Background: Cryptosporidium baileyi is the dominant Cryptosporidium species in birds causing emerging health problems in the poultry industry, and is also a model to study the biology of Cryptosporidium spp.. IL-17 (also called IL-17A) is a hallmark pro-inflammatory cytokine of Th17 cells that plays an important role in several human autoimmune diseases and microbial infection disease of many animals, and it may play a role in Cryptosporidium infection.
Methods: The present study examined the mRNA level of IL-17 and Th17 response relative cytokines in the trachea and spleen of C. baileyi-infected chickens at different time points using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR).
Results: All examined cytokines in the trachea were up-regulated in the infected chickens compared with the uninfected control during C. baileyi infection. Significant increased IL-17 mRNA level in the trachea was observed as early as 12 h post infection (pi), peaking at 24 h pi and 10 d pi, and declining thereafter. The transcription levels of IL-17 and Th17 response relative cytokines in spleen were also significantly increased at different time points during the infection.
Conclusions: IL-17 was indicated to participate in the induction of inflammation during infection of some intracellular protozoan parasites. The results in the present study suggest that IL-17 may play a role in immunity against Cryptosporidium infection, and provide basic information for determining the role of Th17 cell in Cryptosporidium infection.