IgY antibodies for the immunoprophylaxis and therapy of respiratory infections

Abbas, Aymn Talat; El-Kafrawy, Sherif Aly; Sohrab, Sayed Sartaj; Azhar, Esam Ibraheem Ahmed

Evidence for maternal IgY transfer from chicken to egg yolk for embryo protection was first reported more than 100 years ago. 42 Immunizing hens for the production of egg yolk IgY antibodies could permit efficient production of large quantities of antibodies (≈ 100 mg of total IgY/egg). 24 These antibodies could in turn provide useful biological alternatives for specific antiviral therapy against several respiratory infections. 43 IgYs are highly stable at pH 4-9 and up to 65°C in aqueous conditions, and they retain antigen-binding activity in the presence of pepsin at pH 4-6. These characteristics make them very good candidates for most types of processing and applications. 43 The large-scale, relatively simply production of IgYs together with the ease of transportation and storage make them a good candidate for global therapeutic use in the time of a pandemic. 44 Use of IgY antibodies has been an accepted practice since 1996, 45 also, the Veterinary Office of the Swiss Government (Office Vétérinaire Fédéral) approved the practice in 1999. 36 In humans, IgY has been shown to be effective for the prevention and treatment of acne and other dermatological infections. 46 It has also been used against candidiasis, dental caries, and periodontitis of the oral cavity [47] [48] [49] ; gastritis and Helicobacter pylori 50, 51 ; intestinal disorders such as celiac disease, cholera, and diarrhea 52-54 ; metabolic syndrome 55 ; and illness caused by environmental factors, such as norovirus, dust mites, and snake venom. [56] [57] [58] Our group previously developed a reliable murine model for H. pylori infection. 59 In addition, we developed IgY antibodies in chickens that target a pathogenic H. pylori strain and used these antibodies to treat infected mice. Passively immunized mice had a significantly lower degree of infection and gastritis than unimmunized animals. 59 Oral administration of anti-H. pylori IgY can be used a complementary therapy combined with routine antibiotic therapy. 60