Pigeon Serum Research Articles

Effect of cigarette smoking on the humoral immune response in pigeon fanciers

Tobacco smoking is associated with increased prevalence of various diseases. In this study, we have used an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to investigate the specific IgG response to pigeon serum and its relationship to tobacco smoking. In a large group of pigeon fanciers the development of pigeon breeder's disease and some of the clinical features were also investigated. We found a sensitization rate of 31.9%, a lower degree than that found by other authors, in spite of using a less specific antigen. We also found that fanciers who are current cigarette smokers had significantly lower levels of IgG antibody to pigeon serum (P less than 0.001). Finally, 11.9% of the population had chronic bronchitis as their only manifestation of possible pigeon-related disease. 19.6% of the sensitized fanciers had chronic bronchitis, were non-smokers and had no other risk factor for developing chronic bronchitis.

Lectin binding analysis of Argas polonicus tissue glycoproteins

Proteins of the Malpighian tubules (MT), midgut tissue (MG), salivary glands (SG), internal reproductive organs (RO), epidermis (EP), cerebral ganglion (CG), rectal ampulla (RA) and larval homogenate (LA) of Argas (Argas) polonicus were studied for their antigenicity and lectin affinity using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblotting, lectin affinoblotting and enzyme-linked lectin sorbentassay (ELISA) techniques. A glycoprotein of 305 kDA was found in all tissues studied. All low molecular weight antigenic proteins recognized by anti-larval immune pigeon serum, except for one of 35 kDA, i.e. the 19-, 21-, 23-, 27-, 34-, and 46-kDA proteins, were shown to be glycoproteins. The glycosylation was shown to be N-linked in all of these antigens, but O-type glycosylation was also demonstrated in the 34-kDa glycoprotein. The correlation between the glycosylation and antigenicity of these proteins is also discussed.

Enzyme Immunoassay for Pigeon Breeders' Disease Without the use of Extraneous Antibody

A rapid enzyme immunoassay technique is described for the detection in human sera of antibodies of any class to pigeon antigens. The method is based on binding human antibodies in excess to polystyrene-fixed antigens from pigeon droppings or pigeon serum, followed by capture of the same antigens coupled to peroxidase. A very good correlation was found of titers obtained by means of this 60-min assay with traditional sandwich immunoassay and with precipitation- and complement - fixation tests.

Artificial immunization of pigeons against Argas polonicus (Ixodoidea, Argasidae)

Two subcutaneous injections of salivary gland antigen (SGA) or larval homogenate (LH) at 2-week intervals induced a resistance in pigeons to Argas (Argas) polonicus Siuda, Hoogstraal, Clifford and Wassef larvae and induced anti-tick antibodies. The number of larvae rejected after LH immunization was significantly higher compared to SGA immunization but lower than the number of larvae rejected after two natural infestations at 2-week intervals. The antibody titre reached a peak on day 6 following the first inoculation of LH, and 11-13 days after SGA inoculation. The maximum antibody titre was recorded 6 days after a second challenge for both antigens. The highest antibody titre was reached after the first inoculation with LH but only after the second inoculation with SGA. The sera of pigeons immunized either with SGA or LH cross-reacted with the other antigen as demonstrated by ELISA. SDS-PAGE and immunoblot studies demonstrated several differences in the protein profiles of these antigens, the presence of 34 and 35 kdal proteins in SGA and their absence in LH.

Precipitating antibodies against pigeon bloom antigens as a specific and sensitive measure of pigeon exposure

Precipitating antibodies against pigeon bloom antigen and pigeon serum were evaluated as a measure of pigeon exposure in 62 male pigeon breeders compared with 40 unexposed control subjects. We found a combination of highly antigenic bloom extract and a sensitive counter current immunoelectrophoresis suitable for clinical estimation of pigeon exposure. The sensitivity of the test was 86% in never-smokers and 73% in smokers at the 98% specificity level. Smoking significantly reduced the humoral immune response to both antigens.

Comparison of different methods of measuring protein and albumin in pigeon sera

Columbine serum total protein (TP) and albumin concentrations were determined using the biuret method and the bromocresol green dye binding (BCG) method or serum protein electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes (SPE). Results obtained using human and pigeon standards were compared. When pigeon albumin was used as a standard. TP values were consistently higher compared with values obtained using human protein as a standard. However, there was a high correlation between the results obtained with the two standards. The correlation between the BCG method and SPE for serum albumin determination was poor, irrespective of the standard used. The method cannot be recommended for pigeon blood. For avian clinical practice it is advised to establish TP concentration using the biuret method and a human standard and to calculate albumin concentration from the results of TP and SPE.

Detection of antibodies against avian antigens in bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with pigeon breeder's disease: Usefulness of enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme immunotransfer blotting

The study reported here evaluated the usefulness of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the detection of antibodies against pigeon antigens in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of patients with clinical, radiological, and functional evidence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) with and without pigeon breeder's disease (PBD). The results were compared with those obtained by the simultaneous use of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) in the same patients. In PBD, ELISA detected antibodies against pigeon's sera in both serum and BAL in 100% of patients, while CIE failed to detect the antibodies in the serum of one patient and in most of the samples of BAL. In addition, we used enzyme immunotransfer blotting to determine the number of epitopes in pigeon serum recognized by antibodies present in serum and BAL. There was a heterogeneous response in both fluids, but the reaction pattern demonstrated that patient's sera recognize to-25 different pigeon epitopes. We conclude that ELISA is a highly sensitive and specific method for the detection of antibodies against pigeon antigens in the serum and BAL of patients with PBD and that the host response involves a great number of avian antigens.

Identification of a ‘Disease-Associated’ Antigen in Pigeon Breeder’s Disease by Western Blotting

Sera from 9 symptomatic and 7 asymptomatic pigeon breeders were analyzed for their reactivity to pigeon serum by western blotting. All 9 symptomatic sera (9/9; 100%) and only 4 of 7 (57%) asymptomatic sera revealed specific antibodies. The immunoreactivity patterns of the sera varied: the majority of the sera reacted to antigens having molecular weights of 220 kD or more (9/16 sera), 98 kD (8/16 sera), and 86 kKD (8/16 sera). However, only sera from symptomatic breeders recognized an antigen of approximate molecular weight of 29-32 kD (9/9; 100% of symptomatics). We conclude that this antigen is 'disease associated' and may be useful in the diagnosis of pigeon breeder's disease.

Pigeon breeders' disease: quantitative immunoelectrophoretic studies of pigeon bloom antigen.

This study employed quantitative immunoelectrophoretic techniques, on sera from confirmed cases of pigeon breeders' disease (PBD), to investigate the antigenicity of a pigeon bloom extract, implicated as a sensitizing agent in this disease. On crossed immunoelectrophoresis the maximum number of antigenic components identified was 29 for the bloom compared to 10 for pigeon serum. A major component was shown to be closely related to pigeon IgA, and demonstrated partial crossreactivity to the pigeon IgG. This component also showed identity with the major component of a pigeon droppings extract, considered to be derived from intestinal IgA. Only trace amounts of serum albumin were detected and most other bloom components were not serum-related. Although greater overall antigenic similarity was found to pigeon droppings extract, at least three of the bloom components appeared to be specific. The bloom extract also contained a low amount of an alpha-techoic acid-like component, causing some non-specific reactivity. Pigeon feather dust or 'bloom', like pigeon droppings, is therefore a potent source of antigens associated with PDB--pigeon IgA being a major component of both antigens.

Pigeon Breeder’s Disease: The Effect of Antigen-Specific Antibodies on in vitro T Cell Responses of Normal Blood Lymphocytes

The effect(s) of affinity-purified antibodies to pigeon serum immunoglobulins on normal T cell responses in vitro was measured. Our results show that the antibodies partially inhibited the concanavalin-A-induced proliferation of normal lymphocytes (32% at 10 micrograms/ml concentration; p less than 0.001), whilst they had no significant effects at equivalent doses on the phytohemagglutinin-induced response. A study of the kinetics of this inhibition revealed that the antibodies exerted their effect(s) within the first 24 h of culture (p less than 0.001); this is probably due to their interference in early events intimately involved in the de novo synthesis and expression of activation antigens such as HLA-DR and Tac: antibody-treated cultures expressed 51.6 and 41.4% less HLA-DR and Tac, respectively. Two-colour immunofluorescence analysis showed that the specific antibodies bind to a subset of CD8+ cells only.

Antibodies to bird serum proteins in confectionery workers exposed to egg spray.

In an extended study of group of confectionery workers sensitized by exposure to egg spray, it was found that their blood serum contained antibodies to avian serum proteins. Comparison of the ratio of IgG antibodies determined by ELISA to egg yolk 'livetins' and pigeon serum in these patients and in pigeon breeders showed that the phenomenon is entirely due to immunological cross-reactivity among avian blood serum proteins. These avian serum proteins in hens' eggs, not ovalbumin, were identified as the major sensitizing antigens.

Effect of dietary protein on purine nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine dehydrogenase activities of liver and kidney in chicken and pigeon

1. 1. Comparative studies were made on the effects of diets of different protein contents on the activities of purine nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine dehydrogenase of avian livers and kidneys. 2. 2. In chicken liver and kidney, both enzyme activities were increased with high protein diet, confirming the previous results. 3. 3. In pigeon liver, only purine nucleoside phosphorylase activity was increased but xanthine dehydrogenase activity was not detected after feeding a high protein diet, while both enzyme activities were increased in the pigeon kidney. 4. 4. The increase in the levels of plasma oxypurines in pigeon serum was consistent with the result that the xanthine dehydrogenase activity of pigeon was not detected in the liver but in the kidney.

Antibodies against hen's egg proteins in pigeon breeder's disease

The serum of patients with pigeon breeder's lung (PBL) contains IgG-class antibodies against pigeon serum proteins. These antibodies cross-react strongly with the sera of other avian species. Cross-reactivity, as demonstrated by precipitation, complement fixation, haemagglutination and microELISA, is also exhibited with the water-soluble proteins in hen's egg yolk and egg white. The phenomenon appears to be due to the presence of hen serum proteins in the eggs, which occur particularly concentrated among the water-soluble proteins in the yolk ('livetins'). It is proposed that anti-egg antibodies may explain the frequent serological finding of 'false-positive' asymptomatic pigeon breeders.

Evidence for the presence of avian paramyxovirus type 1 in feral pigeons in England and Wales.

During the period July 1983 to June 1985, 76 submissions of material from feral pigeons were received. Five separate submissions resulted in the isolation of an avian paramyxovirus type 1 (A/PMV-1) variant indistinguishable from the virus responsible for the 1058 disease outbreaks confirmed in racing pigeons up to the end of 1984. In addition 11 separate submissions of pigeon sera had haemagglutination inhibition titres of log(2)4 or greater to A/PMV-1 antigen. Feral pigeons from six sites widely distributed throughout England had evidence of A/PMV-1 infection.

Early Neutrophil Alveolitis after Antigen Inhalation in Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was carried out before and after antigen inhalation in ten hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and five control subjects. Control subjects did not show any significant variation in BAL cells after challenge with diluted pigeon serum. In HP patients, the total number of BAL cells increased from (41.5 +/- 16.8) X 10(4) cells/ml before challenge to (84.0 +/- 28.9) X 10(4) cells/ml after challenge. Of greater interest, the values of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients increased from 8.3 +/- 9.7 percent before challenge to 41.2 +/- 24.35 percent, 24 hours after antigen challenge (p - 0.0001). Another BAL, carried out a week later, recovered a persistently high number of cells, (74.67 +/- 33.36) X 10(4) cells/ml. However, the percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes did not differ from the initial pre-challenge BAL. Our study demonstrates an immediate and transient neutrophil alveolitis after antigen inhalation in patients with acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Preparation of complement fixation antigen of Chlamydia psittaci grown in tissue culture by treatment with beta-propiolactone.

A new method of preparing a chlamydial complement fixation (CF) antigen by treatment with beta-propiolactone (BPL) is presented. Chlamydia psittaci strains Pigeon-1041 and Budgerigar-No. 1, and Chlamydia trachomatis strain L2/434/BU, propagated in L-929 cell monolayers, were inactivated with BPL. This BPL-treated antigen was useful for detecting CF antibodies in both human and pigeon sera, and it did not cause false-positive reactions, as are sometimes observed between some human sera and phenol-treated antigen derived from eggs. When this CF antigen was treated with potassium periodate and tested for reactivity with mouse immune ascitic fluid, it was found that the antigen contained type- or strain specificity as well as genus specificity. Immunization with the BPL-treated antigen elicited type- or strain-specific neutralizing antibody.

Immunoregulation in hypersensitivity pneumonitis: phenotypic and functional studies of bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytes.

We examined the immunologic phenotype and function of bronchoalveolar lymphocytes isolated from 4 pigeon breeders who developed symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis on exposure to pigeons, and 6 asymptomatic but equally exposed individuals. Similar numbers of bronchoalveolar lymphocytes were found in symptomatic breeders compared with the asymptomatic, and the percent of T11, T4, and T8 bearing cells as well as the T4/T8 ratios were similar in both groups. Despite these similarities, the groups had significantly different functional activity. Bronchoalveolar lymphocytes from symptomatic breeders demonstrated a marked (p less than 0.001) increase in blastogenic activity to both phytohemagglutinin and pigeon serum stimulation when compared with asymptomatic breeders. In addition, enriched bronchoalveolar T-cells suppressed the response of autologous preincubated peripheral blood lymphocytes to both phytohemagglutinin and pigeon serum in the asymptomatic compared with the symptomatic breeders. These studies suggest a discrepancy between the phenotype and function of immunoregulatory T-cell subsets in bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytes in pigeon breeder's disease, and support a role for functional immunoregulatory imbalances in the pathogenesis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS IN CHILDREN

Five cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis from doves and/or pidgeons in children presented within a 8 month period. Patients were 11 to 15 years of age; there were 2 females and 3 males. The diagnosis in all patients was confirmed by the presence of precipitating antibody to dove or pigeon serum and/or droppings. Clinical improvement was noted in all patients after exposure to the birds ceased.

Detection of Precipitating and Complement Consuming Antibodies by Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbent Assay in Pigeon Breeders' Disease

The sera of patients with pigeon breeders' disease usually contain both precipitating andcomplement-fixing antibodies to antigens in pigeon droppings or pigeon serum. These antibodies are not equivalent. Both types of antibody could be detected by means of an ELISA technique, using either pigeon serum or pigeon dropping antigens in the solid phase. The good correlation between the ELISA results and the complement consumption assay indicates that the ELISA technique may represent a one-step assay for assessing both precipitating and complement-consuming IgG-class antibodies, thereby identifying both symptomatic patients and breeders potentially at risk. IgM antibodies appeared to be of minor significance in the serology of pigeon breeders' disease.

A rabbit model for hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

A rabbit model of acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis was produced by immunization and subsequent inhalation of pigeon serum. The pathological features, consisting of alveolitis and interstitial granulomas, were similar to those reported previously in the experimental models. Repeated inhalation challenge of pigeon serum, however, did not develop chronic alveolitis but led to the fading of the disease. It was suggested that desensitization defined as the suppression of delayed hypersensitivity contributed to the mechanism of the fading of the disease. Repeated pigeon serum inhalation without previous immunization by the same antigen could produce a moderate interstitial pneumonitis but did not demonstrate a typical granulomatous histological change in lungs. It was necessary to use adjuvant for producing a complete animal model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Antigen-specific antibody response did not directly correlate with the development of the animal model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.