Peroral Immunotheraphy with Yolk Antibodies for the Prevention and Treatment of Enteric Infections

Abstract

Oral administration of specific antibodies is an attractive approach to establish protective immunity against gastrointestinal pathogens in humans and animals. The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria emphasize the need to find alternatives to antibiotics. Immunotherapy can also be used against pathogens that are difficult to treat with traditional antibiotics. Laying hens are very good producers of specific antibodies. After immunization, the specific antibodies are transported to the egg yolk from which the antibodies then can be purified. A laying hen produces more than 20 g of yolk antibodies (IgY) per year. These antibodies also have biochemical properties that make them attractive for peroral immunotherapy: They neither activate mammalian complement nor interact with mammalian Fc receptors that could mediate inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract. Eggs are also normal dietary components and thus there is practically no risk of toxic side effects of IgY. Yolk antibodies have been shown in several studies to prevent bacterial and viral infections.

IgYs as an Alternative Approach to Antibiotics

“…IgYs do not contain a hinge region, possesses four constant domains instead of three in addition to the variable domain, IgYs are more hydrophobic comparing to IgGs because of its lower isoelectric point) and weight (IgY-180 kDa, IgG-159 kDa) [37,38]. There are also differences in biological properties: IgYs compared to IgGs do not provoke the mammalian complement system, do not interact with mammalian Fc receptors, do not bind to rheumatoid factor, protein A and G [39]. Additionally, IgYs show high stability at temperatures ranging between 30-70°C, and pH 3.5-11, which can be fine-tuned by additives (e.g.…”

Control of Salmonella in Poultry Through Vaccination and Prophylactic Antibody Treatment

“…However, there are reports in the literature that suggest that the IgY F ab fragments maintain their ability to bind antigen, even after exposure to pepsin and trypsin and at pH 4.0 (Shimizu et al, 1988;Carlander et al, 2000;. Therefore, there may be a percentage of the yolk containing IgY digested with only a limited portion still being active post-digestion.…”

Influence of Chitosan-Alginate Microcapsules Containing Anti-Vibrio Harveyi IgY in the Gastrointestinal Tract Simulation

“…There is evidence to suggest that immunoglobulin from the egg yolks of chickens may be particularly effective in the inhibition of infectious disease (Li-Chan, 1999). The benefits of such findings are especially attractive given that chickens are both inexpensive and easily produced on a large scale (Carlander, Kollberg, Wejaker, & Larsson, 2000). Testing has revealed that IgY has a high success rate against several enteric pathogens, including bovine and human rotaviruses, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Edwardsiella tarda, bovine coronavirus, Yersinia ruckeri, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas when administered orally.…”