Molecular mechanisms of growth depression in broiler chickens (Gallus Gallus domesticus) mediated by immune stress: a hepatic proteome study

Aijuan Zheng,Anrong Zhang,Wenhuan Chang,Huiyi Cai,Wayne L Bryden,Shoaib Ahmed Pirzado,Guohua Liu,Zhimin Chen

doi:10.1186/s40104-021-00591-1

Abstract

BackgroundImmunological stress decreases feed intake, suppresses growth and induces economic losses. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Label-free liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomics techniques were employed to investigate effects of immune stress on the hepatic proteome changes of Arbor Acres broilers (Gallus Gallus domesticus) challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS).ResultsProteomic analysis indicated that 111 proteins were differentially expressed in the liver of broiler chickens from the immune stress group. Of these, 28 proteins were down-regulated, and 83 proteins were up-regulated in the immune stress group. Enrichment analysis showed that immune stress upregulated the expression of hepatic proteins involved in defense function, amino acid catabolism, ion transport, wound healing, and hormone secretion. Furthermore, immune stress increased valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation pathways.ConclusionThe data suggests that growth depression of broiler chickens induced by immune stress is triggered by hepatic proteome alterations, and provides a new insight into the mechanism by which immune challenge impairs poultry production.

Highlights

Immunological stress decreases feed intake, suppresses growth and induces economic losses
Changes of serum hormones and cytokines of broilers challenged with LPS As shown in Table 3, the serum concentrations of Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), CORT, IL-1β, Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-6 in broilers injected with LPS were significantly higher than in the TREATMENT Control group
The immune stress induced by LPS triggered alterations in the hepatic proteome of broiler chickens and provides a new insight into the mechanisms by which immune challenge impairs bird growth or productivity

Summary

Introduction

Immunological stress decreases feed intake, suppresses growth and induces economic losses. Stressors in the bird’s environment, include feeding management, overcrowding, temperature extremes, dust and litter. In response to an immune challenge, the appetite and growth performance of the bird will decline [10,11,12]. A bird or animal’s metabolic priorities are rearranged in response to immune stress, resulting in the redistribution of nutrients away from muscle protein deposition and growth to support upregulation of the immune response [14, 15]. The liver plays a pivotal role in nutrient metabolism, and nutrient repartitioning following an immune challenge when it is enriched with components of the immune system, including macrophages and natural killer T-cells; highlighting the vital role of the liver in immunology [16]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion