Wang Jing, Tong Tiejin, Wu Qiang, He Min
School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yibin Vocational and Technical College, Yibin, China.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Jul 4;15:1620053. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1620053. eCollection 2025.
Immunosuppression in poultry production, particularly in high-value species like the Chinese yellow quail (Coturnix japonica), increases disease susceptibility and economic losses. Plant-derived polysaccharides, such as those from Retz (TC) and L. processed Terminalia chebula Retz polysaccharide (RTCP), offer promising alternatives due to their ability to enhance host defense mechanisms without adverse effects. This study investigates RTCP's efficacy in mitigating cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression in quails, focusing on immune function restoration.
One hundred and twenty 21-day-old healthy quails were randomly divided into six groups (n=20/group): a blank control (saline), a model group (saline + CTX), and four RTCP-treated groups (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 g/kg + CTX). CTX (80 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly (days 4-7) to induce immunosuppression, except in the blank control. Spleen indices, histology, cytokine profiles, antibody titers, GATA-3/T-bet mRNA expression, and transcriptional networks were analyzed.
CTX significantly reduced spleen weight, organ indices, cytokine levels, and antibody titers (P<0.05). Compared to the model group, 0.5 g/kg RTCP restored spleen morphology and function, elevated cytokines (e.g., IL-2, IFN-γ) and immunoglobulins, and upregulated complement components (C3, C5) and acute-phase proteins, enhancing T-cell and B-cell activation (P<0.05). RTCP also rebalanced the Th1/Th2 axis by normalizing the T-bet/GATA-3 ratio, indicating immune homeostasis recovery.
RTCP effectively counteracted CTX-induced immunosuppression by modulating innate and adaptive immunity, including complement activation and Th1/Th2 balance. These findings highlight RTCP's potential as a natural immunomodulator in poultry. Further research should optimize dosing and explore gut-microbiota-immune interactions to enhance therapeutic applications.
家禽生产中的免疫抑制，尤其是在中国黄羽鹌鹑（日本鹌鹑）等高价值品种中，会增加疾病易感性和经济损失。植物来源的多糖，如来自诃子（TC）和加工过的诃子多糖（RTCP），因其能够增强宿主防御机制且无不良影响而提供了有前景的替代方案。本研究调查了RTCP在减轻环磷酰胺（CTX）诱导的鹌鹑免疫抑制方面的功效，重点关注免疫功能的恢复。
将120只21日龄健康鹌鹑随机分为六组（每组n = 20）：空白对照组（生理盐水）、模型组（生理盐水 + CTX）和四个RTCP处理组（0.25、0.5、0.75、1 g/kg + CTX）。除空白对照组外，于第4至7天肌肉注射CTX（80 mg/kg）以诱导免疫抑制。分析脾脏指数、组织学、细胞因子谱、抗体滴度、GATA - 3/T - bet mRNA表达和转录网络。
CTX显著降低了脾脏重量、器官指数、细胞因子水平和抗体滴度（P < 0.05）。与模型组相比，0.5 g/kg RTCP恢复了脾脏形态和功能，提高了细胞因子（如IL - 2、IFN - γ）和免疫球蛋白水平，上调了补体成分（C3、C5）和急性期蛋白，增强了T细胞和B细胞的活化（P < 0.05）。RTCP还通过使T - bet/GATA - 3比值正常化来重新平衡Th1/Th2轴，表明免疫稳态得以恢复。
RTCP通过调节先天性和适应性免疫，包括补体激活和Th1/Th2平衡，有效对抗了CTX诱导的免疫抑制。这些发现突出了RTCP作为家禽天然免疫调节剂的潜力。进一步的研究应优化剂量，并探索肠道微生物群 - 免疫相互作用以增强治疗应用。
