Effect of inhibin gene immunization on antibody production and reproductive performance in Partridge Shank hens

To investigate the effect of inhibin gene immunization on antibody production and reproductive performance in broiler breeder females, Partridge Shank hens aged 380 days were immunized with inhibin recombinant plasmid pcISI. One hundred and twenty hens were randomly assigned to four groups and treated intramuscularly with 25, 75, or 125 μg/300-μL inhibin recombinant plasmid pcISI (T1∼T3) or 300-μL saline as control (C), respectively. Booster immunization was given with the same dosage 20 days later. Blood and egg samples were collected to detect the antibody against inhibin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and to evaluate egg performance. The ovaries were collected to classify the follicles and detect the FSH receptor (FSHR) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by reverse transcription-PCR. The results showed that immunization against pcISI could elicit antibody against inhibin in both plasma and egg yolk compared with the control (P