Selenium nanoparticles enhance the efficacy of homologous vaccine against the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in chickens

Nahed Yehia; Mohammed A AbdelSabour; Ahmed M Erfan; Zeinab Mohammed Ali; Reem A Soliman; Ahmed Samy; Mohamed Mohamed Soliman; Mohamed E Abd El-Hack; Mohamed T El-Saadony; Kawkab A Ahmed

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.11.051

Selenium nanoparticles enhance the efficacy of homologous vaccine against the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in chickens

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 Apr;29(4):2095-2111. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.11.051. Epub 2021 Nov 25.

Affiliations

¹ Reference Laboratory for Veterinary Quality Control on Poultry Production (RLQP), Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza 12618, Egypt.
² Poultry Viral Vaccines Production and Research Department, Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute (VSVRI), Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Egypt.
³ Researcher in Department of Evaluation of Inactivated Viral Poultry Vaccines, Central Laboratory for Evaluation of Veterinary Biologics, Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Egypt.
⁴ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, Turabah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944 Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Poultry, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt.

Abstract

A proper vaccination against avian influenza viruses in chicken can significantly reduce the risk of human infection. Egypt has the highest number of recorded humans highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)-H5N1 infections worldwide despite the widespread use of homologous vaccines in poultry. Enhancing H5N1 vaccine efficacy is ultimately required to better control HPAI-H5N1. The aim of this study is to boost chicken immunity by combined with inactivated HPAI-H5N1 with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). The chickens groups 1-3 were fed diets supplemented with SeNPs concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg) for 3 weeks and then vaccinated (inactivated HPAI-H5N1). while groups 4,5 and 6 were fed with SeNPs free diets and administered with 0.5 ml of the vaccine combined with 0.02, 0.06, and 0.1 mg/dose of SeNPs and then all groups were challenged with homologous virus 3 weeks post-vaccination (WPV). Group 7, 8 were used as control positive and negative respectively. At 4, 5, and 6 WPV, antibody titer was considerably higher in the group fed a meal supplemented with 1 mg SeNPs/kg. In contrast, both methods of SeNPs supplementation significantly increased the Interleukin 2 (IL2), Interleukin 6 (IL6), and Interferon γ (IFNγ) expressions in the blood cells in a dose-dependent manner, with a higher expression observed in the group that was vaccinated with 0.1 mg/dose. After the challenge, all groups that received SeNPs via diet or vaccines dose showed significant reduction in viral shedding and milder inflammation in lung, trachea, spleen, and liver in addition to higher expression of IL2, IL6, and IFNγ, with the highest expression observed in the group that was vaccinated with 0.1 mg/dose compared the plain vaccinated group. The groups of 1 mg SeNPs/kg and combined vaccinated with 0.1 mg/dose showed the best vaccine efficacy. However, the group vaccinated with 0.1 mg/dose showed the earliest reduction in viral shedding. Overall, SeNPs supplementation in the diet and the administration of the vaccine formula with SeNPs could enhance vaccine efficacy and provide better protection against HPAI-H5N1 in chickens by enhancing cellular immunity and reducing inflammation. We recommend using SeNPs as a vaccine combination or feeding with diet to increase the immunity and vaccine efficacy against H5N1.

Keywords: Avian influenza; HPAI (H5N1); Humoral immunity; Nanoselenium; Vaccine.