title: Immunostimulatory effects of the muramyl dipeptide analogue LK415 in chickens immunized with a vaccine strain of infectious bursal disease virus.
abstract: The effects of muramyl dipeptide (MDP) synthetic analogue LK415 on the immune response of chickens immunized with a live vaccine against infectious bursal disease (IBD) were studied in two independent trials, using levamisole hydrochloride as comparative immunostimulant. Groups of five-week-old commercial chickens (Isa Brown) were immunized orally with 10 doses of the vaccine strain of IBDV (Winterfield strain). The chickens were then given four injections of the MDP analogue LK415 in a dosage of either 0.25 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) or 2.5 mg/kg b.w. or levamisole at a daily dose of 15 mg/kg b.w. for four consecutive days, starting from the day of immunization. Histological examinations of bursal tissue collected on days 2, 4 and 7 postimmunization (p.i.) showed a lower degree of destruction of bursal follicles and earlier renewal of bursal tissue in LK415-treated chickens compared to levamisole-treated and untreated immunized groups. Compared to the other groups, the LK415-treated chickens showed a significantly higher antibody response to IBDV on days 14 and 28 p.i. (P < 0.01) as measured by commercial ELISA. The present study indicates some potent immunostimulatory effects of the MDP analogue LK415 on the chicken immune system.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbiceva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija. rojsol@mail.vf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: O Z
authors.initials: OZ
authors.lastname: Rojs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerne
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mrzel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Urleb
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muraoka
mesh_terms: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D018175:Birnaviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary*; D007243:Infectious bursal disease virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007978:Levamisole / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007978:Levamisole; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine