Marek's disease virus immunosuppression alters host cellular responses and immune gene expression in the skin of infected chickens.
Marek's disease virus (MDV), a highly cell-associated lymphotropic α-herpesvirus, is the causative agent of Marek's disease (MD) in domestic chickens. MDV replicates in chicken lymphocytes and establishes a latent infection within CD4+T cells. The latently infected CD4+T cells carry the virus to visceral organs, peripheral nerves, and feather follicle epithelium (FFE). FFE is the only anatomical site where infectious enveloped cell-free virus particles are produced and disseminated into the environment. This study investigated the immunological responses and mechanism of viral-induced immunosuppression and immune evasion in the FFE. Strong viral replication and lack of a significant number of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in the infected tissues was prominent. Although the overall gene expression pattern was suggestive of a Th1 type immune response, the expression levels of several key immune genes were down regulated in the infected tissues. The mechanism of MDV-induced immunosuppression appears to be through inhibition of CTL function due to down regulation of CD8 glycoprotein and/or blocking of CTL migration due to decrease expression of cell adhesion molecules.
United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, East Lansing, MI, 48823, United States. Electronic address: mohammad.heidari@ars.usda.gov.
Mohammad
M
Heidari
College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Dan
D
Wang
United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, East Lansing, MI, 48823, United States.
Phillip
P
Delekta
College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Shuhong
S
Sun
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008381:Herpesvirus 2, Gallid / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D014765:Viral Vaccines
Adhesion molecules; CD8 glycoprotein; Cytokines; Feather follicle epithelium; Immunosuppression; Marek’s disease