First Studies towards the Development of a Lectin Protector Probiotic for Broilers

BABOT J.D.; ARGAÑARAZ MARTINEZ E.; APELLA M.C.; PEREZ CHAIA A.

Bahía

Congreso; XXIV World´s Poultry Congress 2012; 2012

Lectins, present in broiler feed, bind reversibly to specific carbohydrates. Once ingested, they interact with superficial carbohydrates of epithelial cells impairing intestinal epithelia development and enzyme digestive activity in BB chicks with the consequent growth depression. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and related genera may decrease deleterious effects of lectins by capturing them through interaction with bacterial surface carbohydrates by two mechanisms: I) bacterial adhesion to intestinal epithelia and blockage of lectin ligands; II) lectin removal by non-adherent bacteria. This work was aimed at studying the capacity of LAB and related genera strains to capture dietary lectins and assessing bacterial adhesion to intestinal epithelia of broilers. The ability to bind dietary lectins (ConA, DBA, PHA-P, PNA, SBA, UEA-I and WGA) of 18 LAB and propionibacteria strains previously isolated from chicken gut content and resistant to gastrointestinal digestion and of one Bifidobacterium infantis strain, was assayed by Bradford technique. B. infantis CRL1395 bound PNA, SBA and WGA (62.2±9.6, 64.6±7.9 and 2.7±3.3 fg/bacterium, respectively). ConA and WGA were bound mainly by Propionibacterium acidipropionici LET103 and Lactobacillus reuteri LET210 (9.1±2.0 and 115.0±19.0 fg/bacterium, respectively). Bacterial adhesion to chicken intestinal epithelia was assayed using 1 cm2 ileum tissue pieces. Twelve strains showed adherence properties and were included in group I, while 7 strains were incorporated into group II. A dose of 1.2 ´ 108 B. infantis CRL1395 and 4.7 ´ 107 L. reuteri LET210 per g of feed would protect broilers from SBA and WGA. These results pave the way for the development of a novel probiotic for broilers.