Effects of recombinant Agrocybe aegerita lectin as an immunoadjuvant on immune responses

Accumulated evidence has indicated that recombinant Agrocybe aegerita lectin (AAL) possesses immunoadjuvant activity to enhance antigen-specific immune responses. However, the mechanism of how AAL regulates immune response remains poorly defined.

This study is aimed to reveal the mechanism of AAL's immunoadjuvant activity.

In this study, AAL alone or combined with inactivated avian influenza virus H₉N₂ was immunized to mice and the transcriptome profile of immunized mice was analyzed.

In line with previous studies, our results showed that H₉N₂-specific IgG level was significantly increased in AAL-treated mice, suggesting the immunoadjuvant activity of AAL. More importantly, transcriptome data revealed that genes participating in the primary adherence, lymphocyte activation, secondary adherence and transmembrane migration of leukocyte migration, were up-regulated by AAL.

These findings suggest that AAL exerts immunoadjuvant effects by promoting chemotaxis and phagotrophy activity of neutrophil leucocyte and macrophage to improve innate immunity and antigen presentation.