Effect of Mycoplasma synoviae and lentogenic Newcastle disease virus coinfection on cytokine and chemokine gene expression in chicken embryos

Abstract

Mycoplasma synoviae and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are 2 avian pathogens that cause modulation in expression of a variety of cytokine and chemokine genes in chickens. However, there is limited data about gene modulation after coinfection with these 2 pathogens and even less data about gene modulation after infection of chicken embryos. In this study, the effect of M. synoviae type strain WVU 1853 and lentogenic LaSota vaccine strain of NDV infection on cytokine and chemokine gene expression in chicken embryos was analyzed in the liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius, and thymus by using quantitative real-time PCR. Three types of infection were performed; infection with M. synoviae on d 10, infection with NDV on d 17; and consecutive infection with both pathogens, where M. synoviae was inoculated on d 10 and NDV on d 17. Thus, simulation of consecutive infection that may occur after NDV infection of the M. synoviae-infected host was performed. Mycoplasma synoviae infection of embryos resulted in intensive upregulation of cytokine and chemokine genes, including interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40, IL-16, IL-18, MIP-1β (CCL4), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), XCL1, and lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-α factor (LITAF), with different expression profiles in the 4 organs. Inoculation of lentogenic NDV significantly upregulated IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-16 genes in spleen and IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-16, IL-21, XCL1, and MIP-1β (CCL4) genes in the thymus, but to a lesser extent than M. synoviae. However, no genes were upregulated by NDV in the liver and bursa of Fabricius. Overall effect of NDV inoculation, regarding the number of modulated cytokine and chemokine genes and the extent of expression, was lower than M. synoviae. When NDV was introduced after on-going M. synoviae infection, most M. synoviae-induced cytokine and chemokine genes were significantly downregulated. This study provides the first evidence in chicken embryos that consecutive infection with NDV could suppress expression of cytokine and chemokine genes being significantly upregulated by the previous M. synoviae infection.

Study the Effect of Mycoplasma Contamination of Eggs Used in Virus Titration and Efficacy of Some Live Attenuated Poultry Viral Vaccines

“…It is clear that MG inoculations enhance the replication of viruses and increase their titers in ECEs. These results are supported with Bolha et al [26] who reported that when mildly virulent virus strains infect birds The present study depended on the fact that Mycoplasma can be transmitted vertically to eggs. MG seemed to play a role in increasing the titer of inoculated viruses (ND, IB, IBD, and Reo) in eggs that might be due to changing the pH of the egg content by the metabolite products of Mycoplasma obtained from its multiplication inside the egg [12].…”

“…Both MG and ND virus can successfully propagate in ECEs. The chicken embryo could represent a model system for the analysis of consecutive MS-lentogenic ND virus co-infection that may occur after the virus infection (e.g., vaccination) as concluded by Bolha et al [26]. Severity of clinical respiratory symptoms associated with MS, which exacerbated by co-infection with various respiratory viruses, such as ND and IB were reported Landman and Feberwee [9].…”

“…When mildly virulent virus strains infect birds, which have already been infected with Mycoplasma, interactions between the host, Mycoplasma cells, and the virus may result in effects that differ from those which are expected after single pathogen infection [13]. Thus, severe inflammatory reactions and synergistic pathogen interactions can occur after vaccinations with live virus vaccines [13].…”

“…Thus, severe inflammatory reactions and synergistic pathogen interactions can occur after vaccinations with live virus vaccines [13].…”

Impact of single and mixed infections with Escherichia coli and Mycoplasma gallisepticum on Newcastle disease virus vaccine performance in broiler chickens: an in vivo perspective

“…The results of our study showed a significant upregulation of cytokine gene levels in the vaccinated groups (G1–G4) compared to the nonvaccinated one (G5). In another study analysing the expression of cytokine genes in the spleen of chicken embryos, both IFN ‐γ and IL6 genes were significantly upregulated in embryos infected with lentogenic NDV LaSota strain (Bolha et al ). At all‐time points of our study, a significant upregulation of cytokine genes was observed in vaccinated noninfected chicken groups (up to 19·98 ± 4·90, 19·71 ± 4·20 and 19 ± 1·09‐fold for IL6 , IL4 and INFᵞ, respectively) compared to the vaccinated infected ones (up to 13·64 ± 4·24, 11·24 ± 0·97 and 11·55 ± 1·24 for IL6 , IL4 and INFᵞ, respectively).…”