Dietary hydrolyzed wheat gluten supplementation ameliorated intestinal barrier dysfunctions of broilers challenged with Escherichia coli O78

Effect of Matrine on growth performance, gut health, and gut microbiota in chickens infected with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a major cause of avian colibacillosis. Matrine, a natural component derived from Sophora flavescens, exhibits various pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. However, its role in mitigating APEC-induced intestinal damage in chickens remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to explore the protective effects and potential mechanisms of matrine against APEC-induced intestinal damage. Chickens were administered matrine (10 or 20 mg/kg) from 6 days old for 5 days, followed by an APEC intraperitoneal injection on day 10. After 72 h of APEC infection, tissues were collected for analysis. Results indicated that pretreatment with matrine alleviated the symptoms of APEC infection in chickens, improving survival rates and promoting weight gain. Additionally, pretreatment with matrine reduced the secretion and gene expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in intestinal tissues, while enhancing serum SOD, GSH, and CAT activity, as well as gene expression levels in the intestine. Pretreatment with matrine reduced the levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in intestinal tissues. Moreover, pretreatment with matrine ameliorated intestinal inflammation and pathological damage, restoring the expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and MUC2 in the intestine during APEC infection. Furthermore, pretreatment with matrine alleviated gut microbiota dysbiosis by lowering the abundance of harmful bacteria. In summary, matrine alleviated APEC-induced intestinal inflammation and damage, potentially by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway and reshaping the gut microbiota. These findings provide promising insights into the prevention and treatment of avian colibacillosis.

Bacillus coagulans MF-06 alleviates intestinal mucosal barrier from damage in chicks infected with Salmonella pullorum via activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Introduction

This study aimed to assess the protective efficacy of Bacillus coagulans MF-06 as a potential alternative to antibiotics in mitigating intestinal mucosal damage in chicks infected with Salmonella pullorum.

Methods

A total of 150 one-day-old SPF chicks were selected and randomly divided into five groups: control group (CK), probiotics group (EM), probiotics treatment group (PT), antibiotic treatment group (AT), Salmonella pullorum group (SI), CK, AT and SI groups were fed a basal diet, EM and PT groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 1.0 × 108 CFU/g Bacillus coagulans; PT, AT and SI groups were gavaged with 1.0 × 109 CFU/0.5 mL Salmonella pullorum at 7 days of age; AT group were fed with 0.375 g/kg neomycin sulfate in the basal diet from days 7-14.

Results

Subsequently, the study evaluated alterations in growth performance, the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier, cytokines associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and gut microbiota composition. The results revealed that the administration of Bacillus coagulans MF-06 significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio of chicks (p < 0.05), and significantly increased the average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake in chicks challenged with Salmonella Pullorum (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Bacillus coagulans MF-06 treatment diminished the presence of Salmonella pullorum colonies in the intestinal tract. Additionally, the administration of Bacillus coagulans MF-06 restored levels of (Diamine oxidase) DAO and (D-lactic acid) D-LA levels, as well as the levels of tight junction protein, including TJP1, CLDN1, CLDN2, Occludin, and MUC2 (p < 0.05). The study noted a significant decrease in cell apoptosis (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in the expression of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (C-MYC) (p < 0.05), which activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Analysis through 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the intake of Bacillus coagulans MF-06 led to a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Lachnoclostridium, Shuttleworthia, and unidentified-Eggerthellaceae (p < 0.05).

Discussion

Collectively, the Bacillus coagulans MF-06 may provide a protective effect against Salmonella pullorum infection in chicks by enhancing growth performance, strengthening the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and stabilizing the gut microbiota.

Dietary supplementation with a silicate clay mineral (palygorskite) alleviates inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier damage in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli

This experiment aimed to explore the protective effects of dietary palygorskite (Pal) supplementation on inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier function of broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli (E. coli). A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was designed to assess the effects of Pal administration (0 or 5 g/kg of feed) and E. coli challenge (E. coli or bacterial culture medium) on broilers in a 21-d feeding trial. Birds were randomly assigned into one of the 4 groups, and each group had 8 replicates with ten birds each. The challenged chickens were orally gavaged with E. coli suspended in Luria-Bertani broth on 14 d of age, while unchallenged birds were administrated with an equivalent amount of culture medium. The sampling was performed at 21 d of age. Compared with the normal birds, an oral E. coli challenge reduced final body weight, and decreased feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency during the challenge period (P < 0.05). E. coli challenge promoted colonization of E. coli in cecal content and their translocation to internal organs (heart, liver, and spleen) (P < 0.05). E. coli infection also increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in jejunum and ileum possibly through activating the toll-like receptor-4-mediated signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Moreover, E. coli administration increased intestinal mucosal permeability (higher serum D-lactate level and diamine oxidase activity, and lower intestinal mucosal disaccharidase activities), altered intestinal morphology, and downregulated the gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (P < 0.05). In contrast, Pal supplementation enhanced growth performance, inhibited colonization of E. coli, reduced intestinal inflammation, decreased intestinal permeability, restored intestinal morphology, and normalized the expression of genes responsible for inflammatory processes and maintenance of intestinal mucosal barrier (P < 0.05), and most of these beneficial effects resulting from Pal administration were independent of bacterial challenge. The results indicated dietary Pal incorporation was effective in improving growth performance and alleviating inflammation and intestinal mucosal barrier damage in broilers challenged with E. coli.

The Combined Use of Cinnamaldehyde and Vitamin C Is Beneficial for Better Carcass Character and Intestinal Health of Broilers

The use of cinnamaldehyde and Vitamin C can improve immunity and intestinal health. A two-way factorial design was employed to investigate the main and interactive effects of cinnamaldehyde and vitamin C on the growth, carcass, and intestinal health of broiler chickens. A total of 288 one-day-old female Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly distributed among four treatment groups, consisting of six replicate cages with 12 birds each. Four treatments were basal diet or control (CON), supplemental cinnamaldehyde (CA) 300 g/ton (g/t), vitamin C (VC) 300 g/t, and cinnamaldehyde 300 g/t, and vitamin C 300 g/t (CA + VC), respectively. The results showed that supplemental CA did not affect the growth performance or slaughter performance of broilers at 21 days (d), 42 days (d), and 1-42 days (d); however, it could improve intestinal barrier function at 42 d of age and reduce the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors in the intestine at 21 d and 42 d of age. Supplemental VC showed a trend towards increasing body weight gain (BWG) at 21 d (p = 0.094), increased breast muscle rate (at 21-d 5.33%, p < 0.05 and at 42-d 7.09%, p = 0.097), and decreased the abdominal fat (23.43%, p < 0.05) and drip loss (20.68%, p < 0.05) at 42-d. Moreover, VC improves intestinal morphology and intestinal barrier function and maintains a balanced immune response. The blend of CA and VC significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD-88) in the intestine at 21 d of age, the mRNA expression of catalase (CAT), Occludin, Claudin-1, Mucin-2, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) in the intestine at 42 d of age (p < 0.01), and downregulated the mRNA expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the intestine at 21-d and 42-d of age, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) mRNA in intestine at 42 d of age (p < 0.01). This study suggested that the combination of CA and VC had the potential to regulate intestinal health and result in better carcass character of broilers.

Glutamine-derived peptides: Current progress and future directions

Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body, plays a critical role in preserving immune function, nitrogen balance, intestinal integrity, and resistance to infection. However, its limited solubility and instability present challenges for its use a functional nutrient. Consequently, there is a preference for utilizing glutamine-derived peptides as an alternative to achieve enhanced functionality. This article aims to review the applications of glutamine monomers in clinical, sports, and enteral nutrition. It compares the functional effectiveness of monomers and glutamine-derived peptides and provides a comprehensive assessment of glutamine-derived peptides in terms of their classification, preparation, mechanism of absorption, and biological activity. Furthermore, this study explores the potential integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-based peptidomics and synthetic biology in the de novo design and large-scale production of these peptides. The findings reveal that glutamine-derived peptides possess significant structure-related bioactivities, with the smaller molecular weight fraction serving as the primary active ingredient. These peptides possess the ability to promote intestinal homeostasis, exert hypotensive and hypoglycemic effects, and display antioxidant properties. However, our understanding of the structure-function relationships of glutamine-derived peptides remains largely exploratory at current stage. The combination of AI based peptidomics and synthetic biology presents an opportunity to explore the untapped resources of glutamine-derived peptides as functional food ingredients. Additionally, the utilization and bioavailability of these peptides can be enhanced through the use of delivery systems in vivo. This review serves as a valuable reference for future investigations of and developments in the discovery, functional validation, and biomanufacturing of glutamine-derived peptides in food science.

Effects of fecal microbiota transplantation and fecal virome transplantation on LPS-induced intestinal injury in broilers

The interesting roles and efficiencies of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) have attracted considerable attention and have been gradually evidenced in specific animal models. While the growing evidence that bacteriophages play roles in FMT efficacy has attracted considerable interest. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of FMT and fecal virome transplantation (FVT) in improving inflammatory damage and ileal microbiota disorder in broilers. A total of 224 Arbor Acres broilers were selected at 1-day-old and randomly divided into the following 4 groups, with 56 broilers in each group: the CON group (the negative control group, sterile physiological saline injection + sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution gavage), LPS group (the positive control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection + sterile PBS solution gavage), LPS + FMT group (LPS injection + FMT solution gavage), LPS + FVT group (LPS injection + FVT solution gavage). The results showed that: LPS injection significantly upregulated the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ (P < 0.05) and IL-8 (P < 0.001) in ileal mucosa of broilers at 11th day of age (D11), while LPS + FMT and LPS + FVT did not; LPS injection significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa at D11 (P < 0.01), while LPS + FMT and LPS + FVT did not; at D11, compare to CON group, LPS injection and LPS + FMT significantly increased the relative abundance of virulence factor Rab2 interacting conserved protein A-related genes in broiler ileum contents (P < 0.05), while LPS + FVT had no significant difference with CON group (P > 0.05); at D11, LPS injection significantly downregulated the biosynthesis of antibiotics pathway (P < 0.05) in the ileal contents, while LPS + FVT did not. In conclusion, both FMT and FVT could promote the recovery of inflammation caused by LPS. Furthermore, FVT had shown less disadvantage stimulation on the broilers and could reduce the risk of transmission of pathogenic genes, compared to FMT.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of FST and its effects on inflammatory response and intestinal barrier function in mice infected with Escherichia coli O78

Pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) can cause intestinal diseases in humans and livestock, damage the intestinal barrier, increase systemic inflammation, and seriously threaten human health and the development of animal husbandry. In this study, we designed and synthesized a novel conjugate florfenicol sulfathiazole (FST) based on drug combination principles, and investigated its antibacterial activity in vitro and its protective effect on inflammatory response and intestinal barrier function in E. coli O78-infected mice in vivo. The results showed that FST had superior antibacterial properties and minimal cytotoxicity compared with its prodrugs as florfenicol and sulfathiazole. FST protected mice from lethal E. coli infection, reduced clinical signs of inflammation, reduced weight loss, alleviated intestinal structural damage. FST decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and increased the expression of claudin-1, Occludin, and ZO-1 in the jejunum, improved the intestinal barrier function, and promoted the absorption of nutrients. FST also inhibited the expression of TLR4, MyD88, p-p65, and p-p38 in the jejunum. The study may lay the foundation for the development of FST as new drugs for intestinal inflammation and injury in enteric pathogen infection.

Palygorskite improves growth performance and prevents liver damage in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli-challenged broiler chickens at an early age

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a major bacterial infection that causes economic losses in the global poultry industry. Palygorskite (PAL) has been shown to enhance growth performance while improving antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of broilers. This study evaluated the protective effects of PAL on growth performance and liver function in broilers subjected to APEC challenge. A total of 320 one-day-old male Arbor Acres chicks were divided into 4 groups with 8 replicates of 10 birds each, based on a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (basal diet or 5 g/kg PAL-supplemented diet) and inoculation (bacterial culture medium or APEC). PAL increased body weight gain (BWG) prior to APEC challenge (P < 0.05). However, APEC caused losses in BWG, feed intake (FI), and feed efficiency, along with increased relative hepatic weight, hepatic pathology scores, and hepatic-cell apoptosis rate (P < 0.05). Compared to normal birds, APEC increased interleukin (IL)-1β, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) levels, as well as lysozyme (LZM) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, while decreasing total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and IL-10 levels, and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in both serum and liver, APEC also raised alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, but reduced total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, and IgM levels in serum (P < 0.05). Moreover, APEC increased hepatic mRNA level of IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, nuclear factor kappa B, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), while inhibited mRNA level of IL-10 (P < 0.05). In contrast, PAL increased BWG and FI, and alleviated hepatic-cell apoptosis rate during the challenge period (P < 0.05). Incorporation of PAL reduced triglyceride and NO contents, ALT, and AST activities, while increasing TP, ALB, IL-10, IgG, and IgM levels in serum, enhancing serum T-SOD and CAT activities, elevating hepatic T-AOC and CAT activities, inhibiting hepatic MDA accumulation, and reducing IL-1β levels and LZM activity in both liver and serum (P < 0.05). An interactive effect was found for hepatic TNF-α and iNOS mRNA expression, in which PAL inhibited their mRNA expression in APEC-challenged birds (P < 0.05). Overall, PAL addition partially mitigated the negative impact of the APEC challenge on the growth performance and liver function of broiler chicks at an early age.

Quercetin Reduces Inflammation and Protects Gut Microbiota in Broilers

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quercetin on inflammatory response and intestinal microflora in broiler chicken jejuna. A total of 120 broiler chickens were allocated into 3 groups: saline-challenged broilers fed a basal diet (CTR group), lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broilers fed a basal diet (L group) and LPS-challenged broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg quercetin (LQ group). Our results showed that LPS significantly increased expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, interferon (IFN)-γ, toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, Bax, Caspase-3 and diamine oxidase activity (DAO), and decreased expression of zona occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin and Bcl-2 in the jejunum, while dietary quercetin prevented the adverse effects of LPS injection. LPS injection significantly decreased the number of Actinobacteria, Armatimonadetes and Fibrobacteriae at the phylum level when compared to the CTR group. Additionally, at genus level, compared with the CTR group, the abundance of Halomonas, Micromonospora, Nitriliruptor, Peptococcus, Rubellimicrobium, Rubrobacter and Slaclda in L group was significantly decreased, while dietary quercetin restored the numbers of these bacteria. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that dietary quercetin could alleviate inflammatory responses of broiler chickens accompanied by modulating jejunum microflora.