Abstract
This study investigated the effects of an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), cLF36, on growth performance and the histophysiological changes of the intestine in E. coli-challenged broiler chickens. A total number of 360 day old male chicks were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 6 replicates as follows: T1) negative control diet based on corn-soybean meal without E. coli challenge and additives; T2) positive control diet based on corn-soybean meal and challenged with E. coli without any additives; T3) positive control diet challenged with E. coli and supplemented with 20 mg AMP (cLF36)/kg diet; T4) positive control diet challenged with E. coli and supplemented with 45 mg antibiotic (bacitracin methylene disalicylate)/kg diet. Results showed that T3 improved growth performance and the jejunal morphology of E. coli-challenged chickens similar to those of T4. While antibiotic non-selectively decreased the population of ileal bacteria, AMP increased the population of Lactobacillus spp. and decreased harmful bacteria in the ileum of E. coli-challenged chickens. Supplementing E. coli-challenged chickens with AMP improved the gene expression of immune cells and upregulated the expression of tight junction proteins compared to other challenged groups. In conclusion, although cLF36 beneficially affected growth performance and the intestinal morphology of E. coli-challenged chickens similar to those of the antibiotic group, this AMP drastically improved the intestinal microbiome, immune cells, and junctional proteins compared to other E. coli-challenged birds, and can be nominated as an alternative for growth promoter antibiotics.
Highlights
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium which may play significant roles as the commensal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal microbiota of poultry[1,2], while pathogenic strains of E. coli can induce intestinal or extra-intestinal diseases[3]
Increasing concerns of antibiotic resistance have encouraged scientists to search for antibiotic alternatives having the beneficial effects of antibiotics on growth performance and health criteria while preventing transmission of resistance to microbial populations, like those observed in Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)
The present study was conducted to assess the potency of a new source of peptides to replace antibiotics in the diet of E. coli-challenged broiler chickens based on data obtained from productive and health attributes
Summary
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium which may play significant roles as the commensal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal microbiota of poultry[1,2], while pathogenic strains of E. coli can induce intestinal or extra-intestinal diseases[3]. A common solution to compensate such growth delay is to add antibiotic growth promoters to feed or water of birds, while antibiotic residues in poultry products and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens have caused consumers concerns[5]. These concerns have resulted in restriction or ban of antibiotic growth promoters in the poultry industry of many countries, especially in Europe[6,7]. The objective of the present study was to evaluate cLF36 as an alternative to growth promoter antibiotics on growth performance and intestinal morphology microflora, immune cells, and barrier proteins in broiler chickens challenged with E. coli, as an animal model for infectious disease
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