title: Co-expression of EtMic2 protein and chicken interleukin-18 for DNA vaccine against chicken coccidiosis.
abstract: In the present study, a naked EtMIC2 DNA vaccine, a ChIL-18 expression vector and a EtMIC2 and ChIL-18 co-expression DNA vaccine were constructed and their protective efficacies against homologous challenge were compared and evaluated by examining the body weight gain, oocyst shedding, cecal lesion, ACI as well as specific anti-EtMic2 antibody level, the proliferation ability and percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ of splenocytes. The results showed the naked EtMIC2 DNA vaccine could increase the weight gain and decrease the oocyst shedding, but could not alleviate the cecal lesion of immunized chickens compared to unimmunized chickens. Chickens immunized with the co-expression vector pVAX1-MIC2-IL-18 exhibited much improved immune protection against challenge compared to chickens immunized with naked EtMIC2 DNA vaccine, or with naked EtMIC2 DNA vaccine and ChIL-18 expression vector applied separately. These results suggest that the co-expression of ChIL-18 with EtMic2 together could significantly improve the immune protection of the EtMic2 protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Xiyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Fangkun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Yihong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China. Electronic address: lihm@sdau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China. Electronic address: xmzhao66@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000276:immunology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D033661:Oocysts / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
keywords: ChIL-18; Co-expression; DNA vaccine; EtMIC2