Gene expression, immunological and oxidative indices of aflatoxicated broiler chickens supplemented with alpha-lipoic acid

Abstract EN

This work aimed to investigate experimentally the effect of lipoic acid as super-antioxidant on the balance between immune and antioxidant status of birds fed aflatoxicated diet as well as histological alterations of immune organs including spleen, thymus, bursa of fabricious and liver.

One hundred and twenty-one-day old chicks, fed basal diet till 8th day of age then divided into 4 groups (30 birds/group), each group subdivided into 3 replicates (10 birds/replicate).

Group 1: aflatoxicated chickens (125 µg/kg diet).

Group 2: aflatoxicated lipoic treated (300 mg/kg diet), Group 3: lipoic treated.

Group 4: non-treated (control).

The blood samples were collected at 14th day post aflatoxicosis and at the end of experiment, then the serum was separated for HI and different biochemical tests.

At the end of experiment, four birds from each group were sacrificed and immune organs (thymus, spleen, bursa of fabricious and liver) were collected for histopathology.

Livers were also collected for measurement of apoptotic gene expression Caspase (Cystinyle Aspartate Protease), MDA (Malano-Di-Aldehyde) and TAC (Total Antioxidant Capacity).

The results showed the addition of lipoic acid into the aflatoxicated broiler ration improved the antibody titer against Newcastle Disease Virus NDV, hepatic apoptotic gene expression, TAC, and the level of different biochemical parameters (protein profile, lipid profile, bilirubin, total calcium and alkaline phosphatase).

It was alleviated the toxic effect of aflatoxin on the histological structure of liver, and immune organs.

Therefore, lipoic acid could be implicated as a dependent approach in the control of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens.