title: Comparison of phytohemagglutinin-induced cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in the interdigital skin of broiler and layer chicks.
abstract: Cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) responses elicited by intradermal injection of phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) were evaluated in the interdigital skin of broiler and layer chicks. Five- and 10-day-old broiler and layer chicks were injected intradermally in the interdigital skin between the third and fourth digits of the right foot with 25, 50, or 100 micrograms of PHA-P. The PHA-P-elicited CBH responses were evaluated by determining interdigital skin thickness before injection and 12 and 24 hr after injection. The effect of treatment with the T-lymphocyte-suppressing drug cyclosporin on the CBH responses was determined in chicks treated daily for 4 days before skin-testing at 10 days of age. Injection of PHA-P caused significant increases (P less than 0.005) in skin thickness at all dose amounts, with the maximum CBH response elicited by 100 micrograms PHA-P. The CBH response was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in broilers than in layers. Treatment with cyclosporin significantly suppressed (P less than 0.01) the CBH response in 10-day-old chicks of both types. Results indicate that the interdigital skin-test is a rapid, simple means of assessing normal and suppressed T-lymphocyte-mediated immune response in broiler and layer chicks.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Toxicology and Entomology Research Laboratory, College Station, Texas 77840.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Corrier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D003524:Cyclosporins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C028784:phytohemagglutinin-P