Distribution of TLR4 and MHC class II molecules of the spleen in broiler chicks treated with and without LPS in the first 2 weeks of the post-hatch period

ABSTRACT

1. The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules of the spleen in chicks treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during the first 2 weeks of their life.

2. A total of 225 Ross-308 commercial broiler chicks were used. Within the 2-week experimental period, chicks were divided into 5 main groups according to the days of decapitation which were 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 d after hatch. Each main group had 45 chicks. The main groups were further divided into three subgroups (15 chicks each), which included control chicks (no injection), and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and LPS-injected chicks. Spleen samples were collected 1-, 3-, 6-, 12- and 24-h after the PBS or LPS administrations. Tissue sections were stained using streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase complex staining method.

3. From 1 d of age, TLR4 positivity was found in the spleen in diffuse granular form. The cells showing intense TLR4 positivity were observed in periellipsoidal lymphoid tissue in 4-d-old chicks. The same cells were determined in the germinal centre of the spleen in 7-d-old chicks. LPS stimulation led to an increase in the intensity of TLR4 positivity in 14-d-old chicks.

4. From 1 d of age, MHC class II positivity was found in both white pulp and red pulp. This was higher in 14-d-old chicks injected with LPS than in the controls and the chicks injected with PBS.

5. The findings indicate that, from 1 d of age in chicks, the spleen has both non-specific defence elements and the molecules having the information to induce adaptive immunity. In addition, at the end of the 2-week experimental period, it was determined that the spleen had the capacity to recognise antigens.

KEYWORDS:

• Broiler chick
• MHC class II molecule
• post-hatch
• spleen development
• TLR4

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Scientific Research Project Fund of Adnan Menderes University under the project number VTF-14020.