title: The effects of a galactoglucomannan oligosaccharide-arabinoxylan (GGMO-AX) complex in broiler chicks challenged with Eimeria acervulina.
abstract: Fermentable carbohydrates may enhance the ability of the gastrointestinal tract to defend against pathogenic infection. We hypothesized that a mannose-rich, galactoglucomannan oligosaccharide-arabinoxylan (GGMO-AX) complex would positively impact immune status and prevent weight loss resulting from acute coccidiosis (Eimeria acervulina) infection of chicks. Using a completely randomized design, 1-d-old commercial broiler chicks (n = 160; 4 replications/treatment; 5 chicks/replication) were assigned to one of 4 corn-soybean meal-based diets containing supplemental GGMO-AX (0, 1, 2, or 4%) that replaced dietary cellulose. On d 9 posthatch, an equal number of chicks on each diet were inoculated with either distilled water (sham control) or E. acervulina (1 × 10(6) oocysts). All birds were euthanized on d 7 postinoculation (PI) for collection of cecal contents and duodenal tissue. Overall, BW gain of chicks was not affected by diet PI, whereas infection decreased (P < 0.01) weight gain on d 0 to 7 PI. Feed intake was not affected by dietary treatment, but infection decreased (P < 0.01) feed intake on d 0 to 7 PI. Overall, infection, but not diet, decreased (P < 0.01) G:F on d 0 to 7 PI. Cecal propionate concentrations were independently affected by infection and diet, while butyrate concentrations were affected only by infection (P = 0.02). Cecal Bifidobacterium spp. populations were affected (P < 0.01) by diet, with the 2% GGMO-AX resulting in the highest cfu/g of cecal contents (on a DM basis). Messenger RNA expression of all duodenal cytokines evaluated was affected by infection status (P ≤ 0.02) but not by dietary treatment alone. Supplementing 4% GGMO-AX consistently resulted in the greatest fold change in proinflammatory cytokine expression, while inhibiting antiinflammatory cytokine expression, which indicates a more robust innate immune response. Despite decreasing performance, 4% dietary GGMO-AX improved select fermentation indices and the innate intestinal immune response to an acute E. acervulina infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Dilger
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Fahey
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004539:Eimeria / Q000145:classification*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D007778:Lactobacillus; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D014990:Xylans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008351:Mannans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014990:Xylans; C443804:galactoglucomannan; C085118:arabinoxylan