Recent Trends on Mitigative Effect of Probiotics on Oxidative-Stress-Induced Gut Dysfunction in Broilers under Necrotic Enteritis Challenge: A Review

Abstract

Gut health includes normal intestinal physiology, complete intestinal epithelial barrier, efficient immune response, sustained inflammatory balance, healthy microbiota, high nutrient absorption efficiency, nutrient metabolism, and energy balance. One of the diseases that causes severe economic losses to farmers is necrotic enteritis, which occurs primarily in the gut and is associated with high mortality rate. Necrotic enteritis (NE) primarily damages the intestinal mucosa, thereby inducing intestinal inflammation and high immune response which diverts nutrients and energy needed for growth to response mediated effects. In the era of antibiotic ban, dietary interventions like microbial therapy (probiotics) to reduce inflammation, paracellular permeability, and promote gut homeostasis may be the best way to reduce broiler production losses. The current review highlights the severity effects of NE; intestinal inflammation, gut lesions, alteration of gut microbiota balance, cell apoptosis, reduced growth performance, and death. These negative effects are consequences of; disrupted intestinal barrier function and villi development, altered expression of tight junction proteins and protein structure, increased translocation of endotoxins and excessive stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines. We further explored the mechanisms by which probiotics mitigate NE challenge and restore the gut integrity of birds under disease stress; synthesis of metabolites and bacteriocins, competitive exclusion of pathogens, upregulation of tight junction proteins and adhesion molecules, increased secretion of intestinal secretory immunoglobulins and enzymes, reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune response and the increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune boost via the modulation of the TLR/NF-ĸ pathway. Furthermore, increased beneficial microbes in the gut microbiome improve nutrient utilization, host immunity, and energy metabolism. Probiotics along with biosecurity measures could mitigate the adverse effects of NE in broiler production.

Baicalin-aluminum alleviates necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens by inhibiting virulence factors expression of Clostridium perfringens

“…Additionally, the composition and quantity of gut microbes is a key factor in maintaining integrity of the intestinal structure, promoting maturation of the immune system, and modulating host immune responses ( Obianwuna et al., 2023 ). Studies indicated that intestinal flora would be shaped by C. perfringens challenge, resulting in a reduction of beneficial bacteria and an increase of pathogenic bacteria ( Lu et al., 2021 ).…”

The Impact of Early-Life Cecal Microbiota Transplantation on Social Stress and Injurious Behaviors in Egg-Laying Chickens

“…Numerous psychological (an emotion and/or mental overstimulation) and/or physical (environmental conditions) stressors reduce gut microbiota diversity and/or alter microbiome composition by (1) disrupting the community stability of commensal bacterial populations, often accompanied by reduced beneficial bacteria and increased pathogens (causing a chronic low-grade inflammation); (2) increasing the survival translocation of pathogens and releasing virulence factors; (3) disrupting absorption of nutrients and minerals (metabolic disorders); (4) disrupting microbial neuroendocrine functions (alterations in synthesis of several signaling molecules and neurochemicals including 5-HT in the GIT); (5) disrupting the gut epithelial barrier, thereby increasing intestinal permeability and releasing certain bacteria, bacterial antigens, and metabolites (leaky gut), resulting in both intestinal and systemic immune reactions; and (6) damaging epithelial cells, producing free radicals and reducing antioxidant capacity (oxidative stress) [ 142 , 143 , 144 ]. These changes in the gut microbiota with a chronic low-grade inflammation profoundly influence host health and behavioral homeostasis via the MGB and MGI axes [ 58 , 145 ].…”

“…(5) disrupting the gut epithelial barrier, thereby increasing intestinal permeability and releasing certain bacteria, bacterial antigens, and metabolites (leaky gut), resulting in both intestinal and systemic immune reactions; and (6) damaging epithelial cells, producing free radicals and reducing antioxidant capacity (oxidative stress) [142][143][144]. These changes in the gut microbiota with a chronic low-grade inflammation profoundly influence host health and behavioral homeostasis via the MGB and MGI axes [58,145].…”

Medicinal Plants and Natural Substances for Poultry Health: A Review

“…Gut permeability changes also allow the translocation of immunogenic bacteria, endotoxins, and antigens that can lead to chronic immune activation. The suppressed immunity and inflammation from microbial imbalance and gut barrier disruption likely underlie much of the reduced performance observed after removing antibiotic growth promoters (47,48).…”