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Csaba G. Aromatic hydrocarbon receptors in the immune system: Review and hypotheses. Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung 2019; 66:273-287. [PMID: 30803253 DOI: 10.1556/030.66.2019.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ah-receptors (AhRs) recognize and bind foreign environmental molecules as well as some target hormones of other nuclear receptors. As ligands activate transcription factors, they transmit the information on the presence of these molecules by binding to the DNA, which in turn activate xenobiotic metabolism genes. Cross talk with other nuclear receptors or some non-nuclear receptors also activates or inhibits endocrine processes. Immune cells have AhRs by which they are activated for physiological (immunity) or non-physiological (allergy and autoimmunity) processes. They can be imprinted by hormonal or pseudo-hormonal (environmental) factors, which could provoke pathological alterations for life (by faulty perinatal hormonal imprinting). The variety and amount of human-made new environmental molecules (endocrine disruptors) are enormously growing, so the importance of AhR functions is also expanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- György Csaba
- 1 Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Sulejmanović T, Grafl B, Bilić I, Jaskulska B, Hess M. PCR and serology confirm the infection of turkey hens and their resilience to histomonosis in mixed flocks following high mortalities in toms. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:228. [PMID: 31088526 PMCID: PMC6518625 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3482-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Histomonosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Histomonas meleagridis, is a severe disease especially in turkeys where it can cause high mortalities. Recently, outbreaks were described in which turkey hens showed no clinical signs despite high mortalities in toms, from which they were separated only by a wire fence. The present study investigated three similar outbreaks of histomonosis whereby in two of them only a few hens were being affected and none in the third. Hens from all flocks were kept until end of production and slaughtered as scheduled. However, in all three cases, the disease progressed in toms reaching nearly 100% within two weeks. Methods Following diagnosis of the disease, tissue samples were obtained from toms and hens at necropsy. Environmental dust, cloacal swabs and blood were taken on three successive farm visits within compartments of hens and toms and tested by real-time PCR or ELISA. The DNA from a total of 18 samples positive for H. meleagridis was further subjected to conventional PCR utilizing the 18S rRNA primers and sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. Results All tissue samples and some cloacal swabs were tested positive. Dust samples confirmed the presence of H. meleagridis DNA that spread within entire houses up to 6 weeks after the first clinical signs of histomonosis. Sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA locus demonstrated the presence of the same strain in birds of both sexes within each of the turkey houses. Investigation of serum samples two weeks post-initial diagnosis and prior to euthanasia resulted in antibody detection in 73% of toms and 70% of hens. Until the end of the investigation the number of positive hens per farm increased up to 100% with mean OD-values approaching those noticed in toms prior to euthanasia. Conclusions For the first time it could be demonstrated that turkey hens kept in the same house as toms became infected during fatal outbreaks in toms. This highlights the value of different diagnostics methods in order to trace the parasite in connection with the host response. The strange phenomenon that only single hens succumb to the diseases despite being infected requires further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarik Sulejmanović
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Beatrice Grafl
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivana Bilić
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Jaskulska
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Hess
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Innovative Poultry Vaccines (IPOV), University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Wein Y, Geva Z, Bar-Shira E, Friedman A. Transport-related stress and its resolution in turkey pullets: activation of a pro-inflammatory response in peripheral blood leukocytes. Poult Sci 2017; 96:2601-2613. [DOI: 10.3382/ps/pex076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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Longpre KM, Koepfinger ME, Katz LS. Female goats use courtship display as an honest indicator of male quality. Horm Behav 2011; 60:505-11. [PMID: 21846470 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2011] [Revised: 07/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Due to the differential cost of reproduction in promiscuous species, like domesticated goat(s) (Capra hircus), it is expected that females should mate with higher quality males, while males should mate with a greater number of females. Females may use conspicuous secondary sexual characteristics of males such as courtship display to distinguish among high and low quality males. Testosterone (T) controls a large suite of secondary sexual characteristics and variation in T concentrations may account of differences in courtship rates. Two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between T concentrations and courtship rate and its role in mammalian female mate choice. Experiment 1 utilized bucks (intact males) and Experiment 2 utilized T-replaced wethers (castrated pre-pubertally). During the first year of Experiment 2, T-replaced wethers received either vehicle control (CON), 25mg or 100mg testosterone propionate (TP). During the second year of Experiment 2, T-replaced wethers were treated with either 5mg, 15 mg or 25mg TP. For all experiments, mean courtship rates and circulating T concentrations were measured, as well as female preference for males displaying different courtship frequencies. T concentrations and courtship rate were positively correlated for bucks and estrous females preferred high courting bucks. Males receiving 25mg and 100mg TP courted females at a similar rate, but both were significantly higher than courtship rates of the CON wethers. Courtship rates of the 25mg, 15 mg and 5mg TP-treated males were all significantly different. Females did not show a preference between the 100mg or 25mg TP-treated wethers, however both were preferred in comparison to the CON wethers. Females did not show preference between the 25mg or 15 mg TP-treated wethers, however both were preferred in comparison to the 5mg TP-treated wethers. Taken together, these studies suggest that courtship rate is T-dependent. Further, females can use courtship rate to distinguish among males.
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Madhu NR, Manna CK. Pineal-adrenocortical interactions in domestic male pigeon exposed to long and short photoperiods and exogenous testosterone propionate. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2010.513526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Longpre KM, Katz LS. Estrous female goats use testosterone-dependent cues to assess mates. Horm Behav 2011; 59:98-104. [PMID: 21056568 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Revised: 10/22/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In a promiscuous species like the domestic goat (Capra hircus), in which maternal investment is greater than paternal investment, a female may mate selectively with a more-fit male to improve her reproductive fitness. Testosterone (T) controls a large suite of male-typical behaviors and morphological characteristics. High T concentrations may be energetically costly or even detrimental to survival; thus, preventing lower quality males from falsely advertising their fitness. Three preference studies were conducted to examine if females use T-dependent cues to assess potential mates. For Experiment 1, females were given a choice between a pair of morphologically similar males, bucks (intact males) and stags (post-pubertally castrated males), during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. In both seasons, females preferred the bucks compared to stags. In Experiment 2, females were given a choice between bucks, stags and wethers (pre-pubertally castrated males) during the non-breeding season. For some comparisons, castrated males received 25 mg testosterone propionate (TP) or were untreated. Females preferred TP-treated males compared to untreated males and showed no preference when given a choice between either two TP-treated or two untreated males. In Experiment 3, females were given a choice between a pair of bucks and a pair of stags treated with 25 mg TP during monthly tests in the breeding season. At each monthly test, females preferred the males with higher T concentrations near the time of the behavior test. These studies suggest that females use T-dependent cues to assess potential mates, and T concentrations may indicate a male's overall fitness.
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Quinteiro-Filho W, Ribeiro A, Ferraz-de-Paula V, Pinheiro M, Sakai M, Sá L, Ferreira A, Palermo-Neto J. Heat stress impairs performance parameters, induces intestinal injury, and decreases macrophage activity in broiler chickens. Poult Sci 2010; 89:1905-14. [DOI: 10.3382/ps.2010-00812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 401] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Li H, Zhang Y, Zuo SF, Lian ZX, Li N. Effects of methyltestosterone on immunity against Salmonella Pullorum in dwarf chicks. Poult Sci 2009; 88:2539-48. [PMID: 19903952 DOI: 10.3382/ps.2009-00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine effects of methyltestosterone on innate immunity and adaptive immunity against Salmonella Pullorum in dwarf chicks. In vivo experiment, comparisons of pathological sections, viable counts of bacteria, specific antibody levels, and subsets of T lymphocytes were set forth between chicks with or without 10(-7) M methyltestosterone treatment (2 d of age through 21 d of age) and challenged with 5 x 10(8) virulent Salmonella Pullorum (7 d of age), and in vitro experiment, phagocytic and killing abilities, reactive oxygen intermediate production, and reactive nitrogen intermediate production of monocytes-macrophages treated with high (10(-8) M/10(6) cell) or physiological (10(-14) M/10(6) cell) concentration of methyltestosterone were examined after Salmonella Pullorum infection. The results showed that (1) in vivo, administration of methyltestosterone enhanced susceptibility to Salmonella Pullorum infection and depressed cellular immunity against Salmonella Pullorum, whereas it had no effect on humoral immunity in dwarf chicks; (2) in vitro, at high concentration, methyltestosterone reduced (P < 0.05) monocytes-macrophages mediated reactive oxygen intermediate-dependent killing of Salmonella Pullorum, whereas low concentration of methyltestosterone enhanced (P < 0.05) reactive oxygen intermediate-dependent killing of Salmonella Pullorum in male dwarf chicks but not in females; and (3) although challenged with Salmonella Pullorum, phagocytic ability and monocytes-macrophages mediated reactive nitrogen intermediate-dependent killing were not affected by methyltestosterone in vitro. The results indicated that methyltestosterone affected the immune response to Salmonella Pullorum in dwarf chicks by changing monocytes-macrophages mediated reactive oxygen intermediate-dependent killing and cellular immunity, and the effects were dose-dependent; furthermore, the former 2 pathways played important roles in preventing Salmonella Pullorum infection in dwarf chicks, although the mechanism needs further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
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Silva V, da Silva JDT, Torres K, de Faria Filho D, Hada FH, de Moraes VMB. Humoral immune response of broilers fed diets containing yeast extract and prebiotics in the prestarter phase and raised at different temperatures. J APPL POULTRY RES 2009. [DOI: 10.3382/japr.2009-00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Ashley NT, Hays QR, Bentley GE, Wingfield JC. Testosterone treatment diminishes sickness behavior in male songbirds. Horm Behav 2009; 56:169-76. [PMID: 19374904 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2009] [Revised: 04/02/2009] [Accepted: 04/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Males of many vertebrate species are typically more prone to disease and infection than female conspecifics, and this sexual difference is partially influenced by the immunosuppressive properties of testosterone (T) in males. T-induced immunosuppression has traditionally been viewed as a pleiotropic handicap, rather than an adaptation. Recently, it has been hypothesized that suppression of sickness behavior, or the symptoms of infection, may have adaptive value if sickness interferes with the expression of T-mediated behaviors important for male reproductive success. We conduct a classic hormone replacement experiment to examine if T suppresses sickness behavior in a seasonally-breeding songbird, Gambel's white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). Triggered experimentally by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), sickness behavior includes decreased activity, anorexia, and weight loss. Gonadectomized (GDX) males that were treated with silastic implants filled with T exhibited suppression of behavioral and physiological responses to LPS compared to GDX and sham-GDX controls given empty implants. Sickness responses of control groups were statistically indistinguishable. T-implanted birds had significantly higher plasma T than control groups and levels were within the range associated with aggressive interactions during male-to-male contests. These findings imply that suppression of sickness behavior could occur when T is elevated to socially-modulated levels. Alternatively, it is possible that this suppressive effect is mediated through a stress-induced mechanism, as corticosterone levels were elevated in T-implanted subjects compared to controls. We propose that males wounded and infected during contests may gain a brief selective advantage by suppressing sickness responses that would otherwise impair competitive performance. The cost of immunosuppression would be manifested in males through an increased susceptibility to disease, which is presumably offset by capitalizing upon limited reproductive opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah T Ashley
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1800, USA.
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Quinn MJ, Summitt CL, Ottinger MA. Effects of Androgen Disruption by DDE on the Development and Functioning of the Immune System in Japanese Quail. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2008; 28:535-44. [PMID: 16997800 DOI: 10.1080/08923970600927850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We hypothesized that immunosuppression in birds that is caused by exposure to antiandrogenic chemicals occurs mainly through disruption of the development of the androgen-sensitive avian lymphoid organ, the bursa of Fabricius. Injections of 20.0 or 40.0 mug of p,p'-DDE [ethylene, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)], an antiandrogen, were administered at embryonic day 1. Bursas from only chicks treated with DDE were larger than, had fewer follicles, and exhibited vacuolization within follicles compared with controls; spleens were unaffected. No differences in either immune response test were observed. This study demonstrates that the bursa may play a role in androgen-active endocrine disrupting chemical-induced immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Quinn
- U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA.
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Squillacioti C, Mirabella N, De Luca A, Paino G. Expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in the primary lymphoid organs of the duck Anas platyrhynchos. J Anat 2007; 209:51-8. [PMID: 16822269 PMCID: PMC2100303 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2006.00592.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) was studied in the thymus and bursa of Fabricius of the duck Anas platyrhynchos, at different ages, using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, RT-PCR and sequencing. In the thymus, PACAP immunoreactivity (-ir) was found in lymphoid cells. CD68/ and PGP 9.5/PACAP38 double labelling showed that PACAP was not expressed either in macrophages or in epithelial cells, suggesting that the PACAP-positive cells observed were lymphoid cells. Immunoreactive lymphocytes were observed in the interlobular septa. They increased in number with ageing. In the bursa, PACAP-ir was found in nerve fibres and in a few lymphoid cells. RT-PCR revealed PACAP mRNA expression in the thymus but not in the bursa. These results suggest that PACAP plays a role in the functions of the immune system in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Squillacioti
- Department of Structure, Functions and Biological Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
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Cheng HW. The immunomodulatory effects of clonidine, an α-2-adrenergic agonist, in laying hens. Poult Sci 2006; 85:452-6. [PMID: 16553275 DOI: 10.1093/ps/85.3.452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of the sympathetic nervous system to regulate chicken immune function was examined. Clonidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, was administrated at 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/L in the drinking water of White Leghorn hens at 48 wk of age. The hens were randomly housed in conventional cages in pairs. Concentrations of plasma IgG (also named IgY) were detected using chicken IgG ELISA, and the percentage of subpopulations of circulating lymphocytes were analyzed using flow cytometry. Compared with controls, treated hens had higher circulating IgG levels and a greater percentage of circulating B cells (Bu-1+ cells, P < 0.01) after 1 wk of treatment. Additionally, the percentages of CD8+ cells were consistently higher (P = 0.07) in the treated hens compared with controls, whereas the percentages of CD4+ cells and the ratio of CD4+ cell to CD8+ cell were not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). These effects of clonidine on the IgG concentrations and the proportions of B-cells and CD8+ cells were dose-related. The highest increase was found in the hens treated with 10.0 mg/L of clonidine. These results suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is directly involved in regulating the chicken immune system via regulation of alpha-2-adrenergic receptor activations.
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Affiliation(s)
- H W Cheng
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, USDA-ARS, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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Deng K, Wong CW, Nolan JV. Long-term effects of early-life dietary L-carnitine on lymphoid organs and immune responses in Leghorn-type chickens. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2006; 90:81-6. [PMID: 16422773 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2005.00569.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The long-term effects of supplementing Leghorn-type chickens with dietary L-carnitine after hatching for 4 weeks on growth, lymphoid organ weights, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were assessed in a 12-week study. A commercial starter feed supplemented with 0 (control), 100 (LC) or 1,000 (HC) mg L-carnitine/kg was offered to day-old ISA Brown cockerels for 4 weeks, then all birds were given a commercial pullet grower feed for another 8 weeks. No differences (p > 0.05) in growth rates, feed intake or feed utilisation efficiency existed among the dietary treatments throughout the study. Compared with control birds, HC-fed birds had a lower (p < 0.05) thymus weight relative to bodyweight (BW) at Week 4, but a higher (p < 0.05) relative thymus weight at Week 12. A higher (p < 0.05) serum primary antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in HC-fed birds than in the other two groups was also detected at Week 12. Relative spleen or bursa weights and cutaneous responses of toe webs to phytohaemagglutimin (PHA) (an in vivo indicator of cell-mediated immune responses) did not differ (p > 0.05) among dietary treatments at any time. It is concluded that a short-term supply of dietary L-carnitine to a conventional commercial feed after hatching enhanced subsequent humoral immunity in Leghorn-type chickens. Further study is warranted to confirm such a long-term effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Deng
- Animal Science, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
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Embryonic Effects of Androgen Active Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Avian Immune and Reproductive Systems. J Poult Sci 2006. [DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.43.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Fernie KJ, Mayne G, Shutt JL, Pekarik C, Grasman KA, Letcher RJ, Drouillard K. Evidence of immunomodulation in nestling American kestrels (Falco sparverius) exposed to environmentally relevant PBDEs. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2005; 138:485-93. [PMID: 15951077 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2005.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2004] [Accepted: 04/11/2005] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether exposure to environmentally relevant polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) causes immunomodulation in captive nestling American kestrels (Falco sparverius). Eggs within each clutch, divided by laying sequence, were injected with safflower oil or penta-BDE congeners-47, -99, -100, and -153 dissolved in safflower oil (18.7 microg sigmaPBDEs/egg) approximating Great Lakes birds. For 29 days, nestlings consumed the same PBDE mixture (15.6+/-0.3 ng/g body weight per day), reaching sigmaPBDE body burden concentrations that were 120x higher in the treatment birds (86.1+/-29.1 ng/g ww) than controls (0.73+/-0.5 ng/g ww). PBDE-exposed birds had a greater PHA response (T-cell-mediated immunity), which was negatively associated with increasing BDE-47 concentrations, but a reduced antibody-mediated response that was positively associated with increasing BDE-183 concentrations. There were also structural changes in the spleen (fewer germinal centers), bursa (reduced apoptosis) and thymus (increased macrophages), and negative associations between the spleen somatic index and sigmaPBDEs, and the bursa somatic index and BDE-47. Immunomodulation from PBDE exposure may be exacerbated in wild birds experiencing greater environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim J Fernie
- Canadian Wildlife Service, PO Box 5050, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7R 4A6.
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Ottinger MA, Quinn MJ, Lavoie E, Abdelnabi MA, Thompson N, Hazelton JL, Wu JM, Beavers J, Jaber M. Consequences of endocrine disrupting chemicals on reproductive endocrine function in birds: establishing reliable end points of exposure. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2005; 29:411-9. [PMID: 15998506 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2005.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2005] [Revised: 02/16/2005] [Accepted: 02/19/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
It has been difficult to establish reliable indices of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) appropriate for a variety of avian species because of a vast array of reproductive strategies. Data from mammals, reptiles and fish provide insight on likely mechanisms of action for EDCs. However, many of the effects of EDCs are weaker than the actions of the native hormones, making it difficult to assess adverse effects in domestic and wild birds. It is clear that differential sensitivity to EDCs exists across species, due to the timing and mode of exposure, compound toxicity and age of the individual. Our studies on EDCs are conducted in the quail model system, with focus on reproductive endocrine, neuroendocrine and behavioral responses. Studies have included EDC exposure, either by egg injection or via diet. Results from egg injection studies showed the following: (1) estradiol administered by embryonic day 12 demasculinized male sexual behavior, altered hypothalamic neurotransmitters and reduced hen day production and fertility in a dose dependent fashion, (2) methoxychlor (MXC) or vinclozolin impaired male sexual behavior in adult quail and (3) DDE exposure impaired reproductive and immune related end points. Two-generation studies were conducted on Japanese and northern bobwhite quail with dietary methoxychlor (MXC) exposure (0, 5 and 10 ppm) beginning in adults (P1), continuing in their offspring (F1), with F2 offspring raised on control diet. MXC exposure impaired male sexual behavior, hypothalamic catecholamines and plasma steroid hormones. Moreover, MXC exposure had reproductive consequences observable at both the lower and higher doses of MXC in F1 and F2 generations. These data demonstrate that embryonic EDC exposure interferes with sexual differentiation of neural systems that direct reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Ottinger
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, 3115 Animal Sciences Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Wigley P, Hulme SD, Powers C, Beal RK, Berchieri A, Smith A, Barrow P. Infection of the reproductive tract and eggs with Salmonella enterica serovar pullorum in the chicken is associated with suppression of cellular immunity at sexual maturity. Infect Immun 2005; 73:2986-90. [PMID: 15845505 PMCID: PMC1087364 DOI: 10.1128/iai.73.5.2986-2990.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum causes persistent infections in laying hens. Splenic macrophages are the main site of persistence. At sexual maturity, numbers of bacteria increase and spread to the reproductive tract, which may result in vertical transmission to eggs or chicks. In this study we demonstrate that both male and female chickens may develop a carrier state following infection but that the increases in bacterial numbers and spread to the reproductive tract are phenomena restricted to hens, indicating that such changes are likely to be related to the onset of egg laying. The immunological responses during the carrier state and through the onset of laying in hens were determined. These indicate that chickens produce both humoral and T-cell responses to infection, but at the onset of laying both the T-cell response to Salmonella and nonspecific responses to mitogenic stimulation fall sharply in both infected and noninfected birds. The fall in T-cell responsiveness coincided with the increase in numbers of Salmonella serovar Pullorum and its spread to the reproductive tract. Three weeks after the onset of egg laying, T-cell responsiveness began to increase and bacterial numbers declined. Specific antibody levels changed little at the onset of laying but increased following the rise in bacterial numbers in a manner reminiscent of a secondary antibody response to rechallenge. These findings indicate that a nonspecific suppression of cellular responses occurs at the onset of laying and plays a major role the ability of Salmonella serovar Pullorum to infect the reproductive tract, leading to transmission to eggs. The loss of T-cell activity at the point of laying also has implications for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis infection and transmission to eggs, along with its control by vaccination offering a "window of opportunity" in which infection may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wigley
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston CH64 7TE, United Kingdom.
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Deviche P, Cortez L. Androgen control of immunocompetence in the male house finch, Carpodacus mexicanus Müller. J Exp Biol 2005; 208:1287-95. [PMID: 15781889 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.01531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
The immunocompetence handicap (ICH) hypothesis predicts that elevated levels of the gonadal androgen testosterone (T) entail obligatory costs, such as immunosuppression, but evidence supporting this immunosuppressive influence is equivocal. To investigate this question, adult males house finches, Carpodacus mexicanus, were exposed to short days and chronically treated with T-filled (T males; N=10) or empty (C males; N=10) Silastic capsules. Testosterone administration increased plasma T levels and the size of the cloacal protuberance, an androgen-dependent secondary sexual characteristic. To study humoral immunity, finches received injections of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and we measured circulating concentrations of antibodies to these cells with a hemagglutination test. All males produced antibodies following four SRBC injections at weekly intervals. Antibody titers in T and C males did not differ 5 days after the fourth injection, but were 59% lower in T than C males 2 weeks later. To study cell-mediated immunity, we measured the local inflammatory response to an injection of phytohemaglutinin (PHA). This response in T and C males was similar 1 day after PHA injection, but was 58% less in T than C males 2 days following the injection. Thus, T and C males mounted similar humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, but T treatment compromised maintenance of these responses. The results, demonstrating immunosuppressive effects of elevated T, are consistent with the ICH hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Deviche
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA.
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Owen-Ashley NT, Hasselquist D, Wingfield JC. Androgens and the Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesis: Unraveling Direct and Indirect Pathways of Immunosuppression in Song Sparrows. Am Nat 2004; 164:490-505. [PMID: 15459880 DOI: 10.1086/423714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2003] [Accepted: 06/16/2004] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis proposes that testosterone (T)-dependent sexual signals are honest indicators of male health or genetic quality because only high-quality males are able to withstand the obligate effects of T-induced immunosuppression. In birds, the basic assumption that T suppresses immune function is equivocal, and the physiological mechanisms underlying T-induced immunosuppression remain to be investigated. We explored the proximate pathways of T-induced immunosuppression in song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) by treating captive nonbreeding males with different androgens and measuring several components of acquired immune function. Males implanted with T suppressed cell-mediated and humoral immune responses compared to males implanted with 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), dehydroepiandrosterone, or control (empty) implants. Furthermore, T treatment increased plasma levels of corticosterone and decreased body mass and fat stores in relation to other treatments. The failure of DHT to depress immune function suggests that T-induced immunosuppression does not occur through a direct pathway because both T and DHT bind to androgen receptors on target cells. Instead, we outline indirect pathways that are likely responsible for suppression of the avian immune system that include stress-induced immunosuppression, aromatization to estrogen, and alterations in energy allocation that constrain expenditures toward immune system activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah T Owen-Ashley
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
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24
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Buchholz R, Jones Dukes MD, Hecht S, Findley AM. Investigating the turkey's 'snood' as a morphological marker of heritable disease resistance. J Anim Breed Genet 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2004.00449.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ciriaco E, Píñera PP, Díaz-Esnal B, Laurà R. Age-related changes in the avian primary lymphoid organs (thymus and bursa of Fabricius). Microsc Res Tech 2004; 62:482-7. [PMID: 14635141 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.10416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The avian primary lymphoid organs, the thymus and the bursa of Fabricius, undergo age-dependent changes leading in some cases to the complete atrophy of the organ. Nevertheless, the timetable of the involutive process as well as the consequences in the structure and functionality of the organs vary largely in the time frame and structural changes among species. On the other hand, and in contrast with the large body of literature reporting the structural and functional changes in mammalian primary lymphoid organs, the age-dependent changes in avian thymus and bursa of Fabricius are scarce, fragmentary, and heterogeneous. This article reviews the current literature on this topic, and focuses primarily on the involution of the bursa of Fabricius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Ciriaco
- Dipartimento di Morfologia, Biochimica, Fisiologia e Produzioni Animali, Università di Messina, Italy.
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26
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Oliver MA, Marsh JA. In vivo thymulin treatments enhance avian lung natural killer cell cytotoxicity in response to infectious bronchitis virus. Int Immunopharmacol 2003; 3:107-13. [PMID: 12538040 DOI: 10.1016/s1567-5769(02)00236-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous work has shown that in vitro thymulin treatments have the ability to enhance natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. The purpose of the experiments presented here was to examine the in vivo effects of thymulin on avian NK cell activity in response to a viral infection. Five and a half-week-old K-strain chickens infected with avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) served as the model for these experiments. Daily thymulin injections began at varying time points prior to or post-infection. The controls received daily injections of the ZnCl(2)-containing carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) diluent. A 51Cr-cytolytic release assay was used to determine the activity of the NK cells harvested via lung lavage from the respiratory tracts of infected chickens. The results of these experiments showed that in vivo thymulin treatments enhance NK cytotoxicity. The greatest enhancement of NK cytotoxicity was observed at 10 days post-infection in those chickens that began receiving thymulin after infection. These results suggest that thymulin may not only have a role in enhancing immunosurveillance but also in enhancing the response of the innate immune system following infection. Dose-response experiments found that the 50 ng/100 g body weight (Bwt) dose significantly depressed the cytolytic activity of the NK cells in comparison to either the 10 ng/100 g Bwt dose or the control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly A Oliver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, C5-103 VMC, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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27
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Wigley P, Berchieri A, Page KL, Smith AL, Barrow PA. Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum persists in splenic macrophages and in the reproductive tract during persistent, disease-free carriage in chickens. Infect Immun 2001; 69:7873-9. [PMID: 11705970 PMCID: PMC98884 DOI: 10.1128/iai.69.12.7873-7879.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2000] [Accepted: 08/16/2001] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum is worldwide a poultry pathogen of considerable economic importance, particularly in those countries with a developing poultry industry. In addition to the characteristic high mortality rates among young chicks, one of the features of Salmonella serovar Pullorum infection is that it persists for long periods in convalescent chicks in the absence of clinical disease. This can lead to colonization of the reproductive tract of chickens and at sexual maturity can result in infected progeny through transovarian transmission to eggs. The sites of Salmonella serovar Pullorum persistence in convalescent birds are not known, and the mechanisms of persistence are not understood. Here we show that Salmonella serovar Pullorum can persist in both the spleen and the reproductive tract for over 40 weeks following experimental infection in chickens. During the period of sexual maturity, Salmonella serovar Pullorum colonized both the ovary and the oviduct of hens and led to 6% of laid eggs being infected by Salmonella serovar Pullorum. The colonization of several different sites of the reproductive tract suggests that Salmonella serovar Pullorum may employ more than one mechanism of egg infection. Persistence occurred despite a strong humoral response, suggesting an intracellular site of infection. By use of a Salmonella serovar Pullorum strain containing a plasmid stably expressing green fluorescent protein, we demonstrated that the main site of carriage in the spleen is within macrophages. This raises interesting questions about the biology of Salmonella serovar Pullorum, including why there is an increase in bacterial numbers when birds become sexually mature and in particular how Salmonella serovar Pullorum avoids clearance by macrophages and whether it modulates the immune system in other ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wigley
- Division of Environmental Microbiology, Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 7NN, United Kingdom.
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28
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Huff GR, Huff WE, Balog JM, Rath NC. Effect of early handling of turkey poults on later responses to multiple dexamethasone-Escherichia coli challenge. 2. Resistance to air sacculitis and turkey osteomyelitis complex. Poult Sci 2001; 80:1314-22. [PMID: 11558917 DOI: 10.1093/ps/80.9.1314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dexamethasone (DEX)-induced immunosuppression facilitates Escherichia coli pathogenesis leading to lesions of air sacculitis and turkey osteomyelitis complex (TOC). The purpose of this study was to determine if early handling could affect resistance to disease in this model. Seven hundred twenty male turkey poults were handled 0, 1 (1x), or 2 (2x) times daily for the first 10 d after hatch. Handling consisted of gently catching each individual poult, holding it for 10 s, and placing it into a basket. Starting on Day 11 after hatch, half of the birds from each handling treatment were treated with three injections of 2 mg DEX/kg BW on alternating days. On the day of the third DEX treatment, duplicate pens of birds were also inoculated in the air sac with 0 or 50 cfu of E. coli. All DEX-treated birds were given a second series of DEX injections at 5 wk of age, and 10 birds per pen were necropsied 3 wk later. Surviving birds were treated with a third series of DEX injections at 10 wk of age. Two weeks later, all surviving turkeys were necropsied. All mortalities and necropsied birds were scored for air sacculitis and examined for TOC lesions. All livers, air sacs, and TOC lesions were cultured for bacteria. There was increased mortality after the first series of DEX treatments of birds handled 2x. After the second series of DEX treatments, birds handled 1x had increased mortality, incidence of air sacculitis, and recovery of E. coli from tissues, whereas 2x handled birds were identical to unhandled controls. After the third series of DEX treatments, handling 1x resulted in decreased air sacculitis scores and decreased incidence of mortality, green liver, TOC lesions, and recovery of E. coli from tissues. The effects of early handling of turkey poults were variable, depending on the number of DEX treatments and the age of the birds. These results suggest that early handling can affect the susceptibility of stressed turkeys to E. coli air sacculitis and TOC and that differences in susceptibility may be influenced by age and individual variability in the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- G R Huff
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Science Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701, USA.
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29
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Landsman T, Leitner G, Robinzon TB, Helle ED. Effect of gonadal steroids on proliferative responses and subset alterations in cultured chicken lymphocytes. Poult Sci 2001; 80:1329-38. [PMID: 11558919 DOI: 10.1093/ps/80.9.1329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of gonadal steroids (GS) on proliferation of lymphocytes and distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations in cell culture was examined. The involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) and calcium ionophore in the proliferative response was tested. Estradiol benzoate (EB) or testosterone propionate (TP) had no significant influence on proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) when cells were not stimulated by mitogen. At high concentration (10-6 M), EB and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) decreased lymphocyte proliferative response to concanavalin A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 24 and 72 h of incubation. However, at physiological doses (10(-12) to 10(-16) M), EB significantly enhanced the proliferative response at 24 h of incubation, whereas DHT had no effect. The inhibitory effect of the high dose of EB or DHT on proliferation of T and B lymphocytes was independent of time of hormone presentation to the cells or age and gender of cell donor. In all cultures, pre-incubation of lymphocytes with 10(-6) M of EB or DHT significantly reduced their proliferative responses to ConA, phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and LPS. The percentage of CD3+ cells was significantly reduced by EB, whereas DHT had no such effect. In contrast to inhibition of proliferation in response to mitogens, 10(-6) M EB dramatically enhanced the proliferation of lymphocytes in response to the PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and calcium ionophore, A23187. Results suggest that high doses of EB do not damage the viability or proliferation capability of lymphocytes and, therefore, suppress the proliferative response to mitogens in a different manner, perhaps by reducing gene transcription for receptors that recognize the mitogens, or suppressing some postreceptor events. The enhancement of proliferation in response to mitogens by low doses of EB may support this assumption, because the biphasic effects of steroids on gene transcription are well documented.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Landsman
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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30
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Hagelin JC. Castration in Gambel's and Scaled Quail: ornate plumage and dominance persist, but courtship and threat behaviors do not. Horm Behav 2001; 39:1-10. [PMID: 11161878 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2000.1615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
During the breeding season, testosterone in male birds is often linked to some secondary sexual ornaments, courtship behaviors, and intrasexual aggression. I examined the effect of castration on plumage expression in Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii), a species in which males are highly ornate, and in Scaled Quail (C. squamata), an unornamented species. Using male pairs, each consisting of a castrate and a control, I also assessed whether castration affected (1) the behavior of males, (2) the mating decisions of females, or (3) the outcome of male-male competition. Castration did not alter the plumage of male Gambel's or Scaled Quail. In these species, and some other members of the avian order Galliformes, production of ornate plumage appears to be independent of testosterone. In contrast, castration reduced or eliminated courtship behaviors. Females almost never preferred castrated individuals. During male-male competition, castrates also exhibited lower rates of threat behaviors, which appear to be identical to those used during courtship. Castration did not, however, influence the outcome of male-male competition. Castrates of both species exhibited overt aggression (pecks, chases, displacement) and frequently won male contests. Such results suggest that certain types of aggressive behavior may be testosterone-independent. In both Gambel's and Scaled Quail, male body size correlated positively with dominant individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Hagelin
- Department of Biology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
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31
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Duffy DL, Bentley GE, Drazen DL, Ball GF. Effects of testosterone on cell-mediated and humoral immunity in non-breeding adult European starlings. Behav Ecol 2000. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/11.6.654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Abstract
We examined the distribution of parvalbumin in the pigeon thymus by light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. Tissues were also examined by conventional electron microscopy to determine the ultrastructure of immunoreactive cells. Parvalbumin immunoreaction was located in epithelial cells of the cortex, which formed dense mesh-like structures. Parvalbumin-positive epithelial cells were classified into 2 types. The first comprised elongated cells. In these, the nucleus was spindle-shaped, oval, or triangular, with a slightly irregular contour and contained rich heterochromatin peripherally. The cytoplasm was pale and processes extended laterally or ramified among the surrounding thymocytes. This type of cell formed the majority of immunoreactive cells. The other cell type consisted of polygonal epithelial cells. The nucleus was oval with deep indentations. Euchromatin occupied a large part of the nucleus. The cytoplasm contained numerous cell organelles compared with the elongated type, in particular, electron-dense vacuoles of various sizes and often bundles of tonofilaments. Both types of epithelial cell were interconnected by desmosomes. No secretory granules were found in the cytoplasm of elongated or polygonal cells. These results indicate the presence of heterogeneous group of parvalbumin-immunoreactive epithelial cells and suggest the likelihood of different functional roles for parvalbumin in the pigeon thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Atoji
- Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Japan.
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33
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Arpin C, Pihlgren M, Fraichard A, Aubert D, Samarut J, Chassande O, Marvel J. Effects of T3R alpha 1 and T3R alpha 2 gene deletion on T and B lymphocyte development. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2000; 164:152-60. [PMID: 10605006 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.164.1.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones bind to several nuclear receptors encoded by T3R alpha and T3R beta genes. There is now accumulating evidence that thyroid hormones act on the immune system. Indeed, mice deficient for thyroid hormones show a reduction in lymphocyte production. However, the mechanisms involved and, in particular, the role of the different thyroid hormone receptors in lymphocyte development have not been investigated. To address that question, we have studied lymphocyte development in mice deficient for the T3R alpha 1 and T3R alpha 2 gene products. A strong decrease in spleen cell numbers was found compared with wild-type littermates, B lymphocytes being more severely affected than T lymphocytes. A significant decrease in splenic macrophage and granulocyte numbers was also found. In bone marrow, a reduction in CD45+/IgM- pro/pre-B cell numbers was found in these mice compared with wild-type littermates. This decrease seems to result from a proliferation defect, as CD45+/IgM- cells incorporate less 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine in vivo. To define the origin of the bone marrow development defect, chimeric animals between T3R alpha-/- and Rag1-/- mice were generated. Results indicate that for B cells the control of the population size by T3R alpha 1 and T3R alpha 2 is intrinsic. Altogether, these results show that T3R alpha 1 or T3R alpha 2 gene products are implicated in the control of the B cell pool size.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Arpin
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5665, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Ecole Normale Supérieure, Lyon, France
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Morgulis MS, Rodrigues PM, Palermo-Neto J. Benzodiazepine receptors and avian macrophage activity: diazepam decreases spreading and phagocytosis. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 1999; 21:787-802. [PMID: 10584212 DOI: 10.3109/08923979909007142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The complex interrelations between the nervous system and the immune system have led to the creation of a new research area denoted neuroimmunology. The effects of stress on the immune response have long been observed in chickens. Since benzodiazepine receptors are involved in the stress reaction, we proposed to assess the importance of these receptors in the activity of chick peritoneal macrophages. We used 420 viable embryonated eggs of the commercial Hubbard broiler line treated through the chorioallantoid membrane on the 11th day of incubation: falsely manipulated (Sham group), with 40% propyleneglycol (PG) in simple Ringer solution (Vehicle group), and treated with diazepam (DZ), 8 mg/kg (DZ group). After hatching, the chicks were housed in metal rearing cages of the "battery" type for 5 weeks. At 36 days of age, 24 chicks from each treated group were divided at random into two groups of 12 animals each which were treated with DZ (2 mg/kg) or with 40% PPG in an equal volume once a day by the oral route for 4 days. Peritoneal macrophages were collected and submitted to the spreading an phagocytosis tests. Data were analyzed statistically using the SAS software (p < 0.05). Administration of DZ in ovo did not cause a significant decrease in egg hatchability, birth weight or performance parameters during the 5 weeks of assessment. However, the rate of macrophage spreading and phagocytosis was reduced. When administered at 40 days of age, DZ did not change the spreading rate but reduced the phagocytosis rate. There was no interaction between treatments. These results indicate that benzodiazepine receptors seem to be important for macrophage activity also in birds, as previously observed in rodents and primates. Since benzodiazepine receptors are involved in the response to stress, it is possible that the effects of stress on avian immunity may be mediated in part by these receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Morgulis
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo
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35
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Franchini A, Ottaviani E. Immunoreactive POMC-derived peptides and cytokines in the chicken thymus and bursa of Fabricius microenvironments: age-related changes. J Neuroendocrinol 1999; 11:685-92. [PMID: 10447807 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1999.00385.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Changes from hatching to the involutive stage in the thymus and bursa of Fabricius of Gallus domesticus were studied. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides and cytokines were also tested by immunocytochemical procedures. Thymic histological modifications appeared at 3 months and involved an increase in connectival argyrophilic reticular fibres, a proliferation of non-epithelial cells in the reticulum network, the presence of mucous cells and small mucous cysts, and an increase in the number of eosinophilic and myoid cells. A clear distinction between the cortex and the medulla was lost. Immunoreactive POMC-related molecules and cytokines were demonstrated in thymic cells from 4-day-old chicken, and their number increased with ageing. These molecules were expressed in a few single epithelial cells and in interdigitating cells. With ageing, the number of immunoreactive interdigitating cells also increased, and these appeared in an activated phase. Histological modifications in the bursa of Fabricius appeared at 2 months and concerned a folding of the interfollicular surface epithelium covering the bursal plicae and a reduction in lymphoid follicle-associated epithelium. Fibrous tissue gradually increased, and large mucoid cysts were evident. The expression of POMC-derived peptide-and cytokine-like molecules differed during the development and involution phases of the organ. Cells of follicle associated epithelium and dendritic reticular cells of lymphoid follicles were immunoreactive to beta-endorphin between 4 days and 2 months, while ACTH-, alpha-MSH- and cytokine-like molecules were observed in follicles after 2 months. The findings indicate a physiological role of these molecules during the growth and involution of the two organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Franchini
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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36
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Abstract
Medullary epithelial cells forming cysts in the thymus of pigeon chicks were examined in order to clarify these morphological characteristics by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques. Light microscopically, cysts were divided into intracellular and intercellular types. Intracellular cysts were positive for the periodic-acid Schiff reaction, while the intercellular type was not. With immunohistochemical staining for keratin, the edges of the intercellular cysts were moderately stained, whereas the cytoplasm of epithelial cells was weakly positive. Heterophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes were included in most of the intercellular cysts. Ultrastructurally, there were two types of epithelial cells which contained intracellular cysts densely packed with microvilli. They differed with regard to the shape of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and bundles of keratin filaments, and in the presence of large vacuoles. The walls of the intercellular cysts were composed of a single type of epithelial cell with a pale nucleus and bundles of keratin filaments. Small vesicles measuring 150 to 200 nm in diameter were numerous in the apical cytoplasm beneath the microvilli. In intercellular cysts, there were abundant heterophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes and macrophages which mostly appeared to be living cells. This evidence suggests that the intercellular cysts might provide a specific microenvironment for leukocytes in the pigeon thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Atoji
- Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Japan
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al-Afaleq AI, Homeida AM. Effects of low doses of oestradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone on the immune response of broiler chicks. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 1998; 20:315-27. [PMID: 9653675 DOI: 10.3109/08923979809038547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Administration of either 1 microgram kg-1 BW oestradiol 17 beta (E2), 0.1 mg kg-1 BW testosterone (T) or 0.2 mg kg-1 BW dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in feed to broiler chicks for 50 days caused increased serum concentration of the hormones compared to the control birds that were given no drugs. E2 and T but not DHT resulted in a significant decrease of the total number of leukocytes, lymphocytes and the weight of bursa of Fabricious. The hormones significantly reduced the macrophage phagocytic activity compared to controls. It is suggested that prolonged administration of low doses of E2 and T but not DHT to chicken may induce immunosuppressant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- A I al-Afaleq
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
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38
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Atoji Y, Yamamoto Y, Komatsu T, Suzuki Y. Localization of neuropeptides in endocrine cells of the chicken thymus. J Vet Med Sci 1997; 59:601-3. [PMID: 9271458 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.59.601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between endocrine cells and epithelial cells, mediated by neurotensin, have been proposed in the chicken thymus. In this study, other neuropeptide candidates acting as mediators in the chicken thymus were examined immunohistochemically. Endocrine cells being oval, elongated or triangular in shape were immunoreactive with antibodies against methionine-enkephalin, neuropeptide Y, substance P, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. These findings suggest that 4 neuropeptides may be involved in cell-to-cell interactions in the chicken thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Atoji
- Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Japan
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Wingfield JC, Jacobs J, Hillgarth N. Ecological constraints and the evolution of hormone-behavior interrelationships. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1997; 807:22-41. [PMID: 9071342 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb51911.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Vertebrates show a diverse array of social behaviors. Equally complex are the mechanisms by which these behavioral patterns are regulated by hormones and the effects of behavioral interactions on hormone secretion. Nonetheless, comparative field and laboratory experiments indicate that general underlying themes, including mechanisms, may exist. For example, comparative studies in birds reveal that testosterone activates a type of aggression, territorial behavior, in those species that are territorial only during the breeding season. Territoriality at other times appears to be independent of sex steroid control, although qualitatively and quantitatively the behavior appears identical. Similarly, formation of pair bonds appears to be complex. In some populations such bonds are sexual, whereas in others they appear to be alliances possibly for joint defense of a territory. In cooperative groups of birds, pair bonds and alliances may exist simultaneously. Testosterone appears to be important for activation of the courtship behavior that leads to formations to sexual pair bonds. However, many investigations indicate that pair bonds in nonsexual contexts are not regulated by testosterone. Hormonal mechanisms underlying the establishment of alliances (if any) remain unknown. Clearly, these complex behavioral patterns due to seasonal changes and variation in context pose important questions for control mechanisms. One obvious question is, why this diversity in control mechanisms? It appears that there are evolutionary "costs" to high circulating levels of testosterone. They can be energetic costs or may involve increased predation risk or reduced survival after wounding. In males that express parental behavior, high circulating testosterone levels interfere with parental care, resulting in reduced reproductive success. Thus, regulation of testosterone secretion must balance the need to compete with other males as well as provide parental care. High circulating levels of testosterone for prolonged periods are also known to suppress the immune system. This latter effect may have profound implications for the development of androgen-dependent secondary sex characteristics that have evolved through sexual selection. There are several ways to avoid potential "costs" of hormone secretion at inappropriate times. A hormone may be metabolized at its target cell to another form that then binds to a different receptor (e.g., aromatization of testosterone to estradiol). Also receptors may be downregulated in tissues that would otherwise respond inappropriately in a specific life history state. On the other hand, multiple hormone mechanisms may have evolved to activate behavioral traits at the right time and in the correct context. When a behavioral trait is expressed throughout the life cycle, hormones may potentially deactivate behavior for short periods. With detailed investigations of organisms in their natural environment we can determine the potential ecological costs underlying hormone-behavior interactions that, in turn, shed light on their evolution. These data also indicate a number of problems for hormonal control mechanisms, but also indicate trends, alternatives, and hopefully in the future a more complete understanding of common mechanisms underlying behavioral endocrinology at the cell and molecular level. Only then will we be able to predict when and where specific mechanisms of hormone-behavior interactions operate and how they evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Wingfield
- Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA
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Abstract
The need for effective immune function for the maintenance of health has been clearly established in both agriculturally significant animal species and humans. Intensive agricultural practices present production species with numerous disease challenges during the rearing period. Environmental factors represent a ubiquitous, yet frequently manageable, category of immunomodulators that can influence immune performance and ultimately disease susceptibility or resistance. However, strategies for assessing overall immune potential have not been widely implemented for agricultural species. This is in contrast to the use of immune evaluation for human health considerations. Immune assessment relative to environmental-immune interactions can produce benefits in two areas. First, the efficiency of the production operation can be enhanced. Second, the welfare of the animals during the production cycle can be optimized. This paper presents an overview of environmental factors known to influence the immune function of poultry and the opportunities to manage environmental factors to benefit the health of the animals. In addition, the paper discusses the status of immunological assessment for humans and laboratory animals and proposes potential immune assessment panels that could serve as a tool to optimize the environmental management of poultry populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Dietert
- Institute for Comparative and Environmental Toxicology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
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