PROVENTRICULITIS IN BROILER CHICKENS: IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LMPHOCYTES INFILTRATING THE PROVENTRICULAR GLANDS

Authors: Pantin Jackwood, Mary; BROWN, T - UNIV OF GA - ATHENS, GA; Huff, Geraldine

Submitted to: Veterinary Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/13/2004
Publication Date: 11/15/2004
Citation: Pantin Jackwood, M.J., Brown, T.P., Huff, G.R. Proventriculitis in the Broiler Chickens: Characterization of the Lmphocytic Infiltration in the Proventricular Glands. Veterinary Pathology 41:641-648, 2004

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Broiler chickens with transmissible proventriculitis have severe lymphocytic infiltration in the proventricular glands and the mucosa. The distribution of T cells (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+) and B cells in the proventriculus of affected chicken was studied immunohistochemically and histopathologically. One-day-old commercial boilers were orally gavaged with a proventricular homogenate produced from broilers with proventriculitis to reproduce this disease. Resulting proventricular lesions were studied at 7, 14 and 21 days post-inoculation (dpi). Lymphocytic infiltrates in the proventricular glands and the lamina propria of the mucosa were observed at all time points, and were most prominent at 14 days post-inoculation with well-developed lymphoid aggregates present. Both T and B Lymphocytes were present during acute and chronic proventriculitis, but their distribution varied within the glands. Lymphocytic infiltrates in both the proventricular glands and in the lamina propria were mainly T cells (CD3+), and were predominantly CD8+ T lymphocytes. CD4+ T cells and B cells tended to form aggregates as the proventriculitis became chronic. These findings show that both cell mediated and humoral immune responses are induced during transmissible proventriculitis, and that the cell mediated immune response is morphologically greater.