Postbiotic-based recombinant receptor activator of NF-κB ligand enhanced oral vaccine efficiency in chicken

Functional M cells are differentiated by receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and capture of luminal antigens to initiate immune responses. We aimed to use postbiotic-based recombinant chicken RANKL (cRANKL) to promote M cell differentiation and test the efficacy of oral vaccines. Chicks were divided into three groups that were administered phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), cell extracts of wild-type Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IL1403 (WT_CE), or cell extracts of recombinant L. lactis expressing cRANKL (cRANKL_CE). The expression of the M cell marker was measured, and the gut microbiome was profiled. The efficiency of the infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccine was tested after 12 consecutive days of administering cRANKL_CE. The chickens that were administered cRANKL_CE (p = 0.038) had significantly higher Annexin A5 (ANXA5) mRNA expression levels than those in the PBS group (PBS vs. WT_CE, p = 0.657). In the gut microbiome analysis, no significant changes were observed. However, the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella was negatively correlated (r =  - 0.43, p = 0.019) with ANXA5 mRNA expression in Peyer's patches. cRANKL_CE/IBD (p = 0.018) had significantly higher IBD-specific faecal IgA levels than PBS/IBD (PBS/IBD vs. WT_CE/IBD, p = 0.217). Postbiotic-based recombinant cRANKL effectively improved the expression of M cell markers and the efficiency of oral vaccines. No significant changes were observed in the gut microbiome after administration of postbiotic-based recombinant cRANKL. This strategy can be used for the development of feed additives and adjuvants. KEY POINTS: • Postbiotic-based recombinant cRANKL enhanced the expression of ANXA5 in chicken. • The relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella was negatively correlated with ANXA5 expression. • Postbiotic-based recombinant cRANKL effectively improved the efficiency of oral vaccine.