Nutrient Transporter Gene Expression during Coccidiosis

Avian coccidiosis is a major disease of poultry and is caused by the intestinal protozoa Eimeria.  The disease is characterized by intestinal lesions, reductions in feed efficiency and body weight gain, and severe economic losses for the poultry industry.  Two Eimeria species that impact the poultry industry are E. acervulina and E. maxima, which preferentially target the duodenum and jejunum, respectively.  Because Eimeria infects the intestine, we hypothesized that the infection may affect nutrient transporter expression.  The objective of this study was to examine differential expression of digestive enzymes, nutrient transporters and an antimicrobial peptide between 1) layers and broilers challenged with E. acervulina and 2) broilers challenged with E. acervulina or E. maxima to determine the effect of chicken breed and Eimeria species on gene expression.   Following E. acervulina challenge, a number of transporter genes and the antimicrobial peptide LEAP2 were downregulated in the duodenum of both layers and broilers.  In the jejunum and ileum, there were changes in nutrient transporter gene expression only in layers but not in broilers.  In broilers challenged with E. acervulina or E. maxima there was downregulation of a common set of transporter genes in the duodenum plus some Eimeria species-specific changes.  In contrast there were changes in gene expression only in E. maxima challenged chickens in the jejunum and ileum.  These results demonstrate that chicken breed and Eimeria species affects gene expression profiles but there is a common set of altered genes which may reveal a general mechanism for Eimeria infection.