Bacillus amyloliquefaciens supplementation alleviates immunological stress in lipopolysaccharide-challenged broilers at early age

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ( BA: ) on the immune function of broilers challenged with lipopolysaccharide ( LPS: ). 192 one-day-old male Arbor Acre broiler chickens were randomly distributed into four treatments: 1) broilers fed a basal diet; 2) broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with BA; 3) LPS-challenged broilers fed a basal diet; and 4) LPS-challenged broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with BA. Each treatment consisted of six replicates with eight broilers per replicate. Broilers were intraperitoneally injected with either 500 μg LPS per kg body weight or sterile saline at 16, 18 and 20 d of age. LPS decreased the average daily gain ( ADG: , P = 0.001) and average daily feed intake (P = 0.001). The decreased ADG (P = 0.009) and increased feed conversion ratio (P = 0.047) in LPS-challenged broilers were alleviated by BA. LPS increased the relative spleen weight (P = 0.001). Relative spleen (P = 0.014) and bursa (P = 0.024) weights in the LPS-challenged broilers were reduced by BA. LPS increased white blood cell ( WBC: ) numbers (P = 0.001). However, the WBC numbers (P = 0.042) and the ratio of lymphocytes to WBC (P = 0.020) in LPS-challenged broilers were decreased with BA treatment. LPS decreased plasma lysozyme activity (P = 0.001), but increased concentrations of plasma corticosterone (P = 0.012) and IL-2 (P = 0.020). In contrast, BA increased lysozyme activity in plasma (P = 0.040). LPS increased mRNA abundances of splenic toll-like receptor 4 (P = 0.046), interferon γ (P = 0.008), IL-1β (P = 0.045) and IL-6, (P = 0.006). IL-2 (P = 0.014) and IL-6 (P = 0.074) mRNA abundances in LPS-challenged broilers were reduced by BA, although BA had an opposite effect for IL-10 mRNA expression in those broilers (P = 0.004). In conclusion, BA supplementation could partially alleviate the compromised growth performance and immune status of broilers under immune stress induced by LPS challenge at early age.

Effects of dietary methionine supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and immune function in intra‐uterine growth‐retarded suckling piglets

“…Indeed, several studies have reported that the pigs fed diets supplemented with L -Met had no differences in growth performance when compared with the pigs fed with DL -Met-supplemented diets (Chen, Piao, Zhao, & Zeng, 2013;Chung & Baker, 1992;Htoo & Morales, 2016;Kong et al, 2016;Tian, Zeng, Zhang, Long, & Piao, 2016 (Han et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2005;Xu, Mellor, Birtles, Reynolds, & Simpson, 1994). Shorter villus can lead to poor nutrient absorption, resulting in a lower utilization of nutrients (Li et al, 2015). In addition, circulating DAO activity is a useful indicator of intestinal permeability and mucosal injury (Li, Lu, Hu, Sun, & Yao, 2002).…”

Dietaryl-threonine supplementation attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier damage of broiler chickens at an early age

“…Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a complex glycolipid, is the major component of the outer surface membrane in almost all gram-negative bacteria, and it can trigger inflammatory responses in diverse eukaryotic species ranging from insects to humans by activating signal pathways and promoting gene expressions, which are involved in the regulation of immune system and inflammation (1,2) . In broiler chickens, an enormous amount of research has shown that immunological stress mimicked by administrating LPS intraperitoneally or intravenously could induce acute inflammatory responses, stimulate synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and impair nutrient adsorption, which ultimately contribute to compromised growth performance of LPS-challenged broilers (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) . Aside from inducing inflammation, LPS challenge would also damage intestinal barrier function (9) , a key factor associated with intestinal and body's health maintenance (10) .…”

Effects of berberine on the growth performance, antioxidative capacity and immune response to lipopolysaccharide challenge in broilers

“…In this study, we found that the concentrations of lymphocytes and leucocytes increased significantly in the blood after intraperitoneal injection of LPS, suggesting that an immune stress response occurred after LPS challenge. Similarly, Li et al (2015) observed that LPS challenge increased the numbers of leucocytes in the whole blood of broilers.…”