Selenium nanoparticles affect chicken offspring's intestinal health better than other selenium sources

This study aimed to assess the effects of maternal diets containing various selenium (Se) sources on the intestinal mucosal function in the jejunum of chicken offspring. A total of 630, 18-wk-old Hy-Line Grey hens and 70 18-wk-old Hy-Line Grey breeders were randomly allocated into 7 groups, with 5 replicates in each group (18 hens and tow roosters). After 4 wk of Se depletion, the birds were fed either a nonsupplemented basal diet (control) or the same basal diet supplemented with 0.15 mg/kg selenium nanoparticles (Nano-Se), 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se, 0.30 mg/kg selenocysteine (Sec), 0.30 mg/kg sodium selenite (SS), 0.30 mg/kg selenomethionine (SeMet), or 0.15 mg/kg Nano-Se + 0.15 mg/kg Sec, for 8 wk. Frtilized eggs were collected and incubated during the final week of the experiment. Jejunal tissues from embryonic d 18 and the hatch day were collected for analysis, and the 7-d survival rate of the offspring was recorded. Compared to the control, the maternal diet of 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se, 0.30 mg/kg Sec, and 0.30 mg/kg SeMet significantly increased the survival of 7-day-old offspring (P < 0.05). The maternal diet supplemented with 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se significantly increased intestinal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth ratio in chicks at embryonic d 18 and in 1-day-old (P < 0.05). The maternal diet containing 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se and Sec increased the mRNA expression levels of tight junction proteins in 1-day-old offspring (P < 0.05). Supplemental 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se significantly increased the mRNA expression levels of marker genes in intestinal enteroendocrine, stem, and Paneth cells (P < 0.05). In 1-day-old chicks, the number of intestinal goblet cells, as well as the mRNA expression levels of intestinal mucin2 (Muc2) and goblet cell differentiation factors (Spdef and C-myc), were the highest in diets supplemented with 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se. Moreover, the expression levels of intestinal Muc2 and Spdef in chicks at embryonic d 18 was the highest with 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se supplementation (P < 0.05). Supplementing with 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se significantly reduced reactive oxygen species levels and decreased the mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related genes in 1-day-old chicks (P < 0.05). Additionally, 0.30 mg/kg Nano-Se supplementation significantly down-regulated NLRP3 pathway gene expression in 1-day-old chicks (P < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal dietary supplementation with Nano-Se improved jejunal microarchitecture, antioxidant levels, and the expression of tight-junction protein in chicken offspring along with supporting goblet cell development by inhibiting the NLRP3 signaling pathway.