Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction involved in ammonia-induced nephrocyte necroptosis in chickens

Abstract Ammonia (NH3), an environmental pollutant, poses a serious threat to human and avian health. Although previous studies have showed that NH3 caused kidney injury, the molecular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity induced by NH3 remain unclear. To explore the mechanisms of NH3 nephrotoxicity, a total of 36 broiler chicks at one day of age were exposed to NH3. After 42 days of exposure, blood samples were collected to determine creatinine and uric acid; and kidney samples were weighted and then collected to detect ultrastructural changes, oxidative stress parameters, ATPases, necroptosis- and mitochondrial dynamics-related genes. The results showed that chickens exposed to NH3 showed lower relative kidney weight and an increase concentration in serum creatinine and uric acid. NH3 exposure caused nephrocyte necrosis and increased the expression of necroptosis-related genes (TNF-α, RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL, and JNK). Besides, the activities of antioxidant systems (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and T-AOC) were reduced, whereas the concentrations of H2O2 and MDA were elevated. Lower activities of ATPases were obtained in NH3 treatment groups. Furthermore, the mitochondrial fission-related genes drp1 and mff were activated, and mitochondrial fusion-related genes opa1, mfn1 and mfn2 were suppressed after NH3 exposure. Based on the above results, we conclude that NH3 caused-oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction mediated nephrocyte necroptosis in chickens. This study may provide new insight into NH3 nephrotoxicity.