Identification and comparative expression analysis of interleukin 2/15 receptor β chain in chickens infected with E. tenella

• Published in: PloS one 2012-05, Vol.7 (5), p.e37704-e37704
• Main Authors: Jeong, Jipseol, Kim, Woo H, Yoo, Jeongmi, Lee, Changhwan, Kim, Suk, Cho, Jae-Hyeon, Jang, Hyung-Kwan, Kim, Dong W, Lillehoj, Hyun S, Min, Wongi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Amino acids; Animals; Base Sequence; Binding sites; bioactive properties; Biology; CD122 antigen; Cell Line; cell lines; Cercopithecus aethiops; Chains; chemistry; Chickens; Chlorocebus aethiops; Cloning, Molecular; coccidiosis; Coccidiosis - genetics; Coccidiosis - immunology; complementary DNA; Concanavalin A; COS Cells; Cytokines; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease; DNA; DNA, Complementary; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; Eimeria; Eimeria tenella; Gene Expression; gene expression regulation; genetics; Genomes; Homeostasis; Immunity; immunology; Interleukin 1; Interleukin 15; Interleukin 2; Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit - chemistry; Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit - genetics; Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit - metabolism; interleukins; intestinal mucosa; Intestine; Leukemia; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - immunology; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Male; Mammals; metabolism; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Weight; Mucosal immunity; Organs; Parasites; polymerase chain reaction; Poultry; Proteins; Receptors; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Salmonella; Salmonella Typhimurium; Sequence Alignment; signal transduction; Spleen; Spleen - metabolism; Transduction; Tunicamycin; Veterinary colleges; Veterinary medicine; Veterinary Science; Viruses
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037704

Background: Interleukin (IL) 2 and IL15 receptor β chain (IL2/15Rβ, CD122) play critical roles in signal transduction for the biological activities of IL2 and IL15. Increased knowledge of non-mammalian IL2/15Rβ will enhance the understanding of IL2 and IL15 functions. Methology/Principal Findings: Chicken IL2/15Rβ (chIL2/15Rβ) cDNA was cloned using 5′/3′-RACE. The predicted protein sequence contained 576 amino acids and typical features of the type-I cytokine receptor family. COS-7 cells transfected with chIL2/15Rβ produced proteins of approximately 75 and 62.5 kDa under normal and tunicamycin-treated conditions, respectively. The genomic structure of chIL2/15Rβ was similar to its mammalian counterparts. chIL2/15Rβ transcripts were detected in the lymphoblast cell line CU205 and in normal lymphoid organs and at moderate levels in bursa samples. Expression profiles of chIL2/15Rβ and its related cytokines and receptors were examined in ConA-stimulated splenic lymphocytes and in ceca-tonsils of Eimeria tenella-infected chickens using quantitative real-time PCR. Expression levels of chIL2/15Rβ, chIL2Rα, and chIL15Rα were generally elevated in ceca-tonsils and ConA-activated splenic lymphocytes. However, chIL2 and chIL15 expression levels were differentially regulated between the samples. chIL2 expression was upregulated in ConA-activated splenic lymphocytes, but not in ceca-tonsils. In constrast, chIL15 expression was upregulated in ceca-tonsils, but not in ConA-activated splenic lymphocytes. Conclusions/Significance: We identified an avian form of IL2/15Rβ and compared its gene expression pattern with those of chIL2, chIL15, chIL2Rα, and chIL15Rα. Our observations suggest that chIL15 and its receptors, including chIL2/15Rβ, play important roles in mucosal immunity to intestinal intracellular parasites such as Eimeria.