Hydrogen sulfide inhalation-induced immune damage is involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and the Th1/Th2 imbalance in broiler bursa of Fabricius.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is widely accepted to be a signaling molecule that exhibits some potentially beneficial therapeutic effects at physiological concentrations. At elevated levels, H2S is highly toxic and has a negative effect on human health and animal welfare. Studies have shown that H2S exposure induces an immune function in mice, but there are few studies of the effect of continuous H2S exposure on immune organs in poultry. In this study, one-day-old broilers were selected and exposed to 4 or 20 ppm of H2S gas for 14, 28 and 42 days of age. After exposure, the bursa of Fabricius (BF) was harvested. The results showed that continuous H2S exposure reduced the body weight, abdominal fat percentage, and antibody titer in broilers. H2S exposure also decreased mRNA expression of IgA, IgM and IgG in the broiler BF. A histological study revealed obvious nuclear debris, and a few vacuoles in the BF, and an ultrastructural study revealed mitochondrial and nuclear damage to BF cells after H2S exposure for 42 d. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay suggested H2S exposure remarkably increased the number of TUNEL positive nuclei and significantly increased apoptotic index. The expression of apoptotic genes also confirmed that H2S inhalation damaged the broiler BF. Increased cytokines and reduced antioxidant responses were detected in the BF after exposure to H2S. Cytokines promoted inflammation and caused a Th1/Th2 imbalance. We suggest that continuous H2S intoxication triggers oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and a Th1/Th2 imbalance in the BF, leading to immune injury in broilers.