney transplant recipients, using cellular immune responses and cytokine profiles as indicators.【Methods】Cytokine responses (IFNγ, IL-2, TNFα, and CD40L) of CD4＋ and CD8＋ T cells were measured by flow cytometry in kidney transplant recipients following stimulation with a varicella-zoster virus peptide pool. Immune responses were analyzed based on comparisons between groups stratified by tacrolimus blood trough levels and changes before and after vaccination. Vaccine efficacy was defined as an increase in multiple cytokine responses.【Results】In both CD4＋ and CD8＋ T cells, the relative expression levels (relative ratio) of IFNγ, IL-2, and TNFα significantly increased after vaccination (p ＜ 0.05). CD40L expression in CD4＋T cells showed only a mild increase. Although patients with higher tacrolimus trough levels tended to exhibit lower cytokine responses, the differences were not statistically significant. Based on the predefined criteria for vaccine efficacy, 75% of recipients showed an increase in three or more cytokine responses, and 100% showed an increase in two or more. No cases of herpes zoster were observed during the study period.【Conclusion】The efficacy of the herpes zoster vaccine may be influenced by the degree of immunosuppression, particularly IL-2 suppression and tacrolimus levels. Further studies are needed to establish scientific evidence regarding the optimal timing of vaccination and to optimize vaccination strategies from the perspective of personalized medicine.
