Antibody Responses to Combinations of Antigens in White Leghorn Chickens of Different Background Genomes and Major Histocompatibility Complex Genotypes

Abstract

Antibody responses in chickens to SRBC, Newcastle disease (NDV), and Brucella abortus (BA) were compared when given singly or in combination. Chickens used in the present experiment originated from a cross and then backcrossing of White Leghorn populations that had been selected for high (HA) or low (LA) antibody response to SRBC antigens. The populations used in the current study were segregating for MHC haplotypes B13 and B21. The experiment had a 2 × 3 × 6 factorial arrangement of treatments (two background genomes: HA and LA; three MHC haplotypes: B13B13, B13B21, and B21B21; and six antigen treatments: SRBC, NDV, or BA only, SRBC plus NDV, SRBC plus BA, and NDV plus BA). Antigens were administered either i.v. (SRBC) or i.m. (NDV and BA) when chicks were 42 days of age. Blood was obtained 27 days later (69 days of age) for antibody determinations. A significant background genome by MHC haplotype interaction for BA antibodies was due to relatively high titers in Line HA chickens of MHC genotypes B13B13 and B13B21. Background genome by MHC genotype interactions were not significant for SRBC or NDV antibodies. Antibody titers to SRBC were higher in background genome HA than LA, and similar among MHC genotypes. Antibodies to NDV were lower in chickens of MHC genotype B21B21, but there were no differences due to background genome. For each of the three antigens, antibody responses were highest when administered singly rather than in combination. Antibody titers were lower for SRBC when given with BA, and for BA titers when given with NDV. For NDV titers, combination with either of the other two antigens caused a reduction in antibody response to NDV antigen.