Expression pattern of HIF1α mRNA in brain, heart and liver tissues of Tibet chicken embryos in hypoxia revealed with quantitative real-time PCR

Abstract

The problem of hypoxia adaptation in high altitudes is an unsolved brainteaser in the field of the life sciences. As one of the best chicken breeds with adaptability to highland environment, the Tibet chicken, is genetically different from lowland chicken breeds. It is well known that hypoxia has significant impact on growth by inducing the expression of the alpha subunit of the heterodimeric transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1a). In the present study, HIF1a expression in brain, heart and liver tissues of the Tibet and Dwarf Recessive White chicken embryos were investigated at the different development stages of days 10, 17 and 20 by real-time PCR, and the expression pattern of HIF1a in chicken embryos of the two chicken breeds incubated under conditions of hypoxia (13% O 2 ) and normoxia (21% O 2 ) was studied. The incubation mortality of the Tibet chicken was lower than the Dwarf Recessive White chicken during the whole incubation in hypoxia, and the mRNA expression of HIF1a had presented the differences in three tissues. The results implied that the hypoxia adaptability of the Tibet chicken embryo was higher than the Dwarf Recessive White chicken, especially in the early stage (day 10) and at a later time (day 20) during the incubation period, but the mechanism of the oxygen transfer of embryos of mountain species is not completely understood, and hypoxia adaptability of the Tibetan chicken remains to be studied further.

Genetic architecture and candidate genes detected for chicken internal organ weight with a 600 K single nucleotide polymorphism array

“…Liver development affects abdominal fat, yolk deposit [2] which are all associated with economic performance, and provides a model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [3]. Heart is an organ for carrying oxygen [4], affect well-being of the chicken [5]. Physical and chemical digestion takes place in the proventriculus and gizzard, which regulate feed intake and energy balance [6].…”

Tibial dyschondroplasia is closely related to suppression of expression of hypoxia-inducible factors 1α, 2α, and 3α in chickens

“…The biological role of HIF-3α is incompletely described; however, it is consistently transformed during chondrogenesis by controlling the stability of the chondrocyte phenotype [ 13 ]. Numerous studies have highlighted the upregulation of HIF expression under hypoxic conditions [ 1 3 28 33 ], and HIFs are regarded as vital transcription factors because of their role in angiogenesis [ 3 7 ], cell differentiation [ 8 ], and cell apoptosis [ 1 29 ]. However, the HIF-1α, -2α, and -3α mechanisms in thiram-induced poultry TD remain unclear.…”

High altitude hypoxia as a factor that promotes tibial growth plate development in broiler chickens

“…Numerous studies have highlighted the role of hypoxia in initiating the expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1 (HIF-1α) and further inducing the expression of target genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors, which promote various systemic physiological changes including angiogenesis and vascular development [24–29]. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the homeostatic mechanisms associated with the vascular oxygen supply in hypoxia.…”