BBSRC-funded studentship: Deciphering the chemokine repertoire in chickens and their role in disease resistance

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The availability of the chicken genome sequence provides the opportunity to resolve outstanding questions concerning which molecular components of the immune system are shared between mammals and birds, and which represent their unique evolutionary solutions. Of particular significance are the chemokines, which control trafficking of lymphoid cells around the body. The Avian Genomics Group at IAH has shown that, compared to mammals, the chicken has a different repertoire of chemokines and chemokine receptors, especially those involved in inflammatory reactions (1). In order to begin to understand a) the biological function of these chemokines, and b) which chemokines might have potential as vaccine adjuvants, Part 1 of this project aims to determine i) the ligand-receptor relationships for these chemokines, ii) which cells express the receptors, and iii) which cells are capable of expressing the chemokines. In Part 2, we wish to further explore the hypothesis that differential expression of chemokines and/or chemokine receptors in bird lines that differ in their resistance to pathogens contributes to that observed resistance. In particular, we have a growing body of evidence that birds resistant to bacterial and viral infections have differential heterophil function. Of course, the influx of heterophils to the site of infection is driven by, and results in the production of, chemokines. The potential for using chemokines as vaccine adjuvants and to identify bird lines that might respond better to particular vaccines through an increased production of relevant chemokines, together may result in major breakthroughs in the animal health industry.

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