Long-term effects of early life microbiota disturbance on adaptive immunity in laying hens

Abstract

Due to an interplay between intestinal microbiota and immune system, disruption of intestinal microbiota composition during immune development may have consequences for immune responses later in life. The present study investigated the effects of antibiotic treatment in the first weeks of life on the specific antibody response later in life in chickens. Layer chicks received an antibiotic cocktail consisting of vancomycin, neomycin, metronidazole, and amphotericin-B by oral gavage every 12 h, and ampicillin and colistin in drinking water for the first week of life. After the first week of life, chicks received ampicillin and colistin in drinking water for two more weeks. Control birds received no antibiotic cocktail and plain drinking water. Fecal microbiota composition was determined during antibiotic treatment (d 8 and 22), two weeks after cessation of antibiotic treatment (d 36), and at the end of the experimental period at d 175 using a 16S ribosomal RNA gene targeted microarray, the Chicken Intestinal Tract Chip (ChickChip). During antibiotic treatment fecal microbiota composition differed strongly between treatment groups. Fecal microbiota of antibiotic treated birds consisted mainly of Proteobacteria, and in particular E.coli, whereas fecal microbiota of control birds consisted mainly of Firmicutes, such as lactobacilli and clostridia. Two weeks after cessation of antibiotic treatment fecal microbiota composition of antibiotic treated birds had recovered and was similar to that of control birds. On d 105, 12 weeks after cessation of antibiotic treatment, chicks of both treatment groups received an intra-tracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/human serum albumin (HuSA) challenge. Antibody titers against LPS and HuSA were measured 10 days after administration of the challenge. While T cell independent antibody titers (LPS) were not affected by antibiotic treatment, antibiotic treated birds showed lower T cell dependent antibody titers (HuSA) compared with control birds. In conclusion, intestinal microbial dysbiosis early in life may still have effects on the specific antibody response months after cessation of antibiotic treatment and despite an apparent recovery in microbiota composition.

Perturbation of microbiota in one-day old broiler chickens with antibiotic for 24 hours negatively affects intestinal immune development

“…When comparing the microbiota composition of the antibiotic treated and control chickens, a high overlap was observed for both day 5 and 14.. We expected long-lasting changes based upon previous findings [15, 18, 42–44], however in this experiment the gut microbiota ecosystem apparently developed towards a steady state in 3 days after the antibiotic treatment.…”

The Intestinal Microbiota Contributes to the Control of Highly Pathogenic H5N9 Influenza Virus Replication in Ducks

“…To prevent fungal overgrowth, ABX-treated ducks also received 2mg/kg amphotericin-B daily. The composition and posology of the ABX cocktail are similar to the ones described in other publications (14, 18, 50, 51). Water was changed every two days.…”

The avian gut microbiota: community, physiology and function in wild birds

“…In addition, Firmicutes could be involved in the development of T-lymphocyte immunity in birds. In chickens, antibiotic treatment early in life reduced the relative abundance of Firmicutes, but increased relative abundance of Proteobacteria (Simon et al 2016). Also, lower T-lymphocyte dependent antibody titers were observed later in life in the antibiotic treatment group than in untreated chicks, suggesting a potential role of these bacterial phyla in adaptive immune function.…”