Open AccessCampylobacter colonization of the chicken induces a proinflammatory response in mucosal tissues
Author(s) -
Smith Christopher K.,
AbuOun Manal,
Cawthraw Shaun A.,
Humphrey Tom J.,
Rothwell Lisa,
Kaiser Pete,
Barrow Paul A.,
Jones Michael A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2008.00458.x
Subject(s) - proinflammatory cytokine , campylobacter jejuni , biology , chemokine , microbiology and biotechnology , colonization , campylobacter , immunology , enteritis , macrophage , cytokine , inflammation , context (archaeology) , in vitro , bacteria , paleontology , biochemistry , genetics
Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of human inflammatory enteritis, but colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of poultry to a high level in a commensal manner. In vitro, C. jejuni induces the production of cytokines from both human and avian‐model epithelial cell and macrophage infections. This suggests that, in vivo, Campylobacter could induce proinflammatory signals in both hosts. We investigated whether a proinflammatory cytokine response can be measured in both day‐of‐hatch and 2‐week‐old Light Sussex chickens during infection with C. jejuni . A significant induction of proinflammatory chemokine transcript was observed in birds of both ages, compared with levels in mock‐infected controls. This correlated with an influx of heterophils but was not associated with any pathology. These results suggest that in poultry there may be a controlled inflammatory process during colonization.