Delayed access to feed alters expression of genes associated with carbohydrate and amino acid utilization in newly hatched broiler chicks

Abstract

Newly hatched chicks must transition from lipid-rich yolk to carbohydrate-rich feed as their primary nutrient source, and posthatch delays in access to feed can have long-term negative consequences on growth and metabolism. In this study, impacts of delayed access to feed at hatch on expression of genes related to nutrient uptake and utilization in two metabolically important tissues, liver and muscle, were determined in broiler (meat-type) chickens. Hatched chicks were given access to feed within 3 h (fed) or delayed access to feed for 48 h (delayed fed), and liver and breast muscle were collected from males at hatch and 4 h, 1 day, 2 days, 4 days, and 8 days posthatch for analysis of gene expression. Differential expression of carbohydrate response element-binding protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ in muscle and liver was observed, with results indicating a transitional delay from lipid to carbohydrate metabolism when hatched chicks were not given immediate access to feed. Extended upregulation of insulin receptor mRNA was observed in both tissues in delayed fed birds, suggesting increased sensitivity to circulating levels of the hormone. Developmental delays in expression patterns of cationic amino acid transporters 1 and 2 in both tissues and large neutral amino acid transporter 1 in muscle were also apparent when immediate feed access was prevented. These data suggest that delayed transition to carbohydrate use and altered nutrient transport and utilization within liver and breast muscle are key factors negatively affecting growth and metabolism following delayed feed access in broiler chickens.

It’s All About Timing: Early Feeding Promotes Intestinal Maturation by Shifting the Ratios of Specialized Epithelial Cells in Chicks

“…Since the gut microbiota affects SI structure and function (Dobrowolski et al, 2019), the timing of microbial introduction by external feed may also play a critical role in shaping the SI epithelium. Although previous studies have demonstrated the effect of the timing of first feeding of chicks on growth, nutrient utilization, metabolic pathways, gut integrity, and immunity (Bigot et al, 2003;Bar Shira et al, 2005;de Jong et al, 2017;Hicks et al, 2019;Payne et al, 2019;Proszkowiec-weglarz et al, 2020), no study has shown the effects on crypt and villi epithelial cell sub-types, involved in cellular turnover and intestinal functionality. Our study is the first to show the effect of the timing of first feeding on the quantities and proportions of stem, progenitor, proliferating, and differentiated SI epithelial cells, through immunofluorescence and histochemical of specific cell sub-type markers.…”

“…Research shows that delayed first feeding in chicks disrupts SI development by limiting crypt depths and villus heights, altering epithelial proliferation patterns, dysregulating differentiation-associated genes, and disrupting mucin dynamics (Geyra et al, 2001(Geyra et al, , 2002Uni et al, 2003a, de Jong et al, 2017. Long-term systematic effects of delayed first feeding include impaired nutrient utilization, altered regulation of metabolic pathways, disrupted barrier functions, and impaired gut immunity, all of which jeopardize animal welfare, impair performance in increase mortality rates (Bigot et al, 2003;Bar Shira et al, 2005;de Jong et al, 2017;Hicks et al, 2019;Payne et al, 2019;Proszkowiec-weglarz et al, 2020). In this study, we aimed to evaluate how the timing of first feeding of chicks influences the quantities and distribution of specialized SI epithelial cell sub-types during the initial 10 days post-hatch.…”

Exogenous Linoleic Acid Intervention Alters Hepatic Glucose Metabolism in an Avian Embryo Model

“…It’s implied that the AMPK pathway is activated by falling energy status and promotes ATP production via increasing catabolism as well as switching off biosynthetic pathways ( Hardie et al, 2012 ; Hardie, 2015 ). Briefly, these results suggested that the glucose homeostasis turnover between gluconeogenesis and glycolysis enhanced energy generation to meet the high energy requirements during embryonic development and as fuel storage for survival at the early post-hatch period ( Li et al, 2008 ; Payne et al, 2019 ).…”

The Effect of Commercial Genetic Selection on Somatotropic Gene Expression in Broilers: A Potential Role for Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins in Regulating Broiler Growth and Body Composition

“…Transcripts in liver were normalized to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( GAPDH ), and those in muscle were normalized to 18s ribosomal rRNA (18s rRNA). The equation (2 ΔCt ) target /(2 ΔCt ) GAPDH or 18s , where ΔCt = Ct no RT −CT sample , was used to transform and normalize data as previously described ( Ellestad et al, 2009 ; Ellestad and Porter, 2013 ; Ellestad et al, 2015 ; Payne et al, 2019 ; Vaccaro et al, 2021 ). Each transcript’s line-by-age interactive data are expressed relative to the line and age with the highest mRNA level, and main effect data are expressed relative to the line or age with the highest mRNA level.…”