Effects of interferon-γ knockdown on vaccine-induced immunity against Marek’s disease in chickens

Canadian journal of veterinary research

Andrew Bendall¹  Neda Barjesteh¹  Shayan Sharif¹  Serguei Golovan¹  Sarah K. Wootton¹  Kamran Haq¹ 

[1] Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Haq, Wootton, Barjesteh, Sharif); Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, 19716 USA (Golovan); Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Bendall).

DOI  :  

学科分类：兽医学

来源: Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

【 摘 要 】

Interferon (IFN)-γ has been shown to be associated with immunity to Marek’s disease virus (MDV). The overall objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between IFN-γ and vaccine-conferred immunity against MDV in chickens. To this end, 3 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting chicken IFN-γ, which had previously been shown to reduce IFN-γ expression in vitro, and a control siRNA were selected to generate recombinant avian adeno-associated virus (rAAAV) expressing short-hairpin small interfering RNAs (shRNAs). An MDV challenge trial was then conducted: chickens were vaccinated with herpesvirus of turkey (HVT), administered the rAAAV expressing shRNA, and then challenged with MDV. Tumors were observed in 4 out of 10 birds that were vaccinated with HVT and challenged but did not receive any rAAAV, 5 out of 9 birds that were administered the rAAAV containing IFN-γ shRNA, and 2 out of 10 birds that were administered a control enhanced green fluorescent protein siRNA. There was no significant difference in MDV genome load in the feather follicle epithelium of the birds that were cotreated with the vaccine and the rAAAV compared with the vaccinated MDV-infected birds. These results suggest that AAAV-based vectors can be used for the delivery of shRNA into chicken cells. However, administration of the rAAAV expressing shRNA targeting chicken IFN-γ did not seem to fully abrogate vaccine-induced protection.

【 授权许可】

Unknown