title: The influence of beta-glucan on immune responses in broiler chicks.
abstract: Beta-1,3/1,6-glucan (beta-glucan) was tested as a possible immunomodulator. Chicken macrophages from a macrophage cell line MQ-NCSU and from abdominal exudate of broiler chickens were exposed to various concentrations of beta-glucan in vitro. In addition, day-old broiler chicks were fed a diet containing 0, 20, and 40 mg/kg beta-glucan in the starter and 0, 20, and 20 mg/kg in the grower diet. Several baseline immune parameters were examined following such exposures. The results showed that beta-glucan exposure increased nitrite and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production as well as induced macrophage to proliferate in culture. However, IL-6 production was not affected. Dietary beta-glucan supplementation increased the macrophage phagocytic activity, anti-sheep red blood cells antibody response post-boost, as well as the PHAP-mediated lymphoproliferative response measured as a toe-web swelling. The percentage of CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+ double positive lymphocytes in the intestinal intraepithelial leukocytes was increased in beta-glucan supplemented chicks. Furthermore, the primary and secondary lymphoid organs such as bursa of Fabricius, thymus and spleen were larger in beta-glucan-supplemented chicks as compared to the chicks on basal diet. The findings of these studies which showed that beta-glucan improves several baseline immune responses in the chicken imply that beta-glucan can be used as a possible immunomodulator in food animals such as the chicken.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007375:Interleukin-1; D009573:Nitrites; D011509:Proteoglycans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C064197:beta-1,6-glucan; C010770:polysaccharide-K