The current study was conducted to investigate the immunoenhancing effects of
Montanide adjuvants on
protein subunit vaccination against avian
coccidiosis. Broiler chickens were immunized subcutaneously with a purified Eimeria acervulina recombinant
profilin protein, either alone or mixed with one of four adjuvants (ISA 70 VG, ISA 71 VG, ISA 201 VG or ISA 206 VG), and
body weight gains, fecal oocyst shedding, and humoral and innate immune responses were evaluated following oral challenge
infection with live E. acervulina oocysts. Immunization with
profilin plus ISA 70 VG or ISA 71 VG increased
body weight gains compared with vaccination with
profilin alone.
Profilin plus ISA 71 VG also reduced fecal oocyst shedding compared with vaccination in the absence of adjuvant. All adjuvants enhanced
profilin serum antibody titers. Increased levels of gene transcripts encoding
IL-2,
IL-10,
IL-17A, and IFN-gamma, but decreased levels of
IL-15 mRNAs, were seen in intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes of chickens immunized with
profilin plus adjuvants compared with immunization with
profilin alone. Finally, increased infiltration of lymphocytes, especially CD8(+) lymphocytes at the site of immunization was observed in birds given
profilin plus ISA 71 VG compared with
profilin alone. These results demonstrate that vaccination with the E. acervulina
profilin subunit vaccine in combination with
Montanide adjuvants enhances protective immunity against avian
coccidiosis.