Hepatitis-B vaccine (HBVv) can prevent HBV-
infection and associated
liver diseases. However, concerns regarding its safety, particularly among patients with
autoimmune diseases (i.e. SLE) were raised. Moreover, the
aluminum adjuvant in HBVv was related to immune mediated adverse events. Therefore, we examined the effects of immunization with HBVv or
alum on SLE-like disease in a murine model. NZBWF1 mice were immunized with HBVv (Engerix), or
aluminum hydroxide (
alum) or
phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Mice were followed for weight,
autoantibodies titers, blood counts,
proteinuria, kidney histology, neurocognitive functions (novel object recognition, staircase, Y-maze and the forced swimming tests) and brain histology. Immunization with HBVv induced acceleration of
kidney disease manifested by high
anti-dsDNA antibodies (p < 0.01), early onset of
proteinuria (p < 0.05), histological damage and deposition of HBs
antigen in the kidney. Mice immunized with HBVv and/or
alum had decreased cells counts mainly of the red cell lineage (p < 0.001),
memory deficits (p < 0.01), and increased activated microglia in different areas of the brain compare with mice immunized with PBS. Anxiety-like behavior was more pronounced among mice immunized with
alum. In conclusion, herein we report that immunization with the HBVv aggravated
kidney disease in an animal model of SLE. Immunization with either HBVv or
alum affected blood counts, neurocognitive functions and brain
gliosis. Our data support the concept that different component of
vaccines may be linked with immune and autoimmune mediated adverse events.