The fertility of female animals is negatively correlated with increasing chronological age. In aging broiler breeder hens, there is a decline in the functionality of the ovary and liver accompanied by hormonal or endocrine changes, a reduction in antioxidant capacity, and a decrease in folliculogenesis. Therefore, improving the reproductive function in aging breeder hens using dietary strategies is of great concern to the poultry breeder. This study evaluated the capacity of dietary quercetin (Q), vitamin E (VE), and their combination (Q + VE) to promote follicle development and attenuate organ inflammation by improving the antioxidant capacity of aging breeder hens. In this study, 400 broiler breeder hens (Tianfu broilers breeder hens, 435 days old) were allotted into four groups (100 birds each) with four replicates each (25 birds each). They were fed diets containing Q (0.4 g/kg), VE (0.2 g/kg), Q + VE (0.4 g/kg + 0.2 g/kg), and a basal diet for 10 weeks. The results showed that Q + VE improved the organ characteristics (p < 0.05), and also that Q + VE showed protective effects on the liver against injury, as well as increasing the antioxidant capacity of the liver, serum, and ovary (p < 0.05). Furthermore, liver lipid synthesis was increased remarkably, as indicated by the changes in triglyceride levels in hens fed Q + VE (p < 0.05). Levels of E2, FSH, and LH, their receptors, and mRNAs related to yolk precursor synthesis were increased by the Q + VE (p < 0.05). Therefore, the combination of quercetin and vitamin E synergistically promotes and regulates the transportation and exchange of synthetic substances among the liver–blood–ovary alliances to ensure the synchronous development and functional coordination between the liver and ovary in aging breeder hens.

Laying hens experience a rapid decline in egg production, egg quality, and immunity, usually at the end of the peak laying period. Quercetin, a known flavonoid, exerts biological activities, including phytoestrogenic, immunity, antibiotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E also shows egg production and immunoregulatory potential in animals. This study evaluated the capacity of dietary quercetin, vitamin E, and the combination of both, to promote egg production and egg quality, and to improve the immunity of aging breeder hens. We also elucidated how quercetin and vitamin E combination could synergistically affect egg production, egg quality, and immunity in aging breeder hens. A total of 400 Tianfu broiler breeders at the age of 52 wk were randomly allotted to 4 treatments with 4 replicates, 100 hens per treatment and 25 hens per replicate. They were fed diets containing quercetin at 0.4 g/kg, Vitamin E (200 mg/kg), quercetin and vitamin E (0.4 g/kg and 200 mg/kg), and a basal diet (control) for a period 10 wk. Daily feed intake and egg production rate were recorded, and weekly records were recorded on egg quality tests. At the end of the 10-wk experimental period, blood samples and immune organ (spleen) were collected from 2 birds per replicate, totaling 32 birds. Feed intake, immune organ index, serum cytokines, and immunoglobulins were evaluated, and the mRNA expression of genes related to immunity was determined from the spleen tissue. Generally, the results showed that separately or as a combination, supplemental quercetin and vitamin E significantly improved performance and egg quality ( P < 0.05), and significantly increased serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgG) and cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2) concentrations, as well as promoted immune organ development and index, and promoted the expression of splenic immune-related genes (IL-2 and INF-γ) ( P < 0.05), compared with the control. It was confirmed in this study that the combination of quercetin and vitamin E exert synergistic effects on egg production, egg quality, and immune function in aging hens.

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Background: Inflammatory cellular response is implicated in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Nevertheless, the dynamic effects of inflammatory index coNLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio)-PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) during chemotherapy remain elusive. Methods: The baseline clinical data and laboratory parameters of 480 CRC patients who received palliative resection of primary tumors and FOLFOX-based chemotherapy from January 2007 to January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to obtain the predictive NLR and PLR values, and to calculate the coNLR-PLR score. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the rates of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), and the Cox proportional hazards model was employed for analysis. Results: The dynamic cut-off values of NLR during four periods of chemotherapy were 3.029, 2.466, 2.102 and 1.795, respectively, and those of PLR were 216.438, 187.572, 169.027 and 174.368, respectively. A higher coNLR-PLR was significantly associated with lower rates of RFS and OS ( P <0.05). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that coNLR-PLR was a significant independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS ( P <0.05). Conclusions: CoNLR-PLR was a significant prognostic predictor for CRC patients who received FOLFOX-based chemotherapy. Evaluating this index can accurately predict the clinical treatment outcomes after chemotherapy.