title: β-1,3/1,6-Glucan alleviated intestinal mucosal barrier impairment of broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.
abstract: This study investigated the protective effect of β-1,3/1,6-glucan on gut morphology, intestinal epithelial tight junctions, and bacterial translocation of broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Ninety Salmonella-free Arbor Acre male broiler chickens were randomly divided into 3 groups: negative control group (NC), Salmonella Typhimurium-infected positive group (PC), and the Salmonella Typhimurium-infected group with dietary 100 mg/kg of β-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation (T) to determine the effect of β-1,3/1,6-glucan on intestinal barrier function. Salmonella Typhimurium challenge alone significantly decreased villus height (P < 0.001), villus height/crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05), and the number of goblet cells (P < 0.001) in the jejunum at 14 d postinfection (dpi), but significantly increased the number of intestinal secretory IgA (sIgA)-expressing cells at 14 dpi (P < 0.01) and total sIgA levels in the jejunum at 7 (P < 0.05) and 14 dpi (P < 0.01) compared with the unchallenged birds (NC). Dietary β-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation not only significantly increased villus height, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and the number of goblet cells (P < 0.01), but also increased the number of sIgA-expressing cells (P < 0.05) and sIgA content in the jejunum at 14 dpi (P < 0.01) in birds challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium in comparison with Salmonella Typhimurium challenge alone. β-1,3/1,6-Glucan addition had significant inhibitory effects (P < 0.05) on cecal Salmonella colonization levels and liver Salmonella invasion of the Salmonella Typhimurium-infected birds compared with the PC group. Intestinal tight junction proteins claudin-1, claudin-4, and occludin mRNA expression in the jejunum at 14 dpi was significantly decreased by Salmonella Typhimurium challenge alone (P < 0.01) compared with that of the NC group, whereas β-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation significantly increased claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression (P < 0.01) at 14 dpi in the jejunum of the Salmonella Typhimurium-infected birds in comparison with the PC group. Our results indicate that dietary β-1,3/1,6-glucan can alleviate intestinal mucosal barrier impairment in broiler chickens challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D047071:beta-Glucans; C070683:surface layer protein A, Bacteria