Gut is a crucial organ for the host’s defense system due to its filtering action of the intestinal membrane from hazardous foreign substances. One strategy to strengthen the gut epithelial barrier function is to upregulate beneficial microflora populations and their metabolites. Sophorolipid (SPL), which is a glycolipid bio-surfactant, could increase beneficial microflora and decrease pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, herein, we conducted an experiment with broiler chickens to investigate the fortifying effects of SPL on the host’s gut defense system by modulating the microbiota population. A total of 540 1-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were used, and they were immediately allotted into three treatment groups (6 replications with 30 chicks/pen) according to their initial body weight. The dietary treatments consisted of CON (basal diet), BAM (10 mg/kg bambermycin), and SPL (10 mg/kg SPL). During the experiment, birds freely accessed feed and water, and body weight and feed intake were measured at the end of each phase. On d 35, birds (one bird/pen) were sacrificed to collect jejunum and cecum samples. Dietary SPL and BAM supplementation significantly accelerated birds’ growth and also significantly improved feed efficiency compared to CON. Intestinal microbial community was significantly separated by dietary SPL supplementation from that of CON, and dietary SPL supplementation significantly increased Lactobacillus spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila. Moreover, birds fed with dietary SPL also showed the highest concentration of cecal butyrate among all treatment groups. Gut morphological analysis showed that dietary SPL significantly increased villus height, ratio of villus height to crypt depth, goblet cell numbers, and the gene expression levels of claudin-1 and mucin 2. Additionally, dietary SPL significantly decreased the mRNA expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6, and increased that of anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-10, compared to other treatments. Dietary SPL increases the beneficial bacterial population and butyrate concentration, which leads to a strengthened gut barrier function. In addition, the intestinal inflammation was also downregulated by dietary SPL supplementation.

中文翻译：

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膳食槐糖脂通过调节肉鸡肠道微生物群和肠道环境加速生长

肠道是宿主防御系统的重要器官，因为它具有从有害外来物质中过滤肠膜的作用。增强肠道上皮屏障功能的一种策略是上调有益微生物群落及其代谢物。Sophorolipid (SPL) 是一种糖脂生物表面活性剂，可以增加有益菌群并减少胃肠道中的致病菌。因此，在此，我们对肉鸡进行了一项实验，以通过调节微生物群来研究 SPL 对宿主肠道防御系统的强化作用。总共使用了 540 只 1 日龄雏鸡（Ross 308），并根据它们的初始体重将它们立即分配到三个处理组（6 个重复，每栏 30 只雏鸡）。日粮处理包括 CON（基础日粮）、BAM（10 毫克/公斤班伯霉素）和 SPL（10 毫克/公斤 SPL）。在实验过程中，鸡自由采食和饮水，并在每个阶段结束时测量体重和采食量。在第 35 天，处死鸟（一只鸟/围栏）以收集空肠和盲肠样本。与 CON 相比，日粮 SPL 和 BAM 的补充显着加速了家禽的生长，也显着提高了饲料效率。肠道微生物群落通过膳食 SPL 补充与 CON 显着分离，并且膳食 SPL 补充显着增加了乳杆菌属。和 Akkermansia muciniphila。此外，饲喂日粮 SPL 的鸡只在所有处理组中也显示出最高浓度的盲肠丁酸盐。肠道形态学分析表明，日粮 SPL 显着增加绒毛高度、绒毛高度与隐窝深度之比、杯状细胞数量以及 claudin-1 和 mucin 2 的基因表达水平。此外，日粮 SPL 显着降低 pro-与其他治疗相比，炎症细胞因子白细胞介素 6 和抗炎细胞因子白细胞介素 10 的含量增加。膳食 SPL 会增加有益菌群和丁酸盐浓度，从而增强肠道屏障功能。此外，肠道炎症也被膳食 SPL 补充下调。与其他治疗相比，饮食 SPL 显着降低促炎细胞因子白细胞介素 6 的 mRNA 表达水平，并增加抗炎细胞因子白细胞介素 10 的 mRNA 表达水平。膳食 SPL 会增加有益菌群和丁酸盐浓度，从而增强肠道屏障功能。此外，肠道炎症也被膳食 SPL 补充下调。与其他治疗相比，饮食 SPL 显着降低促炎细胞因子白细胞介素 6 的 mRNA 表达水平，并增加抗炎细胞因子白细胞介素 10 的 mRNA 表达水平。膳食 SPL 会增加有益菌群和丁酸盐浓度，从而增强肠道屏障功能。此外，肠道炎症也被膳食 SPL 补充下调。