HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Praslickova, D. Articles by Kuhnlein, U. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Praslickova, D. Articles by Kuhnlein, U.

Association of a Marker in the Vitamin D Receptor Gene with Marek’s Disease Resistance in Poultry

D. Praslickova^*, S. Sharif, A. Sarson, M. F. Abdul-Careem, D. Zadworny^*, A. Kulenkamp, G. Ansah and U. Kuhnlein^*,1

^* McGill University, Department of Animal Science, St. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, H9X 1R9; University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College, Department of Pathobiology, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1; and Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, N1R 5V9

¹ Corresponding author: urs.kuhnlein{at}mcgill.ca

Vitamin D is an important immunomodulator that mediates its effect via a nuclear receptor. In this study, we analyzed 3 uncorrelated genetic markers (tag single nucleotide polymorphisms) in the vitamin D receptor gene for association with Marek’s disease (MD) resistance. The database consisted of 400 commercial White Leghorn chickens that had been vaccinated with herpes turkey virus and challenged by intraperitoneal injection of the virulent MD virus RB1B. Viral titers in feather tips were determined at weekly intervals for 8 wk, mortality was recorded, and necropsy analyses preformed on all chickens. The 3 genotypes defined by 1 of the markers were associated with significant differences in the viral load (integration of the viral titer over time; P = 3 x 10^–4). The effect was additive, with the 2 homozygotes differing by a factor of 2. The ranking of the genotypes by viral load, frequency of MD lesions, mortality, and bursal atrophy were consistent. There was no effect on the tissue distribution of MD lesions. The degree of MD resistance in the 9 genotypes defined by the 3 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms was proportional to the frequency of major histocompatibility complex class II-positive peripheral blood leukocytes that had been previously measured in uninfected chickens in a different database.

Key Words: vitamin D receptor • tag single nucleotide polymorphism • Marek’s disease resistance • herpes virus • major histocompatibility complex class II expression