[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the immunological adjuvant function of aluminium phosphate and chicken IL-18 in NDV F gene vaccine. [Method] The vaccine （0.2 ml） containing aluminum phosphate adjuvant （90 μg）, pcDNA/F （200μg）, and pcDNA/chlL-18 （200 μg） was prepared. The 7 d old chick- ens to be tested were randomly divided into six groups （12 chickens in each group） and immunized through intramuscular injection with inactivated Newcastle disease vaccines, pcDNA/F＋pcDNA/chlL-18＋phosphate aluminum, pcDNA/F, pcDNA/F.＋pcDNA/ chlL-18, pcDNA/F＋aluminum phosphate, and physiological saline respectively; the secondary immunization was conducted with the same dose when the chickens were 21 d old. Their blood was sampled 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 d after first immunization. Anti- body titer was detected with ELISA and T cell transformation rate was measured with MIT. Experimental chicken will be challenged with 30 LD50 NDV virulence 28 d after first immunization. [Result] The survival rate of the chickens immunized with pcDNA/F＋aluminium phosphate＋pcDNA/chlL-18 achieved 8/12, higher than that of those immunized with pcDNA/F 4/12 and pcDNA/F＋pcDNA/chlL-18 （6/12）. The NDV antibody titer of the chickens immunized with pcDNA/F＋ aluminum phosphate, pcD- NA/F＋pcDNA/chlL-18 and pcDNA/F＋pcDNA/chlL-18＋aluminum phosphate is not differ- ent （P〉0.05）, but significantly lower than that of the chickens immunized with tradi- tional vaccine （P〈0.05）. The T cell transformation rate of the chickens immunized with pcDNA/F＋pcDNA/chlL-18＋aluminium phosphate was obviously higher than that of the chickens immunized with pcDNA/F （P〈0.05）. The T cell transformation rates of chickens immunized with pcDNA/F and the traditional vaccine showed no signifi- cant difference （P〉0.05）. [Conclusion] Combination of aluminium phosphate and pcD- NA/chlL-18 can significantly enhance the immune effect of NDV F gene vaccine.
