title: The effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone and heat stress on the distribution of lymphocyte populations in immature male chickens.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of heat stress and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on the distribution of lymphocyte populations. Two experiments were conducted; each used 12-wk-old Cornell K-strain male chickens. In Experiment 1, birds were exposed to a temperature of 35 C, 6 h/d for 5 d and control birds were maintained at 24 C. In Experiment 2, birds received daily i.m. injections of 50 IU/kg body weight of ACTH for 5 d and control birds received .9% saline. On Day 6, blood and spleens were collected and lymphocytes were isolated. Indirect immunofluorescent labeling of lymphocytes were performed to detect B lymphocytes, CD4+ cells, and CD8+ cells. Neither ACTH injection nor heat stress affected percentages of B lymphocytes in the blood or the spleen. The CD4+ cells decreased significantly in the blood of ACTH-injected and heat-stressed birds and significantly increased in the spleens of heat-stressed birds. The CD4+ cells in the spleens of ACTH-injected birds did not differ from controls. The CD8+ cells significantly declined in the blood following both ACTH injection and heat stress and significantly increased in the spleen of the ACTH-injected birds but did not differ from controls in the heat-stressed birds. These results indicate that stress factors lead to redistribution of different lymphocyte populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trout
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mashaly
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone