Avian metapneumovirus subtype B vaccination in commercial broiler chicks: heterologous protection and selected host transcription responses to subtype A or B challenge

Avian Pathol. 2022 Jan 31:1-35. doi: 10.1080/03079457.2022.2036697. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAvian metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes respiratory disease and drops in egg production in chicken, and is routinely controlled by vaccination. However, the host's immune response to virulent challenge in vaccinated or unvaccinated broiler chickens is poorly characterised. We show that subtype B vaccination offers heterologous (subtype A challenge) and homologous (subtype B challenge) protection. Subtype B challenge causes significantly greater humoral antibody titres in vaccinated and unvaccinated chickens. In turbinate and lung tissues of unvaccinated-challenged chickens, IgA and IgY mRNA transcription was significantly up-regulated after subtype B challenge compared to subtype A. Cellular immunity (CD8-α and CD8-β) gene transcripts were significantly up-regulated during early and later stages of infection from subtype B or subtype A respectively. Immune gene transcriptional responses (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-18) were significantly up-regulated after challenge. Gene transcription results have shown that mRNA expression levels of CD8-α, CD8-β, TLR3 and IL-6, particularly in turbinate and trachea tissues, are useful parameters to include in future aMPV vaccination-challenge studies.PMID:35099352 | DOI:10.1080/03079457.2022.2036697
Source: Avian Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Source Type: research