IgY-Technology Applied to Studies of Toxoplasma gondii Infection

In this chapter, we describe relevant aspects of immunoglobulin Y (IgY) technology for Toxoplasma gondii applications, including comparison of avian IgY antibody with mammalian IgG antibody, egg yolk IgY production and isolation procedures, important applications for IgY antibody, and state of the art and perspectives for IgY‐technology in T. gondii studies. T. gondii is a worldwide public health problem. IgY‐technology provides an alternative antibody (IgY) to mammalian Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. IgY‐technology involves the chicken immunization, yolk IgY isolation, antibody characterization, and purified IgY application to several kinds of methods. Immunized chicken transfers a specific IgY from blood to egg yolk. Phylogenetic distance between chickens and mammals influences the generation of antibody repertoires recognizing an antigen profile. IgY is not bound to rheumatoid factor or mammalian complement protein and thus avoids the false‐positive results. Yolk IgY isolation is carried out by simple procedures that are accessible for any laboratory and, also, for IgY isolation at large‐scale production. IgY‐technology provides antibodies for proteomic studies, diagnostic assays, and immunotherapy. Although IgY‐technology is promising, there is a reduced number of investigations with IgY and T. gondii. Future perspectives involve the use of IgY‐technology for the screening of new T. gondii antigens for diagnostics, therapy, or vaccine, development of innovative techniques for toxoplasmosis diagnostics and may be an immunotherapy for toxoplasmosis.