Characterization of immune responses and immunopathology in turkeys experimentally infected with clostridial dermatitis-producing strains of Clostridium septicum

Immunization of turkeys with Clostridium septicum alpha toxin-based recombinant subunit proteins can confer protection against experimental Clostridial dermatitis

“…To evaluate the immunization-induced cellular responses, the frequencies of CD4+, CD4+CD28+ and CD4+CD44+, CD8+, CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD44+, as well as MHC-II+ cell populations in the PBMCs were analyzed using flow cytometry. Due to the unavailability of turkey-specific antibody reagents for use in flow cytometry staining, anti-chicken antibodies with reported cross-reactivity to turkey cell markers were used [ 10 ]. Although the anti-IgM antibody was included in one of the two staining panels, its binding to turkey cells in obtaining a distinct positive cell population was unsuccessful; hence, it was excluded from the present study analysis.…”

“…We recently reported that C . septicum induces a robust inflammatory response in local as well as systemic tissues during CD in turkeys [ 5 , 10 ], and much of it is attributable to the ATX-mediated damage [ 2 , 14 ]. The present study found that immunization of turkeys with ntATX protein antigens, specifically the ntATX-D2, can lower mortality and reduce CD-induced pathology, suggesting that the ATX seems to play a key role in C .…”

“…septicum str. B1 [ 5 , 10 ] DNA using primers listed in Table 1 with 35 cycles of amplification (denaturation at 94°C for 1min, annealing at 55°C for 1min, extension at 72°C for 1min, and a final extension at 72°C for 7 min). Amplified gene segments were then first cloned between the XhoI and BamHI restriction enzyme sites into the pCR 2.1 TA cloning vector (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) using E .…”

“…septicum Str. B1 isolated from commercial turkeys affected with CD [ 5 ], and evaluated recently in an experimental challenge model in turkeys and found to be highly virulent [ 10 ] was used. C .…”

“…In support of the latter theory, others and we have previously shown that turkeys inoculated with C . septicum subcutaneously can cause clinical CD, characterized by typical dermatitis lesions and related mortality [ 3 , 6 , 10 ].…”