Protective immunity against Eimeria acervulina following in ovo immunization with a recombinant subunit vaccine and cytokine genes.

Abstract

A purified recombinant protein from Eimeria acervulina (3-1E) was used to vaccinate chickens in ovo against coccidiosis both alone and in combination with expression plasmids encoding the interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, IL-16, IL-17, IL-18, or gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) gene. When used alone, vaccination with 100 or 500 mug of 3-1E resulted in significantly decreased oocyst shedding compared with that in nonvaccinated chickens. Simultaneous vaccination of the 3-1E protein with the IL-1, -15, -16, or -17 gene induced higher serum antibody responses than 3-1E alone. To evaluate protective intestinal immunity, vaccinated birds were challenged with live E. acervulina oocysts 14 days posthatch, and fecal-oocyst shedding and body weight gain were determined as parameters of coccidiosis. Chickens vaccinated with 3-1E protein showed significantly lower oocyst shedding and normal body weight gain than nonvaccinated and infected controls. Simultaneous immunization with 3-1E and the IL-2, -15, -17, or -18 or IFN-gamma gene further reduced oocyst shedding compared with that achieved with 3-1E alone. These results provide the first evidence that in ovo vaccination with the recombinant 3-1E Eimeria protein induces protective intestinal immunity against coccidiosis, and this effect was enhanced by coadministration of genes encoding immunity-related cytokines.

• Authors: Xicheng Ding, Hyun S Lillehoj, Marco A Quiroz, Erich Bevensee, Erik P Lillehoj
• Journal: Infection and immunity (Infect Immun) Vol. 72 Issue 12 Pg. 6939-44 (Dec 2004) ISSN: 0019-9567 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15557615 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Cytokines
• Protozoan Vaccines
• Vaccines, Subunit
• Vaccines, Synthetic

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Protozoan (blood)
• Chickens (parasitology)
• Coccidiosis (prevention & control, veterinary)
• Cytokines (genetics)
• Eggs
• Eimeria (immunology)
• Feces (parasitology)
• Genetic Therapy
• Poultry Diseases (prevention & control)
• Protozoan Vaccines (immunology)
• Vaccination
• Vaccines, Subunit (immunology)
• Vaccines, Synthetic (immunology)