Immunotherapy with IgY Antibodies toward Outer Membrane Protein F Protects Burned Mice against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

Abstract EN

Burn patients with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections commonly suffer from high morbidity and mortality, which present a major challenge to healthcare systems throughout the world.

Outer membrane protein F (OprF), as a main outer membrane porin, is required for full virulence expression of P.

aeruginosa.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of egg yolk-specific antibody (IgY) raised against recombinant OprF (r-OprF) protein in a murine burn model of infection.

The hens were immunized with r-OprF, and anti-r-OprF IgY was purified using salt precipitation.

Groups of mice were injected with different regimens of anti-OprF IgY or control IgY (C-IgY).

Infections were caused by subcutaneous injection of P.

aeruginosa strain PAO1 at the burn site.

Mice were monitored for mortality for 5 days.

The functional activity of anti-OprF IgY was determined by in vitro invasion assays.

Immunotherapy with anti-OprF IgY resulted in a significant improvement in the survival of mice infected by P.

aeruginosa from 25% to 87.5% compared with the C-IgY and PBS.

The anti-OprF IgY decreased the invasion of P.

aeruginosa PAO1 into the A549.

Passive immunization with anti-OprF IgY led to an efficacious protection against P.

aeruginosa burn infection in the burn model.