Assessment of free radicals and reactive oxygen species milieu in nanoparticles adjuvanted outer membrane proteins vaccine against Salmonella typhi.

In this study, calcium phosphate nanoparticles-based (STCNV) and montanide oil adjuvant vaccine (STOAV) containing outer membrane proteins (Omps) of S. Typhi were evaluated for inducing oxidative stress indicators [reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total protein] in the tissues of mice after vaccination. The GSH levels though slightly high in the liver, kidney, and lungs of STCNV group were not significantly different from STOAV and the control group (STC). There was no significant difference in LPO levels in any group for any tissue. The significantly lower activities of catalase were observed in the kidney and lungs of the STCNV group as compared to STOAV and STC group, while in the liver, STCNV group revealed lower catalase activity in comparison to the control group. No significant difference in the SOD activities between the two vaccinated groups was observed. The total protein contents in all the organs showed no significant difference in the vaccinated and the control group. The vaccines may induce long-term inflammatory response and consequently damage vital organs; this study revealed no long-term oxidative stress in all the three vital organs, suggesting that these vaccines may not cause oxidative damages in the vital organs of mice.

Calcium phosphate adjuvanted nanoparticles of outer membrane proteins of Salmonella Typhi as a candidate for vaccine development against Typhoid fever.

Introduction. The conventional adjuvants used in vaccines have limitations like induction of an imbalanced Th1 and Th2 immune response. To overcome this limitation, novel adjuvants and newer forms of existing adjuvants like calcium phosphate nanoparticles are being tested.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Calcium phosphate adjuvanted outer membrane proteins vaccine may work as an efficient, safe and cost effective vaccine against Salmonella Typhi.Aim. Our goals were to evaluate the potential of calcium phosphate nanoparticles as an adjuvant using outer membrane proteins (Omps) of Salmonella Typhi as antigens for immune response, with montanide (commercially available adjuvant) as control, and its toxicity in rats.Methodology. Calcium phosphate adjuvanted outer membrane proteins nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized. The efficacy of vaccine formulation in mice and toxicity assay were carried out in rats.Results. The calcium phosphate nanoparticles varying in size between 20-50 nm had entrapment efficiency of 41.5% and loading capacity of 54%. The calcium phosphate nanoparticle-Omps vaccine formulation (nanoparticle-Omps) induced a strong humoral immune response, which was significantly higher than the control group for the entire period of study. In the montanide-Omps group the initial very high immune response declined steeply and then remained steady. The immune response induced by nanoparticle-Omps did not change appreciably. The cell mediated immune response as measured by lymphocyte proliferation assay and delayed type hypersensitivity test showed a higher response (P<0.01) for the nanoparticles-Omps group as compared to montanide-Omps group. The bacterial clearance assay also showed higher clearance in the nanoparticles-Omps group as compared to montanide-Omps group (approx 1.4%). The toxicity analysis in rats showed no difference in the values of toxicity biomarkers and blood chemistry parameters, revealing vaccine formulation was non-toxic in rats.Conclusion. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as adjuvant in vaccines is safe, have good encapsulation and loading capacity and induce a strong cell mediated, humoral and protective immune response.

Dietary supplementation with Withania somnifera root powder ameliorates experimentally induced Infectious Bursal Disease in chicken.

Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) is an economically important, immunosuppressive viral disease of chicken. Withania somnifera, a well-known Indian medicinal plant and functional food, finds extensive ethnomedicinal and ethnoveterinary use in the subcontinent. Root extracts of Withania somnifera have been shown to inhibit IBD virus (IBDV) in vitro. The effect of dietary supplementation with whole root powder of Withania somnifera was studied in chicken experimentally infected with IBDV. Dietary supplementation with the root powder improved erythrocytic indices, biochemical parameters, bursal weight index, and lymphocyte stimulation indices, and reduced histopathological insult in the infected birds. Viral load decreased to less than one-fourth in the birds receiving dietary supplementation with Withania somnifera root powder. It could be concluded that continued supplementation of IBDV-infected chicken with Withania somnifera root powder alleviated virus-induced stress and histological and immunological alterations and reduced viral persistence in the host.

Ultrastructural study on the granulocytes of Uttara fowl (Gallus domesticus).

AIM: The present study was conducted to know the ultrastructural detail of the blood cells of Uttara fowl (native fowl of Uttarakhand). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was conducted on 10 apparently healthy adult birds of either sex reared at the Instructional Poultry Farm, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. The blood was collected from wing vein using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid as anticoagulant. The blood was further processed for scanning and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies separately. RESULTS: Ultrastructurally, the heterophils were irregularly round in shape. The cytoplasm was laden with pleomorphic membrane-bound granules, viz., large elliptical-, medium oval-, large round-, and medium round-shaped granules. The eosinophils under TEM were irregularly circular in outline showing pseudopodia and finger-like cytoplasmic processes. The cytoplasmic granules were pleomorphic with elliptical-, round-, and rod-shaped granules. The basophils were irregularly circular in outline containing small hook-like cytoplasmic processes. The cytoplasm contained electron dense and electron lucent round-shaped granules. CONCLUSION: Granulocytes contained pleomorphic cytoplasmic granules. However, the shape and electron density of granules varied among the different granulocytes and helped in the characterization of different granulocytes.

Gross and morphometrical studies on mandible of blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra) / Estudio macroscópico y morfométrico de la mandíbula del antílope negro (Antelope cervicapra)

The present study has been done on the mandible of blackbuck. The mandible was a paired bone. It was the largest bone of the skull, and it was made up of two halves, which were united with immovable articulation forming mandibular symphysis. It presented for description three surfaces and three borders. The lingual sur-face was smooth and concave. Its symphyseal surface was rough and irregular. The most prominent part of the curve of the ramus formed the angle of the jaw; the part of the ramus between the body and the angle was called horizontal part and carries the lower cheek teeth. The part of the ramus above the angle was termed the vertical part. The vertical part of ramus was non-tooth bearing, expanded vertical part of mandible. Each ramus presented for description two surfaces, two borders and two extremities. The lateral surface was widest at the angle and tapers towards the extremities.

Este estudio se llevó a cabo sobre la mandíbula del antílope negro. La mandíbula del antílope negro es un hueso emparejado, corresponde al hueso más grande del cráneo, y está compuesto de dos mitades, unidas por una articulación inmóvil formando la sínfisis mandibular. Se observaron tres superficies y tres márgenes. La superficie lingual era lisa y cóncava y la superficie sinfisial era áspera e irregular. La zona más prominente de la curva de la rama formó el ángulo de la mandíbula; el punto de la rama entre el cuerpo y el ángulo se denomina el área horizontal y lleva a los dientes de la mandíbula inferior. El punto de la rama superior al ángulo es conocido como el área vertical. Cada rama presentó para la descripción dos superficies, dos márgenes y dos extremidades. La superficie lateral era más ancha en el ángulo y se extendía hacia las extremidades.