KARRAR ALİ MOHAMMED HASAN ALSAKİNİ, AYŞE NALBANTSOY
Turkish Journal of Immunology - 2025;13(2):99-108
Objective: Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a highly contagious viral pathogen that significantly impacts livestock health and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the immunological responses to FMDV O-146S antigen adjuvanted with water-in-oil (W/O) and water- in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion in mice. Materials and Methods: Mice were immunized intramuscularly with a vaccine formulation containing the FMDV O-146S antigen combined with oil emulsion adjuvants at a predetermined ratio and then monitored for 21 days. Results: Compared to FMDV O-146S antigen alone, formulations containing oil emulsion adjuvants induced earlier and increased levels of anti-FMDV specific antibody responses, as demonstrated by elevated levels of anti-FMDV IgG (p<0.0001), IgG1 (p<0.0002), and Ig- G2a (p<0.0018). The increased IgG1 and IgG2a antibody isotype responses suggest activation of both Th2- and Th1-type immunity, respectively. Vaccines were also more effective at eliciting a cellular immune response, as measured by the effector T cells represented by CD3+CD8+ T cells (p<0.0001), IFN-γ secreting CD8+ T cells (p<0.0001), IFN-γ secreting CD3+ T cells (p<0.0001) and proliferation of splenocytes represented by higher stimulation index (p<0.0001), as well as the production of IFN-γ (p<0.0001), IL-4 (p<0.0002), and IL-1β (p<0.0006) cytokines. Conclusion: Oil emulsion adjuvants containing FMDV O-146S antigen significantly boost humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to the FMDV O-146S antigen in mice.
