Temporal Changes in Splenic Immune Cell Populations Following Infection with a Very Virulent Plus MDV in Commercial Meat-Type Chickens

Overview

Journal Viruses

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2024 Jul 27

PMID 39066253

Authors

Nagwa Khaled

Raveendra R Kulkarni

Tobias Kaser

Isabel M Gimeno

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Marek's disease virus (MDV) can cause severe immunosuppression in chickens. Our previous study showed that infection with very virulent plus (vv+) MDV strains of one-day-old commercial meat-type chickens possessing maternal antibodies against MDV resulted in severe depletion of splenocytes at 28-30 days of age. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of vv+MDV strain 686 on splenic immunophenotypes at 6, 20, and 30 days post-infection (dpi). Both live and dead cells were analyzed, and the data were statistically compared to the uninfected control. The results revealed a decrease in the total live cell population starting on day 20, primarily affecting B cells, CD8β+, and gamma delta (γδ) T cells, while the frequencies of both live and dead CD3+ and CD4+ T cells were increased. The MHC-I expression of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells was higher at 20 and 30 dpi, while the expression of MHC-II on these cells was downregulated at 6 dpi but was upregulated at 30 dpi. Collectively, these results suggest that maternal antibodies seem to delay the negative effects of vv+MDV on the splenic lymphoid populations, albeit being non-protective. Our results emphasize the importance of MD vaccination in vv+MDV endemic areas.

Citing Articles

Protection Conferred by Gallid Alphaherpesvirus 2 Vaccines Against Immunosuppression Induced by Very Virulent Plus (vv+) Marek's Disease Virus Strains in Commercial Meat Type Chickens.

Khaled N, Gaghan C, Fares A, Goodell C, Stanley W, Kulkarni R Pathogens. 2025; 14(1).

PMID: 39861015 PMC: 11769226. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14010054.

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