Vaccination against Eimeria tenella infection using a fraction of E. tenella sporozoites selected by the capacity to activate T cells

At 8 days after a primary Eimeria tenella infection, a subset of T cells, of which the protective role is as yet unclear, circulates in the peripheral blood. In order to investigate this, the in vitro cellular responsiveness of these peripheral blood lymphocytes has been used as selection criterion to identify potentially protective E. tenella sporozoite antigens. The hydrophilic protein phase of purified E. tenella sporozoite homogenates obtained by Triton X-114 extraction was fractionated using preparative gel electrophoresis. Nine fractions, separated according to different molecular weight, were tested for their ability to stimulate T-cell responses. Both the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes and the macrophage activating activity released in the culture supernatants were measured. On the basis of this responsiveness, four fractions were selected and used to vaccinate chickens. All vaccine preparations induced strong T-cell responses. One fraction immunised chickens against subsequent challenge infection, in that the caecal lesion scores were significantly lower as compared with that of the unvaccinated controls. This fraction contained hydrophilic polypeptides with a molecular mass that ranged from 26 to 30 kDa.

Characterization of phenotype related responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes from Eimeria tenella infected chickens

We have previously shown that the proportion of CD8-expressing T cells (CD8bright+ and CD4+ CD8dim+ cells) in the peripheral blood of chickens increases around 8 days after a primary infection with Eimeria tenella oocysts. The increase in the CD8+ eight cells coincides with enhanced responses after in vitro stimulation with parasite antigen. In the study described here, the responsiveness of these day 8 PBL was further characterized by determining their capacity to proliferate and to produce cytokine (IFN-gamma) upon stimulation with E. tenella sporozoite antigen, or non-specific stimuli like T cell growth factor (TCGF) and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (MoAb). Comparing the responsiveness of infected responder (day 8) and control chickens, non-specific triggering induced cytokine production in cells from infected animals and proliferation in cells from control animals. When triggered with E. tenella sporozoite antigen, lymphocytes from infected chickens responded with proliferation and cytokine production, in contrast to lymphocytes from control animals that did not respond. The phenotype of the lymphocytes involved in the parasite-specific proliferation and cytokine production, was characterized in a blocking assay using MoAb directed against the CD4 or CD8 molecule. The results suggest that CD8bright+ as well as CD4+ (CD4+ CD8dim+ and possible CD4+, single positive) lymphocytes are responsible for the IFN-gamma production measured after stimulation with parasite antigen, whereas the specific proliferative response appears to be caused by CD4+ (CD4+ CD8dim+ and possibly CD4+ single positive) lymphocytes. We speculate that the CD8bright+ cells, present in the circulation around 8 days after a primary E. tenella infection, act as effector cells in protective immune responses, whereas CD4+ cells play an important helper function in these responses.