Dexamethasone Regulates Macrophage and Cd4+Cd25+ Cell Numbers in the Chicken Spleen

Author(s)

AS Calefi ^[1] ; WM Quinteiro-Filho ^[2] ; AR Fukushima ^[3] ; DSG da Cruz ^[4] ; A de Siqueira ^[5] ; FA Salvagni ^[6] ; LB Namazu ^[7] ; COMS Gomes ^[8] ; AJP Ferreira ^[9] ; J Palermo Neto ^[10]

Affiliation

^[1] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[2] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[3] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[4] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[5] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[6] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[7] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[8] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[9] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

^[10] University of São Paulo. School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science; v. 18, n. 1, p. 93-100, 2016-03-00.

Abstract

Abstract Dexamethasone (DEX) is a corticoid hormone that is experimentally used to mimic the effects of increased levels of endogenous corticosterone observed during the stress response. Currently, stress is considered one of the major predisposing factors for diseases in the poultry industry. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of DEX and/or of a 20-fold coccidial vaccine dose on leukocyte phenotypes in the spleen and cecal tonsils of chickens. Twenty specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Leghorn chickens were divided into four groups: a non-treated group (NT), a DEX-treated group (Dex), a vaccinated group (V) and a DEX-treated+vaccinated group (Dex+V). On experimental day (ED) 42, each bird in the vaccinated groups received a anti-coccidial vaccine. DEX was injected in the birds of the Dex and Dex+V groups (0.9 mg/kg) onED42 and ED45. The immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry analysis of splenocytes and cecal tonsils cells onED48. DEX treatment per se was unable to change CD4+CD8+, CD4+CD8+ and CD4-CD8+ populations with TCRgd or CD28 in the spleen, or macrophages and T lymphocytes in the cecal tonsils. V group birds presented higher numbers of splenic macrophages compared with those measured in the Dex+V group. The number of CD4+CD25+ cells in the spleen of birds of the V group was higher than those measured in the other experimental groups. Our data suggest that CD4+CD25+ cells and macrophages might be influenced by DEX treatment in spleen, but not in the cecal tonsils of chickens inoculated with Eimeria. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/17408-2 - Effects of heat stress on immunity of broilers in an experimental model of avian necrotic enteritis
• Grantee: Atilio Sersun Calefi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/03103-2 - Evaluation of heat stress on the development of necrotic enteritis due to Clostridium perfringens in broilers
• Grantee: Atilio Sersun Calefi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 09/51886-3 - Neuroimmunomodulation: drugs, stress and cytokines on nervous, endocrine and immune systems relationships
• Grantee: João Palermo Neto
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants