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Nonthyroid autoantibodies in obese strain (OS) chickens
Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology
|July 1, 1984
Summary
Autoantibodies (AAb) targeting specific organs, particularly the thyroid, are prevalent in Obese strain (OS) chickens, mirroring human autoimmune thyroiditis. This study investigates organ-specific and non-organ-specific AAb in various chicken strains.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Veterinary Science
Background:
- Autoimmune diseases involve the immune system attacking the body's own tissues.
- Organ-specific autoantibodies (AAb) are key indicators in diagnosing autoimmune conditions.
- The Obese strain (OS) chicken is a model for studying autoimmune diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and types of organ-specific autoantibodies in Obese strain (OS) chickens compared to control strains.
- To investigate the correlation between autoantibody profiles in OS chickens and human autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto thyroiditis).
- To differentiate between organ-specific and non-organ-specific autoantibodies in various chicken models.
Main Methods:
- Sera from OS, Cornell C strain (CS), inbred CC and CB strains, and outbred White Leghorn (NWL) chickens were analyzed.
- Various serological procedures were employed, including immunodiffusion, passive hemagglutination, ELISA, and indirect immunofluorescence.
- Autoantibodies to thyroid antigens (thyroglobulin, microsomal) and non-thyroid antigens (stomach, pancreas, adrenal, parathyroid, muscle) were quantified.
Main Results:
- Obese strain (OS) chickens exhibited a high frequency of thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Tg-AAbs) and other organ-specific AAbs.
- Thyroid microsomal AAbs were found in intermediate frequency, while other organ-specific AAbs were less common in OS chickens.
- Control chicken strains showed only occasional, low-titer organ-specific AAbs, unlike the OS strain.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis in OS chickens closely resembles human Hashimoto thyroiditis due to shared autoantibody profiles.
- The abnormal immune response in OS chickens is primarily directed at organ-specific antigens, particularly of the thyroid gland.
- Non-organ-specific autoantibodies were frequent across all tested chicken strains, indicating a broader immune response unrelated to specific organ autoimmunity.