title: Chicken IgY Fc expressed by Eimeria mitis enhances the immunogenicity of E. mitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eimeria species are obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasites, causing great economic losses in the poultry industry. Currently wild-and attenuated- type anticoccidial vaccines are used to control coccidiosis. However, their use in fast growing broilers is limited by vaccination side effects caused by medium and/or low immunogenic Eimeria spp. There is, therefore, a need for a vaccine with high immunogenicity for broilers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The avian yolk sac IgY Fc is the avian counterpart of the mammalian IgG Fc, which enhances immunogenicity of Fc-fusion proteins. Here, we developed a stable transgenic Eimeria mitis expressing IgY Fc (Emi.chFc) and investigated whether the avian IgY Fc fragment enhances the immunogenicity of E. mitis. Two-week-old broilers were immunized with either Emi.chFc or wild type Eimeria and challenged with wild type E. mitis to analyze the protective properties of transgenic Emi.chFc.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chickens immunized with Emi.chFc had significantly lower oocyst output, in comparison with PBS, mock control (transgenic E. mitis expressing HA1 from H9N2 avian influenza virus) and wildtype E. mitis immunized groups after challenge, indicating that IgY Fc enhanced the immunogenicity of E. mitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that IgY Fc-expressing Eimeria may be a better coccidiosis vaccine, and transgenic Eimeria expressing Fc-fused exogenous antigens may be used as a novel vaccine-delivery vehicle against a wide variety of pathogens.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xinming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals, College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, China.
authors.forename: Guangwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xianyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Jingxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Geru
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ei-Ashram
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. suoxun@cau.edu.cn.|National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. suoxun@cau.edu.cn.|Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. suoxun@cau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Suo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D004539:Eimeria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C016512:IgY; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
keywords: Chicken IgY Fc; Eimeria mitis; Protective immune response; Stable transfection