Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks
BackgroundMaternal dietary intervention utilizing complex additives rich in β-carotene has demonstrated the capacity to enhance embryonic intestinal development and influence microbial composition in offspring. Nevertheless, the extended impact of maternal β-carotene inclusion on the intestinal heal...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1623816/full |
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| author | Taiping Wang Taiping Wang Da Wan Da Wan Tianyu Ren Ye Tao Ye Tao Min Wu Xin Zheng Xin Zheng |
| author_facet | Taiping Wang Taiping Wang Da Wan Da Wan Tianyu Ren Ye Tao Ye Tao Min Wu Xin Zheng Xin Zheng |
| author_sort | Taiping Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundMaternal dietary intervention utilizing complex additives rich in β-carotene has demonstrated the capacity to enhance embryonic intestinal development and influence microbial composition in offspring. Nevertheless, the extended impact of maternal β-carotene inclusion on the intestinal health of post-hatching chicks is still not fully elucidated.ObjectiveThis research aimed to evaluate the impacts of maternal β-carotene supplementation on the intestinal development and microbial communities in chicks after hatching.MethodsA total of 1,215 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were divided into three groups, with each group containing five subgroups of 81 hens each. The hens received a basal diet (CON) or diets added with β-carotene at 120 mg/kg (LBC) or 240 mg/kg (HBC). After 6 weeks of dietary intervention, eggs were collected for incubation. Following hatching, 40 male chicks from each group were randomly chosen and evenly distributed into five distinct subgroups. All chicks were then reared on a uniform basal diet for a duration of 6 weeks.ResultsChicks from the LBC group exhibited significantly higher initial body weight, enhanced villus height (VH), greater villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCR), higher goblet cell (GC) density, and elevated expression of Mucin 2 (MUC2), zonula occludens-1 (ZO1), and zonula occludens-2 (ZO2) in both the jejunum and ileum at 42 days of age. In addition, maternal inclusion of β-carotene 240 mg/kg markedly improved VCR in the jejunum and ileum of chicks. In spite of the observed enhancements in intestinal health, there were no notable variations in overall growth performance across the groups during days 1 to 42. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct microbial clustering in the ileum of both LBC and HBC groups, clearly separated from the CON group. Taxonomic profiling showed an enrichment of Marivita, Burkholderia, and Turicibacter in the CON group; Oxalobacteraceae, Anoxybacillus, Roseburia, and Anaerorhabdus in the LBC group; and SMB53 and Allobaculum in the HBC group. Correlation analyses indicated positive associations between Anaerorhabdus, Anoxybacillus, and Roseburia and improved intestinal histomorphology, GC abundance, and barrier-related gene expression.ConclusionThese findings suggest that maternal β-carotene addition confers sustained benefits to intestinal health in offspring, potentially mediated by modulation of the cecal microbiome up to day 42. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-4ef0e8d2e63b4922870db4a7de83370d2025-08-21T05:27:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-08-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16238161623816Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicksTaiping Wang0Taiping Wang1Da Wan2Da Wan3Tianyu Ren4Ye Tao5Ye Tao6Min Wu7Xin Zheng8Xin Zheng9College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Production, Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Production, Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Production, Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Production, Product Quality and Security, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, ChinaBackgroundMaternal dietary intervention utilizing complex additives rich in β-carotene has demonstrated the capacity to enhance embryonic intestinal development and influence microbial composition in offspring. Nevertheless, the extended impact of maternal β-carotene inclusion on the intestinal health of post-hatching chicks is still not fully elucidated.ObjectiveThis research aimed to evaluate the impacts of maternal β-carotene supplementation on the intestinal development and microbial communities in chicks after hatching.MethodsA total of 1,215 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were divided into three groups, with each group containing five subgroups of 81 hens each. The hens received a basal diet (CON) or diets added with β-carotene at 120 mg/kg (LBC) or 240 mg/kg (HBC). After 6 weeks of dietary intervention, eggs were collected for incubation. Following hatching, 40 male chicks from each group were randomly chosen and evenly distributed into five distinct subgroups. All chicks were then reared on a uniform basal diet for a duration of 6 weeks.ResultsChicks from the LBC group exhibited significantly higher initial body weight, enhanced villus height (VH), greater villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCR), higher goblet cell (GC) density, and elevated expression of Mucin 2 (MUC2), zonula occludens-1 (ZO1), and zonula occludens-2 (ZO2) in both the jejunum and ileum at 42 days of age. In addition, maternal inclusion of β-carotene 240 mg/kg markedly improved VCR in the jejunum and ileum of chicks. In spite of the observed enhancements in intestinal health, there were no notable variations in overall growth performance across the groups during days 1 to 42. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct microbial clustering in the ileum of both LBC and HBC groups, clearly separated from the CON group. Taxonomic profiling showed an enrichment of Marivita, Burkholderia, and Turicibacter in the CON group; Oxalobacteraceae, Anoxybacillus, Roseburia, and Anaerorhabdus in the LBC group; and SMB53 and Allobaculum in the HBC group. Correlation analyses indicated positive associations between Anaerorhabdus, Anoxybacillus, and Roseburia and improved intestinal histomorphology, GC abundance, and barrier-related gene expression.ConclusionThese findings suggest that maternal β-carotene addition confers sustained benefits to intestinal health in offspring, potentially mediated by modulation of the cecal microbiome up to day 42.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1623816/fullβ-carotenematernal nutritiongut healthoffspring chicksintestinal microbiota |
| spellingShingle | Taiping Wang Taiping Wang Da Wan Da Wan Tianyu Ren Ye Tao Ye Tao Min Wu Xin Zheng Xin Zheng Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks Frontiers in Microbiology β-carotene maternal nutrition gut health offspring chicks intestinal microbiota |
| title | Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| title_full | Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| title_fullStr | Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| title_short | Maternal β-carotene addition has long-term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| title_sort | maternal β carotene addition has long term effects on intestinal health of offspring chicks |
| topic | β-carotene maternal nutrition gut health offspring chicks intestinal microbiota |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1623816/full |
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