Immune responses of chickens fed the androgen analog mibolerone.
Mibolerone, an androgen analog (17 beta-hydroxy-7-alpha, 17-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one), induces a slow but progressive involution of the bursa of Fabricius when fed to chickens at microng levels during the first 7 weeks of life. Chickens receiving mibolerone remained immunologically competent, evidenced by: 1) their antibody response to nonreplicating antigens and infectious antigens; 2) the number of antibody-producing cells in their spleens; 3) the stimulation of their peripheral leukocytes with the plant mitogen phytohemagglutinin; and 4) their capacity to resist challenge with Marek's disease virus and Newcastle disease virus after vaccinations with turkey herpes-virus and the B-1 LaSota strain. This, coupled with the fact that it prevents experimental lymphoid leukosis, makes mibolerone a potential agent to be used under field conditions for the control of lymphoid leukosis.
D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D004963:Estrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D009521:Newcastle Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004963:Estrenes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M