Probiotic Effects on Chicken Immune Function Persist Regardless of Microbiota Changes, Study Finds
A study of broiler chickens found that probiotics enhanced immune cell function across different diets, even when the probiotics did not consistently alter gut microbiota composition. The research used 16S rRNA sequencing to profile microbiota and an in vitro assay measuring T-lymphocyte ATP production to assess systemic immune effects. The findings suggest that probiotic efficacy should not be evaluated solely on microbiota changes, as beneficial immune responses can occur independently of detectable compositional shifts.
Researchers investigated how probiotics affect broiler chickens by examining both gut microbiota composition and systemic immune responses across two nutritionally similar basal diets. Using 16S rRNA sequencing across six gastrointestinal regions, they found that basal diet was the primary driver of microbial community structure, with probiotic-induced compositional changes appearing predominantly in one diet context but minimally in the other. However, serum from probiotic-supplemented animals consistently increased T-lymphocyte ATP production across both diets, indicating a systemic immunometabolic response independent of broad microbiota restructuring. Functional pathway analysis revealed enrichment of mevalonate and carbohydrate metabolism pathways in probiotic-supplemented birds within the more responsive diet context, largely driven by Lactobacillaceae family taxa. The study demonstrates a disconnect between detectable microbiota changes and physiological host responses, with implications for how probiotic efficacy is evaluated in food animal production and microbiome-targeted interventions across species.
What's missing
The study does not specify the commercial probiotic product used, limiting reproducibility and generalizability to other probiotic formulations. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying the diet-independent immunometabolic response remain incompletely characterized, and the long-term persistence and practical production outcomes of these immune effects are not addressed.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Diet-dependent microbiota and diet-independent immunometabolic responses to probiotic supplementation in broiler chickens
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