Adjuvanticity of recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta: influence on immunity, infection, and latency in a bovine herpesvirus-1 infection.

Recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta (rBoIL-1 beta) was administered to calves in conjunction with a bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) vaccine. All calves were immunized against BHV-1 and three groups received rBoIL-1 beta at 33, 100, or 330 ng/kg on days 1 and 15; control animals received physiological saline. All calves were challenged with BHV-1 on day 22. Total leukocytes were increased by rBoIL-1 beta, primarily by causing neutrophilia and monocytosis; CD4/CD8 ratios tended to be increased in rBoIL-1 beta-treated animals. Serum neutralizing antibody titers and cytotoxic responses against BHV-1-infected bovine kidney fibroblasts were increased and virus excretion was decreased in rBoIL-1 beta-treated calves. On days 58 and 59, control and 100 ng/kg rBoIL-1 beta-treated calves were injected with dexamethasone (.04 mg/kg). Virus excretion was less and clinical signs of BHV-1 infection were lower in rBoIL-1 beta-treated calves after dexamethasone injection. These data suggest that rBoIL-1 beta may be an effective adjuvant to BHV-1 immunization.