Tissue oxidative stress and expression of chicken UCP and ANT mRNA in laying hens exposed to acute cold stress

1. Exposure to stress alters normal homoeostasis and, hence, the antioxidant defence system. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acute cold temperature on the antioxidant defence system in hens.2. Hy-line grey commercial layers (80 40-week-old) were randomly assigned to one of eight groups. In groups 1 to 5, hens were exposed to low temperature at -8.68°C (cool stressed) for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h, respectively. In groups 6 and 7, post 10 h cool stressed, hens were quickly transferred to room at 21°C to recovery for 2 h and 4h, respectively. In treatment groups 6 and 7, post 10 h cool stressed, hens were quickly transferred to room at 21°C for 2 h and 4 h, respectively. Group 8 was the control, where hens were housed under regular condition at 21°C as controls.3. Antioxidant enzymes (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA), in skeletal muscle, the kidney, liver and pancreas were measured. The transcription of avUCP and ANT mRNA was tested by RT-PCR.4. The T-AOC activity was increased in the skeletal muscle of hens cold stressed for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h and the 2 h recovery groups compared with control hens (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The GPx activity was increased in the liver and skeletal muscle after cold stress 4 h and in the pancreas of cold stress 2 h compared with the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Antioxidant SOD activity was increased in the kidney after cold stress 6 h and in the liver after cold stress 10 h compared to the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Measured MDA activity was increased in the pancreas after 2 h cold stress (<i>p</i> < 0.05).5. UCP mRNA expression level was increased in the pectoral muscle for 2 h and 4 h recovery groups compared with the control hens (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and avian uncoupling protein (UPC), adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) expression level was increased in the leg muscle of hens cold stress for 2, 6, 8 h and recovery 2 and 4 h.6. The observed changes in the antioxidant defence system were tissue specific. Increments in levels of ANT (leg muscle) and UCP (pectoral and leg muscle) mRNA expression may be involved in the regulation of thermogenesis in skeletal muscle.