Avian resistance to Campylobacter jejuni colonization is associated with an intestinal immunogene expression signature identified by mRNA sequencing.

RNAseq analysis of caecal tissue from 14 C. jejuni-susceptible and 14 C. jejuni-resistant birds from a single population of infected chickens was conducted in order to identify gene expression associated with resistance to colonization. Significantly higher expression of genes involved in the innate immune response, cytokine signaling, B cell and T cell activation and immunoglobulin production, as well as the renin-angiotensin system was observed in resistant birds. Overall design: A population of 255 Barred Rock chickens were orally inoculated with C. jejuni and their caecal colonization levels estimated 48 hours post-inoculation. Caecal samples from 14 birds with no colonization and the 14 birds with the highest colonization were selected for mRNA sequencing.