The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens
The gut microbiota plays an important role in regulating brain function, influencing psychological and emotional stability. The correlations between conspecific aggression, gut microbiota, and physiological homeostasis were further studied in inbred laying chicken lines, 6<sub>3</sub> an...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-05-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/6/1081 |
| _version_ | 1797484280955273216 |
|---|---|
| author | Jiaying Hu Timothy A. Johnson Huanmin Zhang Heng-Wei Cheng |
| author_facet | Jiaying Hu Timothy A. Johnson Huanmin Zhang Heng-Wei Cheng |
| author_sort | Jiaying Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The gut microbiota plays an important role in regulating brain function, influencing psychological and emotional stability. The correlations between conspecific aggression, gut microbiota, and physiological homeostasis were further studied in inbred laying chicken lines, 6<sub>3</sub> and 7<sub>2</sub>, which were diversely selected for Marek’s disease, and they also behave differently in aggression. Ten sixty-week-old hens from each line were sampled for blood, brain, and cecal content. Neurotransmitters, cytokines, corticosterone, and heterophil/lymphocyte ratios were determined. Cecal microbiota compositions were determined by bacterial 16s rRNA sequencing, and functional predictions were performed. Our data showed that the central serotonin and tryptophan levels were higher in line 6<sub>3</sub> compared to line 7<sub>2</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Plasma corticosterone, heterophil/lymphocyte ratios, and central norepinephrine were lower in line 6<sub>3</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The level of tumor necrosis factor α tended to be higher in line 6<sub>3</sub>. <i>Faecalibacterium, Oscillibacter, Butyricicoccus</i>, and <i>Bacteriodes</i> were enriched in line 6<sub>3</sub> birds, while <i>Clostridiales</i> vadin BB60, <i>Alistipes</i>, <i>Mollicutes</i> RF39 were dominated in line 7<sub>2</sub>. From the predicted bacterial functional genes, the kynurenine pathway was upregulated in line 7<sub>2</sub>. These results suggested a functional linkage of the line differences in serotonergic activity, stress response, innate immunity, and gut microbiota populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:01:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a22d5994778b4840a18d9041d15c4f4b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:01:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-a22d5994778b4840a18d9041d15c4f4b2023-11-23T18:02:42ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072022-05-01106108110.3390/microorganisms10061081The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying HensJiaying Hu0Timothy A. Johnson1Huanmin Zhang2Heng-Wei Cheng3Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USAUSDA-Agricultural Research Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, East Lansing, MI 48823, USAUSDA-Agricultural Research Service, Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USAThe gut microbiota plays an important role in regulating brain function, influencing psychological and emotional stability. The correlations between conspecific aggression, gut microbiota, and physiological homeostasis were further studied in inbred laying chicken lines, 6<sub>3</sub> and 7<sub>2</sub>, which were diversely selected for Marek’s disease, and they also behave differently in aggression. Ten sixty-week-old hens from each line were sampled for blood, brain, and cecal content. Neurotransmitters, cytokines, corticosterone, and heterophil/lymphocyte ratios were determined. Cecal microbiota compositions were determined by bacterial 16s rRNA sequencing, and functional predictions were performed. Our data showed that the central serotonin and tryptophan levels were higher in line 6<sub>3</sub> compared to line 7<sub>2</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Plasma corticosterone, heterophil/lymphocyte ratios, and central norepinephrine were lower in line 6<sub>3</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The level of tumor necrosis factor α tended to be higher in line 6<sub>3</sub>. <i>Faecalibacterium, Oscillibacter, Butyricicoccus</i>, and <i>Bacteriodes</i> were enriched in line 6<sub>3</sub> birds, while <i>Clostridiales</i> vadin BB60, <i>Alistipes</i>, <i>Mollicutes</i> RF39 were dominated in line 7<sub>2</sub>. From the predicted bacterial functional genes, the kynurenine pathway was upregulated in line 7<sub>2</sub>. These results suggested a functional linkage of the line differences in serotonergic activity, stress response, innate immunity, and gut microbiota populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/6/1081gut–brain–axisserotonergic systemgut microbiotaaggressionkynurenine pathwaylaying hen |
| spellingShingle | Jiaying Hu Timothy A. Johnson Huanmin Zhang Heng-Wei Cheng The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens Microorganisms gut–brain–axis serotonergic system gut microbiota aggression kynurenine pathway laying hen |
| title | The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens |
| title_full | The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens |
| title_fullStr | The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens |
| title_short | The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Gut Microbiota Modulates Conspecific Aggression in Diversely Selected Laying Hens |
| title_sort | microbiota gut brain axis gut microbiota modulates conspecific aggression in diversely selected laying hens |
| topic | gut–brain–axis serotonergic system gut microbiota aggression kynurenine pathway laying hen |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/6/1081 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiayinghu themicrobiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT timothyajohnson themicrobiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT huanminzhang themicrobiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT hengweicheng themicrobiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT jiayinghu microbiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT timothyajohnson microbiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT huanminzhang microbiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens AT hengweicheng microbiotagutbrainaxisgutmicrobiotamodulatesconspecificaggressionindiverselyselectedlayinghens |