University of California, Davis (UCD) line 140 chickens develop a
dysgammaglobulinemia characterized as selective 7S
immunoglobulin (Ig) deficiency with elevated serum
IgM levels. To study the role of bursal development on the expression of
dysgammaglobulinemia in these birds, we examined the effect of bursacyte transfer to line 140 birds and parabiosis between UCD 140 and a control line of chickens on changes in serum
IgM and 7S Ig levels. Bursacyte transfer was performed by injecting 18-day UCD 140 embryos (which had been
cyclophosphamide treated on Day 15) with bursacytes from major histocompatibility complex B-matched control line (11 X 58) F1 birds. This transfer produced little change in the incidence of
dysgammaglobulinemia in UCD 140 transfer birds (56%) compared to unmanipulated line 140 birds (60%). These data reflect a failure of line 140, rather than technique, because successful reconstitution was seen using line 11 X 58 birds injected with 11 X 58 bursacytes. In contrast, the generation of UCD 140/line 11 X 58 chimeras significantly reduced the incidence of
dysgammaglobulinemia in line UCD birds. Indeed, fusion of the chorioallantoic vascular system (parabiosis) of UCD 140 and 11 X 58 embryos on Day 15 decreased the frequency of
dysgammaglobulinemia of UCD 140 parabionts to 14% compared to 66% in unmanipulated line 140 controls. The success of parabiosis was 83% as determined by demonstrating chimerism with allogeneic
blood groups. Moreover, the frequency of
dysgammaglobulinemia in the 17% of parabionts that did not reveal chimerism was similar to unmanipulated UCD 140 chickens.