Tibial dyschondroplasia is highly associated with suppression of tibial angiogenesis through regulating the HIF-1α/VEGF/VEGFR signaling pathway in chickens

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 22;7(1):9089. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09664-6.

Abstract

Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is an intractable poultry problem that is characterized by the appearance of non-vascularized and non-mineralized cartilage masses in tibial growth plates (TGPs). However, the role of angiogenesis inhibition in the occurrence of TD remains unknown. In this study, we found that, compared to low-altitude Arbor Acres chickens (AACs), high-altitude Tibetan chickens showed higher tibial vascular distributions that were accompanied by up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and VEGF receptors. These observations provide insights into hypoxia-induced angiogenesis, which may be related to the absence of TD in high-altitude native Tibetan chickens. Importantly, hypoxia experiments also showed that during hypoxia, tibial angiogenesis was enhanced, which was due to pro-angiogenic factor up-regulation (including VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and IL-8), in AACs. Moreover, we observed that thiram-induced TD could strongly inhibit tibial angiogenesis in the hypertrophic zone through coordinated down-regulation of HIF-1α and pro-angiogenic factors, leading to a disruption in the blood supply to the TGP. Taken together, these findings reveal that the occurrence of TD is highly associated with inhibition of tibial angiogenesis through down-regulated expression of HIF-1α, VEGFA and VEGF receptors, which results in suppression of TGP development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Altitude Sickness / genetics
  • Altitude Sickness / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / chemically induced
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / genetics
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / metabolism
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / veterinary*
  • Poultry Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Poultry Diseases / genetics
  • Poultry Diseases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / genetics
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Thiram / adverse effects*
  • Tibia / blood supply*
  • Tibia / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Thiram
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor