Poor sleep impairs immune responses and influenza vaccine protection

Abstract

Disrrupted sleep, a common occurrence among shift workers, older adults, and individuals with sleep disorders, is increasingly recognized as a potential factor interfering with vaccine efficacy. Using a mouse model, we show that two weeks of chronic sleep fragmentation (CSF) before and during influenza vaccination significantly impair humoral immunity and reduce protection against lethal viral challenge. CSF-exposed mice exhibited lower neutralizing antibody titers, diminished IgG subclass responses, and reduced survival after viral challenge, despite preserved antibody binding avidity. Single-cell RNA sequencing and immune receptor profiling revealed altered B cell maturation, abnormal germinal center activation, and plasma cell stress, characterized by activation of unfolded protein response and oxidative stress pathways. CSF also reprogrammed B-cell signaling and disrupted coordination with T-cells. Together, this study showed that CSF compromises vaccine-induced immune responses by affecting multistage of B-cell differentiation, underscoring the importance of considering sleep health in vaccination strategies for vulnerable populations. One Sentence SummaryPoor sleep weakens both the magnitude and quality of immune responses, compromising the protective efficacy of influenza vaccination.