Changes in the density of immunoreactive avian β-defensin-3 and -11 in the hen uterus in response to lipopolysaccharide inoculation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the changes in the density of immunoreactive avian β-defensins (ir-avβDs) -3 and -in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Healthy laying hens were intravenously injected with LPS (1 mg/kg of body weight) at 0, 3, 6 and 12 h (n = 4) before tissue collection, which was uniformly 6 h after oviposition. Their uterus tissues were fixed in formalin-PBS and processed for paraffin sections. Immunohistochemistry was then performed using polyclonal antibodies for avβD-3 and -11. Immunoreactive avβD-3 was localized in the supranuclear cytoplasm of the surface epithelial cells, whereas ir-avβ-D-11 was observed in the apical cytoplasm of those cells. The density of the immunoreaction products of avβD-3 showed a significant decrease at 3 h after LPS injection compared to 0 h group, and then returned to the original level by 6 h. On the other hand, the density of the immunoreaction products of avβD-11 was significantly higher at 3 h and h after LPS injection compared to the 0 h group. These results suggest that avβD-3 protein was secreted, and avβD-11 was synthesized and stored in the mucosal epithelial cells in response to LPS injection. These two types of avβDs may play a significant role in the innate host defense in the hen uterus. © 2011, Japan Poultry Science Association.