Effects of Probioticsandon the Expression of Toll-like Receptors, Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Cytokines, and Antimicrobial Peptides in Broiler Chick Intestine.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of live probiotics(LR) and(CB) on the expression of genes of innate immune system in broiler chick ileum and cecum. Chicks were administered 500water with or without LR or CB, daily from day 1 to 6 after hatching. The ileum and cecum were collected on day 7 for analysis of gene expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) using real-time PCR. The expression ofwas upregulated by CB in the ileum and that ofwas upregulated by both LR and CB. Expression ofandin the ileum and ofandin the cecum was upregulated by both LR and CB. The gene expressions of avian-defensin ()and cathelicidin ()were upregulated by CB and that ofwas upregulated by LR in the cecum. However, the expression ofin the ileum was downregulated by LR. These results suggest that probiotic LR and CB treatments affect a part of the innate defense system in the ileum and cecum by modulating the expression of innate immune molecules including TLRs, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and AMPs.