Antipyretic effect of oral sodium salicylate after an intravenous E. coli LPS injection in broiler chickens

A study was set up to investigate the influence of sodium salicylate on fever and acute phase reaction after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection in broiler chickens. An acute phase reaction was provoked through the intravenous injection of Escherichia coli LPS. Four oral doses of sodium salicylate were tested. Apart from body temperature, other inflammation indices, such as plasma corticosterone and ceruloplasmin, serum thromboxane B2 and zinc concentrations were monitored. Intravenous LPS induced a fever of about 1 degree C. A dose-dependent attenuation of the fever response of the chickens in the salicylate treated groups was observed. LPS-injected chickens also showed elevated plasma corticosterone and ceruloplasmin, while serum thromboxane and zinc concentrations decreased. Except for thromboxane B2, no linear relationship with increasing salicylate dose could be shown for the other blood variables. These data confirm that sodium salicylate is an effective antipyretic agent after injection of LPS in chickens, if used at an appropriate dosage. No dose-related change could be found for the other inflammation indices.     

Epidural analgesia with morphine or buprenorphine in ponies with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced carpal synovitis

This study evaluated the analgesia effects of the epidural administration of 0.1 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) of morphine or 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine in ponies with radiocarpal joint synovitis. Six ponies were submitted to 3 epidural treatments: the control group (C) received 0.15 mL/kg BW of a 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution; group M was administered 0.1 mg/kg BW of morphine; and group B was administered 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine, both diluted in 0.9% NaCl to a total volume of 0.15 mL/kg BW administered epidurally at 10 s/mL. The synovitis model was induced by injecting 0.5 ng of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the left or right radiocarpal joint. An epidural catheter was later introduced in the lumbosacral space and advanced up to the thoracolumbar level. The treatment started 6 h after synovitis induction. Lameness, maximum angle of carpal flexion, heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, and intestinal motility were evaluated before LPS injection (baseline), 6 h after LPS injection (time 0), and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24 h after treatments. Although the model of synovitis produced clear clinical signs of inflammation, the lameness scores in group C were different from the baseline for only up to 12 h. Both morphine and buprenorphine showed a reduction in the degree of lameness starting at 0.5 and 6 h, respectively. Reduced intestinal motility was observed at 0.5 h in group M and at 0.5 to 1 h in group B. Epidural morphine was a more effective analgesic that lasted for more than 12 h and without side effects. It was concluded that morphine would be a valuable analgesic option to alleviate joint pain in the thoracic limbs in ponies.     

Disposition of sodium salicylate,flunixin and meloxicam after intravenous administration in broiler chickens

Three nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) [sodium salicylate, flunixin (FLU) and meloxicam (MEL)] were administered intravenously to broiler chickens. Plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography methods and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. After intravenous administration of sodium salicylate (50 mg/kg), FLU (1.1 mg/kg) and MEL (0.5 mg/kg), these drugs were eliminated from plasma with a mean half-life of 04.04, 05.45 and 03.20 h, respectively. Apparent volumes of distribution (0.39, 0.08 and 0.12 L/kg, respectively) indicated that tissue distribution was limited for the three drugs. Total body clearance was 70 mL/h.kg for sodium salicylate and 10 and 25 mL/kg.h for FLU and MEL, respectively. Based on the pharmacokinetic parameters these NSAIDs may offer possibilities for treatment of various conditions in chickens.     

Pharmacodynamics of tepoxalin, sodium-salicylate and ketoprofen in an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in broiler chickens

de Boever, S., Neirinckx, E.A., Meyer, E., de Baere, S., Beyaert, R., de Backer, P., Croubels, S. Pharmacodynamics of tepoxalin, sodium‐salicylate and ketoprofen in an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in broiler chickens. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 33 , 564–572. The pharmacodynamic properties of tepoxalin, Na‐salicylate and ketoprofen were determined in an intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in broiler chickens. The drugs were administered orally at a dose of 30, 50 and 3 mg/kg, respectively. LPS administration induces an increase in the intracellular expression of interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐6 and the secreted IL‐6 plasma concentration. Furthermore, an elevation in body temperature is noted. Despite pretreatment with a single dose of the drugs and LPS administration on the T_max of the drug after a second dose, no decrease was seen in systemic IL‐6 levels. The intracellular expression of IL‐1β in the heterophils was slightly decreased if LPS was administered in combination with each of the three drugs. Tepoxalin and Na‐salicylate administration had no significant effect on the LPS‐induced increase in prostaglandin E₂ plasma concentration, in contrast to ketoprofen. None of the three drugs were able to influence the elevation in body temperature after LPS administration. The pharmacokinetic properties of Na‐salicylate and ketoprofen were not altered in combination with LPS administration. However, LPS significantly decreased the AUC_{0→6 h} of the active metabolite of tepoxalin, RWJ‐20142, indicating a perfusion‐limited elimination for this molecule.     

Wet litter not only induces footpad dermatitis but also reduces overall welfare,technical performance,and carcass yield in broiler chickens

This study investigated whether a high level of footpad dermatitis (FPD) in broiler chickens induced by increased litter moisture content is accompanied by negative effects on technical performance, carcass yield, and other welfare aspects. Litter moisture content was increased by systematically spraying water over the litter from 6 d of age onward (lesion-induction treatment). Results were compared with a control group kept on relatively good quality litter and having a very low prevalence of footpad lesions. Litter quality significantly decreased from 7 d of age onward in the pens with the lesion-induction treatment compared with the control pens. At 21 and 36 d of age, significantly more FPD was observed in the lesion-induction groups compared with the control groups. Technical performance of the broilers was negatively affected for the lesion-induction groups from 28 d of age onward; lesion-induction groups had significantly lower BW gain, feed intake, and water intake and significantly higher FCR compared with control groups. As a result of the lower BW gain, carcass weight was less for the lesion-induction group and significantly more rejections for commercial parts were found. The lesion-induction groups also had significantly more hock burns and breast irritations at d 21 and 36, and were dirtier but had fewer thigh scratches at d 35 compared with the control groups. In addition, locomotion was negatively affected among the lesion-induction group, as they had a higher gait score at d 36 compared with the control group. We concluded that increased litter moisture content not only caused severe FPD but also reduced broiler performance and carcass yield and had a negative effect on other welfare aspects.     

Metastatic melanomas in young broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Four young broiler chickens affected by multiple melanotic tumors are described. Grossly, there were multiple tumors composed of melanocytes within the skin, skeletal muscle, and multiple visceral organs. Tumors ranged from flattened macules to masses that extensively replaced viscera. Microscopically, melanocytes were often well pigmented, and while there was moderate nuclear anisokaryosis, mitotic rates were low. Immunohistochemical staining of some melanomas with antibodies to S100 proteins, Melan-A, vimentin, or neuron-specific enolase after bleaching of tumor cells with potassium permanganate revealed lack of immunostaining of tumor cells with antibodies to S100, strong positive staining of tumor cells for neuron-specific enolase, moderate staining with antibodies to vimentin, and faint staining for Melan-A. Only neuron-specific enolase staining was evident in unbleached tumor cells. Attempts to identify exogenous avian leukosis viruses in these tumors were unsuccessful.     

Sodium butyrate maintains growth performance by regulating the immune response in broiler chickens

1. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate on the growth performance and immune response of broiler chickens. In experiment 1, 240 1-d-old chickens were allocated into 4 dietary groups (0, 0·25, 0·50 or 1·00 g sodium butyrate/kg) with 6 replicates each. In experiment 2, 120 1-d-old chickens were fed a control diet (without sodium butyrate) or 1·00 g sodium butyrate/kg diet. Half of the chickens fed on each diet were injected intra-peritoneally with 0·5 g/kg body weight of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 16, 18 and 20 d of age. 2. There was no effect of dietary sodium butyrate on growth performance. On d 21, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were decreased in chickens given 1·00 g sodium butyrate/kg, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were significantly increased, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased by dietary sodium butyrate at 0·50 or 1·00 g/kg. On d 42, serum IL-6 was markedly decreased by dietary sodium butyrate, while 1·00 g sodium butyrate/kg greatly reduced MDA and increased catalase. 3. LPS challenge significantly reduced the growth performance of chickens. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, corticosterone, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) were increased in LPS-challenged chickens. Dietary sodium butyrate supplementation maintained the body weight gain and feed intake. Sodium butyrate supplementation inhibited the increase in IL-6 and AGP in serum at 16 d of age and TNF-α, corticosterone, AGP and PGE(2) at 20 d of age. Similar inhibitory effects of sodium butyrate in serum glucose and total protein concentrations were also found at 20 d of age. 4. The results indicated that dietary sodium butyrate supplementation can improve the growth performance in chickens under stress and that this may be used to moderate the immune response and reduce tissue damage.     

Gene expression of endothelin-1 and its receptors in the heart of broiler chickens with T(3)-induced pulmonary hypertension

To investigate the effect of T₃-induced pulmonary hypertension on endothelin (ET) production and genes expression of ET-1, ET_A and ET_B receptors (ET_AR and ET_BR) during rearing, semiquantitative RT-PCR and enzyme immunometric assay were performed in the heart ventricles and serum, respectively. The ET-1 and its receptor genes were expressed in the right and left ventricles of control and T₃-treated broilers at 12, 28 and 49 days of age. There were significant (P < 0.05) reductions of the relative amounts of ET-1 (in both ventricles) and ET_AR (in the right ventricle) mRNAs at 28 and 49 days of age, in T₃-treated broilers compared to controls. The relative amounts of ET_BR mRNA in the right and left ventricles did not significantly differ between control and T₃-treated broilers at any age. The serum level of ET was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in T₃-treated chickens at 28 and 49 days of age when compared with that of the control. It is concluded that ET-1, ET_AR and ET_BR genes are normally expressed in the heart ventricles of broilers. It is likely that increased serum level of ET and decreased ET-1/ET_AR genes expression in the ventricles are involved in the heart dysfunction of broiler chickens with developmental pulmonary hypertension.     

Characterisation of glucose transporter (GLUT) gene expression in broiler chickens

1. Glucose transporter (GLUT) proteins, one of which is the major insulin-responsive transporter GLUT4, play a crucial role in cellular glucose uptake and glucose homeostasis in mammals. The aim of this study was to identify the extent of mRNA expression of GLUT1, GLUT2, GLUT3 and GLUT8 in chickens intrinsically lacking GLUT4. 2. GLUT1 mRNA was detected in most tissues of 3-week-old broiler chickens, with the highest expression measured in brain and adipose tissue. GLUT2 was expressed only in the liver and kidney. GLUT3 was highly expressed in the brain. GLUT8 was expressed ubiquitously, with expression in kidney and adipose tissue relatively higher than that of other tissues. 3. Expression levels of GLUT isoforms 1, 3 and 8 in skeletal muscle tissue were very low compared to the other tissues tested. 4. [3H]Cytochalasin B binding assays on tissue from 3-week-old chickens showed that the number of cytochalasin B binding sites in skeletal muscle plasma membranes was higher than in liver plasma membranes. These results suggest that GLUT proteins and/or GLUT-like proteins that bind cytochalasin B are expressed in chicken skeletal muscles. 5. It is proposed that GLUT expression and glucose transport in chicken tissues are regulated in a manner different from that in mammals.     

Immune-modulatory effects of dietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall in broiler chickens inoculated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide

1. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cell wall (YCW) supplemented in diets of broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

2. One-day-old broiler chicks were randomly distributed into 24 cages (6 replicate cages; 8 birds/cage) and were inoculated with 0 or 1 mg/kg body weight E. coli-LPS (d 4 and 9) and 0 or 500 mg YCW/kg feed, resulting in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experimental diets did not include coccidiostats, in-feed antibiotics or enzymes.

3. On d 21, the inoculation of E. coli-LPS reduced weight gain and feed intake and increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) of birds, an effect maintained until 28 d. In contrast, chickens given diets with YCW improved the FCR at both 21 and 28 d of age.

4. E. coli-LPS challenge reduced the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius, except when chickens were given YCW, which resulted in an interaction. Supplementation of broiler diets with YCW exacerbated the cellular immune response as measured by the delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity response test.

5. The results of this study suggested a benefit on feed efficiency when YCW was added to diets fed to broiler chickens challenged with E. coli-LPS. Part of the mode of action of YCW might be related to better maintenance of immune status in response to microbial challenge.     

磺胺对甲氧嘧啶在肉鸡组织中的残留研究

将艾维茵肉鸡100羽随机分成4组,在基础日粮中分别添加不同水平的磺胺对甲氧嘧啶(从第Ⅰ到第Ⅳ组分别添加0、500、1000、2000mg/kg),连喂3d后停药,并于停药后第1、2、3、5、10d时每组各捕杀鸡10只,迅速取出肝脏、肾脏、肌肉组织,用高效液相色谱法测定这些组织中磺胺对甲氧嘧啶的残留。结果表明,停药后10d内,肌肉、肝脏和肾脏中均有浓度不一的残留,其检测限达0.005mg/kg,回收率在87%以上。     

Opsonic monoclonal antibodies against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigens of Pasteurella multocida and the role of LPS in immunity.

A panel of six monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) produced from mice immunized with Pasteurella multocida (M1404) (Heddleston serotype 2) reacted with homologous lipopolysaccharide, as indicated by enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting. All six MAbs reacted with serotypes 2 and 5 of the 16 Heddleston serotypes. The reactive epitopes were localized on the bacterial cell surface by immunogold labelling. The antibodies could agglutinate P. multocida only if cells were first treated with 1 N HCl. All six MAbs opsonized P. multocida for phagocytosis by mouse macrophages but were not bactericidal in the presence of complement. They afforded only partial protection against infection in mice. The results, together with those of active immunization experiments with LPS, suggest a subordinate role for LPS in protection from experimental infection in mice.     

Ileal MUC2 gene expression and microbial population,but not growth performance and immune response,are influenced by in ovo injection of probiotics in broiler chickens

1. The objective of present study was to evaluate the effects of intra-amniotic injection of different probiotic strains (Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium and Pediococcus acidilactici) on the intestinal MUC2 gene expression, microbial population, growth performance and immune response in broiler chicken.

2. In a completely randomised design, different probiotic strains were injected into the amniotic fluid of the 480 live embryos (d 18 of incubation), with 4 treatments and 5 replicates. Ileal MUC2 gene expression, microbial profile, growth performance and immune response were determined.

3. Injection of probiotic strains, especially B. subtilis, had significant effect on expression of the MUC2 on d 21 of incubation and d 3 post-hatch, but not on d 19 of incubation.

4. Injection of the probiotic strains decreased significantly the Escherichia coli population and increased the lactic acid bacteria population during the first week post-hatch.

5. Inoculation of probiotics had no significant effect on antibody titres against Newcastle disease virus, antibody titres against sheep red blood cell and cell-mediated immune response of chickens compared to control.

6. In ovo injection of the probiotic strains had no significant effect on growth performance of broiler chickens.

7. It was concluded that injection of probiotic bacteria especially B. subtilis into the amniotic fluid has a beneficial effect on ileal MUC2 gene expression and bacteria population during the first week post-hatch, but has no effect on growth performance and immune response in broiler chickens.     

Effects of Pediococcus- and Saccharomyces-based probiotic (MitoMax) on coccidiosis in broiler chickens

Coccidiosis is the major parasitic disease of poultry. In this study, the role of the commercial probiotic MitoMax which contains Pediococcus acidilactici and Saccharomyces boulardii was evaluated by measuring body weight gain, fecal oocyst shedding, and serum antibody responses as an alternative control method of prophylactic drug against coccidiosis. Day-old broiler chicks were fed regular or probiotic diets supplemented with MitoMax at 0.01%, 0.1%, or 1.0% of diet, and challenged 2 weeks later with 5000 oocysts of either Eimeria acervulina (EA) or Eimeria tenella (ET). Birds fed 1.0% or 0.1% MitoMax-supplemented diets in EA- or ET-infected groups shed less (P<0.05) oocysts than control-infected chickens. Also, chickens fed 0.1% MitoMax-supplemented diet and infected with EA exhibited higher (P<0.001) serum Eimeria-specific antibodies than other groups. These results demonstrate that MitoMax may enhance the resistance of birds against coccidiosis by enhancing humoral immunity when included at > or = 0.1% of the broiler diet.     

Effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection on the immune responses of LPS-sensitive mice

The effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on humoral and cell-mediated immunity was assessed using LPS-sensitive C3H/HeN mice. A single injection of LPS significantly decreased the anti-sheep red blood cells (SRBC) antibody titers, but not the number of anti-SRBC antibody producing spleen cells. In contrast, double LPS injection did not significantly decrease the anti-SRBC titers and even increased the number of anti-SRBC antibody producing spleen cells. Similarly, single LPS injection significantly suppressed the swelling of the footpad, but double LPS injection caused milder suppression. These results suggest that a difference in the level and timing of exposure to LPS may influence the immune response to infection or vaccination.