Document Detail


Acute heat stress impairs performance parameters and induces mild intestinal enteritis in broiler chickens: role of acute HPA axis activation.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22228037     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Studies on the environmental consequences of stress are relevant for economic and animal welfare reasons. We recently reported that long-term heat stressors (31 ± 1ºC and 36 ± 1ºC/10 h per day) applied to broiler chickens from d 35 to 42 of life increased serum corticosterone concentrations, decreased performance parameters and the macrophage oxidative burst and produced mild, multifocal acute enteritis. Being cognizant of the relevance of acute heat stress on tropical and subtropical poultry production, we designed the current experiment to analyze, from a neuroimmune perspective, the effects of an acute heat stress (31 ± 1ºC for 10 h in the 35(th) day of life) on serum corticosterone, performance parameters, intestinal histology and peritoneal macrophage activity in chickens. We demonstrated that the acute heat stress increased serum corticosterone concentrations and mortality and decreased food intake, body weight gain and feed conversion (P < 0.05). We did not find changes in the relative weights of the spleen, thymus and bursa of Fabricius (P > 0.05). Increases in the basal and the S. aureus-induced macrophage oxidative bursts and a decrease in the percentage of macrophages performing phagocytosis were also observed. Finally, mild, multifocal acute enteritis, characterized by the increased presence of lymphocytes and plasmocytes within the jejunum's lamina propria, was also observed. We found that the stress-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation was responsible for the negative effects observed on chicken performance and immune function as well as for the changes in the intestinal mucosa. The data presented here corroborate with that presented in other studies in the field of neuroimmunomodulation and open new avenues for the improvement of broiler chicken welfare and production performance.
Authors:
W M Quinteiro-Filho; M V Rodrigues; A Ribeiro; V Ferraz-de-Paula; M L Pinheiro; L R M Sá; A J P Ferreira; J Palermo-Neto
Related Documents :
10867137 - Disruption of the ifn-gamma cytokine network in chronic lymphocytic leukemia contribute...
2113417 - Rat astrocytes express interferon-gamma immunoreactivity in normal optic nerve and afte...
22138187 - The function of secretory iga in the context of the intestinal continuum of adaptive im...
6408177 - Induction of ia and h-2 antigens on a macrophage cell line by immune interferon.
7495247 - Antioxidants and immune response in aged persons: overview of present evidence.
14971037 - The mitochondrial phase of the glucocorticoid-induced apoptotic response in thymocytes ...
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2012-1-6
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of animal science     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1525-3163     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2012 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2012-1-9     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8003002     Medline TA:  J Anim Sci     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  CELL BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Novel Technologies and Novel Insights.
Next Document:  Contributions to an Animal Trait Ontology.