Development and ELISA-based detection of anti-M2e IgY antibodies using an encoding plasmid for M2e-Hsp70 Cterminal gene

The use of IgYs in a variety of methods in different areas of research, diagnostics, medical application and biotechnology should be considered widely. Development of antibodies against extra cellular domain of influenza M2 (M2e) protein in egg yolk of laying hens. A Fusion construct harboring C-terminal of bovine heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and influenza M2e coding genes was injected to laying hens. Serum and egg yolk antibodies were screened for thepresence of anti-M2e antibodies by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-M2e antibodies were detected in egg yolks and sera of injected hens from 13 and 7 days post injection (PI), with the peak titer detected on 41 and 35 days PI, respectively. Anti-M2e IgY titers could be an index for expression potential of pcDNA3.1-M2e-HspCterminal construct in laying hens. This construct could be considered as a promising tool in production of anti-M2e polyclonal, monospecific IgY antibodies. Such anti-M2e antibodies could be exploited for influenza diagnostic and therapeutic measures