Florfenicol can inhibit chick growth and lead to immunosuppression

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2023.11.040

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2025, Vol. 24

Issue (1): 261-271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.11.040

Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine

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Florfenicol can inhibit chick growth and lead to immunosuppression

Fanliang Meng¹^*, Kuihao Liu²^*, Yesheng Shen¹^*, Peixun Li¹, Tailong Wang¹, Yiran Zhao¹, Sidang Liu¹, Mengda Liu^3#, Gang Wang^1#

¹Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

²College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China

³Division of Zoonoses Surveillance, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao 266032, China

Highlights
● With the use of florfenicol, more and more attention has been paid to its hematopoietic toxicity, immunotoxicity, genotoxicity, and embryotoxicity.
● Florfenicol exerts certain influences on the immune function of chickens, and such influences are reversible upon discontinuation of the drug.
● This research results establish a basis for further investigations on the immunotoxic mechanism triggered by florfenicol.

Abstract
References

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摘要

氟苯尼考(Florfenicol, FLO)是一种化学合成的动物用酰胺醇类广谱抗菌药物，是畜牧业和水产养殖业应用最广泛的抗菌药物之一。随着FLO的广泛应用，其造血毒性、免疫毒性、遗传毒性、胚胎毒性越来越受到关注。为进一步明确FLO对雏鸡的毒副作用，本研究通过FLO雏鸡饮水的途径进行药物应用实验，系统地研究FLO对雏鸡免疫功能的影响，并初步探讨其影响机制，旨在为FLO的安全再评价及科学合理使用提供理论依据。SPF雏鸡3日龄起在饮水中以100 mg L^-1的剂量添加FLO，连续饮用6天，对雏鸡生长性能进行监测，通过病理学检查及TUNEL凋亡染色检测应用FLO对免疫器官的影响，并通过血凝抑制试验检测血清中NDV抗体水平、ELISA方法检测血清中细胞因子（IL-1、IL-2、IL-6、TNF-α、IFN-γ）含量以及实时荧光定量PCR检测免疫器官中干扰素相关基因（IRF-7、2’-5’OAS、Mx1）和细胞因子基因（IL-6、TNF-α、IFN-γ）的转录情况对机体免疫水平进行评价。结果显示育雏早期应用FLO可抑制雏鸡的生长发育，用药组的体重及免疫器官指数均低于对照组；病理组织学检查发现停药早期FLO处理组法氏囊中淋巴细胞的数量较少，TUNEL凋亡检测结果显示FLO处理组的法氏囊发生明显的淋巴细胞凋亡。FLO处理组免疫器官中干扰素相关基因IRF-7、2’-5’OAS及细胞因子基因IL-6、TNF-α、IFN-γ的转录水平与对照组相比均有一定程度的降低，Mx1基因转录水平在所有时间点均差异不显著；FLO处理组血清中NDV抗体水平及细胞因子IL-1、IL-2、IFN-γ的含量在停药早期显著低于对照组，但在后期能逐渐恢复。本研究表明，FLO对雏鸡的免疫功能有一定程度的影响，研究结果为进一步研究FLO诱导的免疫毒性机制奠定了基础。

Abstract

Florfenicol (FLO) is a chemically synthesized broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent of amide alcohols for animals, which is one of the most widely used antimicrobials in livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. With the use of FLO, more and more attention has been paid to its hematopoietic toxicity, immunotoxicity, genotoxicity, and embryotoxicity. In this study, SPF chicks at the age of 3 d began to drink water with the FLO at a dose of 100 mg L^–1 for 6 consecutive days, and the growth performance of chicks was monitored, the effect of FLO on immune organs was detected by pathological examination and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) apoptosis staining. In order to evaluate the level of organism immunity, the level of Newcastle disease virus antibody in serum was detected by hemagglutination inhibition test, the content of cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) in serum was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the transcription of interferon-related genes (IRF-7, 2´-5´OAS, Mx1) and cytokine genes (IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) in immune organs were detected by real time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results showed that the early application of FLO could inhibit the growth and development of chicks, and the body weight and immune organ index of the treatment group were lower than those of the control group. Histopathological examination showed that there was a decrease in the number of lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius in the treatment group in the early stage of drug withdrawal, and the results of TUNEL apoptosis staining in the bursa of Fabricius showed that obvious lymphocyte apoptosis occurred in the FLO treatment group. Compared with the control group, the transcription levels of interferon-related genes IRF-7, 2´-5´OAS, and cytokine genes IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ in FLO treatment group decreased to a certain extent, while the transcription level of Mx1 gene had no significant difference at all time points. The level of serum Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody and the contents of cytokines IL-1, IL-2 and IFN-γ in the FLO treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group in the early stage of drug withdrawal, but recovered gradually in the later stage. This study showed that FLO has a certain degree of effect on the immune function of chicks, and the results of the study laid the foundation for further research on the mechanism of FLO-induced immunotoxicity.

Keywords: Florfenicol chick growth immunosuppression interferon-related genes cytokines

Received: 01 May 2023 Accepted: 03 November 2023

About author: Fanliang Meng, E-mail: 18754875921@163.com; Kuihao Liu, E-mail: vetlkh@126.com; Yesheng Shen, E-mail: ysshen1997@163.com; #Correspondence Gang Wang, E-mail: wg0381@163.com; Mengda Liu, E-mail: liumengda@cahec.cn *These authors contributed equally to this study. *These authors contributed equally to this study.

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Fanliang Meng, Kuihao Liu, Yesheng Shen, Peixun Li, Tailong Wang, Yiran Zhao, Sidang Liu, Mengda Liu, Gang Wang. 2025. Florfenicol can inhibit chick growth and lead to immunosuppression. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(1): 261-271.

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