Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
Abstract: Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Methods: Healthy 4-day-old foals (n=7), 4-month-old foals (n=7) and adult horses (n=6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n=5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were measured prior to and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after vaccination. Eight weeks after vaccination, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were assessed by measuring the increase in double skin thickness after intradermal injection of purified protein derivative. Results: Both groups of foals and adult horses responded with a significant increase in vaccine-specific total IgG, IgGa, IgGc, IgG(T), and IgM concentrations. In contrast, only adult horses mounted significant IgGb responses. Vaccine-specific concentrations of total IgG and IgGa were significantly higher in adult horses than in 4-day-old foals whereas IgGc responses were significantly higher in 4-day-old foals than in the other two age groups. Adult horses had significantly higher basal IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression than both groups of foals but vaccination with M. bovis BCG did not significantly increase expression of these cytokines, regardless of age group. Immunized horses had significantly higher DTH responses than age-matched unvaccinated controls. DTH responses were significantly greater in both groups of vaccinated foals than in vaccinated adult horses. Conclusions: Despite a naïve immune system, newborn foals have the ability to mount robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to M. bovis BCG.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-01-28 PubMed ID: 24486362DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.01.032Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research explores the differences in immune responses between newborn foals, older foals, and adult horses after they receive a live Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination. It was found that despite having an immature immune system, newborn foals were capable of mounting significant immune responses to the vaccine, which were sometimes even stronger than those in vaccinated adult horses.
Methods
- The study involved healthy 4-day old foals, 4-month-old foals, and adult horses who were each given a dose of live M. bovis BCG vaccine.
- Equal number of age-matched animals were included as non-vaccinated controls for comparison.
- Vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations as well as expressions of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 mRNA in the whole blood were measured before and at intervals of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after vaccination.
- Eight weeks post-vaccination, the intensity of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were gauged by the increase in double skin thickness after intradermal injection of purified protein derivative.
Results
- All the groups showed a noteworthy rise in vaccine-specific total IgG, IgGa, IgGc, IgG(T), and IgM concentrations. However, only adult horses had discernable IgGb responses.
- Vaccine-specific total IgG and IgGa concentrations were significantly higher in adult horses when compared to 4-day old foals whereas 4-day old foals showed remarkably higher IgGc responses than the other two groups.
- While adult horses exhibited notably higher basal IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression than both groups of foals, vaccination didn’t significantly increase expression of these cytokines across the different age groups.
- Immunized horses revealed significantly higher DTH responses than the age-matched unvaccinated controls.
- DTH responses were significantly greater in both vaccinated groups of foals than vaccinated adult horses.
Conclusions
- Despite having an immature immune system, newborn foals are capable of mounting both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses that are robust against Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
- These findings suggest the potential of using this live vaccine in equine neonates and its implications for understanding how immune response evolves through different stages of growth in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Sturgill TL, Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Hurley DJ, Hondalus MK.
(2014).
Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
Vaccine, 32(12), 1362-1367.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.01.032 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States. Electronic address: gigueres@uga.edu.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
- Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- BCG Vaccine / adverse effects
- BCG Vaccine / immunology
- Cytokines / immunology
- Horses / immunology
- Hypersensitivity, Delayed / chemically induced
- Immunity, Cellular
- Immunity, Humoral
- Mycobacterium bovis
- Vaccination / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Tallmadge RL, Wang M, Sun Q, Felippe MJB. Transcriptome analysis of immune genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of young foals and adult horses.. PLoS One 2018;13(9):e0202646.
- Cywes-Bentley C, Rocha JN, Bordin AI, Vinacur M, Rehman S, Zaidi TS, Meyer M, Anthony S, Lambert M, Vlock DR, Giguère S, Cohen ND, Pier GB. Antibody to Poly-N-acetyl glucosamine provides protection against intracellular pathogens: Mechanism of action and validation in horse foals challenged with Rhodococcus equi.. PLoS Pathog 2018 Jul;14(7):e1007160.
- Tallmadge RL, Miller SC, Parry SA, Felippe MJB. Antigen-specific immunoglobulin variable region sequencing measures humoral immune response to vaccination in the equine neonate.. PLoS One 2017;12(5):e0177831.
- Giles C, Ndi O, Barton MD, Vanniasinkam T. An Adenoviral Vector Based Vaccine for Rhodococcus equi.. PLoS One 2016;11(3):e0152149.
- Rocha JN, Cohen ND, Bordin AI, Brake CN, Giguère S, Coleman MC, Alaniz RC, Lawhon SD, Mwangi W, Pillai SD. Oral Administration of Electron-Beam Inactivated Rhodococcus equi Failed to Protect Foals against Intrabronchial Infection with Live, Virulent R. equi.. PLoS One 2016;11(2):e0148111.
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