A protected complex of biofactors and antioxidants improved growth performance and modulated the immunometabolic phenotype of broiler chickens undergoing early life stress

Abstract

We evaluated the supplementation of a protected complex of biofactors and antioxidants [P(BF+AOx)] on growth performance, antioxidant activity, expression of immune-related genes, and immunometabolic phenotype of broilers submitted to early life stressors. The treatments were a nutritionally complete basal diet supplemented or not with P(BF+AOx) (Jefo Nutrition Inc., Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada) from 1 to 14 d of age. 720 one-day old male Ross 308 chickens were placed into pens of 30 birds (12 replicates/treatment). Birds were double-vaccinated against infectious bronchitis ( IB ; MILDVAC-Ma5 T ) at the hatchery and submitted, on d 3, to an acute reduction on environmental temperature (from 32° C to 20°C) for 48 h. Feed intake ( FI ), body weight gain ( BWG ), and feed conversion ratio ( FCR ) were calculated weekly. On d 7 and 15, samples were collected for expression of immune-related genes and kinome array analysis, and serum to evaluate the antioxidant status. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using SAS (SAS 9.4). From d 1 to 21 and d 1 to 28, the dietary supplementation of P(BF+AOx) significantly increased BWG ( P < 0.05) by 3.6 and 3.8%, respectively, and improved FCR ( P < 0.05) by 1.2 and 1.8%, respectively. From d 1 to 35, dietary supplementation enhanced BWG ( P = 0.03) by 4%. Serum glutathione reductase activity on d 15 was higher in birds fed diets supplemented with P(BF+AOx) compared to the control diet-fed birds ( P = 0.04). Dietary supplementation reduced the expression of IL-1β ( P = 0.03) in the lungs on d 7. On d 15, dietary supplementation increased the expression of IL-6 ( P = 0.02) and IL-10 ( P = 0.03) in the liver. It was observed that, via decreased phosphorylation, catalase was activated in the jejunum and liver, and the phosphorylation of immunoregulatory or proinflammatory proteins was decreased. Other important cellular signaling pathways were also changed in the liver and jejunum due to the supplementation. The supplementation of P(BF+AOx) improves growth performance by promoting a general anti-inflammatory and antioxidant response in chickens undergoing early life stress.

Protected biofactors and antioxidants reduce the negative consequences of virus and cold challenge while enhancing performance by modulating immunometabolism through cytoskeletal and immune signaling in the jejunum

“…The gene expression results in P(BF+AOx) treated samples in the jejunum did not show any significant differences in IL-6 expression ( Table 11 ). Because gp130 is stimulated by ligands other than IL-6, the phosphorylation of gp130 receptor as observed in the kinome peptide array results indicate metabolic downstream signaling via this receptor in P(BF+AOx) jejunum ( Bortoluzzi et al, 2021 ). Thus, the immunometabolic effects of P(BF+AOx) is strongly dependent on signaling via the immunomodulatory cytokine receptor, IL-6R.…”

“…On d 0, all the birds received a double-dose of live bronchitis vaccine ( MILDVAC-Ma5 ) at the hatchery. On d 3 all the chickens were submitted to an acute cold stress for 48 h with temperature between 20 and 23°C (or 9 to 12°C below the thermoneutral temperature for this age) and returned to a normal temperature afterward ( Bortoluzzi et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Jejunum samples were tested for IL-6 and IL-10. The prime and probe sets used in the qRT-PCR are reported in Bortoluzzi et al (2021) .…”

“…P -values greater than 0.05 but less than or equal to 0.1 indicate a trend to statistical significance. The European Production Efficiency Factor ( EPEF ) was calculated as described by Bortoluzzi et al, 2021 , using the formula: body weight (Kg) × % survivability × 100/FCR × trial duration in days.…”

“…The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the immunometabolic effects and mechanisms of action of 2 feed additives, protected biofactors and antioxidants ( P(BF+AOx) ), and protected biofactors and antioxidants with protected organic acids and essential oils ( P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) ) in broilers exposed to an early life cold stress and immune stimulation; and to identify their mechanism of action in the broiler gut. Previous research showed (P(BF+AOx) induced changes in the immunometabolic profile of both liver and jejunum samples ( Bortoluzzi et al, 2021 ). This paper focuses on the differences and similarity between (P(BF+AOx) and (P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treatments in the jejunum, with more emphasis on the kinomic profile.…”