title: Protective effect of oral administration of transgenic tobacco seeds against verocytotoxic Escherichia coli strain in piglets.
abstract: The use of transgenic plants as delivery system for antigenic proteins is attractive for its simplicity and increases likelihood for local immune response at sites of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of oral administration of tobacco seeds, expressing the FedA, the major protein of the F18 adhesive fimbriae, and B subunit of verocytotoxin, against verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) strain in piglets. Forty-three early weaned piglets, were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups: 3 test groups and a control. Treatment groups orally received a bolus, with different dose of tobacco seeds on 0, 1, 2, 14 days post primary administration. After challenge, with 1*10(10) CFU of O138 Escherichia coli strain, piglets showed clinical scores significantly higher in the control group compared to orally immunized groups (P < 0.05) and the latter showed a faster recovery than in CG. In conclusion, oral administration of recombinant tobacco seeds expressing antigenic proteins against VTEC strains can induce a protective effect against challenger strain in piglets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy, luciana.rossi@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dell'Orto
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vagni
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reggi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C113053:FedA protein, E coli; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins