Host immune response to northern fowl mite: immunoblot and lectin blot identification of mite antigens

• Published in: Avian diseases 1989-10, Vol.33 (4), p.668-675
• Main Authors: Wikel, S.K. (University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND), DeVaney, J.A, Augustine, P.C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acari; Animals; ANTIBODIES; ANTICORPS; ANTICUERPOS; ANTIGEN ANTIBODY REACTIONS; Antigen-Antibody Reactions - immunology; ANTIGENE; ANTIGENOS; ANTIGENS; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Bird banding; Birds; CHICKENS; Chickens - immunology; Chickens - parasitology; Female; Gels; Hens; IMMUNE RESPONSE; Immunoblotting; IMMUNOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES; Infestation; Lectins; Macronyssidae; MESOSTIGMATA; Mite Infestations - veterinary; Mites; Mites - immunology; MOLECULAR WEIGHT; ORNITHONYSSUS SYLVIARUM; PEPTIDE; PEPTIDES; PEPTIDOS; PESO MOLECULAR; PEST RESISTANCE; POIDS MOLECULAIRE; POLLO; POLYPEPTIDES; POULET; REACCION ANTIGENO-ANTICUERPO; REACTION ANTIGENE-ANTICORPS; REPONSE IMMUNITAIRE; RESISTANCE AUX RAVAGEURS; RESISTENCIA A LAS PLAGAS; RESPUESTA INMUNOLOGICA; TECHNIQUE IMMUNOLOGIQUE; TECNICAS INMUNOLOGICAS
• ISSN: 0005-2086; 1938-4351
• DOI: 10.2307/1591143

White leghorn hens were experimentally infested with northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and antibody responses to mite immunogens were monitored over 12 weeks. Mite burdens increased during the early phase of infestation and declined over the latter weeks of the study. Antigen was prepared from homogenized whole mites, which were then sonicated and extracted with non-ionic detergent. Antigen extract was fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and antibody-reactive polypeptides were identified by immunoblotting. At the start of infestation, hens had natural, pre-existing antibodies that reacted with several mite-extract components. Individual hens had different natural antibody reactivities; however, all birds had immunoglobulins reactive with extract polypeptides of 117,000, 77,000 and 36,000 molecular weight. A variety of mite extract components reacted with hen antibodies generated in response to experimental infestation. The number of antibody-reactive mite polypeptides increased through week 8 of infestation and then decreased by week 12. Fifteen polypeptides of northern fowl mite extract were reactive with antibodies developed by the majority of infested birds. These commonly reactive polypeptides had molecular weights ranging from 40,000 to 160,000. Glycoconjugates of fractionated mite extract were identified by blotting with lectins that have different carbohydrate binding specificities. Also identified were lectins that bound extract components with the same molecular weights as those moieties complexed by immunoglobulins of infested birds. /// Gallinas leghorn blancas fueron infestadas experimentalmente con el ácaro aviar Ornithonyssus sylviarum, examinando la respuesta de anticuerpos a los inmunógenos del ácaro durante un periodo de 12 semanas. La carga de ácaros aumentó durante las fases iniciales de la infestación y disminuyó durante las últimas semanas del estudio. Los antígenos se prepararon a partir de ácaros homogenizados que más tarde eran sonicados y los antígenos extraidos con detergentes no iónicos. El extracto de antígeno fue fraccionado en geles de poliacrilamida-sulfato dodecílico de sodio, identificando los polipéptidos reactores al anticuerpo mediante la inmunotransferencia. Al inicio de la infestación, las gallinas tenían anticuerpos naturales, preexistentes, que reaccionaron con varios componentes del extracto de ácaros. Individualmente, las gallinas tuvieron diferentes reacciones a l