Use of Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated protein for immunization of foals against R equi pneumonia.
Abstract: To evaluate use of the virulence-associated protein of Rhodococcus equi in immunizing foals against R equi pneumonia. Methods: Eight (experimental group) and 6 (controls) mares with their foals. Methods: Virulence-associated protein extracted from R equi was used to prepare an acetone-precipitated. Triton X-extracted (APTX) antigen. After determination of the efficacy of passive immunization, in untreated foals or in foals given plasma from a horse vaccinated with APTX antigen or from a nonvaccinated horse, a field trial was done to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination of 8 mares, twice with APTX before parturition, and of their foals at ages 3 and 5 weeks; 6 mares and their foals served as unvaccinated controls. All 2-day-old foals were given plasma from local donor horses inoculated with a locally produced bacterin. Serum opsonizing activity produced by vaccination with APTX was determined. Passively immunized foals were challenge exposed with an aerosol of virulent R equi. Foals of the field trial were exposed to enzootic R equi infection. Results: Inoculation with APTX resulted in high IgG antibody liters with opsonizing activity. Passive immunization of foals with plasma from an immunized horse enhanced bacterial clearance from the lungs, compared with that in foals not given plasma or given plasma without APTX antibodies. Vaccination of mares and foals exposed to natural infection resulted in development of R equi pneumonia in 4 of 8 vaccinated foals, but in only 1 of 6 unvaccinated foals. Conclusions: Vaccination with APTX antigen led to high-titer, opsonizing antibody. Plasma from a vaccinated horse appeared to enhance clearance of R equi from the lungs of foals. Paradoxically, vaccination of mares and their foals with APTX antigen did not protect foals and may have enhanced R equi pneumonia in the foals.
Publication Date: 1997-04-01 PubMed ID: 9099378
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research evaluates the use of Rhodococcus equi’s virulence-associated protein in vaccinating young horses against R equi pneumonia. The findings suggest high antibody response due to vaccination but note a paradox, as vaccination of mares and their foals might have intensified R equi pneumonia in the foals.
Methodology
- The study utilized virulence-associated protein retrieved from R. equi to create an acetone-precipitated, Triton X-extracted (APTX) antigen for the experimental trials.
- The passive immunization efficacy was evaluated in foals with and without plasma administered from a horse vaccinated with the APTX antigen, as well as from a non-vaccinated horse.
- Sequentially, a field trial tested the efficacy of the aforementioned vaccination approach. The procedure involved the vaccination of 8 mares, twice with APTX before they gave birth, and their subsequent foals at ages 3 and 5 weeks.
Results
- Injection with APTX resulted in high IgG antibody liters with opsonizing activity, implying a robust immune response.
- When passively immunized foals were given plasma from an immunized horse, there was an enhancement in the bacterial clearance from their lungs when compared to those not given plasma or given plasma devoid of APTX antibodies.
- In the field trial, 4 out of 8 vaccinated foals developed R equi pneumonia, while only 1 out of the 6 non-vaccinated foals developed the condition.
Conclusion
- While vaccination with APTX antigen prompted a high-titer, opsonizing antibody response, its expected benefits were not properly realized. In fact, use of the technique on a mare and her foal might have led to a higher likelihood of R equi pneumonia in the foal.
- This unexpected inconsistency observed represents a paradox that suggests potentially negative implications for the vaccine’s use and necessitates further research on the failings underlined in the application of the APTX antigen for avoiding R. equi pneumonia.
Cite This Article
APA
Prescott JF, Nicholson VM, Patterson MC, Zandona Meleiro MC, Caterino de Araujo A, Yager JA, Holmes MA.
(1997).
Use of Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated protein for immunization of foals against R equi pneumonia.
Am J Vet Res, 58(4), 356-359.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Actinomycetales Infections / immunology
- Actinomycetales Infections / prevention & control
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial / analysis
- Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial / metabolism
- Bacterial Proteins / analysis
- Bacterial Proteins / immunology
- Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
- Bacterial Vaccines / immunology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Immunization, Passive / veterinary
- Immunoglobulin G / analysis
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Immunoglobulin G / immunology
- Membrane Glycoproteins / analysis
- Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology
- Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
- Pneumonia, Bacterial / immunology
- Pneumonia, Bacterial / prevention & control
- Pneumonia, Bacterial / veterinary
- Rhodococcus equi / chemistry
- Rhodococcus equi / immunology
- Rhodococcus equi / pathogenicity
- Vaccination / veterinary
- Virulence
- Virulence Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Flores-Ahlschwede P, Metcalfe LL, Nevill M, Vinacur M, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Randomized, controlled trial comparing Rhodococcus equi and poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma to prevent R equi pneumonia in foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Nov;35(6):2912-2919.
- Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Vinacur M, Cortez-Ramirez SC, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Vlock DR, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia.. PLoS One 2021;16(8):e0250133.
- Migdał A, Migdał Ł, Oczkowicz M, Okólski A, Chełmońska-Soyta A. Influence of Age and Immunostimulation on the Level of Toll-Like Receptor Gene (TLR3, 4, and 7) Expression in Foals.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 26;10(11).
- Trevisani MM, Hanna ES, Oliveira AF, Cardoso SA, Roque-Barreira MC, Soares SG. Vaccination of Mice with Virulence-Associated Protein G (VapG) Antigen Confers Partial Protection against Rhodococcus equi Infection through Induced Humoral Immunity.. Front Microbiol 2017;8:857.
- 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.
- Bordin AI, Pillai SD, Brake C, Bagley KB, Bourquin JR, Coleman M, Oliveira FN, Mwangi W, McMurray DN, Love CC, Felippe MJ, Cohen ND. Immunogenicity of an electron beam inactivated Rhodococcus equi vaccine in neonatal foals.. PLoS One 2014;9(8):e105367.
- Lohmann KL, Lopez AM, Manning ST, Marques FJ, Brownlie R, Allen AL, Sangster AE, Mutwiri G, Gerdts V, Potter A, Townsend HG. Failure of a VapA/CpG oligodeoxynucleotide vaccine to protect foals against experimental Rhocococcus equi pneumonia despite induction of VapA-specific antibody and interferon-γ response.. Can J Vet Res 2013 Jul;77(3):161-9.
- Guerrero R, Bhargava A, Nahleh Z. Rhodococcus equi venous catheter infection: a case report and review of the literature.. J Med Case Rep 2011 Aug 9;5:358.
- Hooper-McGrevy KE, Wilkie BN, Prescott JF. Immunoglobulin G subisotype responses of pneumonic and healthy, exposed foals and adult horses to Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated proteins.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2003 May;10(3):345-51.
- Lopez AM, Hines MT, Palmer GH, Alperin DC, Hines SA. Identification of pulmonary T-lymphocyte and serum antibody isotype responses associated with protection against Rhodococcus equi.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2002 Nov;9(6):1270-6.
- Navas J, González-Zorn B, Ladrón N, Garrido P, Vázquez-Boland JA. Identification and mutagenesis by allelic exchange of choE, encoding a cholesterol oxidase from the intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi.. J Bacteriol 2001 Aug;183(16):4796-805.
- Byrne BA, Prescott JF, Palmer GH, Takai S, Nicholson VM, Alperin DC, Hines SA. Virulence plasmid of Rhodococcus equi contains inducible gene family encoding secreted proteins.. Infect Immun 2001 Feb;69(2):650-6.
- Giguère S, Hondalus MK, Yager JA, Darrah P, Mosser DM, Prescott JF. Role of the 85-kilobase plasmid and plasmid-encoded virulence-associated protein A in intracellular survival and virulence of Rhodococcus equi.. Infect Immun 1999 Jul;67(7):3548-57.
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