Analysis of chicken intestinal natural killer cells, a major IEL subset during embryonic and early life
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Date
Authors
Meijerink, Nathalie
Van Haarlem, Daphne A.
Velkers, Francisca C.
Stegeman, Arjan J.
Rutten, Victor P.M.G.
Jansen, Christine A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Restrictions on antimicrobials demand alternative strategies to improve broiler health, such as supplying feed additives which stimulate innate immune cells like natural killer (NK) cells. The main objective of this study was to characterize intestinal NK cells in broiler chickens during embryonic and early life and compare these to NK cells in spleen, blood and bone marrow. Also T-cell subsets were determined. The majority of intestinal NK cells expressed IL-2Rα rather than 20E5 and 5C7, and showed low level of activation. Within intestinal NK cells the activation marker CD107 was mostly expressed on IL-2Rα+ cells while in spleen and blood 20E5+ NK cells primarily expressed CD107. High percentages of intestinal CD8αα+, CD8αβ+ and from 2 weeks onward also gamma delta T cells were found.
Taken together, we observed several intestinal NK subsets in broiler chickens. Differences in NK subsets were mostly observed between organs, rather than differences over time. Targeting these intestinal NK subsets may be a strategy to improve immune-mediated resistance in broiler chickens.
Description
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL : Table S1. Characterization of immune cells generated in broiler chickens in the present study compared
to data known in layer chickens.
Keywords
Broiler chickens, Innate immunity, Natural killer cells, Intraepithelial lymphocytes, Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL)
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Meijerink, N., Van Haarlem, D.A., Velkers, F.C. et al. 2021, 'Analysis of chicken intestinal natural killer cells, a major IEL subset during embryonic and early life', Developmental & Comparative Immunology, vol. 114, art. 103857, pp. 1-11.