RNAseq of a chicken lung epithelial cell line (cLEC-213) upon treatment with butyrate and/or infection with low pathogenic avian influenza
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the end-products of bacterial fermentation of dietary fibre, and can play a crucial role in regulating immunity and metabolism in the gut and peripheral tissues. Here we show that butyrrate, an SCFA, displayed antiviral effects in chicken respiratory epithelial cells, likely via the regulation of interferon-stimulated genes, particularly OASL. The observed antiviral signaling mechanism would involve HDAC inhibition and Sp1-dependent regulation of the OASL promoter, shedding light on new mechanisms through which the GM regulates poultry mucosal immunity along the gut-lung axis in the chicken.