AUTHOR=Zhang Sheng , Wang Qin , Ye Jinling , Fan Qiuli , Lin Xiajing , Gou Zhongyong , Azzam Mahmoud M. , Wang Yibing , Jiang Shouqun 

TITLE=Transcriptome and proteome profile of jejunum in chickens challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium revealed the effects of dietary bilberry anthocyanin on immune function

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1266977

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1266977

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>The present study investigated the effects of bilberry anthocyanin (BA) on immune function when alleviating <italic>Salmonella</italic> Typhimurium (<italic>S</italic>. Typhimurium) infection in chickens.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 180 newly hatched yellow-feathered male chicks were assigned to three groups (CON, SI, and SI + BA). Birds in CON and SI were fed a basal diet, and those in SI + BA were supplemented with 100 mg/kg BA for 18 days. Birds in SI and SI + BA received 0.5 ml suspension of <italic>S</italic>. Typhimurium (2 × 10<sup>9</sup> CFU/ml) by oral gavage at 14 and 16 days of age, and those in CON received equal volumes of sterile PBS.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>At day 18, (1) dietary BA alleviated weight loss of chickens caused by <italic>S</italic>. Typhimurium infection (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01). (2) Supplementation with BA reduced the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01) and jejunal villus height (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) and increased the number of goblet cells (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01) and the expression of <italic>MUC2</italic> (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) in jejunal mucosa, compared with birds in SI. (3) Supplementation with BA decreased (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) the concentration of immunoglobulins and cytokines in plasma (IgA, IL-1β, IL-8, and IFN-β) and jejunal mucosa (IgG, IgM, sIgA, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ) of <italic>S</italic>. Typhimurium-infected chickens. (4) BA regulated a variety of biological processes, especially the defense response to bacteria and humoral immune response, and suppressed cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction and intestinal immune network for IgA production pathways by downregulating 6 immune-related proteins.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>In summary, the impaired growth performance and disruption of jejunal morphology caused by <italic>S</italic>. Typhimurium were alleviated by dietary BA by affecting the expression of immune-related genes and proteins, and signaling pathways are related to immune response associated with immune cytokine receptors and production in jejunum.</p></sec>