Pro-inflammatory and antiviral cytokine expression in vaccinated and unvaccinated horses exposed to equine influenza virus.
Abstract: Most studies of the cytokine response to influenza virus infection have been carried out in human, porcine and murine models, however the data available on equine cytokines is limited. An experimental challenge study was undertaken in unvaccinated naïve horses and horses vaccinated with a commercial inactivated influenza vaccine. The humoral antibody response to vaccination and virus challenge was measured by single radial haemolysis (SRH) assay and clinical signs of influenza and viral shedding were monitored post-challenge. Levels of three equine pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and the antiviral cytokine interferon (IFN)-alpha were examined by quantitative RT-PCR of mRNA. Vaccination provided significant clinical and virological protection and resulted in a significant reduction of IFN-alpha and IL-6 expression on day 2 post-challenge. The patterns of cytokine expression observed in control animals suffering from influenza after challenge are comparable to those reported in studies of other species.
Publication Date: 2007-08-17 PubMed ID: 17825959DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.07.059Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the immune response to the influenza virus in horses, comparing responses between vaccinated and unvaccinated animals. The studied immune markers include specific proteins (cytokines) associated with inflammation and antiviral defense.
Study Design and Methodology
- This experiment involved a group of unvaccinated, naive horses and a group that received a commercial inactivated influenza vaccine. The use of naive horses ensured that the results were not influenced by any prior exposure to the virus.
- Following vaccination and subsequent exposure to the influenza virus, the researchers monitored the horses’ immune responses. This monitoring included tracking clinical signs of disease and viral shedding to determine the extent of viral replication and infection spread. The immune response was also quantified by measuring humoral antibody levels using a single radial haemolysis (SRH) assay. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to neutralize pathogens like viruses, with higher levels usually indicating a stronger immune response.
Key Findings
- The quantitative RT-PCR method was used to assess levels of certain cytokines, proteins released by cells that mediate immune responses. They focused on three pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and one antiviral cytokine, interferon (IFN)-alpha. These cytokines were selected because they are known to play critical roles in the immune response to viral infections.
- Findings revealed that vaccination substantially lowered viral shedding and clinical disease symptoms. Moreover, significantly reduced expression of IFN-alpha and IL-6 was observed on day 2 post-challenge in vaccinated horses compared to unvaccinated ones.
- Interestingly, the pattern of cytokine expression observed in unvaccinated horses suffering from influenza was found to be similar to what has been reported in studies of influenza infections in other species, which might hint at potential commonalities in immune reactions across different organisms.
Significance and Implications
- This study is significant because it contributes to our understanding of the equine immune response to influenza virus infection, specifically concerning the role and regulation of specific cytokines. These insights could be useful for improving existing vaccines or developing new therapeutic strategies.
- The results also underscore the importance of regular vaccination in horses to prevent influenza and mitigate its impacts. By blunting the immune response, vaccination can prevent excessive inflammation, which can lead to tissue damage and worsened disease outcomes.
Cite This Article
APA
Quinlivan M, Nelly M, Prendergast M, Breathnach C, Horohov D, Arkins S, Chiang YW, Chu HJ, Ng T, Cullinane A.
(2007).
Pro-inflammatory and antiviral cytokine expression in vaccinated and unvaccinated horses exposed to equine influenza virus.
Vaccine, 25(41), 7056-7064.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.07.059 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Virology Unit, Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Cytokines / biosynthesis
- Cytokines / genetics
- Female
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Immunodiffusion / methods
- Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / immunology
- Influenza Vaccines / immunology
- Male
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / immunology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / physiopathology
- RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
- Random Allocation
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Severity of Illness Index
- Vaccines, Inactivated / immunology
- Virus Shedding
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Farrell A, Phan T, Brooke CB, Koelle K, Ke R. Semi-infectious particles contribute substantially to influenza virus within-host dynamics when infection is dominated by spatial structure. Virus Evol 2023;9(1):vead020.
- Morris DH, Petrova VN, Rossine FW, Parker E, Grenfell BT, Neher RA, Levin SA, Russell CA. Asynchrony between virus diversity and antibody selection limits influenza virus evolution. Elife 2020 Nov 11;9.
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