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We studied the effect of oregano supplemented diet on mucin dynamics in small intestine, peripheral blood leukocytes, and jejunal immunocompetent cells in ROSS 308 hybrid broilers infected with Eimeria acervulina chickens' oocyst. From the day of hatching chicks of groups 1 and 2 were fed a commercial diet without anticoccidial drug, the diet of group 3 was supplemented with oregano (0.707g·kg -1 ), and that of group 4 with anticoccidial drug (Robenidin hydrochloride -33 mg·kg -1 ). Chickens of groups 2, 3, and 4 were inoculated with E. acervulina oocysts (25.10 3 ) on day 12. The samples were collected on 3, 10, 17 days post infection (dpi). In blood on 3 dpi significant increase of leukocytes was found in group 3 compared to groups 1, 2, and 4, higher density of IgM+ cells in group 3 than group 2, and on 10 dpi phagocytic activity of group 3 was higher than group 1. Number of jejunal CD4+ and CD8+ cells in group 3 was consistent with values in group 4, despite higher density of E. acervulina meronts on 10 dpi. The quantity of jejunal mucin adherent layer of group 3 was similar to that in group 4. Counts of oocysts in faeces were lower in group 3 than group 2. Results suggest that dietary supplementation of oregano to chickens infected with E. acervulina has a modulating effect on some blood indicators and functions of phagocytes. The beneficial effect of oregano components on jejunal mucin quantity and its turnover is the first finding published in relation to oregano and coccidia.

The mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, LITAF, iNOS, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP1-ß), and K60 were examined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs). The PMBCs were isolated from the chicken blood and in vitro exposed to the probiotic strains E. faecium AL41, E. faecium H31, L. fermentum AD1, and infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE147). The PMBCs were evaluated for mRNA expression levels at 24 h and 48 h post infection (p.i.) using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The level of expression of IL-1ß and MIP1-ß was upregulated (P < 0. 001) in the EFAL41+SE (S. Enteritidis + E. faecium AL41) group 48 h p.i. compared to 24 h p.i. Similarly, expression of LITAF was upregulated (P < 0.001) in the EFAL41 + SE group compared to the control (C -no infected) and S. Enteritidis (SE) group 48 h p.i. In PMBCs treated with E. faecium H31 and S. Enteritidis expression of IL-1ß (P < 0.01) and chemokines K60 and MIP1-ß was upregulated (P < 0.001) in the EFH31 + SE group 24 h p.i. The iNOS showed upregulated expression (P < 0.001) in the EFAL41 + SE group compared to the control 24 h p.i. and to the C and SE groups 48 h p.i. The results showed that E. faecium AL41 demonstrated the highest immunostimulatory effect on expression of selected cytokines by chicken PMBCs after Salmonella infection. It is supposed that the differences in cytokine induction within SE groups are related to lymphocytes isolated from different animals. mRNA, RT-PCR, immune system, Enterococcus faecium, in vitro

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ABSTRACT:In this study we investigated the basal expression of chicken IFNγ, IL-18, IL-1β, LITAF, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, iNOS, IL-17, IL-15, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-22 in the ileum, caecum, colon, liver, spleen, lungs, blood and magnum of hens using real time PCR. We show that IL-18, LITAF and IL-15 were highly expressed in most tissues while IL-6 and IL-17 were usually expressed at a low level. IL-17 and IL-22 were expressed mainly in the lungs and intestinal tract and both subunits of IL-12 were produced in the liver. Unusually high expression of iNOS was observed in the blood which may explain the rapid increase in iNOS at inflamed sites in chickens. The second unexpected expression profile was that of IL-18 and IL-6 in magnum. These two cytokines were highly expressed in magnum in the absence of any infection pointing to an important, though as yet uncharacterised, physiological role in the reproductive tract of hens.