Effect of cysteamine hydrochloride supplementation on the growth performance, enterotoxic status, and glutathione turnover of broilers fed aflatoxin B1 contaminated diets

Silver nanoparticles modified with MoS2 and β-cyclodextrin as SERS substrate for rapid determination of cysteamine hydrochloride in meat products

An efficient Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for the detection of cysteamine hydrochloride (CSH) was developed by synthesizing a composite substrate comprising silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) functionalized with MoS2 and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The enhanced Raman signals of CSH by β-CD/MoS2/AgNPs substrate were the contribution of electromagnetic enhancement (EM) as well as chemical enhancement (CM), and the enhancement factor (EF) can reach up to 3.11 × 106 (peak at 633 cm-1). Various instrumental techniques were used to characterize the substrate, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and ultraviolet visible (UV-vis). The binding of β-CD/MoS2/AgNPs and CSH was confirmed by UV-vis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The optimal experimental conditions were determined by single factor experiments as well as response surface model. The influences of different metal ions and analogous drugs on the detection of CSH were investigated. Under optimum conditions, a good linear correlation (R = 0.9997) was established for CSH in the range of 10.00-1000.00 nmol/L, and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.78 nmol/L (S/N = 3). The contents of CSH in meat samples were detected. The recovery was 96.6-103.1 %, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the measurement was 0.7-3.9 % (n = 7).

Coated cysteamine, a potential feed additive for ruminants - An updated review

For sustainable development, better performance, and less gas pollution during rumen fermentation, there is a need to find a green and safe feed additive for ruminants. Cysteamine (CS) is a biological compound naturally produced in mammalian cells. It is widely used as a growth promoter in ruminants because of its ability to control hormone secretions. It mainly controls the circulating concentration of somatostatin and enhances growth hormone production, leading to improved growth performance. CS modulates the rumen fermentation process in a way beneficial for the animals and environment, leading to less methane production and nutrients loss. Another beneficial effect of using CS is that it improves the availability of nutrients to the animals and enhances their absorption. CS also works as an antioxidant and protects the cells from oxidative damage. In addition, CS has no adverse effects on bacterial and fungal alpha diversity in ruminants. Dietary supplementation of CS enhances the population of beneficial microorganisms. Still, no data is available on the use of CS on reproductive performance in ruminants, so there is a need to evaluate the effects of using CS in breeding animals for an extended period. In this review, the action mode of CS was updated according to recently published data to highlight the beneficial effects of using CS in ruminants.

Short chain fatty acids facilitate protective immunity by macrophages and T cells during acute fowl adenovirus-4 infection

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are major gut metabolites that are involved in the regulation of dysfunction in immune responses, such as autoimmunity and cytokine storm. Numerous studies have reported a protective action of SCFAs against infectious diseases. This study investigated whether SCFAs have protective effect for immunity during fowl adenovirus-4 (FAdV-4) infection. We examined whether SCFA mixture (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) administration could protect against intramuscular challenge of a virulent viral strain. SCFA treatment promoted MHCII-expressing monocytes, the active form of T cells, and effector molecules in both peripheral and lymphoid tissues. It also boosted the production of immune molecules involved in pathogen elimination by intraepithelial lymphocytes and changed the intestinal microbial composition. We suggest that gut metabolites influence the gut microbial environment, and these changes stimulate macrophages and T cells to fight against the intramuscular challenge of FAdV-4.

Effect of dietary lutein on the egg production, fertility, and oxidative injury indexes of aged hens

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lutein on egg production, follicles, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, and oxidative injury indexes of hens.

METHODS

Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and three lutein-supplementing diets at 25 (L1), 50 (L2), or 75 (L3) mg/kg of diet. Egg production was measured using 576 Arbor Acres breeder hens at 61 to 65 wk and follicles grades, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, tissue lutein contents, and oxidative injury indexes were determined at 65 wk.

RESULTS

The results showed that at 65 wk, lutein- supplementing diets increased (p<0.05) egg production, follicular grades, fertility, hatchability, estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone, progesterone (PROG), lutein content in the serum and yolk, compared to CON. L2 and L3 showed more pronounced (p<0.05) effects on egg production, PROG, and yolk lutein content than L1. With the increase of lutein doses from 25 to 75 mg/kg, there were linear increases (p<0.05) in egg production, lutein content, and PROG, and a quadratic trend (p<0.05) in E2. For the oxidative injury products, lutein-supplementing diets decreased (p<0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) in the serum, MDA and 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the yolk. There were linear decreases (p<0.05) in 8-OHdG in the serum, MDA, PCO, and 8-OHdG in the yolk, a quadratic trend (p<0.05) on serum 8-OHdG.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that lutein supplementation can improve egg production and fertility by beneficially regulating reproductive hormones and oxidative status in aged hens.

In vitro release and in vivo growth-promoting effects of coated cysteamine in broilers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of coating technology on the cysteamine (CSH) release in the digestive tract and the growth-promoting effect of enteric-coating CSH in broilers. First, using the self-developed computer-controlled simulated digestion system to mimic the digestion process in vitro, the release of 2 coated CSH (CSH-I and CSH-Ⅱ) were studied. The results showed that less than 10% of CSH-I was released after gastric digestion and 52.35% of CSH-I was released with additional 4 h of small intestinal digestion. In contrast, 83.62% of CSH-Ⅱ was released during the gastric digestion. In order to verify the growth-promoting effects of CSH-I, a feeding trial was conducted in a completely randomized block arrangement with 3 treatments in 6 blocks, 5 chickens per replicate. Broilers were fed with corn-soybean meal diet either supplemented with 0 (CON), 200 mg/kg uncoated CSH (CSH) or 200 mg/kg CSH-I from d 7 to 42, respectively. Body weight and FI was recorded at d 21 and 42. Excreta were collected from d 39 to d 42 to determine the total tract retention (TTR) of dietary nutrients. In comparisons with controls, birds fed with CSH-I had greater BW, ADG, and ADFI and increased TTR of DM, gross energy (GE), NDF and hemicellulose (P < 0.05). In addition, duodenal villi height and surface area were also greater in those CSH-I-fed birds. In contrast, the growth performance of birds fed with uncoated CSH did not significantly differ from controls. Although the TTR of DM and GE was higher in birds fed with CSH than controls, no differences in small intestine morphology were noted. Thus, the type I coating (CSH-I) could be good enteric-coating technology to increase CSH release in the duodenum, improve digestion and duodenal morphology, and therefore growth performance in broilers.

Effect of Dietary L-Threonine and Toxin Binder on Performance, Blood Parameters, and Immune Response of Broilers Exposed to Aflatoxin B1

To evaluate the effect of L-Threonine (L-Thr) and Mycofix® Plus (MP) on aflatoxicosis, an experiment with a 3-way ANOVA model was carried out with 8 replicates and 640 birds. Treatments included two levels of L-Thr (100% and 125% of the requirements, Cobb 500, Cobb-Vantress), Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) (0, 500 ppb), and MP (0, 1 g/kg). As the main effects showed, AFB1 decreased breast meat yield and carcass percentage (p < 0.001), serum urea, antibody titer against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and bone density (p < 0.05), while it increased the plasma concentrations of glucose and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.05). Mycofix Plus improved the grower feed intake (FI), tibia fresh weight, and body weight (BW) to bone weight (p < 0.05). L-Threonine increased the grower FI, breast meat yield, serum aspartate transaminase (AST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (p < 0.05). There were positive interactions with breast meat yield, cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and IBV titer. Of the treatments used, the combination of L-Thr and MP without AFB1 improved breast meat and carcass percentage. L-Threonine and MP significantly improved IBV titer in birds challenged with AFB1 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, L-Thr and MP were beneficial to improve immunity.

Cysteamine administration in lambs grazing on mountain pastures: Effects on the body weight, antioxidant capacity, thyroid hormones and growth hormone secretion

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intravenous injection of cysteamine (CS) on body weight (BW), growth hormone (GH), thyroid hormones (TH) secretion, and antioxidant status of growing lambs grazing on mountain pastures. Fifteen lambs (3-4 months of age) were randomly allocated into three experimental groups which received different dosages of CS: 0, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW^-1 . The CS was injected on the 1st, 10th^, and 20th days of the experiment to the lambs through the jugular vein. Assessment of plasma concentration of GH and TH hormones was carried out at days 0 (a day before the start of CS injections), 15, and 30 of the experiment. The antioxidant enzymes were measured at the end of the experiment. Lambs were weighed at days 0, 10, 20, and 30 of the experiment. The results showed that treatment and time affected the BW, GH, triiodothyronine (T₃ ), and tetraiodothyronine (T₄ ) secretion. The intravenous injection of CS increased the BW of growing lambs (p < 0.01) and increased the plasma concentration of GH, T3, and T4 (p < 0.01). The treatment also enhanced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px; p < 0.05) and reduced malondialdehyde concentrations (MDA; p < 0.01). Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level reduced in CS-1 treatment compared to GC and CS-2 treatments (p < 0.01). The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were not affected by CS. In conclusion, intravenous injection of CS improved BW, GH, and TH concentrations and antioxidant capacity in growing lambs grazing on mountain pastures.