Distribution and Characterisation of Goblet Cells in the Large Intestine of Ostriches during the Pre- and Post-Hatch Period

Dietary supplementation with Clostridium butyricum improves growth performance of broilers by regulating intestinal microbiota and mucosal epithelial cells

Clostridium butyricum has been widely considered an antibiotic substitute in recent years. It can promote growth performance, improve the immune response and enhance the intestinal barrier function of the host. In the present study, 1-d-old Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were fed C. butyricum (1 × 10⁹ cfu/kg) for 28 d. The transcriptomic characteristics of epithelial cells of the cecal mucosa were determined by RNA-sequence, and the cecal microbiota composition was explored by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The changes in the intestinal mucosa of broilers were then analyzed by tissue staining. Gene Ontology (GO) annotations identified substance transport and processes and pathways that might participate in intestinal development and cell viability. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes are involved in numerous pathways related to amino acid and vitamin metabolism and antioxidant and defensive functions, among others. The relative expression of some genes associated with intestinal barrier function (claudins 2, 15, 19, and 23, tight junction proteins 1, 2, and 3 and mucin 1) was significantly increased in the treatment group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, the proportion of Firmicutes was higher in the C. butyricum-treated group, whereas the proportion of Proteobacteria was higher in the control group. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Butyricicoccus and Lactobacillus, among other bacteria, were increased after C. butyricum supplementation. The tissue staining analysis showed that the cecal mucosa of broilers was significantly ameliorated after the addition of C. butyricum (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These results showed that dietary supplementation with C. butyricum can enhance the antioxidant capacity, mucosal barrier function, and stabilize the cecal microbiota, resulting in improving the growth performance.

Disturbances in Microbial and Metabolic Communication across the Gut-Liver Axis Induced by a Dioxin-like Pollutant: An Integrated Metagenomics and Metabolomics Analysis

To determine how the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling acts along the gut-liver axis, we employed an integrated metagenomic and metabolomic approach to comprehensively profile the microbial and metabolic networks. Adult zebrafish were exposed to a model agonist of the AhR: polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 126. The metagenomic analysis showed that PCB126 suppressed microbial activities related to primary bile acid metabolism in male intestines. Accordingly, a suite of primary bile acids consistently showed higher concentrations, suggesting that bacterial conversion of primary bile acids was blocked. PCB126 also disturbed bacterial metabolism of bile acids in female intestines, as revealed by higher concentrations of primary bile acids (e.g., chenodeoxycholic acid) and activation of the nuclear farnesoid X receptor signaling. In addition, PCB126 exposure impaired the metabolism of various essential vitamins (e.g., retinol, vitamin B6, and folate). Degradation of vitamin B6 by bacterial enzymes was inhibited in male intestines, resulting in its intestinal accumulation. However, PCB126 suppressed the bacterial metabolism of vitamins in female intestines, causing systematic deficiency of essential vitamins. Overall, we found that PCB126 exposure dysregulated gut microbial activities, consequently interrupting bile acid and vitamin metabolism along the gut-liver axis. The findings provided an insight of the AhR action in microbe-host metabolic communication related to PCBs.

Duodenal Histomorphological Changes in Broilers Administered poly d, l-lactic-coglycolic acid (PLGA ) Nanoparticles Encapsulated with Peptide

This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of poly d, l-lactic-coglycolic acid(PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with peptide (as vaccine) on histomorphological in duodenum of broiler chick. A total of ninety eight, one day old ,unsexed broiler( Rose) chicks were divided randomly into seven groups( 2 replicate in each group) as follows:G1-control,G2 - chicks received traditional vaccine of infectious bursal disease(Volvac@ IBD MLV) ,G3 – Chicks Received PLGA nanoparticles only, G4,G5,G6 and G7 – chicks were received prepared vaccine at 160, 80, 40,and 20 μg of peptide loaded PLGA respectively. At the end of the experiment histopathological examination of duodenum section and histomorphological changes were examined. The histopathological examination of duodenal sections shows an elongation and infiltration of lamina propria (LP) with increase villi height and crypt depth in groups that received PLGA alone and those received peptide loaded PLGA. At the same time these groups reveal an increase in mucosal thickness and in length and width of villi. The histomorphological examination in this study show thicker mucosal layer with deeper crypt in duodenum of broilers that subjected to PLGA administration alone or to different concentration of peptide loaded PLGA compared to G1 and G2. These findings are accompanied by a high density of goblet cells and lower villus hight/crypt depth (V/CD) ratio. All groups show mononuclear cells (MNCs) infiltration in submucosa ofduodenum. In-conclusion, the administration of PLGA nanoparticles is strongly linked to the improvement of the physiological and immunological features of the birds.

Imazalil exposure induces gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic metabolism disorder in zebrafish

The fungicide imazalil (IMZ) is used extensively to preserve freshness, prevent decay and control fungal infections in fruits, vegetables or other plants. Recently, some studies have reported that the real in aquatic systems have reached very high levels. Here, male adult zebrafish were exposed to 100 and 1000μg/L IMZ for 1, 7, 21days, and the gut microbiota and hepatic metabolism were evaluated. Exposure to a high concentration of IMZ for 21days decreased mucin secretion in the gut. Sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene revealed a significant increase in the diversity of gut microbiota in male zebrafish. At the phylum level, the composition of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes was decreased, while those Fusobacteria and Firmicutes increased in the gut after exposure to 1000μg/L IMZ for 21days. At the genus level, 29 species of microorganisms were significantly changed after IMZ exposure. Based on GC/MS metabolomics analysis, 101 metabolites were observably significantly altered in the 1000μg/L IMZ-treatment group. These changed metabolites were mainly associated with the pathway of glycolysis, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism. In addition, the transcription of some genes related to glycolysis and lipid metabolism, including Aco, Cpt1, Acc1, Srebp1a and Fas, was decreased significantly in the liver of zebrafish when exposed to 100 and 1000μg/L IMZ for 7 or 21days. These results indicated that exposure to IMZ could cause gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disorders in adult zebrafish.