Leukocytic responses of broilers following dietary contamination with deoxynivalenol and/or treatment by dietary selenium supplementation

Abstract

1. This experiment was to investigate the effects of natural dietary contamination with a mycotoxin product (deoxynivalenol: DON) and/or with dietary selenised yeast (Se-yeast), on respiratory burst and phagocytic activity of granulocytes and the frequency of B- and T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood of broilers. 2. Sixty one-day-old chicks of both sexes were divided into 4 groups, each of 15 birds, fed on a control diet that contained 0.2 mg DON/kg and 0.4 mg Se/kg (CON group), a diet supplemented with 1 mg Se-yeast/kg (Se-yeast group), a diet contaminated with 3 mg DON/kg (DON group) or a diet contaminated with DON and supplemented with Se-yeast (DON plus Se-yeast group). 3. Blood samples collected from the birds at the age of 4 weeks showed that neither B- and T-cell numbers nor granulocytic respiratory burst were influenced by 3 mg DON/kg. Blood granulocyte phagocytic activity was not reduced by DON but numbers of heterophils were increased. In the DON plus Se yeast group phagocytic activity was the same as in the CON group. The Se-yeast and DON plus Se-yeast groups had increased numbers of CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) T-cells as well as IgM(+) B-cells in their blood compared to both CON and DON-groups. 4. The results show there is no significant effect of dietary DON up to 3 mg/kg on leukocytes apart from the compromised blood granulocytes phagocytic activity and increased numbers of heterophils. The increased numbers of B- and T-lymphocytes in blood of birds fed on diets with supplementation of organic Se indicates some positive effects of this essential microelement on poultry lymphoid cells.

<i>In-ovo</i> and dietary supplementation of selenium nano-particles influence physiological responses, immunological status and performance of broiler chicks

“…Also, Swain et al, (2000) reported a significant increase in antibody production against NDV in broiler chicks fed a combination of 150 IU/kg vitamin E and 0.1 ppm Se as Na 2 SeO 3 . Similar results were suggested by Levkut et al (2009) who showed a significant elevation in serum IgM, CD44+ and CD45+ concentrations and MHCII+ peripheral blood lymphocytes in broiler chicks fed diet containing increased dose of selenium.…”

“…Numerous reports have demonstrated that selenium, an important microelement, acts as a natural biological antioxidant that helps in the protection of cellular membranes against oxidative damage and ameliorates bird growth and health (Suraï and Dvorska, 2002;Levkut et al, 2009;Pilarczyk et al, 2012;Khan et al, 2015;. Unfortunately, traditional forms of selenium supplements, in general, have low levels of absorption and increase toxicity (Raza, 2012;Jamil, 2013;Khan et al, 2016).…”

Effects of Dietary Form of Selenium on Its Distribution in Eggs

“…The essential trace element selenium (Se) is structural component of several specific Se-proteins which have important biological function in antioxidant defence, redox regulation of gene expression, thyroid hormone metabolism, fertility and reproduction and immunocompetence development [1,2]. For this reason, adequate dietary Se intake is essential, and additional Se must be provided if natural intake is below optimal requirements.…”

The influence of selenium and selenoproteins on immune responses of poultry and pigs

“…However, cell mediated immunity assessed by ex vivo proliferation capacity increased with Se concentration (Rao et al, 2013). In another study with broilers and dietary selenised yeast (Se-yeast), Levkut and co-workers identified increased numbers of both CD4+ and CD8+ cells in peripheral blood when the diet was supplemented with Se (Levkut et al, 2009). A number of studies describe the potential effect of Se and vitamin E on lymphocyte functions by assessing the response to nonspecific mitogenic stimulation in vitro.…”