A SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE FOR STUDIES OF INTESTINAL IMMUNITY IN RABBITS

As interest in the development of oral vaccines continues to rise, alt ernative animal models for studies of mucosal immunity are needed. The present study examines a simplified procedure for delivering antigen to rabbit Peyer's patches via an indwelling cannula. The cannula was p laced 3-4 cm proximal to the Peyer's patch, and was used to deliver fo ur weekly doses of the potent mucosal immunogen, cholera toxin (CT). A nti-CT specific fecal secretory IgA (S-IgA), serum IgG and serum IgA w ere found in essentially equal amounts in rabbits with cannulas and in rabbits fitted with Thiry-Vella (T-V) isolated ileal loops. In contra st to animals with T-V loops, the intestinal flora of animals with can nulas contained less bacterial overgrowth with Pseudomonas sp. Further , the villus architecture remained histologically normal in appearance and there were fewer post-surgical complications associated with this technique than with T-V loops. This simplified technique should allow wider use of rabbits in studies of mucosal immunity.