Analysis of local immune responses in chickens infected with Eimeria tenella https://doi.org/10.12982/VIS.2026.062
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Abstract
Eimeria tenella is a major coccidian parasite in poultry, causing severe economic losses. Understanding the local immune response during E. tenella infection is essential for developing effective control strategies. This study investigated the transcriptional responses of T cell markers (CD3 and CD4), cytokines (IL-10, IL-12, IL-18, IL-22, IFN-γ, TGF-β1), and the chemokine K203 in experimentally infected chickens. Gene expression was analyzed using quantitative PCR, and histopathological changes were evaluated in hematoxylin and eosin-stained cecal sections. The expression of CD3 and CD4 genes showed an upward trend in infected chickens, suggesting potential involvement of T cells in the immune response, although this was not statistically significant. Several cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-18, IL-22, and TGF-β1, were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05), indicating a complex transcriptional response involving both pro-inflammatory and regulatory pathways. K203 expression increased markedly (approximately 60-fold, p < 0.001), consistent with enhanced chemotactic signaling and immune cell recruitment to the infection site. Histopathological examination revealed epithelial disruption and inflammatory cell infiltration in the infected group, correlating with the observed gene expression changes. Overall, this study provides insights into the transcriptional modulation of local immune mediators during E. tenella infection. While the results highlight possible involvement of T cell-associated and cytokine-mediated responses, further studies, particularly protein-level analyses, are needed to confirm the functional activation of immune cells and their specific roles in host defense.
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