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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413909
Research Project: Multi-hurdle Approaches for Controlling Foodborne Pathogens in Poultry

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Salmonella impacts the intestinal neuroimmune barrier by modulating aquaporin 4 expression in the chicken enteric nervous system

Author
item Caputi, Valentina
item Donoghue, Ann
item Arsi, Komala
item Bacon, Tyler
item Lyte, Joshua
item Jesudhasan, Palmy

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2024
Publication Date: 7/15/2024
Citation: Caputi, V., Donoghue, A.M., Arsi, K., Bacon, T.F., Lyte, J.M., Jesudhasan, P. 2024. Salmonella impacts the intestinal neuroimmune barrier by modulating aquaporin 4 expression in the chicken enteric nervous system. Abstract. PSA Annual Meeting. Louisville, Kentucky, July 15-18, 2024.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Objective: The enteric nervous system (ENS) is actively involved in protection against intestinal infection. Studies in rodents have shown that in the presence of Salmonella, enteric neurons activate local immune responses that include the modulation of cellular water channels that regulate the passage of water and microorganisms through the intestinal epithelium. In chickens, little is known about the role of enteric neurons in conferring protection against Salmonella, thus this research represents a novel approach for reducing foodborne pathogens in poultry by investigating the mechanisms of defense mediated by the intestinal neuroimmune barrier. The present study demonstrates the effect of Salmonella infection on water channels protein expression in the ENS of broiler chickens. Experimental design: Chicks were placed in floor pens, kept under age-appropriate conditions, and randomly divided into: negative control (NC) group or Salmonella Infantis (SI) group. At 7 and 8 days of age, chicks were gavaged with 0.25 mL of phosphate buffered saline or ~1×108 CFU/mL SI, respectively. Birds were euthanized at 14 or 21 days of age. Ceca tissues were collected from 5 birds/group and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for immunohistochemical analyses. Methods: The expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4; a marker for enteric water channels), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; a marker for enteric glia), and HuC/D (a marker for enteric neurons) was determined by mmunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy in ceca frozen sections. The expression and distribution of AQP4 and GFAP were assessed in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the cecum from all birds. Statement of statistical analyses: Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak's multiple comparison test. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: AQP4 expression was higher (P<0.05) in the submucosal plexus of 14-d old birds compared to that of the 21-d old birds. A reduction (P<0.05) in AQP4 immunoreactivity was observed within the submucosal ganglia of 14-day old SI birds compared to their respective NC. In the ceca of 14 d-old SI birds, the density of GFAP+ processes was higher (P<0.05) compared to NC, however no changes in GFAP expression were observed in 21 d-old SI birds. SI challenge did not affect the expression of AQP4 or GFAP in the myenteric plexus at any age group. Conclusions: SI affects the expression of AQP4 and GFAP in the submucosal ganglia of broiler chicken ENS. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether such changes can be leveraged to design next generation strategies to prevent foodborne pathogen carriage in poultry.