Recombinant proteins produced into yolk of genetically manipulated chickens are partly sialylated in N-glycan

The transgenic chicken is a candidate for the production of biopharmaceutical proteins with several economic superiorities. In general, the addition of sialic acid at the terminal of N-glycan is important for the bioactivity of biopharmaceuticals including plasma half-life; however, sialic acid has not been detected in the N-glycan of proteins produced in the egg white of genetically manipulated chickens. In this study, the extracellular domain of the TNF receptor and single chain Fv fused to Fc (referred to as TNFR/Fc and scFv/Fc, respectively) were purified from the egg yolk of genetically manipulated chickens and their sialylation in N-glycan was examined. In contrast to the glycan in egg white, yolk-derived proteins were partly sialylated. Lectin blot showed the existence of α2,6-sialic acid on TNFR/Fc, which disappeared with the removal of N-glycan by PNGase. In scFv/Fc, up to 7 % of N-glycan contained sialic acid. Disialyl glycans, which were detected in serum-derived scFv/Fc in a previous study, were not found in the yolk sample. Ovarian follicular tissue, which surrounds growing yolk, expressed several neuraminidases, suggesting the partial truncation of glycan during the yolk transfer process from the blood.     

Oral Immunotherapy for Pollen Allergy Using T-Cell Epitope-Containing Egg White Derived from Genetically Manipulated Chickens

Peptide immunotherapy using T-cell epitopes is expected to be an effective treatment for allergic diseases such as Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica; Cj) pollinosis. To develop a treatment for pollen allergy by inducing oral tolerance, we generated genetically manipulated (GM) chickens by retroviral gene transduction, to produce a fusion protein of chicken egg white lysozyme and a peptide derived from seven dominant human T-cell epitopes of Japanese cedar pollen allergens (cLys-7crp). The transgene sequence was detected in all chickens transduced with the retroviral vector. Transduction efficiency in blood cells correlated to transgene expression. Western blot analysis revealed that cLys-7crp was expressed in the egg white of GM hens. Mice induced to develop allergic rhinitis by Cj pollinosis were fed with cLys-7crp-containing egg white produced by GM chickens. Total and Cj allergen (Cry j 1)-specific IgE levels were significantly decreased in allergic mice fed with cLys-7crp-containing egg white compared with allergic mice fed with normal egg white. These results suggest that oral administration of T-cell epitope-containing egg white derived from GM chickens is effective for the induction of immune tolerance as an allergy therapy.     

Production of human erythropoietin by chimeric chickens

The use of transgenic avian allows cost effective and safe production of pharmaceutical proteins. Here, we report the successful production of chimeric chickens expressing human erythropoietin (hEpo) using a high-titer retroviral vector. The hEpo expressed by transgenic hens accumulated abundantly in egg white and had N- and O-linked carbohydrates. While attachment of terminal sialic acid and galactose was incomplete, portions of N- and O-linked carbohydrates were present. In vitro biological activity of egg white-hEpo was comparable to that produced by recombinant CHO cells.     

The chicken egg yolk plasma and granule proteomes

Using 1-D SDS-PAGE, LC-MS/MS, and MS(3), we identified 119 proteins from chicken egg yolk, 86 of which were not identified in yolk previously. Proteins were roughly quantitated by calculating their exponentially modified protein abundance index (emPAI) to classify them as major or minor yolk components, and to estimate their distribution between yolk plasma and yolk granular fraction. The proteins with highest abundance were serum albumin, the vitellogenin cleavage products, apovitellenins, IgY, ovalbumin, and 12 kDa serum protein with cross-reactivity to beta2-microglobulin. In addition yolk contained many other serum and egg white proteins, the proteases nothepsin and thrombin, numerous protease inhibitors, and antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Among the moderately abundant proteins were two alpha2-macroglobulin-like proteins different from egg white alpha2-macroglobulin, and the major biotin-binding protein of yolk. An unexpected identification was that of the eggshell matrix protein ovocleidin-116, which was previously thought to be eggshell-specific. The list of chicken egg yolk proteins provided in this report is by far the most comprehensive at present and may serve as a starting point for the characterization of less well-known yolk proteins.     

Is Aboriginal Food Less Allergenic? Comparing IgE-Reactivity of Eggs from Modern and Ancient Chicken Breeds in a Cohort of Allergic Children

Background

Hen''s egg allergy ranks among the most frequent primary food allergies in children. We aimed to investigate sensitization profiles of egg allergic patients and compare in vitro IgE reactivities of eggs from ancient chicken breeds (Araucana and Maran) with those from conventional laying hen hybrids.

Methodology

Egg allergic children (n = 25) were subjected to skin prick test, double blind placebo controlled food challenge, and sensitization profiles to Gal d 1–5 were determined by allergen microarray. IgE binding and biological activity of eggs from different chicken breeds were investigated by immunoblot, ELISA, and mediator release assays.

Principal Findings

We found that Gal d 1 and Gal d 2 are generally major egg allergens, whereas Gal d 3–5 displayed high sensitization prevalence only in patients reacting to both, egg white and yolk. It seems that the onset of egg allergy is mediated by egg white allergens expanding to yolk sensitization in later stages of disease. Of note, egg white/yolk weight ratios were reduced in eggs from Auraucana and Maran chicken. As determined in IgE immunoblots and mass analysis, eggs from ancient chicken breeds did not differ in their protein composition. Similar IgE-binding was observed for all egg white preparations, while an elevated allergenicity was detected in egg yolk from Araucana chicken.

Conclusion/Significance

Our results on allergenicity and biological activity do not confirm the common assumption that aboriginal food might be less allergenic. Comprehensive diagnosis of egg allergy should distinguish between reactivity to hen''s egg white and yolk fractions to avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions to improve life quality of the allergic child and its family.     

Development in vitro of the metacercaria of Bucephaloides gracilescens (Trematoda: Bucephalidae)

The development of Bucephaloides gracilescens metacercariae was studied using a range of cultivation conditions. The most rapid development occurred at 18°C in a medium containing NCTC 135 supplemented with 25% chicken serum, 25% hen egg yolk and 25% hen egg albumen, with a gas phase of air. Under these conditions, shell-protein synthesis was triggered by day 3 in culture; secondary oocytes were apparent in the ovary by day 10; and egg production began by day 14. Survival of worms in media containing chicken serum was twice as long as that achieved with either whiting or angler fish serum. The ingestion of yolk (feeding) appeared to be a necessary prerequisite to development and egg production. The presence of yolk in the culture medium greatly increased the amount of ³H-thymidine incorporated by the reproductive system of freshly excysted metacercariae but had little effect on the uptake and incorporation of tyrosine. The eggs produced in vitro failed to embryonale and were abnormal in appearance, being non-operculate with irregularly thickened shells.     

Selenium Concentrations in Tissues and Eggs of Growing and Laying Chickens Fed Sodium Selenite at Different Levels

Growing and laying chickens were fed graded levels of selenium in the form of sodium selenite. One day old Norwegian bred broiler chickens and 20 weeks old Norwegian bred White Leghorn chickens were divided into 5 groups each and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.1, 1.0, 3.0 or 6.0 μg Se/g for 6 and 31 weeks, respectively. At the end of the experiments significantly higher concentrations of selenium were found in the groups fed 1.0, 3.0 and 6.0 μg Se/g diet compared to the control group. Correspondingly higher concentrations of selenium were found in egg samples. The increase in egg yolk selenium was much higher than in egg white. Significant correlations were found between the amounts of selenium added to the ration and the selenium concentrations in liver, kidney, breast muscle, egg white, yolk and homogenized egg. There were no differences in body weight gain and egg production between the groups. A possible positive contribution to animal and human health of selenium supplementation of animals’ diet above the required level is discussed.     

Effect of bursal anti-steroidogenic peptide and immunoglobulin G on neonatal chicken B-lymphocyte proliferation

In attempts to identify antibodies for Bursal Anti-Steroidogenic Peptide (BASP), rabbit serum was observed to reduce phorbol ester-stimulated chicken B-lymphocyte proliferation comparable to BASP. These experiments investigated the effects of IgG on B-lymphocyte proliferation. In Experiment 1, 3% rabbit serum decreased B-lymphocyte proliferation. In Experiment 2, 2 mg/ml of intact rabbit IgG or 0.65 mg/ml of IgG papain digest products, Fab and Fc, decreased B-lymphocyte proliferation. The combination of BASP and either Fab or Fc was observed to have at least an additive anti-proliferative effect. In Experiment 3, 0.01 mg/ml of either rabbit or chicken IgG, or 1.0 mg/ml of rabbit or 0.01 mg/ml of chicken Fab, Fc, and the pepsin digestion product F(ab')(2) was observed to have an anti-proliferative effect. No combined effects of BASP and IgG or IgG digest products were observed for this experiment. In Experiment 4, 12 mg/ml of chicken egg yolk IgG or 1.2 mg/ml Fab was found to suppress B-lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, an additive effect of 12 mg/ml of IgG with BASP was again observed. The present studies suggest that IgG and its digestion products reduce phorbol-stimulated B-lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and combined treatment with IgG and BASP may have at least an additive anti-proliferative effect on B-lymphocyte proliferation.     

Genetic modification of a chicken expression system for the galactosylation of therapeutic proteins produced in egg white

As a tool for large scale production of recombinant proteins, chickens have advantages such as high productivity and low breeding costs compared to other animals. We previously reported the production of erythropoietin, the tumor necrosis factor receptor fused to an Fc fragment, and an Fc-fused single-chain Fv antibody in eggs laid by genetically manipulated chickens. In egg white, however, the incomplete addition of terminal sugars such as sialic acid and galactose was found on N-linked glycans of exogenously expressed proteins. This could be a draw back to the use of transgenic chickens since the loss of these terminal sugars may affect the functions and stability of recombinant proteins purified from chicken egg white for pharmaceutical usage. To overcome this problem, we studied galactosyltransferase (GalT) activity in the magnum where the majority of egg-white proteins are secreted. In the magnum, lower ??1,4-GalT1 expression and poor galactose-transfer activity were observed. Thus, we supposed that the lack of GalT1 activity may partly cause the incomplete glycosylation of egg-white proteins, and generated genetically manipulated chickens expressing GalT1 by retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. In a Golgi fraction prepared from magnum cells of the genetically manipulated chickens, significant GalT activity was detected. The series of analyses revealed a considerable improvement in the galactosylation of native egg-white proteins as well as an exogenously expressed single-chain Fv antibody fused to an Fc fragment. We conclude that chickens with genetically modified GalT activity in the magnum could be an attractive platform for producing galactosylated therapeutics.     

Quail Egg Yolk: A Novel Cryoprotectant for the Freeze Preservation of Poitou Jackass Sperm

For many years, attempts have been made to establish a sperm bank for the Poitou jackass population which is threatened with extinction. Unfortunately, no cryopreservation technique has ever been described for spermatozoa of this species. In an attempt to find a suitable technique, we studied the relative effectiveness of chicken egg yolk and quail egg yolk in preserving the motility and characteristics of movement of Poitou jackass spermatozoa during the freezing–thawing process. Semen was diluted to 60 × 10⁶sperm/ml in a preservation medium containing 4% (v/v) glycerol with 0, 2, 5, 10, 15, or 20% (v/v) of chicken or quail egg yolk. The chemical composition of these two eggs was compared. Effects were assessed using an automated analyzer which measured curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), and the velocity of the average path. Linearity was defined as VSL/VCL × 100. The amplitude of the lateral head displacement was also measured. It was found that after the freeze–thaw process, quail egg yolk improved the percentages of motile and progressively undulating spermatozoa and the movement characteristics compared with chicken egg yolk. The optimal concentration of quail egg yolk was 10%. The general composition of the two types of egg yolk were similar, but quail egg yolk contained significantly more phosphatidylcholine, less phosphatidylethanolamine, and a smaller ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids than chicken egg yolk. The improvement of motility for frozen–thawed Poitou jackass spermatozoa using frozen–thawed quail egg yolk compared to chicken egg yolk may be due to the differences in composition of the two yolks.     

Structure of carbohydrate chains of the riboflavin-binding glycoprotein of chicken egg protein. II. 1H-NMR (500 MHz) spectroscopy of the major neutral oligosaccharides

Reductive cleavage of riboflavin-binding glycoprotein from hen egg white (RF-GPw) with LiBH4/tert-BuOH followed by NaBH4/NaOH treatment gave rise to oligosaccharide alditols, fractionated by a successive HPLC on muBondapak C18 and Zorbax NH2 columns. Seven main individual oligosaccharide alditols were isolated and their structure was investigated by 1H NMR 500-MHz spectroscopy. The structure and relative content of the main oligosaccharide chains were proved to be identical in RF-GPw and ovomucoid. Structure of polypeptide chains and their molecular weight, number of glycosylation sites and their structure had little or no effect on the glycosylation pattern in both glycoproteins. HPLC of the oligosaccharide alditols from another egg white glycoprotein, ovotransferrin, also revealed its high microheterogeneity and close resemblance to those of ovomucoid and RF-GPw.     

Serum and Egg Antibody Responses in Chickens to Escherichia coli

The effects of Freund’s adjuvants on antibody production in chickens against E. coli whole cells were examined. The levels of anti-E. coli IgG antibodies in serum were higher when Freund’s complete (FCA) or incomplete adjuvant (FIA) was administered than that without adjuvant. Production of antibodies recognizing E. coli cells and their lipopolysaccharide was enhanced by FIA, while both FIA and FCA enhanced production of antibodies recognizing outer membrane components. In contrast, serum IgM antibody levels were higher when no adjuvant was used. Anti-E. coli IgG antibodies in serum were efficiently transferred to egg yolk, giving antibody activity in egg yolk similar to that in serum. However, anti-E. coli IgM antibodies were not detected in the egg, suggesting that egg (white) IgM was not influenced by antigenic stimulation of the humoral immune system. Antimicrobial activity of the egg yolk IgG was highest when the bacteria antigen was injected with FIA.     

Comparison of the efficacy of egg yolk extract and horse serum for growth of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The usefulness of chicken egg yolk extract as a substitute for horse serum in culture media for Mycoplasma pneumoniae was investigated. As a growth-supporting factor in the growth medium for M. pneumoniae and some other mycoplasmal species, the primary isolation medium for M. pneumoniae, and the metabolism-inhibition test medium for diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection, egg yolk extract may be an excellent substitute for horse serum. The particular superiority of egg yolk extract to horse serum is that egg yolk extract, unlike horse serum, did not show any inhibitory effect on the growth of M. pneumoniae.     

Carbohydrate compositional effects on tissue distribution of chicken riboflavin-binding protein

Riboflavin-binding proteins (RBP) purified from chicken egg white, yolk and the serum of laying hens differ in their carbohydrate compositions reflecting tissue-specific modifications of a single gene product. All three are complex glycoproteins having more than twice as many N-acetylglucosamine residues (>12) as mannose residues (approx. 6). Egg white RBP is distinctive in having only one sialic acid and two galactose residues. Serum RBP contains approx. five sialic acid and seven galactose residues. In addition there is one residue of fucose. The carbohydrate composition of yolk RBP indicates the hydrolysis, respectively, of one, one, two and 3 residues of sialic acid, fucose, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine from its precursor, serum RBP. The effect of these differing levels of glycosylation on plasma clearance, ovarian uptake and tissue distribution of ¹²⁵I-labeled riboflavin-binding proteins in laying hens were compared. 2 h after intravenous injection, 19% of the egg white RBP, 29% of the yolk RBP, and 37% of the serum RBP remained in circulation. The kinetics of plasma clearance was distinctly biphasic for each of the radioiodinated proteins. The initial rapid-turnover component ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{=13}\text{min}$) ranged from 27% of the serum RBP sample to 48% of the egg white RBP sample. The remaining slow-turnover components were cleared with half-lives fo 81 min (egg white RBP), 101 min (yokl RBP), and 121 min (serum RBP). 16 h after injection, only 4% of the egg white RBP was deposited in the yolk of developing oocytes while about 12% of the serum RBP and yolk RBP was deposited. This higly significant difference is apparently due to preferential, carbohydrate-dependent clearance of egg white RBP by the liver rather than preferential uptake of serum and yolk RBP by the ovarian follicle. We find no evidence for carbohydrate-directed uptake of riboflavin-binding protein by the ovarian follicle.     

Apolipoproteins and lipoprotein families in chicken embryos and egg yolk.

1. Turkey anti-LP-A and anti-LP-B cross react strongly with whole adult chicken serum. 2. Similar reactions occur with whole chicken embryo sera (10-21 days of incubation) and egg yolk fluid. 3. Ultracentrifugation of sera from 14-day old chicken embryos, after reaction with anti-LP-B, reveal complete precipitation of the VLDL and LDL of embryo serum (indicating that adult-type LP-B is the major apolipoprotein of these density classes). 4. All of the chicken embryo adult-type apo-LP-A is in the HDL fraction. 5. However, egg yolk and hen serum VLDL contain apo-LP-A as well as apo-LP-B.     

Availability of avidin-bound biotin to the chicken embryo.

Avidin, an exceptionally stable protein in egg white, binds the vitamin biotin with very high affinity and can induce biotin deficiency when fed to animals. To determine if biotin bound to avidin is available to the chicken embryo, the fate of [3H]biotin complexed to avidin was monitored during embryonic development. The majority (greater than 85%) of the [3H]biotin was extraembryonic until the day before hatching, when embryos swallow egg white and withdraw the yolk sac into their abdomen. Thus, biotin in the egg white of chicken eggs contributes little to the biotin status of the chick prior to hatching. After hatching, much of the [3H]biotin was assimilated. About 30% of the total was found in the liver and kidneys by 4 days of age. The biotin in liver was associated with large proteins and not with avidin. In a separate experiment, biotin injected into the egg white of biotin-deficient eggs failed to increase embryonic development or hatchability. Both experiments suggest that biotin in egg yolk is the primary and virtually sole source of biotin for the chicken embryo.     

Soluble fetoproteins in chorioallantoic membrane from chick embryo (Gallus domesticus).

1. Anti-chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) serum was made fetal-specific by absorbing it in a mixture of egg white, fresh yolk and chicken serum, plus liver, lung, heart and spleen from a laying hen. 2. By immunoelectrophoresis, the CAM extract shows three soluble transitory proteins, an oncofetal protein (alpha-fetoprotein) and a soluble organ permanent protein from some of the organs used in the absorption. 3. By assaying crossed heterologous systems, alpha fetoprotein was found in the allantoic, amniotic and yolk fluids after 14 days of incubation; all three proteins were found in amniotic, but neither in allantoic nor in yolk fluid.     

卵黄抗体在兽医寄生虫学中的应用

卵黄抗体是鸡产生的主要抗体,鸡被免疫后,IgY被持续地被合成、分泌到血液中,并被选择性地转移、富集到蛋黄中。母鸡产生的IgY可为它们的后代抵抗常见的禽类病原体提供有效的体液免疫保护。就有关寄生虫卵黄抗体的研制情况及其在兽医寄生虫病诊断、治疗等的应用情况做一综述。     

High-level expression of single-chain Fv-Fc fusion protein in serum and egg white of genetically manipulated chickens by using a retroviral vector

We report here the generation of transgenic chickens using a retroviral vector for the production of recombinant proteins. It was found that the transgene expression was suppressed when a Moloney murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vector was injected into chicken embryos at the blastodermal stage. When a concentrated viral solution was injected into the heart of developing embryos after 50 to 60 h of incubation, transgene expression was observed throughout the embryo, including the gonads. For practical production, a retroviral vector encoding an expression cassette of antiprion single-chain Fv fused with the Fc region of human immunoglobulin G1 (scFv-Fc) was injected into chicken embryos. The birds that hatched stably produced scFv-Fc in their serum and eggs at high levels (approximately 5.6 mg/ml). We obtained transgenic progeny from a transgenic chicken generated with this procedure. The transgene was stably integrated into the chromosomes of transgenic progeny. The transgenic progeny also expressed scFv-Fc in the serum and eggs.