Transcriptome and proteome profile of jejunum in chickens challenged with Typhimurium revealed the effects of dietary bilberry anthocyanin on immune function.

Introduction: The present study investigated the effects of bilberry anthocyanin (BA) on immune function when alleviating Typhimurium (. Typhimurium) infection in chickens.

Methods: A total of 180 newly hatched yellow-feathered male chicks were assigned to three groups (CON, SI, and SI + BA). Birds in CON and SI were fed a basal diet, and those in SI + BA were supplemented with 100 mg/kg BA for 18 days. Birds in SI and SI + BA received 0.5 ml suspension of . Typhimurium (2 × 10 CFU/ml) by oral gavage at 14 and 16 days of age, and those in CON received equal volumes of sterile PBS.

Results: At day 18, (1) dietary BA alleviated weight loss of chickens caused by . Typhimurium infection ( < 0.01). (2) Supplementation with BA reduced the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius ( < 0.01) and jejunal villus height ( < 0.05) and increased the number of goblet cells ( < 0.01) and the expression of ( < 0.05) in jejunal mucosa, compared with birds in SI. (3) Supplementation with BA decreased ( < 0.05) the concentration of immunoglobulins and cytokines in plasma (IgA, IL-1β, IL-8, and IFN-β) and jejunal mucosa (IgG, IgM, sIgA, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ) of . Typhimurium-infected chickens. (4) BA regulated a variety of biological processes, especially the defense response to bacteria and humoral immune response, and suppressed cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and intestinal immune network for IgA production pathways by downregulating 6 immune-related proteins.

Conclusion: In summary, the impaired growth performance and disruption of jejunal morphology caused by . Typhimurium were alleviated by dietary BA by affecting the expression of immune-related genes and proteins, and signaling pathways are related to immune response associated with immune cytokine receptors and production in jejunum.