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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330929
Research Project: Antibiotic Alternatives for Controlling Foodborne Pathogens and Disease in Poultry

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Evaluation of changes in serum chemistry in association with feed withdrawal or high dose oral gavage with Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) induced gut leakage in broiler chickens

Author
item KUPTTAPPAN, V - University Of Arkansas
item VICUNA, E - University Of Arkansas
item FAULKNER, O - University Of Arkansas
item HUFF, GERALDINE - Retired ARS Employee
item FREEMAN, K - University Of Arkansas
item LATORRE, J - University Of Arkansas
item MENCONI, ANITA - University Of Arkansas
item TELLEZ, G - University Of Arkansas
item HARGIS, B - University Of Arkansas
item BIELKE, LISA - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2016
Publication Date: 5/20/2016
Citation: Kupttappan, V., Vicuna, E., Faulkner, O., Huff, G., Freeman, K., Latorre, J., Menconi, A., Tellez, G., Hargis, B., Bielke, L. 2016. Evaluation of changes in serum chemistry in association with feed withdrawal or high dose oral gavage with Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) induced gut leakage in broiler chickens. Poultry Science. 95(11):2565-2569.

Interpretive Summary: Because growth promoting antibiotics are no longer used in growing chickens, it is necessary to develop alternatives to improve the health and safety of poultry. In order to analyze alternatives, it is useful to have a model system for causing enteric inflammation. A model was developed using oral treatment with the compound dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Three experiments were conducted using either full fed and/or feed restricted birds, with and without DDS treatment. Serum chemistry was evaluated and DDS administration was shown to increase serum turbidity in full fed birds, and to decrease serum protein levels. Serum triglycerides had the highest positive correlation with serum turbidity. These results suggest that serum chemistry changes due to oral treatment of broiler chicks with DSS could be developed as a method for evaluating gut leakage.

Technical Abstract: Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) has been shown to be effective at inducing enteric inflammation in broiler chickens, resulting in increased leakage of orally administered fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran to circulation. In a previous study, two doses of DSS (0.45g/dose) administered as oral gavage resulted in increased mucosal permeability. The main objective of the present study was to compare serum turbidity in control and DSS treated birds plus with feed restriction (FR), and evaluate the associated serum chemistry. Three independent experiments were conducted with different combinations of treatment groups. In experiment 1, control full-fed (CON) and DSS full-fed (FFD) with n=15 birds/group were evaluated, experiment 2 had groups (n=15/group) CON, FFD, feed restriction (FRS for 34h), and DSS with feed restriction (FRD), and experiment 3 (n=15/group) had CON, FFD, and FRS (29h FRS). All DSS treated birds received one or two doses of DSS by oral gavage (0.45g/dose/bird). Results showed that, compared to CON group, there was an increase (P<0.05) in serum turbidity in FFD birds, even though the difference between FRS and FRD was not apparent (P>0.05). Administration of DSS did not result in increase of serum enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nonetheless, the FFD showed lower (P<0.05) LDH level compared to CON in experiment 2. Among the various serum chemistry parameters evaluated triglycerides had the highest positive correlation (r244 =0.85; P<0.05) with serum turbidity. DSS administration resulted in decreased serum protein levels, especially albumin. These results suggest that oral gavage with DSS in broiler chicks could result in changes to serum chemistry parameters which could be developed as potential marker/s for gut leakage.