Growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus by chicken egg yolk antibodies.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to evaluate the ability of egg yolk antibody (IgY) in blocking Staphylococcus aureus growth in vitro.


METHODS
Specific IgY was produced by immunizing hens with formalin-killed S. aureus (ATCC 33593). Specific IgY against S. aureus was obtained from the yolks of their eggs with a carrageenan solution. IgY was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot and its activity against S. aureus was tested by ELISA. A growth inhibition assay and protein concentration determination were also conducted.


RESULTS
ELISA indicated that the IgY was specific to the antigen; this activity was confirmed by Western blotting. The growth of S. aureus was inhibited by the specific IgY at concentrations of 1-5 microg/ml The bacteriostatic function of IgY appeared to result possibly from the interaction of IgY with surface components of S. aureus. In vitro experiments showed that the immunoglobulin from egg yolk interfered with the culture growth of the S. aureus.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that eggs from hens immunized with appropriate antigens are a potentially useful source of passive immunity.
Guimarães
Marco Cesar Cunegundes
MC
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Human Cancer, UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
Amaral
Lívia Gomes
LG
Rangel
Letícia Batista Azevedo
LB
Silva
Ian Victor
IV
Matta
Claudia Gomes Fernandes
CG
Matta
Marcos Fernando de Rezende
MF
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000276:immunology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000906:Antibodies; C016512:IgY; D007136:Immunoglobulins