Secretory Newcastle Disease Virus Antibodies from Chicken Respiratory Tract

Abstract

The nature of the antibodies extracted from lungs of chickens immunized intranasally by Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was analyzed by chromatography on Sephadex G-200, DEAE cellulose, as well as by electrophoresis on acrylamide gel. Specific local antibody activity was always located at the same region as serum antibodies with a molecular weight of 160,000 to 180,000. By immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis this antibody was shown to be antigenically identical to humoral IgG serum antibodies. Concentrations of hexosamine were 1.55% for serum and 1.35% for lung antibodies. The S values as determined by analytical ultracentrifugation were 6.9 and 7.1 for local and humoral antibodies, respectively. It was concluded, therefore, that local anti-NDV antibodies belong to the IgG type of immunoglobulin, and that this immunoglobulin is responsible for the systemic as well as for the local immunity in the chickens.