Expression of Chicken NK-Lysin and Its Role in Chicken Coccidiosis Induced by Eimeria necatrix
10.3347/kjp.2021.59.5.439
- Author:
Woo Hyun KIM
1
;
Wongi MIN
;
Kwang Il PARK
;
Hyun S. LILLEHOJ
;
Cherry P. FERNANDEZ-COLORADO
;
Rochelle A. FLORES
;
Paula Leona T. CAMMAYO
;
Binh Thanh NGUYEN
Author Information
1. College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Animal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2021;59(5):439-445
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Coccidiosis in chickens is an intestinal parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites named Eimeria spp. In some Eimeria infections, intestinal lymphocytes are known to highly express chicken NK-lysin (cNK-lysin), an antimicrobial peptide with anticoccidial activity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the expression of cNK-lysin in E. necatrix-infected chickens and its role in E. necatrix infection. The expression of cNK-lysin transcript was significantly increased in E. necatrix sporozoites-treated lymphocytes. In E. necatrix infection, cNK-lysin transcript was induced in intestinal lymphocytes but not in the spleen. The recombinant cNK-lysin exhibited anticoccidial activity against E. necatrix sporozoites as well as immunomodulatory activity on macrophages by inducing proinflammatory cytokines. These results indicated that E. necatrix infection induces high local expression of cNK-lysin and the secreted cNK-lysin helps protect coccidiosis.
