2812 ± 265 mg/ml, P < 0.01; 4248 ± 279 mg/ml

vs. 2403 ± 208 mg/ml, P < 0.05; Fig. 3E). To determine the extent to which undernutrition influences protection from EDIM infection and viral replication in immunized vs. unimmunized and nourished vs. undernourished mice, we challenged all 4 experimental groups with murine rotavirus (EDIM) by oral gavage at 6 weeks of age and collected stool for 7 days immediately post-challenge. Rotavirus vaccine was highly efficacious in both nourished and undernourished mice. As shown in Fig. 4, we observed a significant reduction in virus http://www.selleckchem.com/products/AG-014699.html shedding in RRV-immunized RBD and CD mice compared to unimmunized controls. In unimmunized mice, peak intensity of infection occurred 1 day earlier in the RBD group (Fig. 4). Day 2 after EDIM challenge, viral shedding was 1917 ± 487 ng/ml for control mice and 5018 ± 622 ng/ml for RBD mice (P < 0.001) while on Day 3, viral shedding was 4708 ± 580 ng/ml for control mice and 2361 ± 374/ml for RBD mice (P < 0.01). We detected no differences in titers of anti-RV serum IgG, anti-RV stool IgA, total serum IgG and total serum IgA following EDIM challenge in unvaccinated RBD and CD mice (Fig. 5A, C, D, and F). Moreover, we found no differences in levels of anti-RV serum IgG and anti-RV stool IgA between vaccinated RBD and CD mice (Fig. 5A and C). In contrast, both immunized and unimmunized

RBD mice exhibited significantly higher mean anti-RV serum IgA relative to nourished controls (P < .0001 Metformin cost by ANOVA, Fig. 5B). Unvaccinated RBD mice showed significant increases in total serum IgA ( Fig. 5E, P < 0.01). Furthermore, in immunized RBD mice a higher percentage of rotavirus stool IgA was specific for RV following EDIM challenge relative to nourished controls (mean of 23% vs. 9%; P < 0.001 by ANOVA corrected for total IgA). In this first ever study of effects of weanling undernutrition on immune responses to both rotavirus immunization (RRV) and challenge (EDIM) we find that oral rotavirus

whatever vaccination adequately protects mice against EDIM despite altered antibody responses to vaccination and challenge. In addition, we show that serum anti-rotavirus IgA levels are elevated in both immunized and unimmunized undernourished mice following EDIM infection. We further demonstrate that unimmunized, undernourished mice shed rotavirus more rapidly than unimmunized, nourished mice. Strikingly, we find that in immunized RBD mice anti-RV stool IgA makes up a higher percentage of the total stool IgA compared to CD mice, both pre- and post-EDIM challenge. Similar to secondary analyses of clinical trial data conducted by Parez-Schael et al., we found that malnutrition alone does not impair the efficacy of rotavirus immunization [30]. The strengths of our laboratory study design allowed us to examine undernutrition, rotavirus immunization, and rotavirus infection, alone and in combination, with appropriate controls for age and diet.