Angel Alberto Justiz Vaillant, McFarlane Anderson, Monica Smikle, Brian Wisdom, Wayne Mohammed, Sehlule Vuma, Geeta Kurhade and Arvind Kurhade
The aim of this preliminary study was to produce anti HIV antibodies against the fragment 579 601 of the HIV gp41 and fragments 308 331 and 421 438 of the HIV gp120 from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in layer hens. Keyhole limpet hemocynin (KLH) was conjugated to HIV synthetic peptides by the glutaraldehyde method after they were dimerized by cysteine oxidation with dimethyl sulfide. Two healthy brown Leghorn layer hens (per immunogen) were injected intramuscularly on the breasts with KLH peptide conjugated vaccines. They were immunized on days 0,21,45 and 60. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to test for anti HIV antibodies and there was a statistical significance in the mean of optical density readings between pre immunized and post immunized animals, proving the formation of specific antibodies. These molecules can potentially be used as therapeutic agents or diagnostic reagents. The limitations of this investigation were the small number of cases, viral neutralization produced by anti HIV antibodies was not tested in cell cultures neither their capacity to inhibit the HIV entry into the CD4+ lymphocyte. We conclude that KLH peptide conjugated vaccines against regions of the gp120 and gp41 effectively produced a strong immune response in egg yolks from layer hens. Despite of limitations of this investigation we report an outcome that encourages us to design and perform a larger study, which can be done in future.