Pub Date : 2025-05-08DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01202-z
Chace Broadwater, Jiaqing Guo, Jing Liu, Isabel Tobin, Melanie A. Whitmore, Michael G. Kaiser, Susan J. Lamont, Guolong Zhang
Coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria parasites, is a major enteric disease in poultry, significantly impacting animal health, production performance, and welfare. This disease imposes a substantial economic burden, costing the global poultry industry up to $13 billion annually. However, effective mitigation strategies for coccidiosis remain elusive. While different chicken breeds exhibit varying resistance to coccidiosis, no commensal bacteria have been directly linked to this resistance. To assess relative resistance of different breeds to coccidiosis, 10-day-old Fayoumi M5.1, Leghorn Ghs6, and Cobb chickens were challenged with 50,000 sporulated Eimeria maxima oocysts or mock-infected. Body weight changes, small intestinal lesions, and fecal oocyst shedding were evaluated on d 17. Ileal and cecal digesta were collected from individual animals on d 17 and subjected to microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fayoumi M5.1 chickens showed the lowest growth retardation, intestinal lesion score, fecal oocyst shedding, and pathobiont proliferation compared to Ghs6 and Cobb chickens. The intestinal microbiota of M5.1 chickens also differed markedly from the other two breeds under both healthy and coccidiosis conditions. Notably, group A Lactobacillus and Ligilactobacillus salivarius were the least prevalent in both the ileum and cecum of healthy M5.1 chickens, but became highly enriched and comparable to Ghs6 and Cobb chickens in response to coccidiosis. Conversely, Weissella, Staphylococcus gallinarum, and Enterococcus durans/hirae were more abundant in the ileum of healthy M5.1 chickens than in the other two breeds. Despite being reduced by Eimeria, these bacteria retained higher abundance in M5.1 chickens compared to the other breeds. Fayoumi M5.1 chickens exhibit greater resistance to coccidiosis than Leghorn Ghs6 layers and Cobb broilers. Several commensal bacteria, including group A Lactobacillus, L. salivarius, Weissella, S. gallinarum, and E. durans/hirae, are differentially enriched in Fayoumi M5.1 chickens with strong correlation with coccidiosis resistance. These bacteria hold potential as probiotics for coccidiosis mitigation.
{"title":"Breed-specific responses to coccidiosis in chickens: identification of intestinal bacteria linked to disease resistance","authors":"Chace Broadwater, Jiaqing Guo, Jing Liu, Isabel Tobin, Melanie A. Whitmore, Michael G. Kaiser, Susan J. Lamont, Guolong Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01202-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01202-z","url":null,"abstract":"Coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria parasites, is a major enteric disease in poultry, significantly impacting animal health, production performance, and welfare. This disease imposes a substantial economic burden, costing the global poultry industry up to $13 billion annually. However, effective mitigation strategies for coccidiosis remain elusive. While different chicken breeds exhibit varying resistance to coccidiosis, no commensal bacteria have been directly linked to this resistance. To assess relative resistance of different breeds to coccidiosis, 10-day-old Fayoumi M5.1, Leghorn Ghs6, and Cobb chickens were challenged with 50,000 sporulated Eimeria maxima oocysts or mock-infected. Body weight changes, small intestinal lesions, and fecal oocyst shedding were evaluated on d 17. Ileal and cecal digesta were collected from individual animals on d 17 and subjected to microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fayoumi M5.1 chickens showed the lowest growth retardation, intestinal lesion score, fecal oocyst shedding, and pathobiont proliferation compared to Ghs6 and Cobb chickens. The intestinal microbiota of M5.1 chickens also differed markedly from the other two breeds under both healthy and coccidiosis conditions. Notably, group A Lactobacillus and Ligilactobacillus salivarius were the least prevalent in both the ileum and cecum of healthy M5.1 chickens, but became highly enriched and comparable to Ghs6 and Cobb chickens in response to coccidiosis. Conversely, Weissella, Staphylococcus gallinarum, and Enterococcus durans/hirae were more abundant in the ileum of healthy M5.1 chickens than in the other two breeds. Despite being reduced by Eimeria, these bacteria retained higher abundance in M5.1 chickens compared to the other breeds. Fayoumi M5.1 chickens exhibit greater resistance to coccidiosis than Leghorn Ghs6 layers and Cobb broilers. Several commensal bacteria, including group A Lactobacillus, L. salivarius, Weissella, S. gallinarum, and E. durans/hirae, are differentially enriched in Fayoumi M5.1 chickens with strong correlation with coccidiosis resistance. These bacteria hold potential as probiotics for coccidiosis mitigation.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143920501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01199-5
Manuela Renna, Mauro Coppa, Carola Lussiana, Aline Le Morvan, Laura Gasco, Lara Rastello, Jonas Claeys, Gaëlle Maxin
Insect meals have been identified as innovative and sustainable feedstuffs that could be used in ruminant nutrition. However, current research on the effects that their processing may have on rumen digestibility and fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation is scant. This trial aims to investigate the effects (i) of drying temperature of full-fat Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) meals, and (ii) of residual ether extract (EE) content of defatted HI and TM meals, on their fermentation characteristics and FA of rumen digesta after 24-h in vitro rumen incubation. The tested full-fat meals included four HI and four TM meals obtained applying drying temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 70 °C, while the tested defatted meals consisted of five HI and two TM meals containing a residual EE content ranging from 4.7 to 19.7 g EE/100 g dry matter (DM). The applied statistical models (GLM ANOVA) tested the effects of insect species, drying temperature (full-fat meals) or EE content (defatted meals), and their interaction. Drying temperature had minor effects on in vitro ruminal digestibility and FA profile of rumen digesta. Irrespective of insect species, increasing the drying temperature led to a reduction of in vitro degradation of proteins from insect meals, as outlined by the significant decrease in ammonia production (−0.009 mmol/g DM and −0.126 g/100 g total N for each additional 1 °C). Irrespective of insect species, defatting increased total gas, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and CH4 productions, and the proportions of total saturated and branched-chain FA in rumen digesta (+0.038 mmol/g DM, +0.063 mmol/g DM, +12.9 µmol/g DM, +0.18 g/100 g FA, and +0.19 g/100 g FA for each reduced 1 g EE/100 g DM, respectively), and reduced the proportion of total PUFA (−0.12 g/100 g FA). The applied drying temperatures of full-fat insect meals are too low to exert impactful effects on rumen digestibility and FA biohydrogenation. Fat lowered fermentation activity, probably because of an inhibitory effect on rumen microbiota. The increased ruminal digestibility of defatted insect meals suggests that they can be more suitable to be used in ruminant nutrition than full-fat ones.
昆虫饲料已被确定为可用于反刍动物营养的创新和可持续饲料。然而，目前关于它们的加工对瘤胃消化率和脂肪酸（FA）生物氢化的影响的研究很少。本试验旨在研究(i)全脂黄颡鱼（HI）和黄颡鱼（TM）饲料干燥温度和（ii）脱脂黄颡鱼（HI）和黄颡鱼（TM）饲料残醚提取物（EE）含量对体外瘤胃培养24 h后发酵特性和瘤胃食糜FA的影响。测试的全脂餐包括4份HI和4份TM餐，干燥温度在30℃至70℃之间，而测试的脱脂餐包括5份HI和2份TM餐，剩余EE含量在4.7至19.7 g EE/100 g干物质（DM）之间。应用统计模型（GLM方差分析）检验了昆虫种类、干燥温度（全脂饲料）或脂肪含量（脱脂饲料）的影响及其相互作用。干燥温度对体外瘤胃消化率和瘤胃食糜FA谱影响较小。无论哪种昆虫，增加干燥温度都会导致昆虫饲料中蛋白质的体外降解减少，正如氨产量显著下降（每增加1°C，氨产量下降- 0.009 mmol/g DM，总氮产量下降- 0.126 g/100 g）所示。无论哪种昆虫，脱脂均增加了总气体、挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）和CH4的产量，以及瘤胃食糜中总饱和脂肪酸和支链脂肪酸的比例（+0.038 mmol/g DM、+0.063 mmol/g DM、+12.9µmol/g DM、+0.18 g/100 g FA和+0.19 g/100 g FA，每减少1 g EE/100 g DM），降低了总PUFA的比例（- 0.12 g/100 g FA）。全脂昆虫饲料干燥温度过低，对瘤胃消化率和FA生物加氢作用影响不大。脂肪降低了发酵活性，可能是由于对瘤胃微生物群的抑制作用。脱脂昆虫饲料的瘤胃消化率高于全脂昆虫饲料，说明脱脂昆虫饲料比全脂昆虫饲料更适合用于反刍动物营养。
{"title":"Low drying temperature has negligible impact but defatting increases in vitro rumen digestibility of insect meals, with minor changes on fatty acid biohydrogenation","authors":"Manuela Renna, Mauro Coppa, Carola Lussiana, Aline Le Morvan, Laura Gasco, Lara Rastello, Jonas Claeys, Gaëlle Maxin","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01199-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01199-5","url":null,"abstract":"Insect meals have been identified as innovative and sustainable feedstuffs that could be used in ruminant nutrition. However, current research on the effects that their processing may have on rumen digestibility and fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation is scant. This trial aims to investigate the effects (i) of drying temperature of full-fat Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) meals, and (ii) of residual ether extract (EE) content of defatted HI and TM meals, on their fermentation characteristics and FA of rumen digesta after 24-h in vitro rumen incubation. The tested full-fat meals included four HI and four TM meals obtained applying drying temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 70 °C, while the tested defatted meals consisted of five HI and two TM meals containing a residual EE content ranging from 4.7 to 19.7 g EE/100 g dry matter (DM). The applied statistical models (GLM ANOVA) tested the effects of insect species, drying temperature (full-fat meals) or EE content (defatted meals), and their interaction. Drying temperature had minor effects on in vitro ruminal digestibility and FA profile of rumen digesta. Irrespective of insect species, increasing the drying temperature led to a reduction of in vitro degradation of proteins from insect meals, as outlined by the significant decrease in ammonia production (−0.009 mmol/g DM and −0.126 g/100 g total N for each additional 1 °C). Irrespective of insect species, defatting increased total gas, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and CH4 productions, and the proportions of total saturated and branched-chain FA in rumen digesta (+0.038 mmol/g DM, +0.063 mmol/g DM, +12.9 µmol/g DM, +0.18 g/100 g FA, and +0.19 g/100 g FA for each reduced 1 g EE/100 g DM, respectively), and reduced the proportion of total PUFA (−0.12 g/100 g FA). The applied drying temperatures of full-fat insect meals are too low to exert impactful effects on rumen digestibility and FA biohydrogenation. Fat lowered fermentation activity, probably because of an inhibitory effect on rumen microbiota. The increased ruminal digestibility of defatted insect meals suggests that they can be more suitable to be used in ruminant nutrition than full-fat ones.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-02DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01196-8
Feiyang He, Yi Zheng, Mabrouk Elsabagh, Kewei Fan, Xia Zha, Bei Zhang, Mengzhi Wang, Hao Zhang
The intestinal tract, a complex organ responsible for nutrient absorption and digestion, relies heavily on a balanced gut microbiome to maintain its integrity. Disruptions to this delicate microbial ecosystem can lead to intestinal inflammation, a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While the role of the gut microbiome in IBD is increasingly recognized, the underlying mechanisms, particularly those involving endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and cell death, remain incompletely understood. ER stress, a cellular response to various stressors, can trigger inflammation and cell death. Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, can either alleviate or exacerbate ER stress-induced inflammation, depending on the specific context. The gut microbiome can influence both ER stress and autophagy pathways, further complicating the interplay between these processes. This review delves into the intricate relationship between ER stress, autophagy, and the gut microbiome in the context of intestinal inflammation. By exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions, we aim to provide a comprehensive theoretical framework for developing novel therapeutic strategies for IBD. A deeper understanding of the ER stress-autophagy axis, the gut microbial-ER stress axis, and the gut microbial-autophagy axis may pave the way for targeted interventions to restore intestinal health and mitigate the impact of IBD.
{"title":"Gut microbiota modulate intestinal inflammation by endoplasmic reticulum stress-autophagy-cell death signaling axis","authors":"Feiyang He, Yi Zheng, Mabrouk Elsabagh, Kewei Fan, Xia Zha, Bei Zhang, Mengzhi Wang, Hao Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01196-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01196-8","url":null,"abstract":"The intestinal tract, a complex organ responsible for nutrient absorption and digestion, relies heavily on a balanced gut microbiome to maintain its integrity. Disruptions to this delicate microbial ecosystem can lead to intestinal inflammation, a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While the role of the gut microbiome in IBD is increasingly recognized, the underlying mechanisms, particularly those involving endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and cell death, remain incompletely understood. ER stress, a cellular response to various stressors, can trigger inflammation and cell death. Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, can either alleviate or exacerbate ER stress-induced inflammation, depending on the specific context. The gut microbiome can influence both ER stress and autophagy pathways, further complicating the interplay between these processes. This review delves into the intricate relationship between ER stress, autophagy, and the gut microbiome in the context of intestinal inflammation. By exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions, we aim to provide a comprehensive theoretical framework for developing novel therapeutic strategies for IBD. A deeper understanding of the ER stress-autophagy axis, the gut microbial-ER stress axis, and the gut microbial-autophagy axis may pave the way for targeted interventions to restore intestinal health and mitigate the impact of IBD. ","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"90 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143897529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01181-1
Juan Feng, Lei Zhu, Cunman He, Ruidong Xiang, Jianxin Liu, Jie Cai, Diming Wang
Lactate is a classical byproduct of glucose metabolism, and the main lactate production pathway depends on glycolysis. Lactate stabilized HIF1α by inhibiting PHD activity, leading to hypoxic stress response and exacerbating glycolysis in multiple tissues. However, the redox induction mechanism of lactate in mammary gland has not been understood yet. Herein, we describe a lactate-responsive HIF1α/circadian control mechanism in oxidative stress in the mammary glands of dairy cows. The in vivo study showed that dairy cows with high lactate concentrations are associated with reduced milk yield and more ROS accumulation in mammary gland. Western blot results in MAC-T cells showed positive correlation between lactate concentrations, expression of HIF1α and oxidative stress indicators, but not circadian core components. To test how lactate-mediated HIF1α dysfunction leads to cell protection process, we investigated altered expression of circadian core related genes following HIF1α stabilization. We found that stabilized HIF1α by lactate inhibited stimulated expression of circadian core components due to the similarity of HRE and E-box transcription elements. Furthermore, we found that lactate treatment strengthened the binding of HIF1α with BMAL1, HMOX1 and FOXO3 in MAC-T cells. Moreover, HIF1α knockdown altered expression of circadian rhythm related genes and reduced oxidative stress state. In summary, our study highlights the central role of competitive transcriptional element occupancy in lactate-mediated oxidative stress of mammary gland, which is caused by HIF1α stabilization and circadian rhythm dysfunction. Our findings introduce a novel nutritional strategy with potential applications in dairy farming for optimizing milk production and maintaining mammary gland health.
{"title":"Lactate induces oxidative stress by HIF1α stabilization and circadian clock disturbance in mammary gland of dairy cows","authors":"Juan Feng, Lei Zhu, Cunman He, Ruidong Xiang, Jianxin Liu, Jie Cai, Diming Wang","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01181-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01181-1","url":null,"abstract":"Lactate is a classical byproduct of glucose metabolism, and the main lactate production pathway depends on glycolysis. Lactate stabilized HIF1α by inhibiting PHD activity, leading to hypoxic stress response and exacerbating glycolysis in multiple tissues. However, the redox induction mechanism of lactate in mammary gland has not been understood yet. Herein, we describe a lactate-responsive HIF1α/circadian control mechanism in oxidative stress in the mammary glands of dairy cows. The in vivo study showed that dairy cows with high lactate concentrations are associated with reduced milk yield and more ROS accumulation in mammary gland. Western blot results in MAC-T cells showed positive correlation between lactate concentrations, expression of HIF1α and oxidative stress indicators, but not circadian core components. To test how lactate-mediated HIF1α dysfunction leads to cell protection process, we investigated altered expression of circadian core related genes following HIF1α stabilization. We found that stabilized HIF1α by lactate inhibited stimulated expression of circadian core components due to the similarity of HRE and E-box transcription elements. Furthermore, we found that lactate treatment strengthened the binding of HIF1α with BMAL1, HMOX1 and FOXO3 in MAC-T cells. Moreover, HIF1α knockdown altered expression of circadian rhythm related genes and reduced oxidative stress state. In summary, our study highlights the central role of competitive transcriptional element occupancy in lactate-mediated oxidative stress of mammary gland, which is caused by HIF1α stabilization and circadian rhythm dysfunction. Our findings introduce a novel nutritional strategy with potential applications in dairy farming for optimizing milk production and maintaining mammary gland health.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"23 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143897524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Early embryo development plays a pivotal role in determining pregnancy outcomes, postnatal development, and lifelong health. Therefore, the strategic selection of functional nutrients to enhance embryo development is of paramount importance. In this study, we established a stable porcine trophectoderm cell line expressing dual fluorescent reporter genes driven by the CDX2 and TEAD4 gene promoter segments using lentiviral transfection. Three amino acid metabolites—kynurenic acid, taurine, and tryptamine—met the minimum z-score criteria of 2.0 for both luciferase and Renilla luciferase activities and were initially identified as potential metabolites for embryo development, with their beneficial effects validated by qPCR. Given that the identified metabolites are closely related to methionine, arginine, and tryptophan, we selected these three amino acids, using lysine as a standard, and employed response surface methodology combined with our high-throughput screening cell model to efficiently screen and optimize amino acid combination conducive to early embryo development. The optimized candidate amino acid system included lysine (1.87 mmol/L), methionine (0.82 mmol/L), tryptophan (0.23 mmol/L), and arginine (3 mmol/L), with the ratio of 1:0.43:0.12:1.60. In vitro experiments confirmed that this amino acid system enhances the expression of key genes involved in early embryonic development and improves in vitro embryo adhesion. Transcriptomic analysis of blastocysts suggested that candidate amino acid system enhances early embryo development by regulating early embryonic cell cycle and differentiation, as well as improving nutrient absorption. Furthermore, based on response surface methodology, 400 sows were used to verify this amino acid system, substituting arginine with the more cost-effective N-carbamoyl glutamate (NCG), a precursor of arginine. The optimal dietary amino acid requirement was predicted to be 0.71% lysine, 0.32% methionine, 0.22% tryptophan, and 0.10% NCG for sows during early gestation. The optimized amino acid system ratio of the feed, derived from the peripheral release of essential amino acids, was found to be 1:0.45:0.13, which is largely consistent with the results obtained from the cell model optimization. Subsequently, we furtherly verified that this optimal dietary amino acid system significantly increased total litter size, live litter size and litter weight in sows. In summary, we successfully established a dual-fluorescent high-throughput screening cell model for the efficient identification of potential nutrients that would promote embryo development and implantation. This innovative approach overcomes the limitations of traditional amino acid nutrition studies in sows, providing a more effective model for enhancing reproductive outcomes.
{"title":"Optimal amino acid system for early embryo development in sows based on response surface methodology and high-throughput screening cell models","authors":"Xinyu Wang, Jun Huang, Yanlong Li, Zhekun Zhu, Bangxin Xue, Yueyang Meng, Jiale Bao, Ran Ning, Siyu Li, Fang Chen, Shihai Zhang, Xiangzhou Zeng, Shuang Cai, Chuanjiang Cai, Xiangfang Zeng","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01194-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01194-w","url":null,"abstract":"Early embryo development plays a pivotal role in determining pregnancy outcomes, postnatal development, and lifelong health. Therefore, the strategic selection of functional nutrients to enhance embryo development is of paramount importance. In this study, we established a stable porcine trophectoderm cell line expressing dual fluorescent reporter genes driven by the CDX2 and TEAD4 gene promoter segments using lentiviral transfection. Three amino acid metabolites—kynurenic acid, taurine, and tryptamine—met the minimum z-score criteria of 2.0 for both luciferase and Renilla luciferase activities and were initially identified as potential metabolites for embryo development, with their beneficial effects validated by qPCR. Given that the identified metabolites are closely related to methionine, arginine, and tryptophan, we selected these three amino acids, using lysine as a standard, and employed response surface methodology combined with our high-throughput screening cell model to efficiently screen and optimize amino acid combination conducive to early embryo development. The optimized candidate amino acid system included lysine (1.87 mmol/L), methionine (0.82 mmol/L), tryptophan (0.23 mmol/L), and arginine (3 mmol/L), with the ratio of 1:0.43:0.12:1.60. In vitro experiments confirmed that this amino acid system enhances the expression of key genes involved in early embryonic development and improves in vitro embryo adhesion. Transcriptomic analysis of blastocysts suggested that candidate amino acid system enhances early embryo development by regulating early embryonic cell cycle and differentiation, as well as improving nutrient absorption. Furthermore, based on response surface methodology, 400 sows were used to verify this amino acid system, substituting arginine with the more cost-effective N-carbamoyl glutamate (NCG), a precursor of arginine. The optimal dietary amino acid requirement was predicted to be 0.71% lysine, 0.32% methionine, 0.22% tryptophan, and 0.10% NCG for sows during early gestation. The optimized amino acid system ratio of the feed, derived from the peripheral release of essential amino acids, was found to be 1:0.45:0.13, which is largely consistent with the results obtained from the cell model optimization. Subsequently, we furtherly verified that this optimal dietary amino acid system significantly increased total litter size, live litter size and litter weight in sows. In summary, we successfully established a dual-fluorescent high-throughput screening cell model for the efficient identification of potential nutrients that would promote embryo development and implantation. This innovative approach overcomes the limitations of traditional amino acid nutrition studies in sows, providing a more effective model for enhancing reproductive outcomes.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143872980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-23DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01190-0
Jishan An, Yu Ge, Huitian He, Hao Ge, Jing Li, Zhiqing Li, Lei Liu, Zuo Wang, Xinyi Lan, Weijun Shen, Anwei Cheng, Fachun Wan
In this study, the effects of L-leucine (Leu) on rumen fermentation parameters, rumen epithelium development, amino acid composition, rumen bacterial communities and rumen metabolites in beef cattle were investigated. Twenty-four fattening Angus females of similar initial weight (575.5 ± 22.1 kg) were randomly assigned to 2 treatments with 4 replicate pens (3 cattle per pen). They were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 6.0 g L-Leu/100 kg BW/d for 120 d. (1) Leu increased the ruminal concentrations of total volatile fatty acid (VFA) (P = 0.017), propionate (P = 0.023), isovalerate (P = 0.001), and branched-chain volatile fatty acid (BCVFA) (P = 0.01) at 4 h post-feeding. It also tended to increase acetate (P = 0.083) and decrease the ammonia-N (NH3-N) concentration (P = 0.055), but it did not affect ruminal pH (P > 0.1). Leu also increased microbial crude protein (MCP) (P = 0.026) at 4 h post-feeding, but decreased MCP at 8 h post-feeding (P = 0.010). (2) Supplementation with L-Leu increased the ruminal concentrations of phenylalanine (P = 0.011), lysine (P = 0.034), and tyrosine (P = 0.033), while decreasing the cystine concentration (P = 0.010). (3) Leu increased the thickness of the stratum spinosum and basal (P < 0.05), while decreasing the thickness of the stratum granulosum (P < 0.05). (4) Leu upregulated the relative mRNA abundance of genes involved in tight junction proteins (P < 0.05) and VFA absorption and metabolism (P < 0.01) in the rumen epithelium. This upregulation was positively correlated with the concentrations ruminal isovalerate and BCVFA (P < 0.01). (5) L-Leu did not affect the diversity and richness of ruminal microbes (P > 0.05), but differential bacterial biomarkers (LEfSe, LDA > 2) were either positively or negatively correlated with ruminal MCP, NH3-N, and BCVFA concentrations (P < 0.001). Additionally, differential bacterial metabolites (OPLS-DA, VIP > 1.5) were primarily enriched in the amino acid metabolism pathway and the cofactors and vitamins metabolism pathway (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with L-Leu altered rumen fermentation parameters and patterns, improved rumen epithelial morphology, and enhanced the expression of genes related to VFA absorption and metabolism in the rumen epithelium of beef cattle.
{"title":"Dietary L-leucine supplementation improves ruminal fermentation parameters and epithelium development in fattening Angus beef cattle","authors":"Jishan An, Yu Ge, Huitian He, Hao Ge, Jing Li, Zhiqing Li, Lei Liu, Zuo Wang, Xinyi Lan, Weijun Shen, Anwei Cheng, Fachun Wan","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01190-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01190-0","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, the effects of L-leucine (Leu) on rumen fermentation parameters, rumen epithelium development, amino acid composition, rumen bacterial communities and rumen metabolites in beef cattle were investigated. Twenty-four fattening Angus females of similar initial weight (575.5 ± 22.1 kg) were randomly assigned to 2 treatments with 4 replicate pens (3 cattle per pen). They were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 6.0 g L-Leu/100 kg BW/d for 120 d. (1) Leu increased the ruminal concentrations of total volatile fatty acid (VFA) (P = 0.017), propionate (P = 0.023), isovalerate (P = 0.001), and branched-chain volatile fatty acid (BCVFA) (P = 0.01) at 4 h post-feeding. It also tended to increase acetate (P = 0.083) and decrease the ammonia-N (NH3-N) concentration (P = 0.055), but it did not affect ruminal pH (P > 0.1). Leu also increased microbial crude protein (MCP) (P = 0.026) at 4 h post-feeding, but decreased MCP at 8 h post-feeding (P = 0.010). (2) Supplementation with L-Leu increased the ruminal concentrations of phenylalanine (P = 0.011), lysine (P = 0.034), and tyrosine (P = 0.033), while decreasing the cystine concentration (P = 0.010). (3) Leu increased the thickness of the stratum spinosum and basal (P < 0.05), while decreasing the thickness of the stratum granulosum (P < 0.05). (4) Leu upregulated the relative mRNA abundance of genes involved in tight junction proteins (P < 0.05) and VFA absorption and metabolism (P < 0.01) in the rumen epithelium. This upregulation was positively correlated with the concentrations ruminal isovalerate and BCVFA (P < 0.01). (5) L-Leu did not affect the diversity and richness of ruminal microbes (P > 0.05), but differential bacterial biomarkers (LEfSe, LDA > 2) were either positively or negatively correlated with ruminal MCP, NH3-N, and BCVFA concentrations (P < 0.001). Additionally, differential bacterial metabolites (OPLS-DA, VIP > 1.5) were primarily enriched in the amino acid metabolism pathway and the cofactors and vitamins metabolism pathway (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with L-Leu altered rumen fermentation parameters and patterns, improved rumen epithelial morphology, and enhanced the expression of genes related to VFA absorption and metabolism in the rumen epithelium of beef cattle.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"129 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143867028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Coumarins are toxic phytochemicals found in a variety of plants and are known to limit microbial degradation and interfere with nutrient cycling. While the degradation of coumarins by fungi has been studied in an environmental context, little is known about their degradation in the gastrointestinal system of herbivores after ingestion. In this study, we investigated in vitro fermentation by microbial enrichment, transcriptome sequencing, and high-resolution mass spectrometry to evaluate the ability of rumen anaerobic fungi to degrade coumarins. The results showed that despite the low abundance of anaerobic fungi in the rumen microbiota, they were able to effectively degrade coumarins. Specifically, Pecoramyces ruminantium F1 could tolerate coumarin concentrations up to 3 mmol/L and degrade it efficiently via metabolic pathways involving alpha/beta hydrolases and NAD(P)H oxidoreductases within the late growth phase. The fungus metabolized coumarin to less toxic compounds, including o-coumaric acid and melilotic acid, highlighting the detoxification potential of anaerobic fungi. This study is the first to demonstrate the ability of rumen anaerobic fungi to degrade coumarin, providing new insights into the use of anaerobic fungi in sustainable agricultural practices and environmental detoxification strategies.
{"title":"Detoxification of coumarins by rumen anaerobic fungi: insights into microbial degradation pathways and agricultural applications","authors":"Yuqi Li, Jian Gao, Yaxiong Cao, Xinming Cheng, Zhanying Sun, Jiyu Zhang, Weiyun Zhu, Martin Gierus, Yanfen Cheng","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01195-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01195-9","url":null,"abstract":"Coumarins are toxic phytochemicals found in a variety of plants and are known to limit microbial degradation and interfere with nutrient cycling. While the degradation of coumarins by fungi has been studied in an environmental context, little is known about their degradation in the gastrointestinal system of herbivores after ingestion. In this study, we investigated in vitro fermentation by microbial enrichment, transcriptome sequencing, and high-resolution mass spectrometry to evaluate the ability of rumen anaerobic fungi to degrade coumarins. The results showed that despite the low abundance of anaerobic fungi in the rumen microbiota, they were able to effectively degrade coumarins. Specifically, Pecoramyces ruminantium F1 could tolerate coumarin concentrations up to 3 mmol/L and degrade it efficiently via metabolic pathways involving alpha/beta hydrolases and NAD(P)H oxidoreductases within the late growth phase. The fungus metabolized coumarin to less toxic compounds, including o-coumaric acid and melilotic acid, highlighting the detoxification potential of anaerobic fungi. This study is the first to demonstrate the ability of rumen anaerobic fungi to degrade coumarin, providing new insights into the use of anaerobic fungi in sustainable agricultural practices and environmental detoxification strategies.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143841490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Heat stress (HS) poses a significant threat to male goat reproduction. Sertoli cells (SCs) provide both structural and nutritional support necessary for germ cells. HS induces physiological and biochemical changes in SCs. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved are still not fully understood. Melatonin is a classic antioxidant that can alleviate HS-induced male reproductive damage. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which melatonin mitigates damage to goat testicular SCs remain unclear and require further investigation. In this study, an in vivo heat stress model was established in goats. The results showed that HS exposure led to testicular injury, abnormal spermatogenesis and apoptosis of SCs. To elucidate the mechanism of HS-induced SC apoptosis, primary SCs were isolated and cultured from goat testes, then exposed to HS. HS exposure increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in SCs. Additionally, HS increased the expression of mitochondrial fission proteins 1 (FIS1) and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) while decreasing the expression of mitochondrial fusion proteins Mitofusin 1 (MFN1), Mitofusin 2 (MFN2), and optic atrophy 1 (OPA1). This resulted in excessive mitochondrial fission and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Mdivi-1 (DRP1 inhibitor) reduces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by inhibiting excessive mitochondrial fission. Mitochondrial fission is closely related to mitophagy. HS activated upstream mitophagy but inhibited autophagic flux, disrupting mitophagy and exacerbating mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Finally, the classical antioxidant melatonin was shown to reduce mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs exposed to HS by decreasing ROS levels, restoring mitochondrial homeostasis, and normalizing mitophagy. In summary, these findings indicated that the mechanism of HS-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs is mediated by hyperactivation of the ROS-DRP1-mitochondrial fission axis and inhibition of mitochondrial autophagy. Melatonin inhibited HS-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs by restoring mitochondrial homeostasis. This study enhances the understanding of the mechanisms through which heat stress triggers apoptosis and provides a vision for the development of drugs against HS by targeting mitochondria in goats.
{"title":"ROS-DRP1-mediated excessive mitochondrial fission and autophagic flux inhibition contribute to heat stress-induced apoptosis in goat Sertoli cells","authors":"Fei Wen, Jiajing Gao, Guoyu Zhang, Songmao Guo, Xing Zhang, Shuaiqi Han, Xianzou Feng, Xiaoxu Chen, Jianhong Hu","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01180-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01180-2","url":null,"abstract":"Heat stress (HS) poses a significant threat to male goat reproduction. Sertoli cells (SCs) provide both structural and nutritional support necessary for germ cells. HS induces physiological and biochemical changes in SCs. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved are still not fully understood. Melatonin is a classic antioxidant that can alleviate HS-induced male reproductive damage. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which melatonin mitigates damage to goat testicular SCs remain unclear and require further investigation. In this study, an in vivo heat stress model was established in goats. The results showed that HS exposure led to testicular injury, abnormal spermatogenesis and apoptosis of SCs. To elucidate the mechanism of HS-induced SC apoptosis, primary SCs were isolated and cultured from goat testes, then exposed to HS. HS exposure increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in SCs. Additionally, HS increased the expression of mitochondrial fission proteins 1 (FIS1) and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) while decreasing the expression of mitochondrial fusion proteins Mitofusin 1 (MFN1), Mitofusin 2 (MFN2), and optic atrophy 1 (OPA1). This resulted in excessive mitochondrial fission and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Mdivi-1 (DRP1 inhibitor) reduces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by inhibiting excessive mitochondrial fission. Mitochondrial fission is closely related to mitophagy. HS activated upstream mitophagy but inhibited autophagic flux, disrupting mitophagy and exacerbating mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Finally, the classical antioxidant melatonin was shown to reduce mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs exposed to HS by decreasing ROS levels, restoring mitochondrial homeostasis, and normalizing mitophagy. In summary, these findings indicated that the mechanism of HS-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs is mediated by hyperactivation of the ROS-DRP1-mitochondrial fission axis and inhibition of mitochondrial autophagy. Melatonin inhibited HS-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in SCs by restoring mitochondrial homeostasis. This study enhances the understanding of the mechanisms through which heat stress triggers apoptosis and provides a vision for the development of drugs against HS by targeting mitochondria in goats. ","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143837084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-15DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01193-x
Chong Zhang, Yongkang Zhen, Yunan Weng, Jiaqi Lin, Xinru Xu, Jianjun Ma, Yuhong Zhong, Mengzhi Wang
Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are aliphatic compounds ubiquitous in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Positively charged polyamines bind to negatively charged macromolecules, such as nucleic acids and acidic phospholipids, and are involved in physiological activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and gene regulation. Intracellular polyamine levels are regulated by biosynthesis, catabolism and transport. Polyamines in the body originate from two primary sources: dietary intake and intestinal microbial metabolism. These polyamines are then transported into the bloodstream, through which they are distributed to various tissues and organs to exert their biological functions. Polyamines synthesized by intestinal microorganisms serve dual critical roles. First, they are essential for maintaining polyamine concentrations within the digestive tract. Second, through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, these microbial-derived polyamines modulate the expression of genes governing key processes in intestinal epithelial cells—including proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and cell–cell interactions. Collectively, these regulatory effects help maintain intestinal epithelial homeostasis and ensure the integrity of the gut barrier. In addition, polyamines interact with the gut microbiota to maintain intestinal homeostasis by promoting microbial growth, biofilm formation, swarming, and endocytosis vesicle production, etc. Supplementation with polyamines has been demonstrated to be important in regulating host intestinal microbial composition, enhancing nutrient absorption, and improving metabolism and immunity. In this review, we will focus on recent advances in the study of polyamine metabolism and transport in intestinal microbes and intestinal epithelial cells. We then summarize the scientific understanding of their roles in intestinal homeostasis, exploring the advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of polyamines and their potential clinical applications, and providing a rationale for polyamine metabolism as an important target for the treatment of intestinal-based diseases.
{"title":"Research progress on the microbial metabolism and transport of polyamines and their roles in animal gut homeostasis","authors":"Chong Zhang, Yongkang Zhen, Yunan Weng, Jiaqi Lin, Xinru Xu, Jianjun Ma, Yuhong Zhong, Mengzhi Wang","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01193-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01193-x","url":null,"abstract":"Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are aliphatic compounds ubiquitous in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Positively charged polyamines bind to negatively charged macromolecules, such as nucleic acids and acidic phospholipids, and are involved in physiological activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and gene regulation. Intracellular polyamine levels are regulated by biosynthesis, catabolism and transport. Polyamines in the body originate from two primary sources: dietary intake and intestinal microbial metabolism. These polyamines are then transported into the bloodstream, through which they are distributed to various tissues and organs to exert their biological functions. Polyamines synthesized by intestinal microorganisms serve dual critical roles. First, they are essential for maintaining polyamine concentrations within the digestive tract. Second, through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, these microbial-derived polyamines modulate the expression of genes governing key processes in intestinal epithelial cells—including proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and cell–cell interactions. Collectively, these regulatory effects help maintain intestinal epithelial homeostasis and ensure the integrity of the gut barrier. In addition, polyamines interact with the gut microbiota to maintain intestinal homeostasis by promoting microbial growth, biofilm formation, swarming, and endocytosis vesicle production, etc. Supplementation with polyamines has been demonstrated to be important in regulating host intestinal microbial composition, enhancing nutrient absorption, and improving metabolism and immunity. In this review, we will focus on recent advances in the study of polyamine metabolism and transport in intestinal microbes and intestinal epithelial cells. We then summarize the scientific understanding of their roles in intestinal homeostasis, exploring the advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of polyamines and their potential clinical applications, and providing a rationale for polyamine metabolism as an important target for the treatment of intestinal-based diseases. ","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"122 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-14DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01186-w
Keesun Yu, Inhwan Choi, Minseong Kim, Young Jin Pyung, Jin-Sun Lee, Youbin Choi, Sohyoung Won, Younghoon Kim, Byung-Chul Park, Seung Hyun Han, Tae Sub Park, Tina Sørensen Dalgaard, Cheol-Heui Yun
Despite growing concerns about the adverse effects of antibiotics in farm animals, there has been little investigation of the effects of florfenicol in laying hens. This study examined the effect of florfenicol on the intestinal homeostasis, immune system, and pathogen susceptibility of laying hens. The oral administration of florfenicol at field-relevant levels for 5 d resulted in a decrease in the gut microbiota genera Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Bacteroides, indicating the development of intestinal dysbiosis. The dysbiosis led to decreased mRNA levels of key regulators peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), compromising intestinal hypoxia. Intestinal homeostasis was also disrupted, with decreased expression of Occludin and Mucin 2 (Muc2) genes combined with increased gut epithelial permeability. The breakdown in intestinal homeostasis and immune function provided a favorable environment for opportunistic bacteria like avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), culminating in systemic infection. Immunologically, florfenicol treatment resulted in increased proportion and absolute number of MRC1L-B+ monocytes/macrophages in the spleen, indicating an exacerbated infection. Furthermore, both the proportion and absolute number of γδ T cells in the lamina propria of the cecum decreased. Treatment with florfenicol reduced butyrate levels in the cecum. However, the administration of butyrate before and during florfenicol treatment restored factors associated with intestinal homeostasis, including PPAR-γ, Occludin, and Muc2, while partially restoring HIF-1α, normalized intestinal hypoxia and gut permeability, and reversed immune cell changes, suppressing APEC systemic infection. The uncontrolled and widespread use of florfenicol can negatively affect intestinal health in chickens. Specifically, florfenicol was found to impair intestinal homeostasis and immune function in laying hens, including by reducing butyrate levels, thereby increasing their susceptibility to systemic APEC infection. The development of strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of florfenicol on gut health and pathogen susceptibility in laying hens is therefore essential.
{"title":"Florfenicol-induced dysbiosis impairs intestinal homeostasis and host immune system in laying hens","authors":"Keesun Yu, Inhwan Choi, Minseong Kim, Young Jin Pyung, Jin-Sun Lee, Youbin Choi, Sohyoung Won, Younghoon Kim, Byung-Chul Park, Seung Hyun Han, Tae Sub Park, Tina Sørensen Dalgaard, Cheol-Heui Yun","doi":"10.1186/s40104-025-01186-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01186-w","url":null,"abstract":"Despite growing concerns about the adverse effects of antibiotics in farm animals, there has been little investigation of the effects of florfenicol in laying hens. This study examined the effect of florfenicol on the intestinal homeostasis, immune system, and pathogen susceptibility of laying hens. The oral administration of florfenicol at field-relevant levels for 5 d resulted in a decrease in the gut microbiota genera Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Bacteroides, indicating the development of intestinal dysbiosis. The dysbiosis led to decreased mRNA levels of key regulators peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), compromising intestinal hypoxia. Intestinal homeostasis was also disrupted, with decreased expression of Occludin and Mucin 2 (Muc2) genes combined with increased gut epithelial permeability. The breakdown in intestinal homeostasis and immune function provided a favorable environment for opportunistic bacteria like avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), culminating in systemic infection. Immunologically, florfenicol treatment resulted in increased proportion and absolute number of MRC1L-B+ monocytes/macrophages in the spleen, indicating an exacerbated infection. Furthermore, both the proportion and absolute number of γδ T cells in the lamina propria of the cecum decreased. Treatment with florfenicol reduced butyrate levels in the cecum. However, the administration of butyrate before and during florfenicol treatment restored factors associated with intestinal homeostasis, including PPAR-γ, Occludin, and Muc2, while partially restoring HIF-1α, normalized intestinal hypoxia and gut permeability, and reversed immune cell changes, suppressing APEC systemic infection. The uncontrolled and widespread use of florfenicol can negatively affect intestinal health in chickens. Specifically, florfenicol was found to impair intestinal homeostasis and immune function in laying hens, including by reducing butyrate levels, thereby increasing their susceptibility to systemic APEC infection. The development of strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of florfenicol on gut health and pathogen susceptibility in laying hens is therefore essential.","PeriodicalId":14928,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143827680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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