The aim of this study was to explore the effects of supplementing paraformic acid (PFA) to the diet of broiler chickens on intestinal development, inflammation, and microbiota. A total of 378 healthy 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers with similar birth weight were used in this study, and randomly assigned into two treatment groups. The broiler chickens were received a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg/kg PFA. Results showed that PFA supplementation increased (P < 0.05) small intestinal villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio, elevated intestinal mucosal factors (mucin 2, trefoil factor family, and zonula occludens-1) concentrations, and upregulated mNRA expression of y + L amino acid transporter 1. Moreover, PFA supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10), activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8, and mNRA expressions of Toll-like Receptor 4, nuclear factor-kappa B, Bax, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in small intestinal mucosa. Dietary PFA supplementation also increased (P < 0.05) alpha diversity of cecal microbiota and relative abundance of Alistipes. The present study demonstrated that supplementation of 1,000 mg/kg PFA showed beneficial effects in improving intestinal development, which might be attributed to the suppression of intestinal inflammation and change of gut microbiota composition in broiler chickens. These findings will aid in our knowledge of the mechanisms through which dietary PFA modulates gut development, as well as support the use of PFA in poultry industry.
This study aims to investigate the effects of exposure to different dosages of zearalenone (ZEA) on cecal physical barrier functions and its mechanisms based on the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in weaned piglets. Thirty-two weaned piglets were allotted to four groups and fed a basal diet supplemented with ZEA at 0, 0.15, 1.5, and 3.0 mg/kg, respectively. The results showed that 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg ZEA damaged cecum morphology and microvilli, and changed distribution and shape of M cells. Moreover, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg ZEA decreased numbers of goblet cells, the expressions of TFF3 and tight junction proteins, and inhibited the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. Interestingly, the 0.15 mg/kg ZEA had no significant effect on cecal physical barrier functions but decreased the expressions of Smad3, p-Smad3 and Smad7. Our study suggests that high-dose ZEA exposure impairs cecal physical barrier functions through inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway, but low-dose ZEA had no significant effect on cecum morphology and integrity through inhibiting the expression of smad7. These findings provide a scientific basis for helping people explore how to reduce the toxicity of ZEA in feeds.
This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Galla Chinensis tannic acid (TA) on growth performance, immune function, and liver health status in broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chickens were randomly divided into two groups in a 42-days study. The two groups were a basal diet (CON group) and a basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg Galla Chinensis tannic acid (TA group). The results showed that the TA group had significantly decreased feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) throughout the experiment (P < 0.05). The levels of total protein, albumin, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, urea, total cholesterol, and glucose in the TA group were significantly higher than in the CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, the serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, and complements (C3, C4) levels in the TA group were significantly higher than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the hepatic interleukin-6, interleukin-18, NLRs family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, and caspase-3 in the TA group were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Besides, TA group had significantly lower mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and NLRP3 in liver (P < 0.05). The TA group had significantly higher the mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 than CON group in liver (P < 0.05). Moreover, TA group tended to decrease Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in liver (P < 0.10). To sum up, dietary supplemented with microencapsulated TA from Galla Chinensis had beneficial effects on growth performance, immune function, and liver health status in broilers. The protective role of TA from Galla Chinensis in liver health of broilers might be related to the inhibition of hepatic apoptosis and pyroptosis via inactivation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.
This study aimed to investigate the effect of zearalenone (ZEA) exposure on follicular development in weaned gilts, and its mechanism based on the silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. Thirty-two healthy female weaned piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) with an average body weight of 12.39 ± 0.24 kg were randomly allotted to a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.15, 1.5, or 3.0 mg/kg ZEA for a 32-d feeding test. Blood and ovarian samples were obtained at the end of the experiment to determine serum toxin concentrations, ovarian histology, and the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway-related genes. Results showed that the vulva area, serum concentrations of ZEA, α-zearalenol and β-zearalenol, the thickness of growing follicular layer, and the diameter of the largest growing follicles, as well as the expressions of SIRT1, PGC-1α, estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα), ATP synthase subunit beta (ATP5B) and PCNA, increased linearly (P < 0.05) with dietary ZEA increasing, whereas the thickness of the primordial follicle layer decreased linearly (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the immunoreactive substances of SIRT1 and PGC-1α in the ovaries enhanced with the increasing dietary ZEA (P < 0.05). In addition, the thickness of growing follicular layer and the diameter of the largest growing follicle were positively correlated with relative mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1, PGC-1α, ERRα, ATP5B and PCNA (P < 0.05). However, the thickness of primordial follicle layer was negatively correlated with the mRNA and protein expression of SIRT1, PGC-1α, ERRα, ATP5B and PCNA (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the 1.5 mg/kg ZEA treatment had highly hyperplastic follicles, whereas 3.0 mg/kg ZEA resulted in a large number of follicular atresia, which indicated that low-dose ZEA exposure accelerated follicular proliferation, while high-dose ZEA promoted follicular atresia, although the critical value interval needs further confirmation. Results provide a theoretical basis for finding the therapeutic target of ZEA-induced reproductive disorders in weaned gilts.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding tannic acid (TA) extracted from Galla chinensis to the diet of broiler chickens on intestinal development. A total of 324 healthy 1-day-old broilers were used in a 42 d study, and divided into two treatment groups at random (six replicates per group). Broilers were either received a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg microencapsulated TA extracted from Galla chinensis. The results showed that dietary supplemented with 300 mg/kg TA from Galla chinensis improved intestinal morphology, promoted intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, and elevated mucosal expressions of nutrients transporters and tight junction protein CLDN3 in broilers. Besides, 300 mg/kg TA from Galla chinensis supplementation decreased the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in serum and intestinal mucosa and reduced the mRNA expression of NF-κB in intestinal mucosa. Above all, supplementation of 300 mg/kg microencapsulated TA extracted from Galla chinensis showed beneficial effects in improving intestinal development, which might be attributed to the suppression of inflammatory responses via blockage of NF-κB in broiler chickens. These findings will support the use of TA sourced from Galla chinensis in poultry industry.
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