Protection of turkeys against Chlamydia psittaci challenge by gene gun-based DNA immunizations

Particle-mediated (Helios Gene Gun) transfer to the turkey epidermis of plasmid DNA expressing the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of an avian Chlamydia psittaci strain was evaluated for its ability to raise an immune response and protection against challenge with the homologous strain. In turkeys, the delivery of pcDNA1/MOMP coated onto 0.6 microm gold beads was the most efficient compared to immunisations using 1.0 or 1.6 microm gold beads. The delivery of as little as 1 microg pcDNA1/MOMP coated onto 0.6 microm gold beads was efficient. Immunisation with 1.0 microm gold beads required twice more (2 microg) DNA to achieve comparable results. The use of 2 microg DNA coated onto 1.6 microm gold beads had no effects. The gene gun delivery both primed T-helper and B-cell memory although recombinant MOMP-expressing cells did not induce high-titre antibody responses. The significance of gene gun-based DNA immunisation as a means of preventing severe clinical signs, lesions and chlamydia excretion in a turkey model of Chlamydia psittaci infection was demonstrated.