title: Protective efficacy against Chlamydophila psittaci by oral immunization based on transgenic rice expressing MOMP in mice.
abstract: Avian chlamydiosis is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci (Cp. psittaci) and major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Cp. psittaci is an excellent vaccine candidate. In this study, the MOMP gene was expressed in rice callus by the Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector. The production of protein in transgenic rice seeds was confirmed and quantified by Western-blot and ELISA, the results demonstrating that the antigen was expressed stably. The transgenic rice seeds expressing the MOMP protein were administered by the oral route to BALB/c mice, which developed MOMP-specific serum IgG and fecal IgA antibodies and a splenocyte MOMP-specific proliferative response and significant levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and TGF-β production. Immunization with MOMP transgenic seeds induced partial protection (50%) against a lethal challenge with the highly virulent Cp. psittaci 6BC strain. Lung function after challenge was less affected compared non-MOMP immunized animals. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using transgenic rice seeds as an oral vaccine to generate protective immunity and reduce the lung lesions in mice against virulent Cp. psittaci 6BC strain. This finding has implications for further development of an oral vaccine against avian chlamydiosis.
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510642, Guangdong Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Xiang
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiao-Hu
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiu-Zhen
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hao-Xin
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheng-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zi-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics*; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D022462:Vaccines, Edible / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D022462:Vaccines, Edible; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins