Enhancing immunogenicity and protective efficacy of inactivated avian influenza H9N2vaccine with recombinant chicken IFN-α in chicken

Abstract

Control of currently circulating re-assorted low-pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 is a major concern for both animal and human health. Thus, an improved LPAI H9N2 vaccination strategy is needed to induce complete immunity in chickens against LPAI H9N2 virus strains. Cytokines play a crucial role in mounting both the type and extent of an immune response generated following infection with a pathogen or after vaccination. To improve the efficacy of inactivated LPAI H9N2 vaccine, prokaryotic expression recombination chicken interferon-α (rchIFN-α) was used as vaccine adjuvant.In this study chIFN-α was used as adjuvant in inactivated AI H9N2 vaccine, modulated the immune response of chickens against the vaccine antigen through enhanced humoral and Th1-biased cell-mediated immunity, compared to chickens that received single AI H9N2 vaccine. To further test the protective efficacy of this improved vaccination regimen, immunized chickens were challenged with a high dose of LPAI H9N2 virus. Combined administration rchIFN-α showed markedly enhanced protection compared to single administration of the vaccine, as determined by mortality, clinical severity, and feed and water intake. This enhancement of protective immunity was further confirmed by reduced rectal shedding and replication of AIV H9N2 in challenged chickens. Our results indicate the value of combined administration of rchIFN-α to generate an effective immunization strategy in chickens against LPAI H9N2.

Keywords: Adjuvant; Avian influenza H9N2; Cellular immunity; Chicken interferon-α; Humoral immunity.