Interactive effects of dietary lipids and vitamin E level on performance, blood eicosanoids, and response to mitogen stimulation in broiler chickens of different ages

Abstract

The effects of the dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) n-6:n-3 ratio and vitamin E (vE) on the levels of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, the incorporation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) into immune tissues, and changes in leukocyte population after phytohemagglutinin (PHA) challenge were investigated in broiler chickens of different ages. One-day-old female broilers (48 per treatment) were fed 4 different wheat-soybean-corn-based diets containing corn oil with a high PUFA n-6:n-3 ratio (HR) or a mixture of linseed and fish oils with a low PUFA n-6:n-3 ratio (LR). Diets contained either 50 mg vE kg−1 of diet (basal vE) or 300 mg vE kg−1 of diet (increased vE). At d 14 and d 34, 8 chickens per treatment were challenged with PHA, and wing web swelling (WWS) was measured. The blood concentration of leukotriene (LTB4), prostaglandin (PGE2), and thromboxane (TBX2) in 17-day-old and 43-day-old chickens was determined. The pattern of AA and DHA incorporation into bursa, spleen, and brain lipids reflected the level of their precursors in the diet. WWS was the highest in chickens fed a LR diet and in 14-day-old chickens (P < 0.01). Leukocyte proportions varied with dietary PUFA n-6:n-3 ratio and with age. The heterophil:lymphocyte ratio was the highest at 6 h post PHA challenge, and was higher in 34-day-old chickens (P < 0.001). TBX2 and PGE2 concentrations were higher in chickens fed HR diet, whereas TBX2 and LTB4 concentrations were lower at high vE level. Lower PGE2 and LTB4, but higher TBX2 concentrations were measured in younger birds (P < 0.001). The results indicated that LR increased the phagocytic cell proportion in the blood; HR promoted the incorporation of AA into the immune tissues, which increased the levels of more pro-inflammatory eicosanoids in the blood; and vE counteracts these effects to some extent. Owing to the immaturity of the immune system, dietary interventions might be promising at the early stage of chicken growth.

The interactive effect of dietary n-6: n-3 fatty acid ratio and vitamin E level on tissue lipid peroxidation, DNA damage in intestinal epithelial cells, and gut morphology in chickens of different ages

“…The liver product of α-tocopherol oxidation (α-tocopheryl quinone) was eventually excreted in the bile, thus the hyperactivity of hepatocytes could have led to liver enlargement. Similarly, it was documented in our previous study (Konieczka et al., 2017a ) that feeding diets with the increased vE level (300 mg kg –1 ) over a period of 42 d caused the enlargement of the bursa, suggesting a pro-oxidative activity of high vE doses in broilers.…”

“…Studies on beneficial activities of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids ( LC-PUFA ) in key biological processes have been conducted for at least 3 decades. A simple dietary intervention with PUFA n-3 may affect chicken immunity (Swiatkiewicz et al., 2015 ; Konieczka et al., 2017a ), and enriches poultry products with these fatty acids ( FA ) to the level providing health benefits for humans (Givens, 2015 ; Konieczka et al., 2017b , c ). Therefore, studies in broiler chickens have been mostly focused on the functional impact of different LC-PUFA sources and their dietary level on lipid metabolism in birds.…”

The potential of acetylsalicylic acid and vitamin E in modulating inflammatory cascades in chickens under lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation

“…Recently, a number of strategies have been investigated towards anti-inflammatory effect. Our previous work [16] showed that although feeding broilers diets high in n-3 fatty acids (FAs) and with an increased vE dose clearly limited the availability of AA and consequently antagonised lipid peroxidation during mitogen stimulation. This study provides evidence that the specific response in challenge conditions in birds is mediated by the simultaneous action of different enzymes, which produce lipid hormones involved in inflammation.…”

The Effect of Different Dietary Fats on the Fatty Acid Composition of Several Tissues in Broiler Chickens

“…Different fatty acids have differential health effects on chickens. Consumption of unsaturated fatty acids (in particular n‐3 PUFA) has been associated with some beneficial health effects to chickens . However, there is a need for caution to be taken when using fats rich in MUFA and PUFA as they are more susceptible to oxidation.…”

“…Consumption of unsaturated fatty acids (in particular n-3 PUFA) has been associated with some beneficial health effects to chickens. [23,24] However, there is a need for caution to be taken when using fats rich in MUFA and PUFA as they are more susceptible to oxidation. Thereby, there is the risk of the broilers being exposed to oxidative products which can adversely affect their health and productivity, as well as the sensory quality and shelf-life of their products.…”