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Nickel Chloride (NiCl2) Induces Histopathological Lesions via Oxidative Damage in the Broiler’s Bursa of Fabricius

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the histopathological lesions, oxidative damage, changes of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin A (IgA) contents in the bursa of Fabricius and serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) induced by dietary nickel chloride (NiCl2). Two hundred and eighty-one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into four groups and fed on a control diet and three experimental diets supplemented with 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg of NiCl2 for 42 days. Lesions were observed in the NiCl2-treated groups. Histopathologically, lymphocytes were decreased in lymphoid follicles with thinner cortices and wider medullae. Concurrently, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the ability to inhibit hydroxyl radical and glutathione (GSH) contents were significantly (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) decreased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were increased in the NiCl2-treated groups. The serum IgG, IgM, and bursa IgG and IgM contents were significantly (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) lower in the NiCl2-treated groups than those in the control group. The above-mentioned results show that dietary NiCl2 in excess of 300 mg/kg can cause histopathological lesions via oxidative damage, which finally impairs the function of the bursa of Fabricius and reduces IgG and IgM contents of the serum and the bursa of Fabricius. The study is aimed to provide helpful materials for studies on Ni- or Ni compounds-induced B cell toxicity in both human and other animals in the future.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the program for Changjiang scholars and innovative research team in the university (IRT 0848) and the Shuangzhi Project of Sichuan Agricultural University (03570327; 03571198).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Environmental Hazards of Sichuan Province, Ya’an, China

    Shuang Yin, Hongrui Guo, Hengmin Cui, Xi Peng, Jing Fang, Zhicai Zuo, Junliang Deng, Xun Wang, Kun Tang & Jian Li

  2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, 625014, China

    Hengmin Cui, Xi Peng, Jing Fang, Zhicai Zuo, Junliang Deng & Xun Wang

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  1. Shuang Yin
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  2. Hongrui Guo
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Correspondence to Hengmin Cui.

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Yin, S., Guo, H., Cui, H. et al. Nickel Chloride (NiCl2) Induces Histopathological Lesions via Oxidative Damage in the Broiler’s Bursa of Fabricius. Biol Trace Elem Res 171, 214–223 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0528-8

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