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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291935
Title: Recent progress in understanding host immunity to Avian Coccidiosis: Role of IL-17 Family Cytokines

Author
item Lillehoj, Hyun
item HONG, YEONG - Chung-Ang University
item MIN, WONGI - Gyeongsang National University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/11/2013
Publication Date: 7/17/2013
Citation: Lillehoj, H.S., Hong, Y. H., Min, W.G.2013. Recent progress in understanding host immunity to Avian Coccidiosis: Role of IL-17 Family Cytokines. Proceedings of the International Congress of Mucosal Immunology meeting, Vancouver,Canada, P17.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Host-pathogen interaction leading to protection against coccidiosis is complex, involving many aspects of innate and adaptive immunity to intracellular parasites. Recent application of global gene expression microarray analysis to investigate gut innate immune response to Eimeria infections led to the discovery of many novel host genes modulated by different life cycle stages of coccidian parasites. Furthermore, these new findings illustrated the uniqueness of the innate immune response to Eimeria and the role of many innate immune cells and their secreted proinflammatory cytokines which influence the local host-parasite interactions in avian coccidiosis. Lately, a new type of T lymphocytes which secretes IL-17 family cytokines has been shown to influence local inflammation and mediates host defense against gut pathogens on the mucosal surface. In avian coccidiosis, IL-17 secretion was induced in the intestinal intraepithelium where Eimeria parasites undergo intracellular development during the early phase of host response to coccidiosis. Furthermore, the level of IL-17 response correlates with genetically determined coccidiosis disease resistance. Further studies on the role of IL-'17 family cytokines in avians and their potential role in host defense against intestinal parasitism will be important in developing a new strategy against avian coccidiosis.