Antibodies for preventing and treating attaching and effacing
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to antibodies immunologically specific for an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) virulence-associated protein, products, compositions and methods and to their use thereof in the prevention of an AEEC infection in a mammal. The antibody of the invention is immunologically specific for an AEEC virulence-associated protein and is capable of preventing an in vivo AEEC intestinal infection when administered to a mammal. The antibody of the invention is preferably useful for preventing the development of A/E intestinal lesions associated with the AEEC. This is achieved by preferably using IgY antibodies immunologically specific for one or more AEEC virulence-associated proteins, such as Eae, Tir, EspA and Paa.
1. An isolated and purified IgY antibody immunologically specific to an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) virulence-associated protein, said antibody preventing the development of attaching and effacing (A/E) intestinal lesions associated with said AEEC when orally administered to a mammal, and wherein said AEEC virulence-associated protein is the porcine attaching-effacing associated protein Paa.
2. The antibody of claim 1 , wherein the AEEC is selected from the group consisting of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strains.
3. A fowl egg containing the IgY antibody of claim 1 .
4. The fowl egg of claim 3 , wherein said egg is obtained from a fowl immunized against an AEEC virulence-associated protein, and wherein said AEEC virulence-associated protein is the porcine attaching-effacing associated protein Paa.
5. The fowl egg of claim 4 , wherein said fowl is a chicken.
6. An isolated yolk of the fowl egg according to claim 3 .
7. A composition comprising:
an isolated and purified IgY antibody immunologically specific to an attaching and effacing Escherichia coil (AEEC) virulence-associated protein; and
a biologically acceptable vehicle or carrier,
wherein said AEEC virulence-associated protein is the porcine attaching-effacing associated protein Paa.
8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said composition is formulated to be administered orally to a mammal.
9. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said composition is formulated in the form of a pharmaceutical composition.
10. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said composition is formulated in the form of a nutraceutical composition.
11. A process for obtaining an IgY antibody immunologically specific to an attaching and effacing Escherichia coil (AEEC) virulence-associated protein, the process comprising the steps of:
a) actively immunizing a fowl hen with an attaching and effacing Escherichia coil (AEEC) virulence-associated protein in order to elicit the production of said antibody in an egg of said hen; and
b) recovering said antibody from said egg,
wherein said AEEC virulence-associated protein is the porcine attaching-effacing associated protein Paa.
12. The process according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of administering a booster of Paa in order to maintain a hyperimmune state in said hen.
13. The process according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of purifying said antibody from a yolk fraction of said egg.