Abstract

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a predominant glycolipid in the outer membranes of gam-negative bacteria that stimulates monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils to produce cytokines. The aim was to study the expression profile of TLRs and cytokines and determine the role of LPS in the peripheral blood lymphocytes. Lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of chickens and induced with LPS, total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed into cDNA. The mRNA expression level of TLRs and inflammatory cytokines were quantitatively determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The result showed that lymphocytes were expressed mRNA of TLRs (TLR1/6/10, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR7) and interleukins (IL-1β, IL-8, IL-18 and TGF-β4). LPS will significantly (P<0.05) induce the expression of TLR4, IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-18, and non significantly (P>0.05) induce the mRNA expression of TLR1/6/10, TLR5 and TGF-β4. LPS plays an important role in the innate immune response of lymphocytes to pathogen.

Key words: Lipopolysaccharide, lymphocytes, TLRs, cytokines.