Steroid and beta-adrenergic receptor modifications in target organs of broiler chickens fed with a diet containing beta2-adrenergic agents.

P Badino, R Odore, S Pagliasso, A Schiavone, C Girardi, G Re

Index: Food Chem. Toxicol. 46(6) , 2239-43, (2008)

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Abstract

The illegal use of beta2-agonists as repartitioning agents to improve production performance and carcass composition can induce changes in various organs of exposed animals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects induced by dietary beta-agonists on beta-AR, AnR and GR in male broiler target organs. Fifty-four male broiler chickens (Ross 508), 26 days old, were randomly divided into three homogeneous experimental groups and fed for 21 days with a standard diet containing placebo (group 1, control), 1ppm of clenbuterol (group 2) and 1ppm of cimaterol (group 3). Tissue samples of heart, lung, brain, testicle, spleen, thymus and Bursa of Fabricius were collected post-mortem then cytosol fractions were used for AnR (testicles) and GR (spleen, thymus and Bursa of Fabricius), and membrane fractions for beta-AR (all tissues but testicles) determination by binding assays. The dietary administration of beta-adrenergic agents as repartitioning agents induced a significant decrease in AnR concentration in the testicle, in GR levels in the lymphoid tissues and in beta-AR concentrations of different target organs of male chickens. Present data confirm those observed in female chickens and suggest that in poultry the regulation exerted by adrenergic stimulation on steroid receptor concentrations produces different effects than in mammals.