Production, purification, and evaluation of quail immunoglobulin Y against Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis.Mol Immunol. 2019;107:79-83. [PMID: 30665061 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2019.01.012]

Production, characterization and therapeutic efficacy of egg yolk antibodies specific to Nosema ceranae

Nosema disease, caused by Nosema ceranae, one of the single-celled fungal microsporidian parasites, is one of the most important and common diseases of adult honey bees. Since fumagillin, which has been used for decades in the control of Nosema disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera), poses a toxic threat and its efficacy against N. ceranae is uncertain, there is an urgent need to develop alternative prophylactic and curative strategies for the treatment of this disease. The main aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of specific egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) on Nosema disease. For this purpose, the presence of N. ceranae was determined by microscopic and PCR methods in honey bees collected from Nosema suspicious colonies by conducting a field survey. Layered Ataks chickens, divided into four groups each containing 20 animals, were vaccinated with live and inactivated vaccines prepared from field isolates of N. ceranae. Eggs were collected weekly for 10 weeks following the last vaccination. IgY extraction was performed using the PEG precipitation method from egg yolks collected from each group, and the purity of the antibodies was determined by SDS-PAGE and Western Blot. The presence of N. ceranae-specific IgYs was investigated by Western Blot and indirect ELISA methods. It was determined that specific IgYs showed high therapeutic efficacy on Nosema disease in naturally infected bee colonies. In addition, honey bees collected from infected colonies were brought to the laboratory and placed in cages with 30 bees each, and the effectiveness of IgYs was investigated under controlled conditions. It was detected that specific IgY reduced the Nosema spore load and the number of infected bees significantly in both the field and experimental study groups treated for seven days. It was concluded that chicken IgYs, an innovative and eco-friendly method, had a significant potential for use as an alternative to antifungal drugs.

Salmonella typhimurium targeting with monoclonal antibodies prevents infection in mice

Salmonella is a prevalent foodborne and waterborne pathogens threating global public health and food safety. Given the diversity of Salmonella serotypes and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, there is an urgent need for the development of broadly protective therapies. This study aims to prepare monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) with broad reactivity against multi-serotype Salmonella strains, potentially offering cross-protection. We prepared two Mabs F1D4 and B7D4 against protein FliK and BcsZ, two potential vaccine candidates against multi-serotype Salmonella. The two Mabs belonging to IgG1 isotype exhibited high titers of 1:256,000 and 1:512,000 respectively, as well as broad cross-reactivity against 28 different serotypes of Salmonella strains with percentages of 89.29% and 92.86%, correspondingly. Neutralizing effects of the two Mabs on Salmonella growth, adhesion, invasion and motility was evaluated in vitro using bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity with and without complement and bacterial invasion inhibition assay. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays, animal toxicity analyses, and pharmacokinetic evaluations demonstrated the safety and sustained effectiveness of both Mabs. Furthermore, F1D4 or B7D4-therapy in mice challenged with S. Typhimurium LT2 exhibited milder organs damage and lower Salmonella colonization, as well as the higher relative survival of 86.67% and 93.33% respectively. This study produced two broadly reactive and potential cross protective Mabs F1D4 and B7D4, which offered new possibilities for immunotherapy of salmonellosis.

IgYs: on her majesty's secret service

There has been an increasing interest in using Immunoglobulin Y (IgY) antibodies as an alternative to "classical" antimicrobials. Unlike traditional antibiotics, they can be utilized on a continual basis without leading to the development of resistance. The veterinary IgY antibody market is growing because of the demand for minimal antibiotic use in animal production. IgY antibodies are not as strong as antibiotics for treating infections, but they work well as preventative agents and are natural, nontoxic, and easy to produce. They can be administered orally and are well tolerated, even by young animals. Unlike antibiotics, oral IgY supplements support the microbiome that plays a vital role in maintaining overall health, including immune system function. IgY formulations can be delivered as egg yolk powder and do not require extensive purification. Lipids in IgY supplements improve antibody stability in the digestive tract. Given this, using IgY antibodies as an alternative to antimicrobials has garnered interest. In this review, we will examine their antibacterial potential.

IgY technology: Methods for developing and evaluating avian immunoglobulins for the in vitro detection of biomolecules

The term “IgY technology” was introduced in the literature in the mid 1990s to describe a procedure involving immunization of avian species, mainly laying hens and consequent isolation of the polyclonal IgYs from the “immune” egg yolk (thus avoiding bleeding and animal stress). IgYs have been applied to various fields of medicine and biotechnology. The present article will deal with specific aspects of IgY technology, focusing on the currently reported methods for developing, isolating, evaluating and storing polyclonal IgYs. Other topics such as current information on isolation protocols or evaluation of IgYs from different avian species are also discussed. Specific advantages of IgY technology (e.g., novel antibody specificities that may emerge via the avian immune system) will also be discussed. Recent in vitro applications of polyclonal egg yolk-derived IgYs to the field of disease diagnosis in human and veterinary medicine through in vitro immunodetection of target biomolecules will be presented. Moreover, ethical aspects associated with animal well-being as well as new promising approaches that are relevant to the original IgY technology (e.g., development of monoclonal IgYs and IgY-like antibodies through the phage display technique or in transgenic chickens) and future prospects in the area will also be mentioned.

Tecnología IgY: Estrategia en el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas humanas

La aparición de microorganismos resistentes a antibióticos, el descubrimiento de nuevos agentes patógenos con potencial pandémico y el aumento de una población inmunocomprometida han dejado casi obsoleta la terapia antimicrobiana, terapia comúnmente usada para tratar enfermedades infecciosas. Por otro lado, las investigaciones acerca del uso del anticuerpo IgY para desarrollar inmunidad pasiva han demostrado el potencial que tiene la tecnología IgY para tratar enfermedades infecciosas víricas y bacterianas. Donde los anticuerpos IgY de aves se destacan por su alta especificidad, rendimiento y escalabilidad de producción a menor costo, con relación a los anticuerpos IgG de mamíferos. El objetivo de esta revisión es determinar la importancia del uso de los anticuerpos IgY como tratamiento terapéutico y profiláctico frente a los patógenos causantes de infecciones virales y bacterianas en humanos, mediante la recopilación de ensayos clínicos, productos comerciales y patentes registradas en el período de 2010-2021. Finalmente, con este estudio se estableció que la tecnología IgY es una herramienta biotecnológica versátil y eficaz para tratar y prevenir enfermedades infecciosas, al reducir los síntomas y la carga del patógeno.

Oral administration of microencapsulated egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) to combat against Edwardsiella tarda 2CDM001 infections

Edwardsiellosis, an extremely harmful disease can be caused by Edwardsiella tarda, severely restricts the development of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) farming worldwide, especially in China. This study aimed to establish an effective and feasible prophylaxis by feeding chitosan-alginate coated egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) against E. tarda 2CDM001 infections in the process of turbot farming. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays proved that the obtained specific IgY could specifically target E. tarda 2CDM001 and five other E. tarda isolates (1a5p, Hz-s, 1a1s, fs-a1 and 58p8). In-vitro, the bacteriostatic effects of specific IgY showed dose dependencies at concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 mg/mL. Moreover, E. tarda 2CDM001 incubated with 10 mg/mL specific IgY could induce the destruction of cell wall structures and significantly decrease the bacterial surface hydrophobicity (p < 0.05). In this study, turbots were challenged with 10⁷ CFU E. tarda 2CDM001 after seven days of continuous feeding with basal diets containing microencapsulated IgYs. Survival rates of the 5%, 3% and 1% microencapsulated specific IgY groups were 63.3%, 56.7% and 20% on the tenth day post infection, respectively, while the turbots in the positive control and non-specific IgY groups all died within ten days. Oral administration of basal diets containing 5% microencapsulated specific IgY significantly reduced IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α and C3 transcript levels in the head kidney and spleen of turbots compared with the positive and non-specific IgY groups at 24 h after E. tarda 2CDM001 challenging (p < 0.05). Pathological increase of leukocytes in the specific IgY group was significantly lower than that in the positive control and non-specific IgY groups (p < 0.05), decreasing slowly after 24 h of infection and showing a recovery trend. Erythrocyte counts and hemoglobin concentrations of turbots in positive and non-specific IgY groups showed a marked decrease compared with the negative and specific groups at 96 h after E. tarda 2CDM001 infection (p < 0.05). These results suggest that passive immunity via feeding microencapsulated specific IgY could be used as a valuable preventative in turbot against E. tarda 2CDM001 infections.

IgY - turning the page toward passive immunization in COVID-19 infection (Review)

The world is facing one of the major outbreaks of viral infection of the modern history, however, as vaccine development workflow is still tedious and can not control the infection spreading, researchers are turning to passive immunization as a good and quick alternative to treat and contain the spreading. Within passive immunization domain, raising specific immunoglobulin (Ig)Y against acute respiratory tract infection has been developing for more than 20 years. Far from being an obsolete chapter we will revise the IgY-technology as a new frontier for research and clinic. A wide range of IgY applications has been effectively confirmed in both human and animal health. The molecular particularities of IgY give them functional advantages recommending them as good candidates in this endeavor. Obtaining specific IgY is sustained by reliable and nature friendly methodology as an alternative for mammalian antibodies. The aria of application is continuously enlarging from bacterial and viral infections to tumor biology. Specific anti-viral IgY were previously tested in several designs, thus its worth pointing out that in the actual COVID-19 pandemic context, respiratory infections need an enlarged arsenal of therapeutic approaches and clearly the roles of IgY should be exploited in depth.

Functional characterization of a broad and potent neutralizing monoclonal antibody directed against outer membrane protein (OMP) of Salmonella typhimurium

In the present study, we have generated a murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) named Sal-06 by using the crude outer membrane protein preparation of Salmonella enteric subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028 strain as antigen. Sal-06mAb belonging to IgG1 isotype demonstrated broad cross-reactivity to standard and isolated strains of genus Salmonella and others such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Proteus mirabilis. Cross-reactivity across several bacterial genera indicated that the epitopes reactive to Sal-06mAb are conserved among these members. Neutralizing effects of Sal-06mAb on Salmonella growth and survival was evaluated in vitro using bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity with and without complement and bacterial invasion inhibition assay. Sal-06mAb demonstrated a bacteriostatic effect on the growth of S. typhimurium ATCC 14028 strain which is both time and concentration (of mAb) dependent. It was also found that the bacterial growth inhibition was complement independent. When the bacterial cells were preincubated with Sal-06mAb, it reduced the adherence and invasion of bacterial cells into A549 epithelial cell line. This was confirmed by CFU count analysis, phase contrast, and fluorescence microscopy. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging confirmed the antimicrobial effects of Sal-06mAb on S. typhimurium ATCC 14028. The development of broadly reactive and cross protective Sal-06mAb opens new possibilities for immunotherapy of sepsis caused by Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae members.

Use of polyclonal IgY antibodies to detect serum immune complexes in patients with active hookworm infection

Definitive diagnosis of hookworm infection is usually based on the microscopic detection of eggs in a stool sample; however, several cases display a low or irregular egg output. Serodiagnosis can be a useful tool to identify these cases, but conventional tests do not differentiate past from active infections. The aim of this study was to obtain and apply egg yolk polyclonal immunoglobulin (IgY) antibodies to detect immune complexes (ICs) in serum samples from patients infected with hookworm. Hens were immunized with Ancylostoma ceylanicum saline extract, their eggs were collected and then IgY antibodies were extracted and purified. Antibody purity was tested by 12% sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and specificity was assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. IgY production was evaluated by kinetics enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sandwich ELISA tested the ability of IgY to detect ICs in serum samples, from which diagnostic parameters were calculated. Antibody responses increased steadily from day 7 to 42. In the immunoblotting assay, IgY recognized two protein complexes. The immunofluorescence assay showed no staining in control samples. The sandwich ELISA presented a very high diagnostic value, with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 86.7%. Our pioneer strategy highlights the potential use of egg yolk IgY as a diagnostic test to detect active hookworm infection.

The detection of canine anti-sperm antibody following parenteral immunization of bitches against homogenized whole sperm

Backgrounds

The development of a canine-specific method of immunocontraception is one of the non-invasive controlling strategies for humanely decreasing the dog population. This study was aimed to investigate the potential of whole sperm in stimulating the immune system and producing specific anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs) in female dogs. Mature, mixed-breed bitches were subcutaneously immunized with high (200 × 10⁶ cells/mL) and low (100 × 10⁶ cells/mL) doses of sperm vaccine, emulsified with Freund’s adjuvants. Booster immunizations were given at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6, and serum samples were collected at days 0, 14, 28, 42, 63, and 84 prior to each immunization. Reproductive tract samples, including vaginal and uterine lavages, were also collected by flushing each section with sterile PBS at the end of the experiment. Canine anti-sperm antibody titer and specificity in sera and genital secretions were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique.

Results

Specific anti-sperm antibodies were detected in the serum of both high and low dose groups and were significantly higher than those observed in the controls. A high dose of sperm induced elevated immune responses over the low dose antigen. Immunization with a high dose of sperm increased the level of ASAs in the uterine secretions and vaginal secretions significantly. Higher ASAs were observed to have transduced to the uterine lumen compared to the vagina.

Conclusions

Based on the results obtained in this study, parenteral immunization with whole sperm can induce a high level of specific antibodies in the serum and genital secretions of female dogs and the response would be dose-dependent.