Investigating the potential role of vitamin E in modulating the immunosuppressive effects of tylvalosin and florfenicol in broiler chickens

- Both tylvalosin and florfenicol have immunosuppressive effect on cellular & humoral immunity in broiler chickens.
- Vitamin E has immunostimulatory effect on the cellular and humoral immunity.
- Vitamin E modulated the immunosuppressive effect of tylvalosin as well as florfenicol.
- Only tylvalosin induced a genotoxicity on chicken's blood leucocytes.
- Combination of Vit E with tylvalosin prevented its genotoxic effect.
- Florfenicol significantly elevated the liver enzymes level in broiler chickens.

Tylvalosin (TVS) is a third-generation macrolide drug used for prophylaxis and treatment of mycoplasma, however; it is supposed to possess an immunosuppressive effect. In the current study, the immunosuppressive effect of TVS and florfenicol (FFC) and the potential immunomodulatory role of Vit E were investigated. The experiment included one day old chick groups treated with either TVS, FFC, Vit E, TVS/Vit E, FFC/Vit E and control non-treated group. Chicks were vaccinated with inactivated H9N2 avian influenza (AI) vaccine and humoral antibody titers to viral antigen as well as innate immunity (serum lysozyme activity and nitric oxide levels) were evaluated. Total and differential leucocytic counts, serum liver enzymes level, blood leucocytic DNA damage and cellular area percentages within the lymphoid organs were also screened. Treatment with TVS and FFC significantly decreased immune response of chickens while treatment with Vit E improved the humoral immune response at 4 and 5 weeks post-vaccination. Vit E also significantly increased the cellular immune response. The combination of Vit E with either TVS or FFC modulated their immunosuppressive effect and resulted in mild immunostimulatory effects. TVS alone induced a genotoxic effect on chickens' blood leucocytes and the genotoxicity was inhibited by combination of TVS with Vit E. Histopathology revealed that chickens treated with either TVS or FFC exhibited toxic effect on the lymphatic tissues.