Dietary l‐arginine supplementation influences growth performance and B‐cell secretion of immunoglobulin in broiler chickens. Issue 4 (3rd June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Shasha; Tan, JianZhuang; Hu, Yadi; Jia, Xianbo; Kogut, Michael H.; Yuan, Jianmin; Zhang, Hongfu
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition. Volume 103:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 1125
• Page End: 1134
• Publication Date: 2019-06-03
• Subjects: amino acid -- broiler chicken -- cytokine -- growth performance -- immunoglobulin; Animal nutrition -- Periodicals; Feeds -- Periodicals; 636.085
• DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2439

Abstract

Abstract: Our previous study has shown that high levels ofl ‐arginine (ARG) have reduced serum and mucosal antibody concentrations. In order to provide a better understanding in the application of ARG supplementation in the poultry industry, the study was conducted to investigate the effect of high levels of ARG on performance and B‐cell secretion of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG development in broiler chickens. A total of 192 1‐day‐old male Arbor Acres Plus broilers were randomly allocated into 4 groups (8 replicates per group, 6 birds per replicate) fed diets containing one of four ARG concentrations (analysed): 9.8, 14.7, 19.1 and 23.4 g/kg respectively. Growth performance was measured based on body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Increasing ARG quadratically increased ( p < 0.05) BWG and FI with reaching plateau at 14.7 g/kg, while linearly decreased ( p < 0.05) FCR, indicating that maximal performance required ARG no more than 14.7 g/kg in diets. Serum IgG and IgM concentrations were linearly reduced ( p < 0.05) with increasing ARG. Chickens fed 19.1 g/kg or 23.4 g/kg ARG had lower ( p < 0.05) serum IgG or IgM than chickens fed 9.8 g/kg ARG. As for the mRNA expression of bursal IgG and IgM, they were significantly downregulated with increasing ARG ( p < 0.05). Chickens on ARG (>19.1 g/kg) had a lower ( p < 0.05) IgG and IgM mRNA expression than chickens fed 9.8 g/kg. Activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) mRNA expression was linearly reduced with increasing ARG ( p < 0.05), the transcriptional repressor B‐cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) mRNA expression was quadratically ( p < 0.05) responded, and these cytokines had the lowest expression at 19.1 g/kg. ARG supplementation (>14.7 g/kg) did not significantly improve the growth performance, while it may have a potential negative regulatory effect on B‐cell‐mediated humoral immunity in chickens associated with suppression of the STAT3 expression associated with the JAK/STAT3 pathway.