Cytokine gene expression in splenic CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets of genetically resistant and susceptible chickens infected with Marek's disease virus

P. Parvizi, L. R. Read, M. F. Abdul-Careem, A. J. Sarson, C. Lusty, M. Lambourne, N. Thanthrige-Don, S. C. Burgess, S. Sharif

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

T cells from the spleens of B19/B19 and B21/B21 chickens infected with MDV JM-16 strain were fractionated by flow cytometry at 4, 10, 21 days post infection (d.p.i.). The expression of cytokine and viral genes (meq and glycoprotein B (gB)) was measured by real-time RT-PCR. It was determined that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells had both become infected with Marek's disease virus (MDV) in both chicken lines. There was significantly higher expression of meq in CD4+ T cells compared to CD8+ T cells at 10 and 21 d.p.i. Furthermore, at 10 and 21 d.p.i., there was a tendency for higher expression of meq in both T cell subsets of B19 chickens compared to those of B21 chickens. There were temporal changes in the expression of cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-18, IL-6, and IL-10, in various T cell subsets. Among these changes, there was an increase in IL-10 expression in both T cell subsets at different time points, especially in the susceptible line at 10 and 21 d.p.i. Our results indicate that cytokines could be differentially induced by MDV in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets and that IL-10 may play a role in the modulation of immune response to MDV. However, an association between cytokine gene expression in T cell subsets and resistance or susceptibility to MD was not established.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)209-217
Number of pages9
JournalVeterinary Immunology and Immunopathology
Volume132
Issue number2-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 15 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CD4 T cell
  • CD8 T cell
  • Chicken
  • Cytokine
  • Disease resistance
  • Immunology
  • Marek's disease
  • Real-time qRT-PCR

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology
  • General Veterinary

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