1
|
Zhu ZJ, Teng M, Liu Y, Chen FJ, Yao Y, Li EZ, Luo J. Immune escape of avian oncogenic Marek's disease herpesvirus and antagonistic host immune responses. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:109. [PMID: 38879650 PMCID: PMC11180173 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00905-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly pathogenic and oncogenic alpha herpesvirus that causes Marek's disease (MD), which is one of the most important immunosuppressive and rapid-onset neoplastic diseases in poultry. The onset of MD lymphomas and other clinical diseases can be efficiently prevented by vaccination; these vaccines are heralded as the first demonstration of a successful vaccination strategy against a cancer. However, the persistent evolution of epidemic MDV strains towards greater virulence has recently resulted in frequent outbreaks of MD in vaccinated chicken flocks worldwide. Herein, we provide an overall review focusing on the discovery and identification of the strategies by which MDV evades host immunity and attacks the immune system. We have also highlighted the decrease in the immune efficacy of current MD vaccines. The prospects, strategies and new techniques for the development of efficient MD vaccines, together with the possibilities of antiviral therapy in MD, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Jian Zhu
- College of Biological and Food Engineering & Affiliated Central Hospital, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, 463000, People's Republic of China
- Institute for Animal Health & UK-China Center of Excellence for Research on Avian Disease, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Teng
- Institute for Animal Health & UK-China Center of Excellence for Research on Avian Disease, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Biological and Food Engineering & Affiliated Central Hospital, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, 463000, People's Republic of China
| | - Fu-Jia Chen
- College of Biological and Food Engineering & Affiliated Central Hospital, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, 463000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongxiu Yao
- The Pirbright Institute & UK-China Centre of Excellence for Research on Avian Diseases, Pirbright, Ash Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - En-Zhong Li
- College of Biological and Food Engineering & Affiliated Central Hospital, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, 463000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jun Luo
- Institute for Animal Health & UK-China Center of Excellence for Research on Avian Disease, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China.
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Zhengzhou, 450002, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, People's Republic of China.
- Longhu Laboratory, Zhengzhou, 450046, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hao X, Li J, Wang J, Zhou Z, Yuan X, Pan S, Zhu J, Zhang F, Yin S, Yang Y, Hu S, Shang S. Co-administration of chicken IL-2 alleviates clinical signs and replication of the ILTV chicken embryo origin vaccine by pre-activating natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. J Virol 2023; 97:e0132223. [PMID: 37882519 PMCID: PMC10688355 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01322-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Chickens immunized with the infectious laryngotracheitis chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccine (Medivac, PT Medion Farma Jaya) experience adverse reactions, hindering its safety and effective use in poultry flocks. To improve the effect of the vaccine, we sought to find a strategy to alleviate the respiratory reactions associated with the vaccine. Here, we confirmed that co-administering the CEO vaccine with chIL-2 by oral delivery led to significant alleviation of the vaccine reactions in chickens after immunization. Furthermore, we found that the co-administration of chIL-2 with the CEO vaccine reduced the clinical signs of the CEO vaccine while enhancing natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to decrease viral loads in their tissues, particularly in the trachea and conjunctiva. Importantly, we demonstrated that the chIL-2 treatment can ameliorate the replication of the CEO vaccine without compromising its effectiveness. This study provides new insights into further applications of chIL-2 and a promising strategy for alleviating the adverse reaction of vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiongjiong Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xinjie Yuan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shan Pan
- Dalian Sanyi Animal Medicine Co., Ltd, Dalian, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Shandong Binzhou Wohua Biotech Co., Ltd, Binzhou, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shi Yin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shunlin Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shaobin Shang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Warren WC, Rice ES, Meyer A, Hearn CJ, Steep A, Hunt HD, Monson MS, Lamont SJ, Cheng HH. The immune cell landscape and response of Marek's disease resistant and susceptible chickens infected with Marek's disease virus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5355. [PMID: 37005445 PMCID: PMC10067856 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32308-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetically resistant or susceptible chickens to Marek's disease (MD) have been widely used models to identify the molecular determinants of these phenotypes. However, these prior studies lacked the basic identification and understanding of immune cell types that could be translated toward improved MD control. To gain insights into specific immune cell types and their responses to Marek's disease virus (MDV) infection, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) on splenic cells from MD resistant and susceptible birds. In total, 14,378 cells formed clusters that identified various immune cell types. Lymphocytes, specifically T cell subtypes, were the most abundant with significant proportional changes in some subtypes upon infection. The largest number of differentially expressed genes (DEG) response was seen in granulocytes, while macrophage DEGs differed in directionality by subtype and line. Among the most DEG in almost all immune cell types were granzyme and granulysin, both associated with cell-perforating processes. Protein interactive network analyses revealed multiple overlapping canonical pathways within both lymphoid and myeloid cell lineages. This initial estimation of the chicken immune cell type landscape and its accompanying response will greatly aid efforts in identifying specific cell types and improving our knowledge of host response to viral infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley C Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Edward S Rice
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ashley Meyer
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Cari J Hearn
- Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, USNPRC, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Alec Steep
- Department of Human Genetics Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Henry D Hunt
- Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, USNPRC, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Melissa S Monson
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research Unit, USDA, ARS, NADC, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Susan J Lamont
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Hans H Cheng
- Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, USNPRC, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The Role of Dendritic Cells in the Host Response to Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) as Shown by Transcriptomic Analysis of Susceptible and Resistant Birds. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11111340. [DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the successful control of highly contagious tumorigenic Marek’s disease (MD) by vaccination, a continuous increase in MD virus (MDV) virulence over recent decades has put emphasis on the development of more MD-resistant chickens. The cell types and genes involved in resistance therefore need to be recognized. The virus is primarily lymphotropic, but research should also focus on innate immunity, as innate immune cells are among the first to encounter MDV. Our previous study on MDV–macrophage interaction revealed significant differences between MHC-congenic lines 61 (MD-resistant) and 72 (MD-susceptible). To investigate the role of dendritic cells (DCs) in MD resistance, bone-marrow-derived DCs from these lines were infected with MDV in vitro. They were then characterized by cell sorting, and the respective transcriptomes analysed by RNA-seq. The differential expression (DE) of genes revealed a strong immune activation in DCs of the susceptible line, although an inherent immune supremacy was shown by the resistant line, including a significant expression of tumour-suppressor miRNA, gga-mir-124a, in line 61 control birds. Enrichment analysis of DE genes revealed high expression of an oncogenic transcription factor, AP-1, in the susceptible line following MDV challenge. This research highlights genes and pathways that may play a role in DCs in determining resistance or susceptibility to MDV infection.
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu Q, Han Y, Wu X, Wang Y, Su Q, Shen Y, Guan K, Michal JJ, Jiang Z, Liu B, Zhou X. Integrated time-series transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal different inflammatory and adaptive immune responses contributing to host resistance to PRRSV. Front Immunol 2022; 13:960709. [PMID: 36341362 PMCID: PMC9631489 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.960709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a highly contagious disease that affects the global pig industry. To understand mechanisms of susceptibility/resistance to PRRSV, this study profiled the time-serial white blood cells transcriptomic and serum metabolomic responses to PRRSV in piglets from a crossbred population of PRRSV-resistant Tongcheng pigs and PRRSV-susceptible Large White pigs. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) illustrated that PRRSV infection up-regulated the expression levels of marker genes of dendritic cells, monocytes and neutrophils and inflammatory response, but down-regulated T cells, B cells and NK cells markers. CIBERSORT analysis confirmed the higher T cells proportion in resistant pigs during PRRSV infection. Resistant pigs showed a significantly higher level of T cell activation and lower expression levels of monocyte surface signatures post infection than susceptible pigs, corresponding to more severe suppression of T cell immunity and inflammatory response in susceptible pigs. Differentially expressed genes between resistant/susceptible pigs during the course of infection were significantly enriched in oxidative stress, innate immunity and humoral immunity, cell cycle, biotic stimulated cellular response, wounding response and behavior related pathways. Fourteen of these genes were distributed in 5 different QTL regions associated with PRRSV-related traits. Chemokine CXCL10 levels post PRRSV infection were differentially expressed between resistant pigs and susceptible pigs and can be a promising marker for susceptibility/resistance to PRRSV. Furthermore, the metabolomics dataset indicated differences in amino acid pathways and lipid metabolism between pre-infection/post-infection and resistant/susceptible pigs. The majority of metabolites levels were also down-regulated after PRRSV infection and were significantly positively correlated to the expression levels of marker genes in adaptive immune response. The integration of transcriptome and metabolome revealed concerted molecular events triggered by the infection, notably involving inflammatory response, adaptive immunity and G protein-coupled receptor downstream signaling. This study has increased our knowledge of the immune response differences induced by PRRSV infection and susceptibility differences at the transcriptomic and metabolomic levels, providing the basis for the PRRSV resistance mechanism and effective PRRS control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Han
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianmeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiuju Su
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaifeng Guan
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Jennifer J. Michal
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Zhihua Jiang
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Bang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
- The Engineering Technology Research Center of Hubei Province Local Pig Breed Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiang Zhou, ; Bang Liu,
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
- The Engineering Technology Research Center of Hubei Province Local Pig Breed Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiang Zhou, ; Bang Liu,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Spencer Clinton JL, Hoornweg TE, Tan J, Peng R, Schaftenaar W, Rutten VPMG, de Haan CAM, Ling PD. EEHV1A glycoprotein B subunit vaccine elicits humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Vaccine 2022; 40:5131-5140. [PMID: 35879117 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Asian elephants are an endangered species facing many threats, including severe hemorrhagic disease (HD) caused by the elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). EEHV-HD is the leading cause of death in captive juvenile Asian elephants in North America and Europe, and also affects elephants in their natural range countries. Significant challenges exist for successful treatment of EEHV-HD, which include timely recognition of disease onset and limited availability of highly effective treatment options. To address this problem, our goal is to prevent lethal disease in young elephants by developing a vaccine that elicits robust and durable humoral and cell-mediated immunity against EEHV. EEHV glycoprotein B (gB) is a major target for cellular and humoral immunity in elephants previously exposed to EEHV. Therefore, we generated a vaccine containing recombinant EEHV1A gB together with a liposome formulated TLR-4 and saponin combination adjuvant (SLA-LSQ). CD-1 mice that received one or two vaccinations with the vaccine elicited significant anti-gB antibody and polyfunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, while no adverse effects of vaccination were observed. Overall, our findings demonstrate that an adjuvanted gB protein subunit vaccine stimulates robust humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and supports its potential use in elephants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Spencer Clinton
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM-385, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Tabitha E Hoornweg
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Jie Tan
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM-385, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Rongsheng Peng
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM-385, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Willem Schaftenaar
- Veterinary Advisor EAZA Elephant TAG, Rotterdam Zoo, Blijdorplaan 8, 3041 JG Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Victor P M G Rutten
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Cornelis A M de Haan
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Paul D Ling
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM-385, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Brown K, Blake RS, Dennany L. Electrochemiluminescence within Veterinary Science: A Review. Bioelectrochemistry 2022; 146:108156. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2022.108156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
8
|
Pursell T, Spencer Clinton JL, Tan J, Peng R, Ling PD. Modified vaccinia Ankara expressing EEHV1A glycoprotein B elicits humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in mice. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265424. [PMID: 35312707 PMCID: PMC8936464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) can cause lethal hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) in Asian elephants and is the largest cause of death in captive juvenile Asian elephants in North America and Europe. EEHV-HD also has been documented in captive and wild elephants in their natural range countries. A safe and effective vaccine to prevent lethal EEHV infection would significantly improve conservation efforts for this endangered species. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that EEHV morbidity and mortality are often associated with primary infection. Therefore, we aim to generate a vaccine, particularly for EEHV1 naïve animals, with the goal of preventing lethal EEHV-HD. To address this goal, we generated a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) recombinant virus expressing a truncated form of glycoprotein B (gBΔfur731) from EEHV1A, the strain associated with the majority of lethal EEHV cases. Vaccination of CD-1 mice with this recombinant virus induced robust antibody and polyfunctional T cell responses significantly above mice inoculated with wild-type MVA. Although the vaccine-induced T cell response was mainly observed in CD8+ T cell populations, the CD4+ T cell response was also polyfunctional. No adverse responses to vaccination were observed. Overall, our data demonstrates that MVA-gBΔfur731 stimulates robust humoral and cell-mediated responses, supporting its potential translation for use in elephants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Pursell
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jennifer L. Spencer Clinton
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jie Tan
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rongsheng Peng
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Paul D. Ling
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hao X, Zhang F, Yang Y, Shang S. The Evaluation of Cellular Immunity to Avian Viral Diseases: Methods, Applications, and Challenges. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:794514. [PMID: 34950125 PMCID: PMC8689181 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.794514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular immune responses play critical roles in the control of viral infection. However, the immune protection against avian viral diseases (AVDs), a major challenge to poultry industry, is yet mainly evaluated by measuring humoral immune response though antibody-independent immune protection was increasingly evident in the development of vaccines against some of these diseases. The evaluation of cellular immune response to avian viral infection has long been neglected due to limited reagents and methods. Recently, with the availability of more immunological reagents and validated approaches, the evaluation of cellular immunity has become feasible and necessary for AVD. Herein, we reviewed the methods used for evaluating T cell immunity in chickens following infection or vaccination, which are involved in the definition of different cellular subset, the analysis of T cell activation, proliferation and cytokine secretion, and in vitro culture of antigen-presenting cells (APC) and T cells. The pros and cons of each method were discussed, and potential future directions to enhance the studies of avian cellular immunity were suggested. The methodological improvement and standardization in analyzing cellular immune response in birds after viral infection or vaccination would facilitate the dissection of mechanism of immune protection and the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics against AVD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shaobin Shang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yin Y, Wang J, Xu X, Zhou B, Chen S, Qin T, Peng D. Riboflavin as a Mucosal Adjuvant for Nasal Influenza Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111296. [PMID: 34835227 PMCID: PMC8617635 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Intranasal immunization with whole inactivated virus (WIV) is an important strategy used for influenza prevention and control. However, a powerful mucosal adjuvant is required to improve nasal vaccine efficacy. Riboflavin, as a food additive with the advantages of being safe and low-cost, widely exists in living organisms. In this paper, the mucosal adjuvant function of riboflavin was studied. After intranasal immunization with H1N1 WIV plus riboflavin in mice, we found that the mucosal immunity based on the secretory IgA (sIgA) levels in the nasal cavity, trachea, and lung were strongly enhanced compared with H1N1 WIV alone. Meanwhile, the IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a levels in serum also showed a high upregulation and a decreased ratio of IgG1/IgG2a, which implied a bias in the cellular immune response. Moreover, riboflavin strongly improved the protection level of H1N1 inactivated vaccine from a lethal influenza challenge. Furthermore, riboflavin was found to possess the capacity to induce dendritic cell (DC) phenotypic (MHCII, CD40, CD80, and CD86) and functional maturation, including cytokine secretion (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12p70, and IL-10) and the proliferation of allogeneic T cells. Lastly, we found that the DC maturation induced by riboflavin was dependent on the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, which plays an important role in immune regulation. Therefore, riboflavin is expected to be developed as an alternative mucosal adjuvant for influenza nasal vaccine application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinyan Yin
- College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Y.Y.); (B.Z.)
| | - Jinyuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.W.); (X.X.); (S.C.); (T.Q.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Prevention and Control of Poultry Disease, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Xing Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.W.); (X.X.); (S.C.); (T.Q.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Prevention and Control of Poultry Disease, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Bangyue Zhou
- College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Y.Y.); (B.Z.)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental and Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Sujuan Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.W.); (X.X.); (S.C.); (T.Q.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Prevention and Control of Poultry Disease, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Tao Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.W.); (X.X.); (S.C.); (T.Q.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Prevention and Control of Poultry Disease, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Daxin Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (J.W.); (X.X.); (S.C.); (T.Q.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Prevention and Control of Poultry Disease, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Maekawa D, Riblet SM, Whang P, Hurley DJ, Garcia M. Activation of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes and Presence of Regulatory T Cells in the Trachea of Non-Vaccinated and Vaccinated Chickens as a Recall to an Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILTV) Challenge. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:865. [PMID: 34451989 PMCID: PMC8402403 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9080865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While the protective efficacy of the infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) vaccines is well established, little is known about which components of the immune response are associated with effective resistance and vaccine protection. Early studies have pointed to the importance of the T cell-mediated immune responses. This study aimed to evaluate the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells and to quantify the presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the larynx-trachea of chickens vaccinated with chicken embryo origin (CEO), tissue culture origin (TCO) and recombinant Herpesvirus of Turkey-laryngotracheitis (rHVT-LT) vaccines after challenge. Our results indicated that CEO vaccine protection was characterized by early CTLs and activated CTLs enhanced responses. TCO and rHVT-LT protection were associated with a moderate increase in resting and activated CTLs followed by an enhanced NK cell response. Tregs increase was only detected in the non-vaccinated challenged group, probably to support healing of the severe trachea epithelial damage. Taken together, our results revealed main differences in the cellular immune responses elicited by CEO, TCO, and rHVT-LT vaccination in the upper respiratory tract after challenge, and that activated CTLs rather than NK cells play a main role in vaccine protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Maekawa
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (D.M.); (S.M.R.); (P.W.)
| | - Sylva M. Riblet
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (D.M.); (S.M.R.); (P.W.)
| | - Patrick Whang
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (D.M.); (S.M.R.); (P.W.)
| | - David J. Hurley
- Food Animal Health and Management Program, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Maricarmen Garcia
- Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (D.M.); (S.M.R.); (P.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hao X, Li S, Li J, Yang Y, Qin A, Shang S. An Anti-Tumor Vaccine Against Marek's Disease Virus Induces Differential Activation and Memory Response of γδ T Cells and CD8 T Cells in Chickens. Front Immunol 2021; 12:645426. [PMID: 33659011 PMCID: PMC7917234 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.645426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic alphaherpesvirus that causes deadly T-cell lymphomas and serves as a natural virus-induced tumor model in chickens. The most efficacious vaccine, CVI988/Rispens (CVI988), against MD has been used for several decades. However, the mechanisms leading to protective immunity following vaccination are not fully understood. In this study, employing multi-parameter flow cytometry, we performed a comprehensive analysis of T cell responses in CVI988-vaccinated chickens. CVI988 vaccination induced significant expansion of γδ T cells and CD8α+ T cells but not CD4+ T cells in spleen, lung and blood at early time-points. The expansion of these cells was CVI988-specific as infection with very virulent MDV RB1B did not elicit expansion of either γδ or CD8α+ T cells. Phenotypic analysis showed that CVI988 vaccination elicited preferential proliferation of CD8α+ γδ T cells and CD8αα co-receptor expression was upregulated on γδ T cells and CD8α+ T cells after immunization. Additionally, cell sorting and quantitative RT-PCR showed that CVI988 vaccination activated γδ T cells and CD8α+ T cells which exhibited differential expression of cytotoxic and T cell-related cytokines. Lastly, secondary immunization with CVI988 induced the expansion of CD8+ T cells but not γδ T cells at higher magnitude, compared to primary immunization, suggesting CVI988 did induce memory CD8+ T cells but not γδ T cells in chickens. Our results, for the first time, reveal a potential role of γδ T cells in CVI988-induced immune protection and provide new insights into the mechanism of immune protection against oncogenic MDV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Aijian Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Avian Preventive Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shaobin Shang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hao X, Li S, Chen L, Dong M, Wang J, Hu J, Gu M, Wang X, Hu S, Peng D, Liu X, Shang S. Establishing a Multicolor Flow Cytometry to Characterize Cellular Immune Response in Chickens Following H7N9 Avian Influenza Virus Infection. Viruses 2020; 12:v12121396. [PMID: 33291218 PMCID: PMC7762099 DOI: 10.3390/v12121396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza virus (AIV) emerged and has continued to re-emerge, continuously posing great threats to animal and human health. The detection of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) or virus neutralization antibodies (NA) is essential for assessing immune protection against AIV. However, the HI/NA-independent immune protection is constantly observed in vaccines’ development against H7N9 subtype AIV and other subtypes in chickens and mammals, necessitating the analysis of the cellular immune response. Here, we established a multi-parameter flow cytometry to examine the innate and adaptive cellular immune responses in chickens after intranasal infection with low pathogenicity H7N9 AIV. This assay allowed us to comprehensively define chicken macrophages, dendritic cells, and their MHC-II expression, NK cells, γδ T cells, B cells, and distinct T cell subsets in steady state and during infection. We found that NK cells and KUL01+ cells significantly increased after H7N9 infection, especially in the lung, and the KUL01+ cells upregulated MHC-II and CD11c expression. Additionally, the percentages and numbers of γδ T cells and CD8 T cells significantly increased and exhibited an activated phenotype with significant upregulation of CD25 expression in the lung but not in the spleen and blood. Furthermore, B cells showed increased in the lung but decreased in the blood and spleen in terms of the percentages or/and numbers, suggesting these cells may be recruited from the periphery after H7N9 infection. Our study firstly disclosed that H7N9 infection induced local and systemic cellular immune responses in chickens, the natural host of AIV, and that the flow cytometric assay developed in this study is useful for analyzing the cellular immune responses to AIVs and other avian infectious diseases and defining the correlates of immune protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Shuai Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
| | - Lina Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
| | - Maoli Dong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
| | - Jiongjiong Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
| | - Jiao Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Min Gu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Xiaoquan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Shunlin Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Daxin Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Xiufan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (S.S.); Tel.: +86-514-879-914-16 (X.L.); +86-514-879-770-81 (S.S.)
| | - Shaobin Shang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.H.); (S.L.); (L.C.); (M.D.); (J.W.); (J.H.); (M.G.); (X.W.); (S.H.); (D.P.)
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (S.S.); Tel.: +86-514-879-914-16 (X.L.); +86-514-879-770-81 (S.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Morphological and Immunohistochemical Examination of Lymphoproliferative Lesions Caused by Marek's Disease Virus in Breeder Chickens. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081280. [PMID: 32727058 PMCID: PMC7460422 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The poultry industry is the most intensive and fastest growing among all livestock production systems, and, in the last decades, it has expanded exponentially due to an increasing demand for meat and eggs. Marek’s disease is a highly contagious and rapidly progressive lymphoproliferative disease. It is one of the most dangerous diseases of those affecting the sector because it causes important economic losses. Although widely controlled by vaccination programs, sometimes chickens are not totally protected, and the presence of virulent field strains can allow outbreaks. This case describes the occurrence of Marek’s disease observed in a breeder chicken flock that reported an increase in mortality rate (+0.4–0.6%) after the 32nd week. Histological analysis has highlighted severe lesions on visceral organs of chickens caused by Marek’s disease, especially in the intestinal tract of a hen that had a tumor mass in the distal part of the cloaca. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the disease-associated tumor. The aim of this study was to underline the importance of vaccine administration related to the maintenance of proper biosecurity practice, especially in the first week of the raising cycle. In addition, monitoring for disease even after vaccination is crucial to minimize economic loss. Abstract Marek’s disease is widely controlled by vaccination programs; however, chickens are not totally protected, especially immediately after the vaccination when a strong challenge could interfere with the effectiveness of vaccination in the absence of proper biosecurity practice. This case report describes the occurrence of Marek’s disease (MD) observed in a breeder chicken flock reared southeast of Sicily. MD outbreak occurred from 32 to 47 weeks with an increase in weekly mortality rate (+0.4–0.6%). Overall, mortality rate related to Marek’s disease was about 6% at the end of the cycle. Carcasses of chickens found during the occurrence of disease underwent necropsy, and tissues were collected to confirm the infection. Gizzard, cecal tonsil, intestine, spleen and tumor mass were collected and analyzed from a carcass of one hen, 32 weeks old and apparently asymptomatic. Multiplex real-time PCR performed on spleen tissues detected the presence of MD virus pathogenic strain. Macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of the rest of the samples confirmed the neoplastic disease. Moreover, the immunophenotype of the tumor cells was identified as CD3 positive by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. The vaccinated flock had become rapidly infected with the MD virus, which proves that the challenge of the MD virus was too strong in the rearing house at the beginning of the cycle, causing the outbreak.
Collapse
|