Zymosan is a cell wall component of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and produces severe inflammatory responses in mammals. When zymosan is peripherally injected in mammals, it induces several behavioral and physiological changes including anorexia and hyperthermia. However, to our knowledge, behavioral and physiological responses to zymosan have not yet been clarified in birds. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine if intraperitoneal injection of zymosan affects food intake, voluntary activity, cloacal temperature, plasma corticosterone (CORT) and glucose concentrations, and splenic gene expression of cytokines in chicks (Gallus gallus). Intraperitoneal injection of zymosan (2.5 mg) significantly decreased food intake, voluntary activity, and plasma glucose concentration, and increased plasma CORT concentration. The injection of 0.5 mg zymosan significantly increased cloacal temperature, while 2.5 mg zymosan had a tendency to increase it. Finally, 2.5 mg zymosan significantly increased the splenic gene expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor–like cytokine 1A. The present results suggest that zymosan would be one of components which induces nonspecific symptoms including anorexia, hypoactivity, hyperthermia, and stress responses, under fungus infection in chicks.

酵母聚糖是酵母酿酒酵母的细胞壁成分，并在哺乳动物中产生严重的炎症反应。当将酵母聚糖周边注射到哺乳动物中时，它会诱发多种行为和生理变化，包括厌食和体温过高。但是，据我们所知，鸟类中对酵母聚糖的行为和生理反应尚未阐明。因此，本研究的目的是确定是否酵母聚糖的腹膜内注射会影响食物摄取，自主活动，泄殖腔温度，血浆皮质酮（CORT）和葡萄糖浓度，并在小鸡细胞因子的脾基因表达（原鸡）。腹膜内注射zymosan（2.5 mg）会显着减少食物摄入，自愿活动和血浆葡萄糖浓度，并增加血浆CORT浓度。注射0.5 mg酵母聚糖显着提高泄殖腔温度，而2.5 mg酵母聚糖则有升高泄殖腔温度的趋势。最后，2.5 mg酵母聚糖显着提高白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β），IL-6，IL-8，干扰素-γ和肿瘤坏死因子样细胞因子1A的脾脏基因表达。目前的结果表明，在小鸡的真菌感染下，酵母聚糖将是引起非特异性症状包括厌食，机能减退，体温过高和应激反应的成分之一。