Effects of Catalase on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Intestinal Morphology, and Microbial Composition in Yellow Broilers

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of catalase (CAT) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and microbial composition of yellow broilers. Male Lingnan yellow broilers (360), aged 1 day, were randomly divided into control group (CON) (fed with a basic diet), R1 group (fed with basic diet + 150 U/kg catalase), and R2 group (fed with basic diet + 200 U/kg catalase). Each group had 8 replicates and 15 chickens in each replicate. The test is divided into the early stage (1–30 days) and the later stage (31–60 days). The results showed that compared with the control group, groups R1 and R2 significantly (p < 0.05) increased the weight gain and reduced (p < 0.05) the ratio of feed to gain in the early and the whole stages; prominently increased (p < 0.05) the concentration of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of CAT, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in livers, the activities of CAT and GSH-Px in serum, and CAT in the jejunum in the early and the later stages; markedly increased (p < 0.05) the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth of the duodenum in the early and the later stages, the villus height and the villus height:crypt depth ratio of the jejunum and ileum in the early stage, and significantly lowered (p < 0.05) the crypt depth of the duodenum (in the early and the later stages), jejunum, and ileum (in early stage); memorably (p < 0.05) increased the number of total bacteria and Bacteroidetes in ceca, as well as the number of Lactobacillus in the jejunum (p < 0.05) on the 30th; significantly (p < 0.05) increased the mRNA expression of junction adhesion molecule 2 (JAM2), mucin 2 (MCU2), and occlusal protein (occludin) in the duodenum in the early stage, and increased (p < 0.05) the mRNA expression of JAM2 in the jejunum in the later stage. Collectively, adding catalase (CAT) to the diet of yellow broilers can improve the growth performance and the antioxidant capacity, promoting the integrity of intestinal morphology, optimizing the composition of intestinal microorganisms, and upregulating the mRNA expression of tight junction protein.

Dietary Catalase Supplementation Alleviates Deoxynivalenol-Induced Oxidative Stress and Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis in Broiler Chickens

“…In this study, dietary DON fortification at a subclinical level (an estimate of 7 mg/kg) caused little compromise of broiler growth performance except for a decreasing trend of ADFI. Supplemental CAT failed to improve growth performance of broilers exposed to DON, which did not agree with the study of Tang et al [14] who found increases in weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency of non-challenged broilers in response to CAT addition. The discrepancy might be due to the difference in raising condition of broilers.…”

“…These results highlighted that exogenous CAT was beneficial for attenuating DON-induced oxidative stress in broilers. Likewise, some previous studies reported that dietary CAT addition improved redox status by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) and lowering oxidative metabolite MDA in the liver and intestine of both broilers [14] and pigs [16].…”

“…The presence of a control + CAT group is not necessary for this study, based on the following two reasons: (1) this study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CAT in alleviating DON-induced detriments to broilers; (2) the beneficial effects of CAT addition on the growth and antioxidant capacity of both broilers and pigs under normal status had been confirmed in either our previous experiments or other studies [13,14].…”

“…Additionally, certain hydrogen donors, such as methanol and ethanol, may also be scavenged during the catalytic reaction of CAT, which can benefit the mitigation of oxidative stress [11,12]. Previous reports have shown that dietary CAT addition resulted in an enhancement of antioxidant property, with simultaneous improvements of growth and health performance in both broilers and pigs [13,14]. Moreover, CAT addition was reported to alleviate oxidative stress-induced intestinal and hepatic damages in pigs [15][16][17].…”

“…There is evidence that dietary mycotoxin, including DON contamination-induced toxicity and oxidative damages in animals, were at least partially realized by the inducive disturbance of gut microbiota [19][20][21]. Growing studies implied that CAT addition had an ability to enhance antioxidant capacity, as well as improve intestinal and hepatic health, through associating with an optimization of gut microbial composition in both broilers [14] and pigs [16,22]. Nevertheless, the protective effects of CAT on the antioxidant property and gut microbiota in chickens exposed to DON remain unclear.…”