Effect of induced molting on B cell and CT4 and CT8 T cell numbers in spleens and peripheral blood of White Leghorn hens.
Two trials were conducted to examine the possible effect of induced molting on splenic and peripheral blood T and B cells. Molting was achieved using shortened light exposure and a 14-day fast. Feed was removed on Day 0 and blood for analysis was removed on Days 3, 10, and 17 whereas spleens were removed on Days 4, 11, and 18. Fluorochrome-labeled anti-chicken CT4 and CT8 monoclonal antibodies were used to examine molting effects on chicken T cells and polyclonal anti-chicken immunoglobulin was used to detect chicken B cells. The labeled cell preparations were analyzed by flow cytometry. Molted hens had significantly decreased CT4+ peripheral blood T cells on Day 3 in both trials and on Day 10 in one trial. No effects on peripheral blood CT8+ T cells were observed. Splenic CT4+ T cells were decreased on Day 11 in one trial whereas splenic CT8+ T cells were significantly increased on Day 4 in two trials and on Day 11 in one trial. Peripheral blood and splenic B cells were largely unaffected in both trials. These results indicate that fasting to induce a molt does alter T lymphocyte subpopulations and these effects primarily occur early in the fasting procedure.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Athens, Georgia 30605.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005508:Food Deprivation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D017440:Photoperiod; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology*