Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene (CF transmembrane conductance regulator). These mutations result in absent or defective CFTR chloride channel function. The susceptibility to bacterial respiratory infections due to the accumulation of thickened mucus and altered glycosylation in lungs is typical for this disease. Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a major cause of these infections. Among other virulent factors, the pathogenicity of these bacteria is caused by fucose-specific PA-IIL lectin which plays a role as an adhesin. The effect of anti-PA-IIL egg yolk antibodies and multivalent fucose-based PA-IIL inhibitors on PA adherence to lung epithelial cells was studied in this work. Chicken antibodies were isolated from egg yolks before and after immunization with antigen PA-IIL. Specific anti-PA-IIL antibodies were obtained by affinity chromatography using a column with an immobilized PA-IIL. Reactivity of IgY was verified by ELISA. The presence of PA-IIL in the bacterial culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAK, ST 1763) and the ability of antibodies to recognize this bacterial lectin were verified by Western blotting followed by immunodetection. Appropriate culture conditions have also been found for the expression of this lectin. The...

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the relatively common inherited diseases caused by a mutation in the gene encoding for CFTR protein, which forms a chloride channel that significantly affects ion homeostasis and the associated fluid management of the cell. This disease mainly affects the respiratory and digestive systems, being the most life-threatening in the respiratory tract. Patients with CF suffer from frequent and recurrent respiratory infections that lead to the development of chronic inflammation and gradual destruction of lung tissue. These lung infections, which are caused mostly by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. At present, antibiotics are used in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, but new methods of antibacterial therapy need to be found to overcome the development of resistance. In addition to active immunization of CF patients against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, their passive immunization with specific chicken antibodies directed against this pathogen offers promising possibilities. This dissertation thesis is aimed to verify the prophylactic potential of hen IgY antibodies against the virulence factor Pseudomonas aeruginosa - lectin PAIIL, and to further develop an experimental...