Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Intermittent and Mild Cold Stimulation Maintains the Immune Function Stability by Increasing the Levels of Intestinal Barrier Genes of Broilers

Version 1 : Received: 8 June 2023 / Approved: 8 June 2023 / Online: 8 June 2023 (10:46:21 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Xing, L.; Li, T.; Zhang, Y.; Bao, J.; Wei, H.; Li, J. Intermittent and Mild Cold Stimulation Maintains Immune Function Stability through Increasing the Levels of Intestinal Barrier Genes of Broilers. Animals 2023, 13, 2138. Xing, L.; Li, T.; Zhang, Y.; Bao, J.; Wei, H.; Li, J. Intermittent and Mild Cold Stimulation Maintains Immune Function Stability through Increasing the Levels of Intestinal Barrier Genes of Broilers. Animals 2023, 13, 2138.

Abstract

In order to improve the adaptability of broilers to low-temperature environments and their ability to resist acute cold stress (ACS), 240 one-day-old broilers were selected and randomly divided into three groups. The control treatment (CC) was raised at the conventional feeding temperature from 1-43 days (d), the cold stimulation treatments (CS) were kept at 3 °C below the temperature of CC at 1-d intervals for 3 and 6 hours from 15 to 35 d, namely CS3 and CS6, respectively. Then all broilers were kept at 20 °C from 36 to 43 d. ACS was then carried out at 44 d, and the ambient temperature was dropped to 10 °C for 6 hours. The study investigated the production perfor-mance, as well as levels of intestinal barrier genes (including Claudin-1, E-cadherin, Occludin, ZO-1, ZO-2 and Mucin2), secretory IgA in duodenum and jejunum, and immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG) in serum. The results showed that IMCS could increase the daily weight gain and decrease the feed conversion ratio. During the IMCS, the expression levels of intestinal barrier genes were up-regulated and the content of secretory IgA was increased. When IMCS ceased for one week, the level of immunoglobulins in serum stabilized, and the expression levels of Occludin, ZO-2 and Mucin2 still maintained high levels. After ACS, broilers that received IMCS training maintained the high levels of intestinal barrier genes and secretory IgA.

Keywords

broiler; duodenum; jejunum; production performance; intestinal barrier; immunoglobulin

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology

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