Understanding immunometabolism at the systemic level is important to vaccine development and cancer immunotherapy. While new data are coming out, methodical measurements of small molecules using metabolomics are still limited. Our team recently reported a multi-omics study of herpes zoster vaccine (Zostavax), which identified major metabolic influences to vaccine induced immunity, including inositol phosphate metabolism and steroid metabolism. To fully test the metabolite predictors of immune responses, we have acquired samples from a larger Zostavax study, and propose to perform advanced, high-coverage metabolomics analysis. Predictive models of immune responses will be developed on one cohort and tested on the other. These data will also be compared to a newer and more efficacious zoster vaccine. Together, this study will establish how metabolite profiles determine the immune responses of individuals.
Understanding the molecular basis of immune responses is important to the development of vaccines, fighting infectious diseases and designing cancer immunotherapy. Using samples from herpes zoster vaccination studies, we will perform cutting-edge high-coverage metabolomics to learn how individuals respond to vaccination differently, and how metabolic phenotypes influence the immune responses. The scientific findings in this project shall guide vaccine development, trials, and therapeutic designs.
