Laboratory of Physiology of Reproduction of Farm Animals, Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Anim Reprod Sci. 2013 Aug;140(3-4):224-31. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2013.06.006. Epub 2013 Jun 19.
The epididymis is an organ involved in the maturation, transport, and storage of sperm prior to ejaculation. As epididymis is exposed to a constant risk of inflammatory conditions that may lead to transient or permanent sterility, protection of this organ from pathogens is an essential aspect of reproductive physiology. The families of antimicrobial peptides β-defensins and the pattern-recognition receptors Toll-like (TLR) mediate innate immunity in various vertebrates including avian species. As rooster infertility is a major concern in the poultry industry, the objectives of this study were to determine the expression profile of the entire family of the avian β-defensins (AvBD) and TLR genes in the rooster epididymis, to investigate whether sexual maturation affects their epididymidal mRNA abundance and to determine the changes in their expression levels in response to Salmonella enteritidis (SE) infection in the epididymis of sexually mature roosters. RNA was extracted from the epididymis of healthy pubertal, sexually mature and aged birds, and from sexually mature SE infected birds. RT-PCR analysis revealed that 10 members of the AvBD and nine members of the TLR gene families were expressed in the epididymis. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that the epididymidal mRNA abundance of certain AvBD and TLR genes was developmentally regulated with respect to sexual maturation. SE infection resulted in a significant induction of AvBD 1, 9, 10, 12 and 14, as well as TLR 1-2, 2-1, 2-2, 4, 5 and 7 genes, in the epididymis of sexually mature roosters, compared to healthy birds of the same age. These findings provide strong evidence to suggest that the rooster epididymis is capable of initiating an inflammatory response to Salmonella, through activation of certain members of the AvBD and TLR gene families.
附睾是一个在精子射出前参与精子成熟、运输和储存的器官。由于附睾经常面临炎症的风险，这可能导致暂时或永久性不育，因此保护这个器官免受病原体的侵害是生殖生理学的一个重要方面。抗菌肽β-防御素家族和模式识别受体 Toll 样（TLR）在包括禽类在内的各种脊椎动物中介导先天免疫。由于公鸡不育是家禽业的一个主要关注点，本研究的目的是确定禽类β-防御素（AvBD）和 TLR 基因家族的整个家族在公鸡附睾中的表达谱，研究性成熟是否会影响它们在附睾中的 mRNA 丰度，并确定它们在性成熟公鸡附睾中对肠炎沙门氏菌（SE）感染的表达水平变化。从健康青春期、性成熟和老年鸟类以及性成熟 SE 感染的鸟类的附睾中提取 RNA。RT-PCR 分析显示，10 种 AvBD 和 9 种 TLR 基因家族成员在附睾中表达。定量实时 PCR 分析显示，某些 AvBD 和 TLR 基因的附睾 mRNA 丰度与性成熟有关。SE 感染导致性成熟公鸡附睾中 AvBD 1、9、10、12 和 14 以及 TLR 1-2、2-1、2-2、4、5 和 7 基因的表达显著诱导，与同龄健康鸟类相比。这些发现有力地表明，公鸡附睾能够通过激活某些 AvBD 和 TLR 基因家族成员，对沙门氏菌引发炎症反应。
