IgY-Technology- a review

SCHADE, R.; CHACANA, P. A.; TERZOLO, H. R.; GUTIERREZ CALZADO, E.

Linz, Austria

Congreso; 11. Kongress über Alternativen zu Tierversuchen; 2003

11. Kongress über Alternativen zu Tierversuchen

As early as 1893, Klemperer described an experiment in which he showed that the immunisation of a hen resulted in a transfer of specific antibodies (Abs) into the egg yolk. However, for a long time this knowledge was not scientifically applied. Since the eighties IgY-Abs became more widely applied, possibly due to the availability of commercial secondary reagents like IgY-purification kits, IgY-standards and labelled Ab´s. Since 1996 the production and use of IgY-Ab is designated as IgY-technology, which is now used internationally as a standard terminology. In 1996 ECVAM (European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Method) recommended the use of IgY instead of mammalian IgG in order to minimise painful situations due to invasive Ab-sampling and also gave information about the practice of rearing of laying hens, chicken immunisation, use of adjuvants, IgY extraction methods, storage of IgY, etc. In the meantime there was a growing number of publications covering all the aspects of IgY-technology perhaps due to an growing acceptance of the IgY-technology related to advantages of the IgY-Abs. That concerns the Ab-output of a laying hen (app. 17-35 g IgY/year), the reactivity of the hen’s immunosystem also against highly conserved antigens (in contrast to mammals), IgY does not activate the mamalian complement system, does not react with rheumatoid factors, and does not react with HAMA (human anti-mous antibody) an increasing problem in immunodiagnostic. The immunoglobulins of hens have no heteroagglutinins (useful for blood group diagnostic). IgY-Abs are meanwhile increasingly used for therapeutical and prophylactic purposes. Specific IgY are used in caries-prophylaxis studies. IgY-Abs can minimise Helicobacter pylori infection in animal models and specific IgY-Abs are administered to minimize the infection risk (e.g. E. coli) of calves and piglets in animal farms. Studies are ongoing to investigate the usefulness of specific IgY-Abs in aqua farming in order to reduce the infection of fishes with parasites. Thus, it can be predicted at present, that there will be developed a number of different fields of application for IgY-use in future, including the use of functional food in order to minimise the application of antibiotics.