title: Effects of yeast cell walls on performance and immune responses of cyclosporine A-treated, immunosuppressed broiler chickens.
abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cell walls (YCW) from the yeast extract industry on performance and immune function of cyclosporine A (CSA)-treated, immunosuppressed broiler chickens. A total of 240 day-old male broilers were allocated randomly into four treatments: (1) non-challenged control; (2) non-challenged control+0·3 % YCW; (3) CSA-challenged group; (4) CSA-challenged+0·3 % YCW. On days 1-4 and 22-25 of age, broilers were subcutaneously injected with CSA or sterile saline. The results showed that supplementation of YCW significantly improved daily weight gain (DWG) during the starter (days 1-21, P < 0·01), finisher (days 22-42, P < 0·01) and overall (days 1-42, P < 0·05) periods compared with the control birds, but had no effect on feed conversion ratio (FCR, P>0·05). Compared with the CSA-treated birds, YCW alleviated the decrease of DWG (P < 0·01) and increase of FCR (P < 0·05) caused by CSA challenge at different periods and cumulatively. On days 21 and 42, YCW mitigated the CSA-induced decrease of peripheral blood lymphocyte blastogenic response (P < 0·01). In addition, YCW improved the relative weights of the bursa of Fabricius (P < 0·01) and thymus (P < 0·01) and up-regulated the splenic expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β (P < 0·01) and IL-6 (P < 0·01) on day 42 compared with the CSA-treated birds. These results indicate that YCW supplementation has beneficial effects in attenuating the immunosuppressive effects of CSA challenge, therefore improving growth performance of broiler chickens.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Shaojin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bingling
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Libao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D016572:Cyclosporine; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D015430:Weight Gain; D015002:Yeast, Dried / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016572:Cyclosporine