title: Cellulitis lesions in broiler chickens are induced by Escherichia coli Vacuolating Factor (ECVF).
abstract: Escherichia coli Vacuolating Factor (ECVF) is a heat-labile, vacuolating cytotoxin produced by avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) isolated from avian cellulitis lesions. In this report, we intend to demonstrate that purified ECVF induces the inflammatory process of cellulitis. Our group is the first to demonstrate the effect of ECVF in a histological analysis by in situ inoculation of broiler chickens with purified ECVF. The animals were inoculated with the APEC AC53 and with purified ECVF subcutaneously on their ventral surface (in the sternum region). The histological analysis showed different grades of an acute inflammatory response in the epidermis, dermis and panniculus. An increase in mRNA expression of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α was also demonstrated in the inflamed tissue. When ECVF was systemically administered, increased levels of TNF-α and IL-10 were observed in the serum. These results suggest that ECVF plays a key role in the inflammatory process associated with cellulitis that is mainly mediated by TNF-α. In addition, this inflammation can be downregulated by the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Quel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: A Z B
authors.initials: AZB
authors.lastname: Aragão
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Joazeiro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: L M B
authors.initials: LMB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: L R M
authors.initials: LRM
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: A J P
authors.initials: AJP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 255, Campinas, SP, CEP 13083-862, Brazil. Electronic address: tyano@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10