Heterophil functional responses to dietary immunomodulators vary in genetically distinct chicken lines.

The effect of dietary supplementation of immunomodulators on in vitro chicken heterophil function was investigated using three diverse genetic lines of chickens (broiler, Fayoumi, and Leghorn). Dietary supplementation with β-glucan, ascorbic acid, and corticosterone was fed from 8 to 11 weeks of age. Heterophil function was evaluated weekly during supplementation using phagocytosis, bacterial killing, and heterophil extracellular traps (HETs)-DNA release.

Genetic control of chicken heterophil function in advanced intercross lines: associations with novel and with known Salmonella resistance loci and a likely mechanism for cell death in extracellular trap production.

Heterophils, the avian polymorphonuclear leukocyte and the counterpart of mammalian neutrophils, generate the primary innate response to pathogens in chickens. Heterophil performance against pathogens is associated with host disease resistance, and heterophil gene expression and function are under genetic control. To characterize the genomic basis of heterophil function, heterophils from F(13) advanced intercross chicken lines (broiler × Leghorn and broiler × Fayoumi) were assayed for phagocytosis and killing of Salmonella enteritidis, oxidative burst, and extracellular trap production.

Proportion of circulating chicken heterophils and CXCLi2 expression in response to Salmonella enteritidis are affected by genetic line and immune modulating diet.

Genetic line and diet affect chicken heterophil activity and gene expression, and the combination of these factors can enhance disease resistance. This study evaluated the effects of immune modulating diets on heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and heterophil chemokine expression in distinct genetic lines. Fayoumi and Leghorn chickens were fed a basal diet or immune modulating diets enhanced with β-glucans, ascorbic acid, or corticosterone.

Chicken heterophils from commercially selected and non-selected genetic lines express cytokines differently after in vitro exposure to Salmonella enteritidis.

Resistance to pathogens such as Salmonella enteritidis (SE) is a heritable trait important in maintaining the health of chickens and reducing bacterial contamination of poultry products. In chickens, heterophils act as the first responders to bacterial infections and are, therefore, responsible for initiating the immune response against SE challenge. This study measured mRNA expression of several immune response genes [interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, transforming growth factor-beta4 (TGF-beta4), granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4)] by heterophils from broiler, Leghorn, and Fayoumi chickens, either non-stimulated or stimulated in vitro with SE using quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR.

Chicken heterophil extracellular traps (HETs): novel defense mechanism of chicken heterophils.

Recent findings in mammals and fish have revealed that neutrophil nuclear material associated with cytoplasmic granular content is released in the form of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that can trap and kill invading microorganisms in vitro and in vivo. To determine if a similar mechanism is present in chicken heterophils, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were used for stimulation of blood-derived heterophils. Stimulated heterophils produced structures that were characterized using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy as heterophil extracellular traps (HETs).