Effect of sanguinarine in drinking water on Salmonella control and the expression of immune cells in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa of broilers

Abstract

SUMMARY The role of the gastrointestinal tract in the recognition and elimination of pathogenic microorganisms through inflammation is critical for the establishment of health. Sanguinarine is a quaternary ammonium salt that belongs to a group of benzophenanthridine and protopin alkaloids. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of using sanguinarine in the drinking water of broilers on reducing the Salmonella Enteritidis count and to assess changes in intestinal morphology and the expression of immune cells in the peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa of broilers challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis. The treatment of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged broilers with sanguinarine via drinking water reduced Salmonella Enteritidis isolation in the cecum and in the crop at 7 d postinoculation when compared with the control group. Broilers treated with sanguinarine via drinking water presented a significantly lower expression of goblet and CD3 + cells in the duodenum and jejunum and higher expression of cells positive for the markers cD4, cD8α, cD8α bright , cD8α dim , cD8β, tcr Vβ1, and cD28 in the blood compared with the nontreated birds. We also evaluated MHc i, MHc ii and tcr αβ Vβ2, but no differences were observed between treatments.