Analysis of immune-related gene expression in chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells following Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis infection in vitro

We examined mRNA expression of eight genes, TLR4, TLR5, TLR15, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, transforming growth factor-β4 (TGF-β4), CXCLi2, and a macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) family chemokine called CCLi2, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from the blood of chickens after in vitro exposure to Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). The chickens of four Chinese native lines, Qingjiaoma, Sanhuang, Wugu, and Xueshanma, were evaluated for mRNA expression levels at 2 and 4 h post-infection using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). TLR4 and TLR15 mRNA were in particular highly expressed in PBMCs of Wugu and Xueshanma chickens exposed to SE, while TLR5 was expressed less in the Sanhuang chickens than in others. Breed effect was significant (P < 0.05) for IL-1β, IL-6, CXCLi2, and CCLi2 mRNA expression, all of which were expressed to a greater extent in Wugu and Xueshanma than in the other two lines. These findings demonstrate the difference of mRNA expression profiles for innate immune molecules in PBMCs infected to SE among different lines.