Characterization of stress response involved in chicken myopathy

•High levels of glucocorticoid involved in myopathies of fast-growing chickens.•Tissue specific expression of GR and 11β-HSD1 involved in myopathies of chickens.•DNMTs play epigenetic roles in the response of stress response genes in chickens.•Activation of V1aR in breast muscle and liver of myopathic chickens. Myopathies (Woody Breast (WB) and White Striping (WS)) of broiler chickens have been correlated with fast growth. Recent studies reported that localized hypoxia and metabolic impairment may involve in these myopathies of birds. In order to better understand the stress response mechanisms affecting myopathies of broilers, the aim of this study was to examine effects of WB and both WB/WS on stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) levels and expressional changes of stress response genes including glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR), 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), DNA methylation regulators (DNMTs), and arginine vasotocin receptor 1a and 1b (V1aR, V1bR). Results of radioimmunoassay showed that CORT levels of WB and WB/WS birds were significantly higher compared to Con (p