A novel Lactobacillus plantarum strain P-8 activates beneficial immune response of broiler chickens.
To investigate whether Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 may be used as an alternative to antibiotics in the broiler chicken diet, we compared P-8 and antibiotics for their immunobiotic properties and their effect on growth performance of broiler chickens in a 42-day trial. The results showed that P-8 provided similar benefits in weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency as antibiotics did. Importantly, P-8 activated protective immune responses of the broilers while antibiotics lacked this effect. P-8 induced higher fecal secretory IgA (sIgA) levels on day 42 (P≤0.027) and IgA(+) lymphocytes in the jejunum and Peyer's patches (PP) (P<0.001) compared to antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics reduced the IgA(+) lymphocytes in jejunum and PP on day 42 compared to the control. P-8 increased CD3(+) T cells in the small intestinal tissues in most test situations whereas antibiotics had fewer CD3(+) cells in PP and cecal tonsil compared with the control broilers at the end of the trial. In addition, P-8 increased CD4(+) T cells significantly in the intestinal tissues compared to both antibiotics and the control (P<0.0052). Both Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression were enhanced by P-8 on day 14, consistent with the clinical trial results showing probiotic benefits in diseases. Antibiotics up- and down-regulated interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-10 transcripts in an age-dependent manner, and showed anti-inflammatory potential. These data indicate that P-8 may provide protective immune response to broilers while maintaining similar growth performance and may be a potential alternative to antibiotics supplemented in chicken feeds.
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China.
Lifeng
L
Wang
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China.
Caihong
C
Liu
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China.
Ma
M
Chen
Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhhot 010110, PR China.
Tuo
T
Ya
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China; Inner Mongolia Sci-plus Biotech, Huhhot 010110, PR China.
Weiqiang
W
Huang
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China; Inner Mongolia Sci-plus Biotech, Huhhot 010110, PR China.
Pengfei
P
Gao
Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Education Ministry of P. R. China, PR China; Department of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, PR China. Electronic address: Hepingdd@vip.sina.com.
Heping
H
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A
Antibiotics; Broiler chickens; Cytokines; Immunobiotic response; Lactobacillus plantarum P-8; Small intestine