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Article

First Evidence of Breed-Specific Immune Traits in Local Italian Poultry Breeds

by
Michele Di Iorio
1,*,
Emanuele Antenucci
1,
Lucia Maiuro
1,
Giusy Rusco
2,
Marisa Palazzo
1,
Achille Schiavone
3,
Dominga Soglia
3,
Mauro Penasa
4,
Cesare Castellini
5,
Arianna Buccioni
6,
Margherita Marzoni
7,
Silvia Cerolini
8 and
Nicolaia Iaffaldano
1
1
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis snc, 86100 Campobasso, CB, Italy
2
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada Provinciale per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano, BA, Italy
3
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy
4
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
5
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, PG, Italy
6
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, 50144 Firenze, FI, Italy
7
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, PI, Italy
8
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, LO, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Poultry 2026, 5(4), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry5040057
Submission received: 6 July 2026 / Revised: 29 July 2026 / Accepted: 4 August 2026 / Published: 6 August 2026
Versions Notes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to provide the first characterization of selected components of innate immunity (lysozyme and complement component C3) and adaptive humoral immunity (immunoglobulin Y) in seven Italian autochthonous chicken breeds and two turkey breeds. A total of 70 chickens (10 animals per breed) and 20 turkeys (10 animals per breed), equally distributed by sex, were sampled. The concentrations of immune traits were determined using avian-specific ELISA kits. In chickens, significant breed effects were detected for all traits, whereas sex influenced lysozyme and complement component C3 levels. Males generally showed greater lysozyme and complement component C3 levels than females. Higher lysozyme levels were found in Bionda Piemontese (920.8 ng/mL) and Bianca di Saluzzo (766.5 ng/mL), while the highest complement component C3 values were observed in Bionda Piemontese (315.2 µg/mL) and Bianca di Saluzzo roosters (287.4 µg/mL) and in Siciliana hens (329.1 µg/mL). Immunoglobulin Y showed limited variation among breeds and sexes. In turkeys, only lysozyme levels differed between breeds. Overall, these preliminary results, obtained from a limited number of individuals, reveal measurable differences in immune traits among Italian autochthonous poultry breeds, particularly for innate immune parameters, suggesting that genetic background may contribute to variation in immune responsiveness. These findings provide baseline data to support genetic conservation strategies and sustainable breeding programs for resilient poultry systems.
Keywords: autochthonous poultry breeds; innate immunity; immunoglobulin Y; genetic variability; poultry biodiversity autochthonous poultry breeds; innate immunity; immunoglobulin Y; genetic variability; poultry biodiversity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Di Iorio, M.; Antenucci, E.; Maiuro, L.; Rusco, G.; Palazzo, M.; Schiavone, A.; Soglia, D.; Penasa, M.; Castellini, C.; Buccioni, A.; et al. First Evidence of Breed-Specific Immune Traits in Local Italian Poultry Breeds. Poultry 2026, 5, 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry5040057

AMA Style

Di Iorio M, Antenucci E, Maiuro L, Rusco G, Palazzo M, Schiavone A, Soglia D, Penasa M, Castellini C, Buccioni A, et al. First Evidence of Breed-Specific Immune Traits in Local Italian Poultry Breeds. Poultry. 2026; 5(4):57. https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry5040057

Chicago/Turabian Style

Di Iorio, Michele, Emanuele Antenucci, Lucia Maiuro, Giusy Rusco, Marisa Palazzo, Achille Schiavone, Dominga Soglia, Mauro Penasa, Cesare Castellini, Arianna Buccioni, and et al. 2026. "First Evidence of Breed-Specific Immune Traits in Local Italian Poultry Breeds" Poultry 5, no. 4: 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry5040057

APA Style

Di Iorio, M., Antenucci, E., Maiuro, L., Rusco, G., Palazzo, M., Schiavone, A., Soglia, D., Penasa, M., Castellini, C., Buccioni, A., Marzoni, M., Cerolini, S., & Iaffaldano, N. (2026). First Evidence of Breed-Specific Immune Traits in Local Italian Poultry Breeds. Poultry, 5(4), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry5040057

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