Spatial transcriptomics could help the poultry researchers learn more about and potentially solve wooden breast.
The spatial transcriptomics technique is a molecular profiling method that identifies different cell types present in a tissue sample and their potential interactions, explained University of Delaware Professor of Animal Genetics Behnam Abasht at the 2024 Poultry Science Association (PSA) annual meeting.
Previous research from Abasht’s team involved identifying the genomic regions associated with wooden breast.
During research using the technique to assess chicken samples, the researchers could see what specific information was encoded in each of the genes by conducting an analysis of those previously identified genomic regions to characterize mutations that could cause the myopathy.
The researchers found fatty white blood cells, known as lipid-laden macrophages (LLM), that are located close to the veins are the key cells responsible for modifying the breakdown and storage of fats in the muscle at the onset of wooden breast in 23-day old broiler chickens.
Because the LLMs are so close to the veins, he explained, it is possible that vein occlusion and inflammation could occur when they grow in size or quantity, leading to wooden breast.
According to Abasht, the results of the spatial transcriptomics analysis help confirm the team’s previous findings that revealed an enzyme needed for fat metabolism could be contributing to the development of wooden breast in broiler chickens.
How the analysis works
The researchers froze breast tissue samples and sliced the frozen tissue into thin sheets. Then, they took images and examined the samples microscopically for signs of the myopathy while also analyzing the genes in the breast tissue.
In the samples confirmed to be affected with wooden breast, the researchers identified the LLMs located close to the veins. Additionally, they found LLMs in some of the unaffected samples, potentially indicating that the onset of wooden breast was underway.
