Establishment of an Enteric Inflammation Model in Broiler Chickens by Oral Administration with Dextran Sulfate Sodium

Subclinical peripheral inflammation has systemic effects impacting central nervous system proteome in budgerigars

Regulation of neuroimmune interactions varies across avian species. Little is presently known about the interplay between periphery and central nervous system (CNS) in parrots, birds sensitive to neuroinflammation. Here we investigated the systemic and CNS responses to dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced subclinical acute peripheral inflammation in budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus). Three experimental treatment groups differing in DSS and LPS stimulation were compared to controls. Individuals treated with DSS showed significant histological intestinal damage. Through quantitative proteomics we described changes in plasma (PL) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition. In total, we identified 180 proteins in PL and 978 proteins in CSF, with moderate co-structure between the proteomes. Between treatments we detected differences in immune, coagulation and metabolic pathways. Proteomic variation was associated with the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in intestine and brain. Our findings shed light on systemic impacts of peripheral low-grade inflammation in birds.

Chicory supplementation improves growth performance in juvenile ostriches potentially by attenuating enteritis

Introduction

Enteritis and dysbiosis are the major causes of high morbidity and mortality of juvenile ostriches. Chicory (CC) has been proven to have excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. However, it's unclear whether CC could improve the survival rate of juvenile ostriches by relieving enteritis and correcting dysbiosis.

Materials and methods

South African ostrich hatchlings (Struthio camelus domesticus) were fed with and without a CC-supplemented diet, and the body weight gain and mortality were compared over 4 months of age. Fresh fecal samples of clinically healthy ostriches were collected, and 16S DNAs were analyzed. Moreover, ostrich chicks with LPS-induced enteritis were fed with different dosages (0, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) of chicoric acid (CA), a major bioactive component of CC, for five consecutive days. The expression levels of tight junction (TJ)-related proteins and inflammatory mediators in the ilea were detected with western blot and immunofluorescence.

Results

The ostrich chicks fed on the CC-supplemented diet began to increase in weight at the 1st month of age and became remarkably heavier at the fourth month (p < 0.01) compared with those fed on the non-CC-supplemented diet. Additionally, the mortality percentage was lower in the chicks fed on the CC-supplemented diet than those fed on the non-CC-supplemented diet (19% vs. 36%, respectively). The diet with the CC supplementation significantly increased the abundance of Phascolactobacteria (linear discriminant analysis; LDA >4) and Bacteroidota (26.7% vs. 17.7%, respectively) as well as decreased the enrichment of Clostridium (5.0% vs. 9.1%, respectively) in the ostrich ilea compared to the diet without CC. The supplementation of CA at a dose of 80 mg/kg significantly increased the expression level of ZO-1 and claudin-3 (p < 0.0001) and suppressed the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α (p < 0.0001) in ostriches with LPS-induced ileitis.

Conclusion

Our results substantiate that CC or CA supplementation in a diet could effectively improve growth performance and reduce mortality in juvenile ostriches via modulating the gut microbiota and attenuating enteritis.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhenqi Granule, Potentially Alleviates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Mouse Colitis Symptoms

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation in the large intestine. The etiology of UC is complex and incompletely understood, with potential contributing factors including genetic susceptibility, environmental influences, immune dysregulation, and gut barrier dysfunction. Despite available therapeutic drugs, the suboptimal cure rate for UC emphasizes the necessity of developing novel therapeutics. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has attracted great interest in the treatment of such chronic inflammatory diseases due to its advantages, such as multi-targets and low side effects. In this study, a mouse model of Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis was established and the efficacy of Zhenqi Granule, a TCM preparation composed of the extractives from Astragali Radix and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, was evaluated. The results showed that treatment with Zhenqi Granule prior to or post-DSS induction could alleviate the symptoms of colitis, including weight loss, diarrhea, hematochezia, colon length shortening, and pathological damage of colon tissues of the DSS-treated mice. Further, network pharmacology analysis showed that there were 98 common targets between the active components of Zhenqi Granule and the targets of UC, and the common targets were involved in the regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways. Our results showed that Zhenqi Granule had preventive and therapeutic effects on acute colitis in mice, and the mechanism may be that the active components of Zhenqi Granule participated in the regulation of inflammatory response. This study provided data reference for further exploring the mechanism of Zhenqi Granule and also provided potential treatment strategies for UC.

Molecular and metabolic responses to immune stress in the jejunum of broiler chickens: transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis

In the large poultry industry, where farmed chickens are fed at high density, the prevalence of pathogens and repeated vaccinations induce immune stress, which can significantly decrease the production performance and increase the mortality. This study was designed to shed light on the molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways involved in immune stress through an in-depth analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in jejunum samples from the broilers. Two groups were established for the experiment: a control group and an LPS group. LPS group received an intraperitoneal injection of LPS solution at a dose of 250 μg per kg at 12, 14, 33, and 35 d of age, whereas the control group received a sterile saline injection. The severity of immune stress was assessed using the Disease Activity Index. A jejunal section was collected to measure the intestinal villus structure (villus length and crypt depth). RNA sequencing and metabolomics data analysis were conducted to reveal differentially expressed genes and metabolites. The results showed that the DAI index was increased and jejunal villus height/crypt depth was decreased in the LPS group. A total of 96 differentially expressed genes and 672 differentially accumulating metabolites were detected in the jejunum by LPS group compared to the control group. The comprehensive analysis of metabolomic and transcriptomic data showed that 23 pathways were enriched in the jejunum and that appetite, nutrient absorption, energy and substance metabolism disorders and ferroptosis play an important role in immune stress in broilers. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of the molecular and metabolic responses in broilers to LPS-induced immune stress, suggesting potential targets for therapeutic strategies to improve the production performance of broiler chickens.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-Fermented Coconut Water Alleviates Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Enteritis in Wenchang Chicken: A Gut Microbiota and Metabolomic Approach

In order to investigate the potential mechanisms of probiotic-fermented coconut water in treating enteritis, this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the effects of probiotic intervention on the recovery from Dextran Sodium Sulfate-induced acute enteritis in Wenchang chicks. The analysis encompassed the assessment of growth performance, serum indicators, intestinal tissue structure, and metagenomic and metabolomic profiles of cecal contents in 60 Wenchang chicks subjected to intervention. This approach aimed to elucidate the impact of probiotic intervention on the recovery process from acute enteritis at both the genetic and metabolic levels in the avian model. The results revealed that intervention with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y301 improved the growth rate of chicks. and intervention with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MS2c regulated the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway and reshaped the gut microbiota structure in modeling chicks with acute enteritis, reducing the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria from the Alistipes and increasing the abundance of potentially beneficial species from the Christensenellaceae. This intervention resulted in the production of specific gut metabolites, including Gentamicin C and polymyxin B2, recognized for their therapeutic effects on acute enteritis. The combined intervention of S. cerevisiae Y301 and L. plantarum MS2c not only enhanced growth performance but also mitigated intestinal wall damage and increased the abundance of gut metabolites such as gentamicin C and polymyxin B2, thereby mitigating symptoms of enteritis. Furthermore, this combined intervention reduced the levels of serum immune markers, including IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and D-lactic acid, thus mitigating intestinal epithelial cell damage and promoting acute enteritis recovery. This study provides crucial insights into the mechanisms of action of probiotics and probiotic-fermented coconut water in acute enteritis recovery, offering new perspectives for sustainable farming practices for Wenchang chicken.