Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health
Abstract The intestinal microbiome forms a dynamic ecosystem whose balanced composition and functioning are essential for maintaining overall gut health and well-being in living organisms. In broilers, dysbiosis disrupts the microbiota-host balance, often without obvious clinical symptoms but with i...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-025-01570-4 |
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| author | Svitlana Tretiak Teresa Mendes Maia Richard Ducatelle Marc Cherlet Tom Rijsselaere Filip Van Immerseel Francis Impens Gunther Antonissen |
| author_facet | Svitlana Tretiak Teresa Mendes Maia Richard Ducatelle Marc Cherlet Tom Rijsselaere Filip Van Immerseel Francis Impens Gunther Antonissen |
| author_sort | Svitlana Tretiak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The intestinal microbiome forms a dynamic ecosystem whose balanced composition and functioning are essential for maintaining overall gut health and well-being in living organisms. In broilers, dysbiosis disrupts the microbiota-host balance, often without obvious clinical symptoms but with intestinal inflammation, and leads to impaired animal performance. This study aimed to identify host blood-based protein biomarkers that indicate intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction. Using mass spectrometry-based proteomics, blood plasma samples from broilers derived from an in vivo dysbiosis model were analyzed and compared to healthy controls. Microscopic histologic changes in the gut (shortened villi, increased crypt depth) were observed in the duodenal and jejunal tissue of 25-days old challenged birds. Elevated levels of permeability markers faecal ovotransferrin and serum iohexol additionally indicated increased intestinal leakage in the challenged group. The blood plasma proteome analysis enabled quantification of 388 proteins, 25 of which were significantly different between the tested groups. The challenge was marked by activation of immune and signaling pathways, and response to bacteria, while proteins related to cellular physiology, cell–cell communication, and extracellular matrix (ECM) processes were suppressed. Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed two clusters of downregulated proteins involved in ECM organization and cell adhesion. Intestinal dysbiosis in broilers demonstrated that the host prioritizes immune defense over structural maintenance. The activation of immune processes and suppression of ECM pathways highlight potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD056546. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aea00f072ae847039f5b42ceeae9730a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1297-9716 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-aea00f072ae847039f5b42ceeae9730a2025-08-20T04:02:55ZengBMCVeterinary Research1297-97162025-07-0156111510.1186/s13567-025-01570-4Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal healthSvitlana Tretiak0Teresa Mendes Maia1Richard Ducatelle2Marc Cherlet3Tom Rijsselaere4Filip Van Immerseel5Francis Impens6Gunther Antonissen7Livestock Gut Health Team (LiGHT) Ghent, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityVIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIBLivestock Gut Health Team (LiGHT) Ghent, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityLaboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityImpextraco NVLivestock Gut Health Team (LiGHT) Ghent, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityVIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIBLivestock Gut Health Team (LiGHT) Ghent, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityAbstract The intestinal microbiome forms a dynamic ecosystem whose balanced composition and functioning are essential for maintaining overall gut health and well-being in living organisms. In broilers, dysbiosis disrupts the microbiota-host balance, often without obvious clinical symptoms but with intestinal inflammation, and leads to impaired animal performance. This study aimed to identify host blood-based protein biomarkers that indicate intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction. Using mass spectrometry-based proteomics, blood plasma samples from broilers derived from an in vivo dysbiosis model were analyzed and compared to healthy controls. Microscopic histologic changes in the gut (shortened villi, increased crypt depth) were observed in the duodenal and jejunal tissue of 25-days old challenged birds. Elevated levels of permeability markers faecal ovotransferrin and serum iohexol additionally indicated increased intestinal leakage in the challenged group. The blood plasma proteome analysis enabled quantification of 388 proteins, 25 of which were significantly different between the tested groups. The challenge was marked by activation of immune and signaling pathways, and response to bacteria, while proteins related to cellular physiology, cell–cell communication, and extracellular matrix (ECM) processes were suppressed. Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed two clusters of downregulated proteins involved in ECM organization and cell adhesion. Intestinal dysbiosis in broilers demonstrated that the host prioritizes immune defense over structural maintenance. The activation of immune processes and suppression of ECM pathways highlight potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD056546.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-025-01570-4Blood biomarkersdysbiosis modelgut healthbroiler chickenintestinal permeabilityproteomics |
| spellingShingle | Svitlana Tretiak Teresa Mendes Maia Richard Ducatelle Marc Cherlet Tom Rijsselaere Filip Van Immerseel Francis Impens Gunther Antonissen Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health Veterinary Research Blood biomarkers dysbiosis model gut health broiler chicken intestinal permeability proteomics |
| title | Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| title_full | Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| title_fullStr | Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| title_short | Proteomic profiling of dysbiosis-challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| title_sort | proteomic profiling of dysbiosis challenged broilers reveals potential blood biomarkers for intestinal health |
| topic | Blood biomarkers dysbiosis model gut health broiler chicken intestinal permeability proteomics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-025-01570-4 |
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