TY - JOUR
T1 - Loss of αβ but not γδ T cells in chickens causes a severe phenotype
AU - von Heyl, Theresa
AU - Klinger, Romina
AU - Aumann, Dorothea
AU - Zenner, Christian
AU - Alhussien, Mohanned
AU - Schlickenrieder, Antonina
AU - Lengyel, Kamila
AU - Vikkula, Hanna Kaisa
AU - Mittermair, Teresa
AU - Sid, Hicham
AU - Schusser, Benjamin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. European Journal of Immunology published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - The availability of genetically modified mice has facilitated the study of mammalian T cells. No model has yet been developed to study these cells in chickens, an important livestock species with a high availability of γδ T cells. To investigate the role of γδ and αβ T cell populations in birds, we generated chickens lacking these T cell populations. This was achieved by genomic deletion of the constant region of the T cell receptor γ or β chain, leading to a complete loss of either γδ or αβ T cells. Our results show that a deletion of αβ T cells but not γδ T cells resulted in a severe phenotype in KO chickens. The αβ T cell KO chickens exhibited granulomas associated with inflammation of the spleen and the proventriculus. Immunophenotyping of αβ T cell KO chickens revealed a significant increase in monocytes and expectedly the absence of CD4+ T cells including FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Surprisingly there was no increase of γδ T cells. In addition, we observed a significant decrease in immunoglobulins, B lymphocytes, and changes in the bursa morphology. Our data reveal the consequences of T cell knockouts in chickens and provide new insights into their function in vertebrates.
AB - The availability of genetically modified mice has facilitated the study of mammalian T cells. No model has yet been developed to study these cells in chickens, an important livestock species with a high availability of γδ T cells. To investigate the role of γδ and αβ T cell populations in birds, we generated chickens lacking these T cell populations. This was achieved by genomic deletion of the constant region of the T cell receptor γ or β chain, leading to a complete loss of either γδ or αβ T cells. Our results show that a deletion of αβ T cells but not γδ T cells resulted in a severe phenotype in KO chickens. The αβ T cell KO chickens exhibited granulomas associated with inflammation of the spleen and the proventriculus. Immunophenotyping of αβ T cell KO chickens revealed a significant increase in monocytes and expectedly the absence of CD4+ T cells including FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Surprisingly there was no increase of γδ T cells. In addition, we observed a significant decrease in immunoglobulins, B lymphocytes, and changes in the bursa morphology. Our data reveal the consequences of T cell knockouts in chickens and provide new insights into their function in vertebrates.
KW - Adaptive immune system
KW - CRISPR/Cas9
KW - Chicken
KW - Genetically modified animals
KW - T cells
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85173901019&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/eji.202350503
DO - 10.1002/eji.202350503
M3 - Article
C2 - 37735713
AN - SCOPUS:85173901019
SN - 0014-2980
VL - 53
JO - European Journal of Immunology
JF - European Journal of Immunology
IS - 12
M1 - 2350503
ER -