Evaluation of antibody response to an adjuvanted hapten-protein vaccine as a potential inhibitor of sexual maturation for farmed Atlantic salmon

Authors

Darcy S.O. Mora, USDA National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Mo D. Salman, Colorado State UniversityFollow
Christopher A. Myrick, Colorado State UniversityFollow
Jack C. Rhyan, USDA National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Lowell A. Miller, Circle M ProductsFollow
Ellen Marie Sætre, DaugstadFollow
Douglas C. Eckery, USDA National Wildlife Research CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2017

Citation

Fish & Shellfish Immunology 71 (2017), pp. 255-263.

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

An experimental contraceptive vaccine was evaluated in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). A peptide derived from the beta subunit of luteinizing hormone (LH) was conjugated to two different carrier proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and formulated with one of four immunostimulants in a water-in-oil emulsion. Specific antibody responses to the peptide and each carrier protein were evaluated. While the antibody response to KLH was stronger than the response to BSA, both carrier proteins stimulated comparable antibody responses to the LH peptide. The immunostimulant proved to be more important for enhancing the LH peptide antibody response than the carrier protein selection; vaccines containing a combination of Aeromonas salmonicida and Vibrio anguillarum stimulated significantly greater LH peptide antibody production than any of the other three immunostimulants evaluated at 12 weeks post-vaccination. This study provides proof-of-concept for specific antibody production against a hapten-carrier protein antigen in Atlantic salmon and reinforces the importance of vaccine immunostimulant selection.