Adjuvant effects of fluoride on oral immunization of chickens

Chronic Exposure to Climbazole Induces Oxidative Stress and Sex Hormone Imbalance in the Testes of Male Zebrafish

As the main active ingredient for the treatment of fungal infections, climbazole (CBZ) is commonly used in a variety of personal care products. After its use, CBZ enters the receiving environment directly or indirectly through domestic sewage. Its concentration can be up to several nanograms per liter in surface water. So far, the effects of CBZ on the reproductive system of female zebrafish have been systematically studied, but the potential toxicity mechanism of CBZ on male zebrafish still needs to be further explored. In this study, adult male zebrafish were exposed to CBZ at concentrations of 0.1, 10, and 1000 μg·L^-1 for 28 days, and their testes were collected for histological, mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics, and biochemical analyses. We found that CBZ caused a significantly abnormal metabolism of purine and glutathione and triggered oxidative stress in zebrafish testes, thereby inducing testicular cell apoptosis. In addition, CBZ could inhibit the synthesis of essential sex hormones in the testis and thus reduce the sperm production. The conclusions of this study fill the data gap on the reproductive toxicity of CBZ to male zebrafish and highlight the ecotoxicological application of untargeted metabolomics in the biomarker discovery.

Preparation and Validation of Carrier Human Erythrocytes Loaded by Bovine Serum Albumin as a Model Antigen/Protein

Erythrocytes as the most readily available and abundant cells within the body have been studied extensively for their potential application as drug delivery carries. In this study, human erythrocytes were loaded by bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model antigen/protein using hypotonic preswelling method for targeted delivery of this antigen-to antigen-presenting cells. The average loaded amount, efficiency of entrapment, and cell recovery upon loading procedure were 1979.25 +/- 9.4 microg, 30.06 +/- 0.20%, and 87.53 +/- 0.66%, respectively. The total BSA recovery upon loading procedure was 97.20 +/- 4.90%. The apparent mechanism of entrapment was simple concentration-based gradient in/out the cells with some minor limiting factors against protein entry into the cells. We have shown that the intra- and intersubject variations of the method were interestingly low (i.e., less than 5% in all cases).

Effect of compound mucosal immune adjuvant on mucosal and systemic immune responses in chicken orally vaccinated with attenuated Newcastle-disease vaccine

In order to compare the adjuvant activity of compound mucosal immune adjuvant (cMIA), two novel compound adjuvants (cMIA I and cMIA II) were prepared and mixed with Newcastle-disease (ND) vaccine, respectively, to vaccinate 7-day-old chickens, taking the non-adjuvant vaccines and PBS as controls. Serum were sampled on weeks 1-7 and tissues on weeks 3, 5 and 7 after vaccination, respectively. The humoral and cellular immune responses were determined by means of hemagglutination inhibition test, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemical examination and histological examination. The results showed that two compound adjuvants could promote CD3+ T lymphocytes, IgA secreting cells, intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (iIEL) and Mast cells formation and enhance serum and content antibody titer. The best adjuvant activity of cMIA II in promoting cellular immunity and cMIA I in enhancing humoral immunity occurred in whole immune period. Based on good synergistic effects of their components, two cMIAs would be expected as new-type mucosal immune adjuvants for mucosal immune.

Preparation and in vitro characterization of carrier erythrocytes for vaccine delivery

Erythrocytes as the most readily available and abundant cells within the body, have been studied extensively for their potential application as drug delivery carriers. In this study, human erythrocytes have been loaded by bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model antigen/protein using hypotonic preswelling method for targeted delivery of this antigen to antigen-presenting cells (APCs). A series of in vitro tests have been carried out to characterize the carrier cells in vitro, including loading parameters, BSA and hemoglobin release kinetics, hematological indices, particle size distribution, SEM analysis, osmotic and turbulence fragility, and osmotic competency. BSA was loaded in erythrocytes with a loaded amount of 1.98+/-0.009mg with antigen release from carrier cells showing a zero-order kinetic consistent to that of the cell lysis. The apparent cell sizes, measured using laser scattering, were not significantly different from normal erythrocytes, but the real sizes, measured using SEM, and surface topologies were quite different between loaded and unloaded cells. The BSA-loaded cells were remarkably more fragile and less deformable compared to the normal cells. Totally, BSA-loaded erythrocytes seem to be a promising delivery system for reticuloendothelial system (RES) targeting of the antigens.

Immunogenicity of ad libitum drinking water administration of bovine serum albumin in Leghorn chickens

Oral administration of protein antigen in solution routinely leads to development of oral tolerance in most mammals but has been reported to be fully immunogenic in chickens. Previous studies, including several performed by our laboratory, have demonstrated that oral administration of discrete amounts of BSA for 6 consecutive days is fully immunogenic. This study was performed to determine immunoresponsiveness to protein antigen administered ad libitum at low levels in drinking water compared with i.p. and oral gavage routes of administration. Seven days following the last oral immunization, serum was assayed for IgG, bile for IgA, and tissue culture supernatant from 3 distinct lower intestinal regions for IgG and IgA in immunized and nonimmunized single-comb White Leghorn chickens. Systemic responses in the serum of experimental birds revealed a greater (P < 0.001) IgG response when BSA was administered via i.p. injection or by drinking water compared with gavage administration or nonimmunized controls. Responses measured in bile revealed that BSA administration in the drinking water resulted in a greater (P < 0.001) secretory IgA response compared with i.p. or gavage administration, and negative control groups. Intestinal antigen specific IgG, but not IgA, was elevated (P < 0.05) in all intestinal areas tested in birds immunized against BSA by drinking water and i.p. routes of administration, compared with other experimental groups. Taken together, the present experiments demonstrate that ad libitum drinking water administration of a protein antigen is as effective as i.p. administration or gavage routes of antigen exposure and potentially describe a novel approach to immunization of commercial poultry with purified protein antigens.

Effect of sodium fluoride on the murine splenic immune response to Porphyromonas gingivalis in vitro

Spleen cells from saline- and Porphyromonas gingivalis-primed mice were cultured and stimulated with or without P. gingivalis and added with or without various concentration of sodium fluoride (NaF). Cell proliferation, antigen-specific IgG antibodies and both IFN-gamma and IL-10 levels were determined by a colorimetric assay, ELISA and commercial ELISA kits respectively. The results showed that NaF at concentration of 1 x 10(-6) M enhanced but at concentration of 1 x 10(-1) M abolished the immune response to P. gingivalis, suggesting that NaF at low concentration may act as an adjuvant but at high concentration may be toxic to the P. gingivalis-induced murine splenic immune response in vitro.

Response, tolerance and ignorance following oral exposure to a single dietary protein antigen in Gallus domesticus

The objective of this investigation was to analyze conditions leading to antibody responses against innocuous dietary protein antigens in the chick. The physical form of antigen was found to be important for immunization of mature chicks: bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution was a powerful immunogen, while BSA powder was ignored. When BSA was fed to newly hatched chicks, either in solution or as powder, specific oral tolerance was induced. Tolerance increased with the dose of antigen fed, and was most effective in suppressing BSA-specific oral immunization. Hence, immune responses of mature chicks to innocuous dietary proteins are not likely to constitute a health hazard due to (a) prevalence of oral tolerance induced at hatch, and (b) availability of dietary proteins in solid form.

Immune responses of chickens to dietary protein antigens. I. Induction of systemic and intestinal immune responses following oral administration of soluble proteins in the absence of adjuvant

Oral administration of protein antigens in solution leads to the development of oral tolerance in most mammals but rarely so in the chicken. As dietary proteins are not expected to be immunogenic, the present study was undertaken to evaluate immunological consequences following oral exposure to protein antigens in chicks, and to determine whether or not this form of antigen is ignored. Chicks and turkey poults were fed solutions containing bovine serum albumin (BSA), porcine serum albumin, beta-lactoglobulin or bovine hemoglobin over a period of 6 days (25mg/chick/day). At different time points after feeding serum and bile were examined for presence of specific antibodies by ELISA. Surprisingly, the fed antigens induced robust antibody responses in the absence of added adjuvant. This immune response was further characterised to show that (1) a daily feeding regimen was more immunogenic than single dose feedings, (2) by using a daily feeding regimen, as little as 2mg/chick/day was fully immunogenic, (3) effective immunization was attained in chicks older than 10 day of age, (4) the main antibody class in the serum was IgG, and (5) high IgA levels were detected in the bile after booster feedings. These observations are difficult to reconcile with current concepts on peripheral tolerance to innocuous antigens, and indicate that the bird regulates tolerance and response in a manner different from that described in mammals.

Immunity, vaccination and the avian intestinal tract

Defence of the intestinal mucosal surface from enteric pathogens is initially mediated by secretory IgA (SIgA). As oral immunization of non-replicating antigen induces minimal SIgA antibody titers, novel immunization strategies which selectively induce mucosal immune responses in mammals are now being assessed in chickens. The strategies reviewed include the route of antigen delivery, the incorporation of antigenic components in delivery vehicles, the inclusion of immunomodulators in the vaccine formula or in the diet, and manipulation of intestinal microflora. The differences in anatomical organization and immunological mechanisms between birds and mammals must be considered when manipulating avian intestinal immunity with the latest immunotechnologies developed for mammals. Our knowledge of the function and functioning of the avian mucosal system is discussed. Progress in our understanding of this system, the location of precursor IgA B cells and antigen sampling by these sites is not as advanced as knowledge of the mammalian system, highlighting the need for ongoing research into the avian application of novel vaccination strategies.

Uptake of orally administered polystyrene latex and poly(D,L-lactic/glycolic acid) microspheres into intestinal lymphoid tissues in chickens

Fluorescein-labeled microspheres were orally administered to chickens and their distribution in intestinal lymphoid tissues was investigated. Polystyrene latex microspheres were observed in Peyer's patches, and also in the Meckel's diverticulum and the jejunum. Their density, however, seemed to be lower than that in Peyer's patches. Microspheres were rarely observed in the other intestinal tissues examined, including the bursa of Fabricius. Of note is that, although microspheres were present in the lumen, few, if any, were observed in the lamina propria of the caecal tonsil and caecum. Polystyrene latex microspheres of diameter 2.0 microm or 4.5 microm were also observed in Peyer's patches, but their density seemed to be lower as compared with the 0.75 microm microspheres. Poly(D,L-lactic/glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres were prepared using PLGAs of various molecular weights (MW) and their uptake into Peyer's patches was compared. Microspheres prepared with PLGA of average MW of 20000 were not taken up into Peyer's patches, but those prepared with PLGA of average MW of 61000 or 99 800 were taken up into Peyer's patches.

Comparison of adjuvants with respect to serum IgG antibody response in orally immunized chickens

We have previously shown that oral immunization with non-replicating antigens hardly induced serum IgG antibody response in chickens and addition of sodium fluoride (NaF) to the immunogen markedly improved their immunological states. In the present study, taurine, lithium and Quillaja saponin (Q-SAP) were compared with NaF with respect to their enhancement of serum IgG antibody response in chickens after oral immunization. The antibody titer of chickens which received Q-SAP as the mucosal adjuvant tended to be higher than that of chickens which received antigen plus NaF. Simultaneous administration of antigen with lithium or taurine elicited a higher antibody titer in chickens compared to those of chickens orally immunized with antigen alone, but the effect of these two adjuvants was less efficient compared with that of NaF. These results suggested that Q-SAP as well as NaF is useful as an oral adjuvant for chickens.