title: Dietary Astragalus polysaccharide alleviated immunological stress in broilers exposed to lipopolysaccharide.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate whether dietary Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) could alleviate immunological stress response of chickens after challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 360 one-day-old commercial Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The main factors were immunological stress (LPS or saline) and dietary APS (0 or 3g APS/kg feed). At 12, 14, 33 and 35 days of age, chickens were injected intramuscularly with either 500 μg/kg body weight of LPS or sterile saline. The results showed that the decreased daily feed intake and daily weight gain caused by immunological stress were dramatically attenuated by APS supplementation. The LPS challenge led to an increased mRNA abundance of TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, avian uncoupling protein, α1-acid glycoprotein, hemopexin and y(+)LAT2. However, these negative effects of the LPS administration were ameliorated by APS supplementation. Moreover, dietary APS inhibited the LPS-induced depression of amino acid digestibilities. In conclusion, APS is able to alleviate LPS-induced immunological stress response in chickens. The beneficial effect may be attributed to suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines through reducing the TLR4 and NF-κB genes transcription, and therewith improving energy and protein metabolism.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuesheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yangxj@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002645:Chickens; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008460:Meat; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011134:Polysaccharides; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; C422907:mitochondrial uncoupling protein, chicken
keywords: Astragalus polysaccharide; Broiler; Immunological stress