Transport stress induces weight loss and heart injury in chicks: disruption of ionic homeostasis via modulating ion transporting ATPases

Transportation is inevitable in the poultry industry, and it can induce stress to chicks in varying degrees, such as mild discomfort, sometimes even death. However, the research about the effects of transport stress on the weight loss and heart injury of chicks is lacking. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of transport stress-induced effects, chicks were transported for 2h, 4h and 8h. The creatinine kinase (CK) activities, the ionic contents, the ATPases activities and the transcription of the ATPase associated subunits in chick heart were detected. The results showed that transport stress increased the weight loss and the CK activity, disturbed the ionic (K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+)) homeostasis and inhibited the ATPase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase, Mg(2+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase) activities, increased the ATP content and downregulated the gene expression levels of the ATPase associated subunits in heart. In conclusion, transport stress disturbed the ionic homeostasis via modulating ion transporting ATPases and the transcriptions of the associated subunits, and ultimately induced weight loss and heart injury in chicks.