Fluctuations in luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and progesterone might affect the disappearance of avian leukosis virus subgroup J viremia in chickens with intermittent viremia

Welfare characteristics of laying hens in aviary and cage systems

Concerns regarding the welfare of laying hens in cage systems (CS) have prompted the development of alternative housing systems, such as aviary systems (AS). However, debate remains about welfare and productivity under both systems. This study compares the welfare and egg quality of laying hens in CS and AS. Hy-Line Brown hens housed in CS (n = 79,500; cage space = 0.075 m2/hen; 6.14 hens/cage) and AS (n = 42,079; floor space = 9 hens/m2) on a single farm were evaluated at 28, 38, and 48 weeks of age. Five evaluators from the Welfare Quality® protocol were used to assess physical conditions (n = 600), and behaviors were assessed through qualitative behavior assessment (n = 15 flocks), avoidance distance test (ADT; n = 315), and novel object test (NOT; n = 15 flocks). Additionally, blood parameters (n = 50), egg quality (n = 50), and serum (n = 50) and egg yolk (n = 90) corticosterone levels were measured. Feather condition in CS hens deteriorated with age, showing higher plumage damage scores than AS hens, though both systems showed increases in comb pecking wounds and feather damage over time. The AS hens showed more positive behaviors, e.g., being active and energetic, while CS hens exhibited more negative behaviors, e.g., fearfulness and depression. In the AS, hens responded more quickly to the observer in the ADT (P < 0.01 for all periods), and more approached the object in the NOT (P < 0.01 at 38 and 48 weeks). The CS hens had higher yolk corticosterone levels (P < 0.05) at 48 weeks but produced heavier eggs consistently across all periods (P < 0.01 for all). In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of evaluating laying hen welfare through a combination of behavioral, physical, and physiological measures. Our findings suggest that the AS provides better welfare outcomes for hens than the CS, offering critical insights for improving both animal welfare and productivity in future housing systems.

Effects of Different Dietary Crude Protein Levels on Reproductive Performance, Egg Quality and Serum Biochemical Indices of Wanxi White Geese in the Laying Period

Crude protein (CP) in diets is essential for maintaining animal health and production performance. However, the protein requirements of Wanxi white geese during the laying period are not well understood. In this study, 120 one-year-old Wanxi white geese were selected and divided into three groups based on similar body weights, namely 14% CP, 15% CP, and 16% CP, with each group consisting of 40 animals. The feed was administered for 120 days. Compared with the 14% CP group, the 15% CP group showed a significant increase in the number of courtships and matings, a reduction in nesting frequency, an enhancement in the egg fertility, and an improvement in the nutritional components, and specific gravity of eggs. Additionally, the 16% CP group promoted the secretion of serum E2, LH, P4, and GnRH while inhibiting the secretion of LEP, compared with the 14% CP group. Taken together, it can be seen that a diet containing 15% CP can enhance the reproductive performance, egg fertility, and egg quality of Wanxi white geese. This study is the first to analyze the effects of different dietary CP levels on the reproductive performance and egg specific gravity of Wanxi white geese during the laying period, providing a theoretical basis for formulating feeding standards for this breed.

GH inhibits ALV-J replication and restricts cell cycle by activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Growth hormone (GH) plays a crucial role in growth, sexual maturity, and immunity in chickens. Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an exogenous tumorigenic retrovirus that primarily induces immunosuppression, growth retardation, decreased egg production, tumors formation, and even death in chickens. Previous studies have suggested that GH is involved in the regulation of innate immunity and inflammation. However, the specific role of GH in response to ALV-J remains unclear. In this study, we observed a significant upregulation of GH protein expression in the plasma of ALV infected chickens, and a marked increase in GH mRNA in ALV-J infected cells. We found that lower gp85 expression correlated with higher GH expression in immune tissues, suggesting that GH may inhibit gp85 expression. Additionally, GH overexpression enhanced the expression of interferons (IFN-α, IFN-β), interferon-stimulating genes (Mx1, ASCL1, CH25H), and pro-inflammatory factors (Mx1, ASCL1, CH25H) in DF-1 cells infected with ALV-J. GH also affected the cell cycle by regulating the expression of cell proliferation-related genes (p21, PCNA, Cyclin B2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin D2) and cell apoptosis-related genes (p53, Fas, Cyct, Caspase-1, Caspase-3, Caspase-8). More importantly, we found that GH restricted cell proliferation and apoptosis, and inhibited the replication of ALV-J by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in DF-1 cells. In conclusion, these results indicate GH plays a role in the antiviral response against the replication of ALV-J, providing evidence of an interaction between GH and the innate immunity in chickens.

Avian Leukosis: Will We Be Able to Get Rid of It?

Avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) have been virtually eradicated from commercial poultry. However, some niches remain as pockets from which this group of viruses may reemerge and induce economic losses. Such is the case of fancy, hobby, backyard chickens and indigenous or native breeds, which are not as strictly inspected as commercial poultry and which have been found to harbor ALVs. In addition, the genome of both poultry and of several gamebird species contain endogenous retroviral sequences. Circumstances that support keeping up surveillance include the detection of several ALV natural recombinants between exogenous and endogenous ALV-related sequences which, combined with the well-known ability of retroviruses to mutate, facilitate the emergence of escape mutants. The subgroup most prevalent nowadays, ALV-J, has emerged as a multi-recombinant which uses a different receptor from the previously known subgroups, greatly increasing its cell tropism and pathogenicity and making it more transmissible. In this review we describe the ALVs, their different subgroups and which receptor they use to infect the cell, their routes of transmission and their presence in different bird collectivities, and the immune response against them. We analyze the different systems to control them, from vaccination to the progress made editing the bird genome to generate mutated ALV receptors or selecting certain haplotypes.

Advances on genetic and genomic studies of ALV resistance

Avian leukosis (AL) is a general term for a variety of neoplastic diseases in avian caused by avian leukosis virus (ALV). No vaccine or drug is currently available for the disease. Therefore, the disease can result in severe economic losses in poultry flocks. Increasing the resistance of poultry to ALV may be one effective strategy. In this review, we provide an overview of the roles of genes associated with ALV infection in the poultry genome, including endogenous retroviruses, virus receptors, interferon-stimulated genes, and other immune-related genes. Furthermore, some methods and techniques that can improve ALV resistance in poultry are discussed. The objectives are willing to provide some valuable references for disease resistance breeding in poultry.

The Role of Chicken Prolactin, Growth Hormone and Their Receptors in the Immune System

Prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) exhibit important roles in the immune system maintenance. In poultry, PRL mainly plays its roles in nesting, hatching, and reproduction, while GH is primarily responding to body weight, fat formation and feed conversion. In this review, we attempt to provide a critical overview of the relationship between PRL and GH, PRLR and GHR, and the immune response of poultry. We also propose a hypothesis that PRL, GH and their receptors might be used by viruses as viral receptors. This may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of viral infection and host immune response.

SOCS3 Promotes ALV-J Virus Replication via Inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 Phosphorylation During Infection

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an oncogenic retrovirus that causes immunosuppression and neoplastic diseases in poultry. Cytokine signal-transduction inhibitor molecule 3 (SOCS3) is an important negative regulator of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and plays certain roles in ALV-J infection. It is of significance to confirm the roles of SOCS3 in ALV-J infection and study how this gene affects ALV-J infection. In this study, we assessed the expression of the SOCS3 gene in vivo and in vitro, and investigated the roles of SOCS3 in ALV-J infection using overexpressed or interfered assays with the SOCS3 in DF-1 cells. The results showed that the SOCS3 expression of ALV-J infected chickens was different from uninfected chickens in the spleen, thymus and cecal tonsil. Further, SOCS3 is mainly expressed in the nucleus as determined by immunofluorescence assay. Overexpression of SOCS3 in DF-1 cells promoted the replication of ALV-J virus, and the expression of interferons (IFNα and INFβ), inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNFα) along with interferon-stimulating genes (CH25H, MX1, OASL, and ZAP). Conversely, interference of SOCS3 showed the opposite results. We also observed that SOCS3 promoted ALV-J virus replication by inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation. In conclusion, SOCS3 promotes ALV-J replication via inhibiting the phosphorylation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. These results would advance further understanding of the persistent infection and the viral immune evasion of the ALV-J virus.

Prolactin affects the disappearance of ALV-J viremia in vivo and inhibits viral infection

Based on the RNA-seq data of chicken spleen tissues infected with J subgroup avian leukosis virus (ALV-J), we found that prolactin (PRL) gene was one of differentially expressed gene. We measured ALV-J viremia and PRL levels in the plasma of two groups of ALV-J-infected adult chickens. Furthermore, recombinant chicken PRL (cPRL) was used to assess how cPRL affects ALV-J virus replication both in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that PRL levels in the plasma of adult chickens infected with ALV-J were lower than those of uninfected chickens, and that the difference was more significant in the avian leukemia pathological apparent changes. Notably, the fluctuations in PRL levels might influence the disappearance of ALV-J viremia in chickens. The in vitro results showed that preincubating DF-1 cells with cPRL before ALV-J infection elicited the best antiviral effects. Moreover, these effects were not dose-dependent. in vivo, injection of cPRL into ALV-J-infected chicks could reduce the levels of viremia at the 14 days post infection (dpi). Additionally, the expression of the interferon-stimulated genes oligoadenylate synthetase-like (OSAL) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) increased, and that of the proinflammatory cytokine-encoding TNTα, IL-1β, and IL-6 genes decreased in the spleens of ALV-J-infected chicks injected with cPRL, leading to inhibition of viral replication at the 7 dpi. Collectively, our data demonstrated that PRL plays an important antiviral role in the immune response to ALV-J infection. This is the first report of the relationship between ALV-J infection and PRL. It is of great significance for the prevention and control of ALV-J.

Systematic Identification of Host Immune Key Factors Influencing Viral Infection in PBL of ALV-J Infected SPF Chicken

Although research related to avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) has lasted for more than a century, the systematic identification of host immune key factors against ALV-J infection has not been reported. In this study, we establish an infection model in which four-week-old SPF chickens are infected with ALV-J strain CHN06, after which the host immune response is detected. We found that the expression of two antiviral interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) (Mx1 and IFIT5) were increased in ALV-J infected peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). A significant CD8⁺ T cell response induced by ALV-J appeared as early as seven days post-infection (DPI), and humoral immunity starting from 21 DPI differed greatly in the time scale of induction level. Meanwhile, the ALV-J viremia was significantly decreased before antibody production at 14 DPI, and eliminated at 21 DPI under a very low antibody level. The up-regulated CD8⁺ T cell in the thymus (14DPI) and PBL (7 DPI and 21 DPI) was detected, indicating that the thymus may provide the output of CD8⁺ T cell to PBL, which was related to virus clearance. Besides, up-regulated chemokine CXCLi1 at 7 DPI in PBL was observed, which may be related to the migration of the CD8⁺ T cell from the thymus to PBL. More importantly, the CD8 ^high+ T cell response of the CD8αβ phenotype may produce granzyme K, NK lysin, or IFN-γ for clearing viruses. These findings provide novel insights and direction for developing effective ALV-J vaccines.