Immunological responses of male White Leghorn chicks kept on ochratoxin A (OTA)-contaminated feed

Figures & data

Table 1.  Mortality rates (percentages) among male white leghorn chicks provided OTA-contaminated feed for 3 weeks.

Group (mg OTA/Kg diet)	Mortalites (number of birds (percentage))
	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
A (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
B (0.1)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
C (0.5)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
D (1.0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (3.33)
E (1.5)	0 (0)	1 (1.42)	3 (5.00)

Table 2.  Relative organs weights (% of body weight) of male white leghorn chicks maintained on OTA-contaminated feed.

Group (mg OTA/Kg)	A (0)	B (0.1)	C (0.5)	D (1.0)	E (1.5)
At 14 days-of-age
Bursa of Fabricius	0.290 ± 0.009^a	0.230 ± 0.012^b	0.180 ± 0.009^c	0.150 ± 0.009^c	0.150 ± 0.006^c
Thymus	0.460 ± 0.044^a	0.440 ± 0.316^a	0.390 ± 0.022^ab	0.350 ± 0.016^ab	0.230 ± 0.028^b
Spleen	0.170 ± 0.018	0.160 ± 0.006	0.140 ± 0.006	0.130 ± 0.005	0.100 ± 0.009
At 21 days-of-age
Bursa of Fabricius	0.340 ± 0.006^a	0.209 ± 0.003^b	0.180 ± 0.005^d	0.210 ± 0.006^c	0.170 ± 0.006^e
Thymus	0.270 ± 0.018	0.290 ± 0.047	0.290 ± 0.015	0.270 ± 0.028	0.360 ± 0.022
Spleen	0.150 ± 0.002^a	0.140 ± 0.003^b	0.110 ± 0.006^c	0.090 ± 0.003^d	0.100 ± 0.006^d

In rows, values followed by different letters are significantly different from each other at p ≤ 0.05.

Values shown are mean ± SE; n = 10/group.

Figure 1.  Phagocytic Index (K) of the reticuloendothelial system of the chicks kept on OTA-contaminated feed. (a) Control, (b) 0.1 mg OTA/Kg diet, (c) 0.5 mg OTA/Kg diet, (d) 1.0 mg OTA/Kg diet, and (e) 1.5 mg OTA/Kg diet. Value significantly different from control at * p < 0.05 or ** p < 0.01.

Table 3.  Macrophage functional assays using cells from chicks provided OTA-contaminated feed for 3 weeks.

Group (mg OTA/Kg diet)	% phagocytic cells	# SRBC/macrophage	Nitrite production (µM)
A (0)	27.050 ± 0.669^a	2.550 ± 0.026^a	23.890 ± 0.499^a
B (0.1)	23.690 ± 0.803^a	2.240 ± 0.008^b	19.920 ± 0.341^b
C (0.5)	16.980 ± 0.398^b	2.180 ± 0.005^b	15.870 ± 0.349^c
D (1.0)	16.830 ± 0.393^b	1.880 ± 0.025^c	12.530 ± 0.243^d
E (1.5)	15.890 ± 0.506^b	1.500 ± 0.018^d	11.940 ± 0.256^d

In columns, values followed by different letters are significantly different from each other at p ≤ 0.05.

Values shown are mean ± SE; n = 15/group.

Table 4.  Lymphoproliferative response against PHA-P in male white leghorn chicks provided OTA-contaminated feed for 3 weeks.

Group (mg OTA/Kg diet)	PHA-P skin thickness response (mm)
	After 24 h	After 48 h
A (0)	0.410 ± 0.005^a	0.240 ± 0.003^a
B (0.1)	0.330 ± 0.003^b	0.220 ± 0.006^b
C (0.5)	0.310 ± 0.006^c	0.200 ± 0.005^c
D (1.0)	0.290 ± 0.003^d	0.190 ± 0.002^d
E (1.5)	0.260 ± 0.006^e	0.170 ± 0.006^e

In columns, values followed by different letters are significantly different from each other at p ≤ 0.05.

Values shown are mean ± SE; n = 10/group.

Table 5.  Anti-SRBC antibody titers in chicks provided OTA-contaminated feed for 3 weeks.

Group (mg OTA/Kg diet)	Total Abs	IgG	IgM	Total Abs	IgG	IgM
	At day 7 post-primary injection			At day 14 post-primary injection
A (0)	3.000 ± 0.005	1.200 ± 0.142	1.800 ± 0.140	3.400 ± 0.174	1.600 ± 0.174^a	1.800 ± 0.140
B (0.1)	2.800 ± 0.266	1.600 ± 0.174	1.200 ± 0.348	2.800 ± 0.266	1.400 ± 0.170^ab	1.400 ± 0.424
C (0.5)	2.600 ± 0.282	1.800 ± 0.217	0.800 ± 0.266	2.400 ± 0.172	1.000 ± 0.142^b	1.400 ± 0.174
D (1.0)	2.400 ± 0.174	1.600 ± 0.174	0.800 ± 0.142	3.000 ± 0.225	1.000 ± 0.003^b	2.000 ± 0.224
E (1.5)	2.600 ± 0.170	1.600 ± 0.172	1.000 ± 0.225	2.800 ± 0.265	1.000 ± 0.004^b	1.800 ± 0.174
	At day 7 post-booster injection			At day 14 post-booster injection
A (0)	5.800 ± 0.266^a	5.000 ± 0.225^a	0.800 ± 0.142	4.200 ± 0.262^a	2.600 ± 0.174	1.600 ± 0.361
B (0.1)	4.200 ± 0.265^b	3.800 ± 0.348^ab	0.600 ± 0.411	3.600 ± 0.361^ab	2.400 ± 0.212	1.200 ± 0.142
C (0.5)	4.200 ± 0.259^b	3.400 ± 0.424^b	0.400 ± 0.174	2.800 ± 0.266^bc	1.600 ± 0.210	1.200 ± 0.139
D (1.0)	4.000 ± 0.220^b	3.400 ± 0.282^b	0.600 ± 0.170	3.000 ± 0.225^bc	2.000 ± 0.445	1.000 ± 0.316
E (1.5)	3.800 ± 0.256^b	2.600 ± 0.042^b	1.200 ± 0.266	2.400 ± 0.172^c	1.800 ± 0.348	0.600 ± 0.177

In columns, values followed by different letters are significantly different from each other at p ≤ 0.05.

Values shown are mean ± SE; n = 10/group.