Protective effects of chicoric acid on polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid exposed chicken hepatic cell culture mimicking viral damage and inflammation

• Published in: Veterinary immunology and immunopathology 2022-08, Vol.250, p.110427-110427, Article 110427
• Main Authors: Tráj, Patrik, Herrmann, Eva Madeleine, Sebők, Csilla, Vörösházi, Júlia, Mackei, Máté, Gálfi, Péter, Kemény, Ágnes, Neogrády, Zsuzsanna, Mátis, Gábor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chicoric acid; Hepatic co-culture; Immunomodulation; N-acetylcysteine; Poly I:C; Poultry; Primary cell culture; Viral hepatitis
• ISSN: 0165-2427; 1873-2534
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2022.110427

Virus induced damage triggered by excessive inflammation and free radical production is a major threat in the poultry industry, leading to low productivity even in vaccinated flocks. The purpose of the study was to induce inflammation with the viral double-stranded RNA analog polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) on chicken primary hepatocyte – non-parenchymal cell co-cultures to investigate the immunomodulatory and cell protectant effects of chicoric acid (CA) in comparison to N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Poly I:C significantly elevated the activity of the cell damage marker, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the concentration of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IFN-α, IFN-γ and M-CSF) in the culture medium and decreased cellular metabolic activity. CA significantly reduced the elevated LDH and cytokine levels in a dose-dependent manner, moreover, the higher (100 µg/mL) concentration of CA even elevated the level of metabolic activity. In contrast, 10 µg/mL NAC treatment decreased the level of each inflammatory cytokine but did not rectify cell damage or metabolic depression. The results indicate, that CA, present in common plants of the Asteraceae family, proves to be a beneficial hepatoprotective, and along with NAC, an immunomodulatory supplement in vitro under a stimulus mimicking viral infection. •Poly I:C induced elevation of cytokines on protein level in a chicken hepatic co-culture.•The cytokine production was in correlation with cell death independent of caspase-3.•Both the cytokine production and cell death could be alleviated by chicoric acid dose-dependently.•N-acetylcysteine could attenuate cytokine release although not the cytotoxic effect of poly I:C.