Probiotic Effects on Chicken Immune Function Persist Regardless of Microbiota Changes, Study Finds
A bioRxiv preprint study found that probiotic supplementation improved immune cell energy production in broiler chickens across two different diets, even when the probiotic caused measurable microbiota changes in only one diet context. Basal diet was the dominant factor shaping gut microbial community structure, overshadowing probiotic-induced compositional shifts in one of the two dietary conditions. The findings challenge the assumption that microbiota composition change is a reliable indicator of probiotic efficacy.
Researchers profiled gut microbiota across six gastrointestinal regions in broiler chickens fed two nutritionally similar diets, with or without a commercial probiotic, using 16S rRNA sequencing. While basal diet was the primary driver of microbial community structure, probiotic-induced compositional shifts were detectable in one diet context but largely absent in the other. Despite this inconsistency in microbiota response, serum from probiotic-supplemented birds enhanced ATP production in a chicken T-lymphocyte cell line under both dietary conditions, suggesting a systemic immunometabolic benefit that does not depend on broad gut microbiome restructuring. Functional pathway analysis in the more microbiota-responsive diet group revealed enrichment in mevalonate and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, driven primarily by Lactobacillaceae taxa. The authors argue that relying on microbiota compositional data alone to evaluate probiotic efficacy may be misleading, with implications for how probiotics are assessed in food animal production and potentially in other species.
What's missing
As a preprint, this study has not yet undergone peer review. The study does not clarify the specific commercial probiotic used, its strain composition, or dosage, limiting reproducibility and generalizability. It is also unclear whether the observed immunometabolic effects translated to measurable production outcomes such as growth performance or disease resistance. The mechanism by which probiotic-derived serum signals enhance T-lymphocyte ATP production independently of microbiota restructuring remains unexplained.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Diet-dependent microbiota and diet-independent immunometabolic responses to probiotic supplementation in broiler chickens
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