Melanocytes in black-boned chicken have immune contribution under infectious bursal disease virus infection.

In black-boned chicken, melanocytes are widely distributed in their inner organs. However, the roles of these cells are not fully elucidated. In this study, we used 3-wk-old female Silky Fowl to investigate the functions of melanocytes under infection with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). We found the melanocytes in the bursa of Fabricius involved in IBDV infection shown as abundant melanin were transported into the nodule and lamina propria where obvious apoptotic cells and higher expression of BAX were detected. Genes related to the toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway were highly detected by quantitative PCR, including TLR1, TLR3, TLR4, TLR15, myeloid differential protein-88, interferon-α, and interferon-ß. We then isolated and infected primary melanocytes with IBDV in vitro and found that higher expressions of immune genes were detected at 24 and 48 h after infection; the upregulated innate and adaptive immune genes were involved in the pathogenesis of IBDV infection, including TLR3, TLR7, interleukin 15 (IL15), IL18, IL1rap, CD7, BG2, ERAP1, and SLA2. These changes in gene expression were highly associated with microtubule-based movement, antigen processing and presentation, defense against viruses, and innate immune responses. Our results indicated that the widely distributed melanocytes in Silky Fowl could migrate to play important innate immune roles during virus infection.

A recombinant avian adeno-associated virus as a vector factor for infectious bursal disease vaccination

El virus de la enfermedad infecciosa de la bolsa es una enfermedad de distribución mundial que afecta a aves jóvenes que debe ser controlada mediante vacunación y constituye una de las preocupaciones principales de la industria avícola mundial. Los virus adeno-asociados aviares son virus no patogénicos capaces de dar cabida a porciones relativamente largas de ADN y de infectar una amplia variedad de tipos celulares. Un miembro de esta familia, el virus adeno-asociado aviar ha sido caracterizado por completo y utilizado como un vector para entrega de genes en células y tejidos de embriones de pollo. En el presente estudio se demostró mediante inmunohistoquímica y microscopia electrónica la factibilidad de generar virus adeno-asociados recombinantes expresando la proteína viral 2 del virus de la enfermedad infecciosa de la bolsa. Luego de la inoculación in ovo o intramuscular de aves libres de patógenos específicos con el virus recombinante, se observó evidencia serológica de la expresión de la proteína VP2. La utilización de virus adeno-asociado aviar recombinantes para la entrega de genes es una opción interesante para la vacunación de aves domésticas.

Infectious bursal disease is a worldwide distributed immunosuppressive disease of young chickens that need to be controlled by vaccination; it represents one of the main concerns for the poultry industry. The adeno-associated viruses are non-pathogenic viruses, capable of accommodating relatively long pieces of DNA, and of infecting a wide variety of cell types. A member of this family, the avian adeno-associated virus has been fully characterized and successfully used for gene delivery in chicken embryo tissues and cells. In this study, it was demonstrated by electron microscopy and immunocitochemistry the feasibility of generating recombinant avian adeno-associated virus (rAAAV) virions expressing the immunogenic viral protein 2 of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). Serological evidence of VP2 protein expression measured as IBDV specific antibody response after in ovo or intramuscular inoculation of the recombinant virus in specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens was observed. The use of rAAAV virions for gene delivery in poultry is a promising approach to poultry vaccination.