Orally Fed Recombinant Lactococcus lactis Displaying Surface Anti-Fimbrial Nanobodies Protects Piglets against Escherichia coli Causing Post-Weaning Diarrhea

Emmanuel Okello, Kristof Moonens, Joseph Erume and Henri De Greve
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Emmanuel Okello: VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Kristof Moonens: VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Joseph Erume: College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062 Kampala, Uganda
Henri De Greve: VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) and edema disease (ED), caused by enterotoxigenic and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (ETEC and STEC) strains, are important diseases of newly weaned piglets worldwide. The objective of this study is to develop a passive immunization strategy to protect piglets against PWD and ED using recombinant Lactococcus lactis added to piglet diet at weaning. The Variable Heavy chain domains of Heavy chain antibodies (VHHs) or Nanobodies (Nbs), directed against the fimbrial adhesins FaeG (F4 fimbriae) and FedF (F18 fimbriae) of E. coli were cloned and expressed on the surface of L. lactis . In vitro, the recombinant L. lactis strains agglutinated and inhibited adhesion of cognate F4 or F18 fimbriae expressing E. coli to pig villous preparation. In vivo, the anti-F4 L. lactis protected weaned piglets against a challenge with an F4-positive ETEC strain. Piglets supplemented with oral anti-F4 L. lactis showed reduced fecal E. coli shedding. We concluded that the surface expressed Nanobodies on L. lactis neutralized the adhesins of targeted E. coli and abrogated gut colonization, the first step in disease pathogenesis. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the potential of passive immunization with recombinant L. lactis as a viable alternative to antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing piglet-post-weaning diarrhea.

Keywords: post-weaning diarrhea; edema diseases; ETEC; STEC; VHH; Nanobodies; passive immunization; Lactococcus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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