Quantitative detection of IL-18 in immune organs of SPF chicken infected by Avian reovirus

【Objective】The present experiment was conducted to investigate relative dynamic transcription phases of interleukin18(IL-18) in immune organs of SPF chicken infected by Avian reovirus(ARV) in order to lay the foundation for revealing pathogenic mechanism of ARV. 【Method】The effects of ARV infection on dynamic transcription level of IL-18 m RNA in immune organs of SPF chicken were detected by using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR technique.【Result】After SPF chickens were infected by ARV, their immune organs were dysplastic, and the weights of their spleen, thymus and fabricius bursa were generally lower than those of control group. Compared with the control group,except the downregulation of IL-18 expression in thymus and fabricius bursa of the 21 stinfected day and spleen and thymus of the 35 thinfected day, the IL-18 expression in all immune organs were upregulated at other time points, especially all reached peak value on the first infected day. Therefore the upregulation multiple of IL-18 expression in spleen,thymus and fabricius bursa were 3.59, 7.99 and 8.35 times, respectively. 【Conclusion】The transcriptional phase changes of IL-18 are induced by ARV, therefore IL-18 may be associated with immune organ damage of ARV and immune suppression.