Antibody and cytokine responses in efferent lymph following vaccination with different adjuvants

The cannulated efferent lymph node in sheep was used to examine the effect of different adjuvants on the antibody and cytokine responses following sub-cutaneous vaccination with a recombinant Taenia ovis antigen (45W). Vaccination with Quil A elicited relatively higher levels of IgM than did IFA or Al (OH)3. In general, 45W specific IgG1 and IgG2 titres were higher and maintained for longer periods of time in lymph from sheep vaccinated with IFA and lower and shorter lived in animals which received the Al(OH)3 based vaccine. Interferon-γ was present within one day in efferent lymph from all sheep which received the Quil A formulation and in only one of the three sheep that received the IFA formulation. GM-CSF was only detected in lymph from sheep vaccinated with the IFA formulation. IL-8 was present in lymph prior to vaccination and only animals which received the Quil A formulation had increased levels of IL-8 after vaccination. Neither of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNFα were detected in efferent lymph from any animals in this study. This paper highlights the potential of the lymphatic cannulation model for investigations of the in vivo action of adjuvants.