Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Sixteen Potential Genes Associated with the Successful Differentiation of Antibody-Secreting Cells through the Utilization of Unfolded Protein Response Mechanisms in Robust Responders to the Influenza Vaccine

The seasonal influenza vaccine remains one of the vital recommended infection control measures for the elderly with chronic illnesses. We investigated the immunogenicity of a single dose of influenza vaccine in 123 seronegative participants and classified them into four distinct groups, determined by the promptness of vaccine response, the longevity of humoral immunity, and the likelihood of exhibiting cross-reactivity. Subsequently, we used transcriptional profiling and differential gene expression analysis to identify potential genes directly associated with the robust response to the vaccine. The group of exemplary vaccine responders differentially expressed 16 genes, namely: MZB1, MYDGF, TXNDC5, TXNDC11, HSP90B1, FKBP11, PDIA5, PRDX4, CD38, SDC1, TNFRSF17, TNFRSF13B, PAX5, POU2AF1, IRF4, and XBP1. Our findings point out a list of expressed proteins that are related to B cell proliferation, unfolded protein response, and cellular haemostasis, as well as a linkage of these expressions to the survival of long-lived plasma cells.