Expression of genes that encode cellular oxidant/antioxidant systems are affected by heat stress

Heat stress causes critical molecular dysfunction that affects productivity in chickens. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat stress (HS) on the expression of select genes in the oxidation/antioxidation machinery in the liver of chickens. Chickens at 14 days of age were randomly assigned to two treatment groups and kept under either a constant normal temperature (25 °C) or high temperature (35 °C) in individual cages for 12 days. mRNA expression of Nrf2, oxidants NADPH(NOX): [NOX1, NOX2, NOX3, NOX4, NOX5 and DUOX2], and antioxidants [SOD1, CAT, GR, GPx1, NQO1] in the liver were analyzed at 1 and 12 days post-HS. We show that, HS changes the mRNA expression of oxidants thereby increasing cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, persistent HS up-regulates SOD which converts superoxides to hydrogen peroxide. We further demonstrated the dynamic relationship between catalase, GSH peroxidase (GPx) and NADPH under both acute and chronic heat stress. The pentose phosphate pathway could be important under HS since it generates NADPH which serves as a cofactor for GPx. Also, methionine, a precursor of cysteine has been shown to have reducing properties and thereby makes for an alternative fuel for redox processes. Genes in the ROS and antioxidant generation pathways may provide insight into nutritional intervention strategies, especially the use of methionine and/or cysteine when birds are suffering from heat stress.