Regulatory effects of dietary L-Arg supplementation on the innate immunity and antioxidant ability in broiler chickens

Abstract

Here, we investigated the effect of dietary arginine (Arg) supplementation on innate immunity and the antioxidant ability of broiler chickens. The experiment was designed as a single-factorial arrangement (n=8 cages/treatment, six birds/cage), and we used four dietary Arg concentrations (10.0, 15.0, 20.0 or 25.0 g kg−1). On day 21, the birds were killed to obtain spleen, cecal tonsil and liver samples to determine the gene expression and antioxidant characteristics. Increasing the Arg concentration linearly decreased (P0.05). No significant (P>0.05) effect was found on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver. Thus high levels of Arg supplementation (>20.0 g kg−1) may potentially suppress the innate immunity of broiler chickens, and dietary Arg supplementation enhances the antioxidant activity in broiler chickens.

Keywords

• arginine
• innate immunity
• antioxidant ability
• broiler