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Compound probiotics alleviate cadmium-induced intestinal dysfunction and microbiota disorders in broilers
Shuqiu Yang1, Zhonghua Xiong1, Tianfang Xu2
1Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Animal Health, Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, No. 1101 Zhimin Avenue, Economic, and Technological Development District, Nanchang 330045, Jiangxi, PR China.
Compound probiotics (CP) protect broilers from cadmium-induced intestinal damage. CP supplementation improves intestinal barrier function and restores cecal microbiota balance, mitigating cadmium
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Toxicology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that negatively impacts intestinal health.
- Cd exposure can lead to intestinal dysfunction and disrupt the gut microbiota.
- Broilers are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of heavy metal contamination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of compound probiotics (CP) against cadmium-induced intestinal damage in broilers.
- To evaluate the impact of CP on intestinal barrier function, inflammation, and cecal microbiota composition in Cd-exposed broilers.
Main Methods:
- Broilers were exposed to cadmium and treated with compound probiotics.
- Jejunum tissues and cecal contents were analyzed for histopathology, gene and protein expression (intestinal barrier, inflammatory factors), and microbiota composition via 16S rRNA sequencing.
Main Results:
- Cadmium exposure caused jejunal villus damage, inflammation, and altered expression of intestinal barrier and inflammatory genes/proteins.
- Compound probiotics supplementation ameliorated these Cd-induced pathological changes.
- CP treatment restored the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillales, Clostridiales, Firmicutes) and regulated metabolic pathways in the cecal microbiota.
Conclusions:
- Compound probiotics effectively mitigate cadmium-induced intestinal barrier damage and microbiota dysbiosis in broilers.
- CP represents a potential strategy to counteract the negative health impacts of cadmium pollution in poultry.
