Comparison of bovine immune responses to affinity-purified bovine herpesvirus-1 antiidiotypes and glycoproteins

Abstract

Bovine immune responses to rabbit antiidiotypic antibodies (anti-Id) against neutralizing monoclonal antibodies to bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) envelope glycoproteins and to BHV-1 glycoproteins were compared. Glycoprotein-immunized animals produced high titers of anti-BHV-1 antibodies and were protected against BHV-1 challenge. Recombinant bovine interleukin-2 (rIL-2)-treated, anti-Id-immunized animals showed a slight reduction in clinical disease, and one calf produced BHV-1-neutralizing antibodies. Treatment with rIL-2 augmented non-BHV-1-specific immune responses. However, even with rIL-2 as an adjuvant, the mixture of polyclonal anti-Id did not elicit a consistent, protective BHV-1-specific immune response in calves.