Ultrastructural Pathologic Observation on the Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues of Sacculus Rotundus of Rabbits Infected with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus

Ultrastructural pathological changes in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues of sacculus rotundus (SR) of rabbits infected with rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) were first observed. There were numerous holes at the luminal and basement membrane surfaces of the dome epithelium (DE), consistently accompanied by necrosis of lymphocytes and M-cells, and pronounced depletion of lymphocytes in the domes and follicles, decrease of DE complex with formation of pseudomembranous structure on the surface of the dome epithelium. A specific finding in lymphocytes and macrophages was that severe destruction detraction of the membrane of rough endoplasmic reticulum(RER) was accompanied by conspicious increase of solitary, ribo-some-like particles in the cytoplasm, with appearances of intranuclear particles and intranuclear inclusions. It was found that there were many round and dense virion-like particles, with 26 nm in diameter, in the nuclei and cytoplasm of lymphoctes, plasma cells, macrophages and fibroblasts, or in degenerated cells and cellular debris. At the same time, another round virion-like particles about 34 nm in diameter were also seen in the cytoplasm of some cells and interstitium. The results indicated that the appearances of the ribosome-like particles, virion-like particles and inclusion bodies were related to the replication and assembly of RHDV. The present observations suggested that DE of sacculus rotundus could be a open pathway and a transporting route for the entry of antigens into hosts. While the antigen is profoundly deleterious, DE may be as a closed portal or a barrier preventing the foreign antigenic materials from invading.

Homogeneous PLGA-lipid nanoparticle as a promising oral vaccine delivery system for ovalbumin

In this study,a polymeric lipid nanoparticle(NP)(simplified as Lipid NP)was reported as a promising oral vaccine delivery system.The Lipid NPs composed of a hydrophobic polymeric poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA)core and a surface coating of lipid monolayer.Membrane emulsification technique was used to obtain uniform-sized Lipid NPs.Ovalbumin(OVA)was used as a model vaccine.Compared with the pure PLGA NPs,the Lipid NPs achieved higher loading capacity(LC)and entrapment efficiency(EE)for the encapsulated OVA.An in vitro oral release profile showed that the OVA-Lipid NPs were with lower initial burst and could protect the loaded OVA from the harsh gastrointestinal(GI)environment for a long time.In addition,a human microfold cell(M-cell)transcytotic assay demonstrated that due to a lipid layer structure on the particle surface,the Lipid NPs showed higher affinity to the M-cells.Since the M-cell in the intestinal epithelium played an important role in particle transportation as well as intimately associated with the underlying immune cells,the OVA-Lipid NPs effectively induced mucosal and humoral immune responses.