title: Genome-wide differential gene expression profiles in broiler chickens with gangrenous dermatitis.
abstract: Gangrenous dermatitis (GD) is a disease of poultry characterized by necrosis of the skin and severe cellulitis of the subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Clostridium septicum (CS) and/or Clostridium perfringens (CP) type A. While GD causes significant morbidity, mortality, and economic loss to the poultry industry, the fundamental mechanisms underlying this host-pathogen interaction are relatively unknown. This study used comparative global gene expression microarray analysis of GD-affected and clinically healthy chickens from a recent GD outbreak to glean insights into the molecular and cellular changes associated with this disease process. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed extensive muscle damage and prominent leukocyte infiltration in the skin of GD-affected birds but not in healthy controls. The levels of mRNAs in the skin and underlying muscle corresponding to 952 microarray elements were altered in GD-afflicted birds compared with healthy controls, with 468 being increased and 484 decreased. From these, a subset of 386 genes was identified and used for biologic function and pathway analyses. The biologic functions that were most significantly associated with the differentially expressed genes were "inflammatory response" and "cellular growth and proliferation" classified under the categories of "disease and disorders" and "molecular and cellular functions," respectively. The biologic pathway that was most significantly associated with the differentially expressed genes was the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated oxidative stress pathway. Finally, in vitro infection of chicken macrophages with CS or CP modified the levels of mRNAs encoding interferon (IFN)-alpha, IFN-gamma, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-12p40, tumor necrosis factor superfamily 15 (downregulated), IL-8, and IL-10 (upregulated), thus confirming the suppressive effect of GD on the chicken immune system.
authors: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Building 1043, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-East, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
authors: Duk Kyung
authors: DK
authors: Kim
authors: Hyun S
authors: HS
authors: Lillehoj
authors: Kyung Woo
authors: KW
authors: Lee
authors: Seung Ik
authors: SI
authors: Jang
authors: Anthony P
authors: AP
authors: Neumann
authors: Gregory R
authors: GR
authors: Siragusa
authors: Erik P
authors: EP
authors: Lillehoj
authors: Yeong Ho
authors: YH
authors: Hong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000502:physiology*; D052557:Clostridium septicum / Q000502:physiology*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D005734:Gangrene / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000662:veterinary; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger