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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154361
Title: PURIFIED B-GLUCAN AS AN ABIOTIC FEED ADDITIVE UP-REGULATES HETEROPHIL FUNCTION IN IMMATURE CHICKENS

Author
item LOWRY, VIRGINIA - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item FARNELL, MORGAN - INSTITUTE ANIMAL HEALTH
item FERRO, PAMELA - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item BAHL, ARUM - IMMUDYNE, INC
item Kogut, Michael - Mike

Submitted to: ARS Immunology Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/3/2003
Publication Date: 12/3/2003
Citation: LOWRY, V.K., FARNELL, M.B., FERRO, P.J., BAHL, A., KOGUT, M.H. PURIFIED B-GLUCAN AS AN ABIOTIC FEED ADDITIVE UP-REGULATES HETEROPHIL FUNCTION IN IMMATURE CHICKENS. ARS IMMUNOLOGY WORKSHOP. 2003. ABSTRACT P. 51.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Functionally, the innate immune system of immature chickens is inefficient during the first week post-hatch. Pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis (SE), are able to invade various tissues due to this immunological inefficiency of the immature chicken. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of purified beta-glucan as an immunomodulator of the innate immune response, specifically the heterophil. The functional efficiency of heterophils isolated from immature chickens fed a beta-glucan ration was significantly (P<0.05) up-regulated when compared to heterophils isolated from chickens fed a control ration as determined with an array of functional assays. Phagocytosis, bactericidal killing and oxidative burst were significantly increased in heterophils isolated from chickens fed the purified beta-glucan ration (P<0.05). To our knowledge this is the first report of a purified beta-glucan feed additive significantly up-regulating the functional abilities of heterophils isolated from immature chickens against an invading pathogen, SE.