AUTHOR=Zhang Chaozheng , Yao Dawei , Su Zenan , Chen Huan , Hao Pan , Liao Yun , Guo Yiwen , Yang Deji 

TITLE=Copper/Zinc-Modified Palygorskite Protects Against Salmonella Typhimurium Infection and Modulates the Intestinal Microbiota in Chickens

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.739348

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.739348

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Palygorskite (Pal), a clay nanoparticle, has been demonstrated to be a vehicle for drug delivery. Copper has antibacterial properties, and zinc is an essential micronutrient for intestinal health in animals and humans. However, whether copper/zinc-modified Pal (Cu/Zn-Pal) can protect chickens from <italic>Salmonella enterica</italic> subsp. <italic>enterica</italic> serovar Typhimurium (<italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium) infection remains unclear. In this study, three complexes (Cu/Zn-Pal-1, Cu/Zn-Pal-2, and Cu/Zn-Pal-3) were prepared, and Cu/Zn-Pal-1 was shown to be the most effective at inhibiting the growth of <italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium <italic>in vitro</italic>, whereas natural Pal alone had no inhibitory effect. <italic>In vivo</italic>, Cu/Zn-Pal-1 reduced <italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium colonization in the intestine of infected chickens and relieved <italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium-induced organ and intestinal mucosal barrier damage. Moreover, this reduction in <italic>Salmonella</italic> load attenuated intestinal inflammation and the oxidative stress response in challenged chickens. Additionally, Cu/Zn-Pal-1 modulated the intestinal microbiota in infected chickens, which was characterized by the reduced abundance of Firmicutes and the increased abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Our results indicated that the Cu/Zn-Pal-1 complex may be an effective feed supplement for reducing <italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium colonization of the gut.</p>