Mucosal immunity induced by orally administered transgenic plants

Area of Science:

• Plant biotechnology
• Immunology
• Veterinary virology

Background:

• Oral immunization offers a promising alternative to traditional vaccines for inducing mucosal immunity.
• Transgenic plants expressing foreign antigens are being explored as edible vaccine platforms.
• Previous studies demonstrated the immunogenicity of transgenic potato plants expressing Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) genes in mice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To further evaluate the mucosal immune response induced by oral administration of transgenic potato leaves expressing NDV immunogenic proteins (F and HN glycoproteins).
• To assess the production of specific antibodies in the intestinal tract and their correlation with immune cell activity.

Main Methods:

• Adult Balb/c mice were fed with transgenic potato leaves for one month.
• Mucosal samples (intestinal washes, cultured small intestine fragments) were collected on day 36.
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) and indirect immunofluorescence were used to detect NDV-specific antibodies (IgG, IgA) and immune cells (IgA+ B cells, CD8+ T cells).

Main Results:

• Oral administration of transgenic potato leaves elicited the synthesis of NDV-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in intestinal washes.
• Anti-NDV IgA antibodies were detected in cultured small intestine fragments, indicating local antibody production.
• The study suggests oral immunization with F and HN glycoproteins enhances IgA+ B cells and CD8+ T cell responses in the gut lamina propria.

Conclusions:

• Transgenic potato plants expressing NDV F and HN glycoproteins are effective in inducing a specific mucosal immune response upon oral administration.
• This edible vaccine approach stimulates both humoral (antibody production) and cellular (T cell activation) immunity in the gut.
• Plant-based edible vaccines represent a viable and potentially more accessible strategy for controlling viral diseases like Newcastle Disease.