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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #133029

Title: EFFECTS OF OVOTRANSFERRIN ON CHICKEN MACROPHAGES AND HETEROPHIL-GRANULOCYTES.

Author
item Rath, Narayan
item XIE, HANG - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Huff, Geraldine
item Huff, William
item Balog, Janice

Submitted to: Developmental and Comparative Immunology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/19/2002
Publication Date: 12/31/2002
Citation: RATH, N.C., XIE, H., HUFF, G.R., HUFF, W.E., BALOG, J.M. EFFECTS OF OVOTRANSFERRIN ON CHICKEN MACROPHAGES AND HETEROPHIL-GRANULOCYTES. . DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY. 2002. VOL. 26 (9): 805-815.

Interpretive Summary: Ovotransferrin is a protein in the blood of chickens the concentration of which is elevated during infection. We wanted to determine whether the rise in the level of this blood protein may be associated with defense mechanisms in the bird. We cultured two types of cells, macrophage and heterophil, which fight bacteria and help in immune response, and added ovotransferrin to these cultures. We followed the changes in these cells and their secretions as the indicators of the activation of these cells. Our results show that ovotransferrin activates both these cells. We conclude that during infection, the increased level of ovotransferrin in blood may enhance the defense mechanisms of chickens.

Technical Abstract: Ovotransferrin is an acute phase protein in chicken, the serum level of which increases in inflammation and infections. To understand the significance of OTF in inflammation, we studied its in vitro effects on HD11, a macrophage cell line, and heterophils isolated from blood using a panel of variables indicative of cellular activation. These included the production of interleukin-6, nitrite, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), oxidation of dichlorofluorescein diacetate for respiratory burst, and the degranulation of heterophils by the loss of fluorescein isothiocyanate positive cytoplasmic granules. The results show that ovotransferrin stimulates the production of interleukin-6, nitrite, and MMP by HD11 cells, augments phorbol ester-induced respiratory burst. Ovotransferrin stimulated the heterophils to produce interleukin-6, and MMP, but failed to produce nitrite, enhanced respiratory burst activity, and degranulation. These results suggest that ovotransferrin can modulate macrophage and heterophil functions in chickens.