Induction of Atherosclerosis in Aorta and Coronary Artery of Chicken by Orally Administered Cholesterol

Hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia have been important in human health as factors that induce atherosclerotic lesions in brain and heart blood vessel. Various experimental studies have been done to prevent and treat atherosclerotic lesions in animals. In the present study, we assessed the suitability of chickens as experimental animal for atherosclerosis. Newly hatched chicks were fed on 1.0%-or 0.1%-cholesterol(CHO) containing feed. After 3 and 6 months, total cholesterol levels in the sera and histological changes in the aorta and coronary artery of chicks fed on 1.0%-CHO-containing feed for 3 and 6 months, intimal thickening and marked accumulation of foam cells were observed. Endothelial cells had disappeared in the aorta of these chicks. A slight accumulation of foam cells was observed in the aortic intima of chicks fed on 0.1%-CHO-containing feed. In the coronary artery, a remarkable thickening of intima with accumulation of foam cells and a marked stenosis of coronary space were observed in chicks fed on 1.0%-CHO-containing feed. The results of present study indicate that the chicken can be a useful experimental animal in the study of hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis

Surface IgM-Inducing Factor in the Culture Supernatant of Bursal Epithelial Cells Derived from Chick Embryos.

Bursal epithelial cells derived from 14-day-old chick embryos were cultured under a serum-free condition and the recovered culture supernatant was analyzed for surface immunoglobulin M (sIgM)-inducing activity on the bursacytes of 12-day-old chick embryos. Surface IgM positive rate of bursacytes incubated with the culture supernatant increased significantly, thus indicating the presence of sIgM-inducing factor(s) in the culture supernatant. The sIgM-inducing factor(s) in the supernatant was analyzed by gel filtration chromatography and HPLC. Results from these analyses indicated that the factor may be a polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 1300. This substance which is different from already known factors, such as Bursin, may be a newly discovered B cell differentiating factor in the bursa of Fabricius that promotes chicken B cell differentiation

Data from: Physiological conditions and genetic controls of phaeomelanin pigmentation in nestling barn swallows

Phaeomelanin is a common pigment that confers a reddish color to animals. Since phaeomelanogenesis requires the sulfhydryl group from cysteine or glutathione (GSH), which is an important antioxidant, this pigmentation and the associated coloration may be an honest signal, whereby only high-quality individuals (e.g., with lower oxidative stress) are able to develop showy plumage. The present study tested the mechanisms underlying the honest signal hypothesis using nestling barn swallows, Hirundo rustica gutturalis, which exhibit phaeomelanic throat plumage patches. We examined the relationship between phaeomelanin pigmentation levels and physiological condition during trait development, and the expression of the phaeomelanin-related gene agouti-signaling protein (ASIP) and the GSH-related gene glutathione S-transferase (GST) in throat feather follicles. We found that during phaeomelanogenesis, heavier nestlings produced more pigmented feathers, indicating that nestlings with high phaeomelanin concentrations are in better condition. We also found that phaeomelanin concentration was negatively correlated with total GSH level, but not significantly related with measures of oxidative stress. Among the GST genes, GSTM3 exhibited the highest expression in the developing feathers during phaeomelanogenesis. The expression levels of ASIP were positively associated with the amount of phaeomelanin deposition and negatively associated with the expression of GSTM3, reducing the amount of GSH that was available as an antioxidant. These findings suggest that high-quality individuals produce high concentrations of phaeomelanin in their plumage without experiencing increased oxidative stress, despite phaeomelanin production, which is triggered by ASIP, potentially actively consuming the sulfhydryl group from GSH