Figure 6.

Kinetics of IL21 mRNA transcription (A) and protein expression (B) in the jejunum and IL-21 protein levels in the serum (C) of E. maxima-infected chickens. Three-week old birds were orally inoculated with 100 oocysts of E. maxima or sterile water (control birds) and jejunum and serum samples collected at various days post-infection as indicated. Data are presented as individual birds. For RT-qPCR data, the relative quantity (RQ) of mRNA transcription of individual infected birds was calculated relative to the mean of control birds of the same line at individual time points and normalized using the 28S reference gene. Matching letters denote significant differences between groups on the same day (p < 0.05, n = 3 for control and n ≥ 5 for infected groups). C, control; I, infected.