PURPOSE: House dust mites (HDMs) are an important source of indoor allergens associated with asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Chicken immunoglobulin (Ig) Y is known to be a good alternative to mice and rabbit antibody production. In this study, we produced IgYs specific to HDMs and investigated their IgE immunoreactivities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total IgYs were isolated from the yolks of White Leghorn hens immunized with either Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or D. farinae protein extract. Control antibodies were separated from the yolks of immunized hens with phosphate buffered saline. IgYs specific to HDMs were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting analysis. RESULTS: The concentration of egg IgY specific to D. farinae in an immunized hen increased and the highest achieved was 661.3 ug/mg (per an egg) on day 47, compared with 760 ug/mg IgY specific to D. pteronyssinus on day 16. The D. pteronyssinus or D. farinae-specific IgY was detected by binding of each mite proteins, and their immunoreactivities were elevated dependent of the specific IgY concentration. CONCLUSION: IgY specific to HDMs may be a promising antibody for immunological diagnosis as well as identification of possible resistance relating to HDM allergy.
Allergens/*immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies/*immunology ; Chickens ; Egg Yolk/*immunology ; Female ; Immunoglobulins/*immunology ; Pyroglyphidae/*immunology

Multiple epitopes from one or more viruses can be lined up and co-expressed in one vector to generate multi-epitopes DNA vaccines. In the study, four recombinant plasmids were constructed based on HA and NP gene of avian influenza virus (AIV) (H5N1): (1) pIRES/HA, carrying the complete HA gene; (2) pIRES/tHA, carrying a truncated HA gene fragment of major neutralizing antigenic epitopes; (3) pIRES/tHA-NPep, in which three CTL epitopes of NP gene of AIV were fused to the truncated HA from the C-terminal; and (4) pIRES/tHA-NPep-IFN-gamma, which was constructed by replacing neo gene in pIRES/ tHA-NPep with IFN-y of chicken. Fifty five SPF chickens were randomly divided into five groups and immunized with the above four constructs and control plasmid. Each chicken was intramuscally immunized with 200 microg plasmid DNA three times in a two-week interval. Two weeks after the third immunization, chickens were injected with H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus. Before the virus loading no detectable antibodies to HA were found in the chicken serum; but high levels of HI antibodies were detected in the serum of the survived chickens. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte in peripheral blood of immunized chickens increased steadily after the vaccination. After virus loading all chickens in the control group died within three to eight days, and the survival rates of the four DNA vaccine groups were as follows: pIRES/HA, 54.5%; pIRES/tHA, 30%, pIRES/ tHA-NPep, 36.3%, pIRES/tHA-NPep-IFN-gamma, 50%. These results indicated that multi-epitopes DNA immunization can induce immune response and protect chickens from homologous virus loading.
Animals ; Chickens ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

IgY antibodies, also called egg yolk immunoglobulins, are the only immunoglobulins in egg yolk and transferred in the female from serum to egg yolk to confer passive immunity to embryos and neonates. Using hens instead of mammals as the immunization host brings a number of advantages: Eggs are cheap and readily available; antibody levels in yolks are high; IgY isolation is fast and simple; and what is more; IgY neither binds the rheumatoid factor nor reacts to the mammalian complement factor. All these differences make IgY technology more widely applicable, such as in the production of polyclonal antibodies against various antigens, immunodiagnostics and immunotherapy, and many medical areas in both animals and human. IgY also has a good prospect in human immunocontraception.
Animals ; Chickens ; Egg Yolk ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Vitellogenins ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo obtain egg yolk antibody in hen eggs laid by hens immunized with the protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). To generate, purify IgY against Pg (anti-Pg-IgY) and identify its specificity.

METHODSPgATCC33277 was cultured under standard anaerobic conditions and harvested after proliferation. Then Pg was extracted by sonication until the cell pellets were shattered completely. After centrifugatiton, the supernatant was collected. Five-month-old Roman hens were immunized for egg antibody production. The antibody was inoculated intramuscularly and subcutaneously in the breast from multiple spot with 1.0 ml of a vaccine consisting of oil-adjuvant protein which was mixed with 1 ml protein of Pg and 1 ml Freund's adjuvant complete every 10 days, for 4 times. The eggs were collected after the first immunization and stored at 4°C. The anti-Pg-IgY was extracted and purified. The protein concentration was tested by bicinchoninic acid (BCA), the specificity of IgY analyzed by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), the titre of IgY and its physicochemical character were evaluated by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSThe concentration of obtained anti-Pg-IgY was 2.05 g/L. SDS-PAGE analysis of the anti-Pg-IgY showed that the molecular weight of IgY was consistent with the theoretical value. Protein of anti-Pg-IgY appeared approximately 5 days after the first immunization, and reached the peak at 50 - 55 days. Antibody titres reached 1:100 000. Each egg produced more than 10 mg IgY, and its purification was up to 95% as well.

CONCLUSIONSLayer hens immuned by Pg may provide specific IgY of high titre and high concentration. The antibody has high purity and is heat, acid and alkali-resistant.

Animals ; Antibodies ; chemistry ; immunology ; Chickens ; immunology ; Egg Yolk ; chemistry ; immunology ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulins ; chemistry ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; immunology

Hazardous biochemical agents in animal husbandry indoor environments are known to promote the occurrence of various illnesses among workers and animals. The relationship between endotoxin levels in dust collected from chicken farms and various immunological markers was investigated. Peripheral blood was obtained from 20 broiler chickens and 20 laying hens from four different chicken farms in Korea. Concentrations of total or respirable dust in the inside the chicken farm buildings were measured using a polyvinyl chloride membrane filter and mini volume sampler. Endotoxin levels in the dust were determined by the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate Kinetic method. Interferon-gamma production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with concanavalin A was significantly lower in broilers or layers from the farms with higher endotoxin concentrations than the chickens from the farms with lower endotoxin levels. An opposite pattern was observed for plasma cortisol concentrations with higher cortisol levels found in chickens from the farms with higher endotoxin levels. When peripheral lymphocytes were examined, the percentage of CD3-Ia+ B cells was lower in layers from farms with higher endotoxin levels than those from locations with lower endotoxin levels. Overall, these results suggest a probable negative association between dust endotoxin levels and cell-mediated immunity in chickens.
Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Biomarkers/blood ; Chickens/*immunology ; Dust/*analysis ; Endotoxins/*analysis ; *Housing, Animal ; *Immunity, Cellular

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of important small non-coding RNA molecules, which participate in the post transcriptional gene regulation. In this review, the numbers and chromosomal distribution of chicken miRNAs, and the regulation and function of chicken miRNAs in immune, embryo development and virus infection were reviewed. Additionally, the applications of chicken miRNAs were also discussed briefly. We hope it can provide references for further study and use of miRNAs in poultry husbandry fields.
Animals ; Chickens ; genetics ; Embryonic Development ; genetics ; Immunity ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Virus Diseases ; immunology ; veterinary

OBJECTIVETo prepare artificial antigens and anti-citrinin egg yolk-derived immunoglobulin (IgY) to build an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for citrinin (CTN).

METHODSCTN was conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), ovalbumin (OVA) with formaldehyde condensation method to prepare artificial antigens and identified by ultraviolet (UV) spectrometry and Infrared (IR) spectrometry. Artificial antigens for CTN and anti-CTN IgY were purified with polyethylene glycol two-step precipitation method and identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). ELISA with IgY was established. Cross-reactivity of IgY with various structural similarities to CTN and possible co-occurrence with CTN in agricultural commodities were studied.

RESULTSUV and IR absorption spectra suggested that CTN was correlated with the carrier protein of BSA or OVA. SDS-PAGE patterns showed that the anti-CTN IgY was almost pure with a molecular weight of approximate 100 KD. The indirect competitive ELISA showed that the detection limit of CTN was 10 ng x mL(-1), with a good linearity ranging 20-640 ng x mL(-1).

CONCLUSIONArtificial antigens of CTN can be successfully synthesized. The established ELISA can be used to determine CTN- contaminated samples.

Animals ; Antibody Specificity ; Antigens ; chemistry ; Chickens ; Citrinin ; chemistry ; Egg Yolk ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Female ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology

In Korea, several outbreaks of low pathogenic AI (H9N2) viral infections leading to decreased egg production and increased mortality have been reported on commercial farms since 1996, resulting in severe economic losses. To control the H9N2 LPAI endemic, the Korea Veterinary Authority has permitted the use of the inactivated H9N2 LPAI vaccine since 2007. In this study, we developed a killed vaccine using a low pathogenic H9N2 AI virus (A/chicken/Korea/ADL0401) and conducted safety and efficacy tests in commercial layer farms while focusing on analysis of factors that cause losses to farms, including egg production rate, egg abnormality, and feed efficiency. The egg production rate of the control group declined dramatically 5 days after the challenge. There were no changes in feed consumption of all three groups before the challenge, but rates of the control declined afterward. Clinical signs in the vaccinated groups were similar, and a slight decline in feed consumption was observed after challenge; however, this returned to normal more rapidly than the control group and commercial layers. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the safety and efficacy of the vaccine are adequate to provide protection against the AI field infection (H9N2) epidemic in Korea.
Animals ; Chickens ; Emulsions ; Female ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype/*immunology ; Influenza Vaccines/*immunology/*standards ; Influenza in Birds/immunology/prevention & control ; Oviparity ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Vaccines, Inactivated/immunology

Mice and 3-day-old chickens were orally inoculated with the recombinant attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain ZJ111 carrying pcDNA3-F expression plasmid encoding the fusion protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The results showed that ZJ111/pcDNA3-F was relatively safe. The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3-F was stable within the host stain ZJ111 in vitro and in vivo as shown by restriction enzyme analysis and PCR identification of the F gene. In an experimental vaccination study, 3-day-old chickens were orally immunized with ZJ111/pcDNA3-F with a dose of 108 cfu per chicken and boosted two weeks later. At week 4 post boosting, all chickens were challenged with a lethal dose of a virulent NDV strain F48 E9. The results showed that oral vaccination with ZJ111/pcDNA3-F induced stronger humoral and cellular immune responses than intramuscular immunization with naked pcDNA3-F plasmid. It also exhibited higher protection rate than the latter (66.7% vs 50%). This study indicates that the DNA vaccine using attenuated Salmonella typhimurium as delivery carrier had good safety, stability and immunogenicity and exhibited good potential of low cost and convenience for poultry disease control.
Animals ; Chickens ; Immunity, Cellular ; immunology ; Immunity, Humoral ; immunology ; Mice ; Newcastle Disease ; immunology ; virology ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Salmonella typhimurium ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vaccines, DNA ; adverse effects ; genetics ; immunology

AIMTo improve specificity and accuracy of endogenous ouabain measurement assay.

METHODSAnti-ouabain polyclonal antibody egg yolk (IgY) and anti-ouabain rabbit antibody (IgG) were prepared respectively. In the presence of two kinds of antibody, then the specificity and accuracy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were compared.

RESULTSThe ELISA, in the presence of IgY, provided a sensitivity of the average intraassay coefficient of variation(CV) was 2.03%, and the inter-assay CV was 2.34% respectively. In contrast, IgG were 2.83% and 3.29%. No significant interferences were observed with hydrocortisone and dexamethasone. There was 3.45% vs. 5.95%, 3.20% vs. 5.20% of crossreaction with cedilanid and digoxin.

CONCLUSIONThe specificity and accuracy of ELISA, in which IgY was used, were more better than IgG.

Animals ; Antibody Specificity ; Chickens ; immunology ; Cross Reactions ; Egg Yolk ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; Male ; Ouabain ; analysis ; Rabbits