title: BAFF enhances B-cell-mediated immune response and vaccine-protection against a very virulent IBDV in chickens.
abstract: Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly infectious and immunosuppressive disease caused by IBDV, which specifically targets destruction of B cells in the bursa of Fabricius. B-cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF, also called BLyS, TALL-1, THANK, or zTNF4) is an important factor for B-cell proliferation and survival. Here we demonstrate that human soluble BAFF (hsBAFF) may enhance humoral immune response by elevating B lymphocyte activity of secretion of immunoglobulin (Ig) such as IgA, IgM and IgG in chickens immunized or unimmunized with an inactivated IBDV vaccine from a very virulent strain. Of importance, we found that hsBAFF, as a co-immunostimulant for vaccination, may play a vital role in amplifying the specific protective immune response, thereby potently preventing very virulent IBDV challenge. This is supported by serological evidence that hsBAFF may effectively enhance higher specific IgG activity and titre in serum of immunized chickens. The findings strongly suggest that BAFF may be exploited in combination with specific vaccination for prevention of IBD.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Nanjing 210046, PR China. lchen@njnu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mao Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Xiao Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xiao Man
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shuang Quan
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018059:Birnaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018175:Birnaviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D007243:Infectious bursal disease virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010063:Ovum / Q000276:immunology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor