Muscle fiber characteristics and expression level of Troponin T3, Toll-like receptor 2, and Toll-like receptor 4 genes in chicken meat with white striping

Research (Published online: 09-07-2023)

6. Muscle fiber characteristics and expression level of Troponin T3, Toll-like receptor 2, and Toll-like receptor 4 genes in chicken meat with white striping

Antika Boonlaos, Muhammad Jasim Uddin, Katchaporn Temyord, Danai Jattawa, and Autchara Kayan

Veterinary World, 16(7): 1415-1420

Antika Boonlaos: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Muhammad Jasim Uddin: School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia; Center for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia.

Katchaporn Temyord: Bureau of Livestock Standard and Certification, Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok, Thailand.

Danai Jattawa: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Autchara Kayan: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.1415-1420

Article history: Received: 22-03-2023, Accepted: 31-05-2023, Published online: 09-07-2023

Corresponding author: Autchara Kayan

E-mail: fagrark@ku.ac.th

Citation: Boonlaos A, Uddin MJ, Temyord K, Jattawa D, and Kayan A (2023) Muscle fiber characteristics and expression level of troponin T3, Toll-like receptor 2, and Toll-like receptor 4 genes in chicken meat with white striping, Veterinary World, 16(7): 1415-1420.

Abstract

Background and Aim: The poultry industry faces an emerging muscular defect in chicken meat called white striping (WS). The biological processes associated with WS myopathy are immune system activation, angiogenesis, hypoxia, cell death, and striated muscle contraction. We examined the Troponin T3 (TNNT3), Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) genes based on their functions related to muscle contraction and the innate immune system. This study aimed to determine the muscle fiber characteristics (MFCs) and expression level of TNNT3, TLR2, and TLR4 genes in white striping chicken meat (WSCM).

Materials and Methods: A total of 428 breast samples were randomly collected from a commercial poultry processing plant. The samples were classified into four levels: 0 (normal), 1 (moderate WS), 2 (severe WS), and 3 (extreme WS). Five samples per group were selected to evaluate MFCs, including total number of muscle fibers, muscle fiber diameter, cross-sectional area, endomysium thickness, and perimysium thickness. Five samples per group were selected for ribonucleic acid (RNA) isolation to evaluate the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of TNNT3, TLR2, and TLR4 genes related to WS.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed that the total number of fibers, endomysium thickness, and perimysium thickness significantly differed between groups (p < 0.05). Muscle fiber diameter and cross-sectional area did not significantly differ (p > 0.05). The expression of the TNNT3 gene did not significantly differ among groups (p > 0.05). Toll-like receptor 2 and TLR4 mRNA expression significantly differed among groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: These detailed MFCs will provide baseline information to observe WS in chicken meat. Toll-like receptor 2 and TLR4 genes may play a role in the occurrence of WS in chicken meat through non-specific immune reactions.

Keywords: chicken, gene expression, myopathy, poultry, white striping.