Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of Eimeria maxima Immune Mapped Protein 1 with EDA Adjuvant in Chicken

Immune mapped protein-1 (IMP1) has been shown as a protective protein associated with Eimeria (E.) maxima and cellular fibronectin extra domain A (EDA), the ligand of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), has the potential to be used as molecular adjuvant of the vaccine. In the present study, we estimated the protective efficacy of a subunit vaccine comprising of EDA and EmIMP1 against E. maxima challenges. For this purpose, the fusion protein EmIMP1-EDA was thoroughly purified by using over-expression of replicated E. coli of the protein. Chickens were immunized by the EmIMP1 vaccine having Freund's adjuvant or with the EmIMP1-EDA vaccine without adjuvant The immunization of chicken by the EmIMP1-EDA vaccine produced stronger IFN-gamma secretion as compared to that in other groups (P<0.05). The result of the EmIMP1-EDA vaccine was more pronounced on the parameters including weight gain, oocyst shedding, and lesion scores as compared to the EmIMP1 vaccine employing Freund's adjuvant, but there were no statistical differences between the two groups (P>0.05). These results showed that EmIMP1-EDA fusion protein could be used as a potent subunit vaccine against E. maxima infection. (C) 2020 PVJ. All rights reserved