Dietary jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis L.) supplementation enhanced intestinal health by modulating intestinal integrity and immune responses of broiler chickens

This study investigated the influence of supplementing with jack beans on jejunal morphology, cecal short-chain fatty acids production, gene expression both of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and tight junctions. Four treatment groups including 288 Indian River chicks that were one day old were randomized at random. While the treatment groups received jack bean supplementation at levels of 5 %, 10 %, and 15 %, the control group (0 %) was given a basal diet. For 11-35 days, each treatment consisted of 8 pens with 9 birds each. Supplementing with jack beans significantly enhanced butyrate production (P < 0.001), while at 10 % supplementation did not differ from control. Villus height (VH) and the ratio (VH:CD) were significantly (P < 0.001) increased by dietary treatments, while villus width (VW) and crypt depth (CD) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. TLR-3, TNF-a, and IL-6 were all significantly (P < 0.001) increased by dietary supplementation. However, at 15 %, TLR-3 and IL-6 were same with control. IL-18 was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased at 15 %. IL-10 decreased significantly (P < 0.001), but at 10 % same with control. At 5 and 10 %, IL-13 increased significantly (P < 0.001), whereas dietary treatments decreased at 15 % compared to control. Although ZO1 decreased significantly (P < 0.001) and OLCN increased significantly (P < 0.001), both ZO1 and OCLN were not significantly different from the control at 15 %. Dietary treatments significantly (P < 0.001) increased CLDN1 but did not differ from the control at 10 %. JAM2 decreased significantly (P < 0.001) with dietary treatments. In conclusion, jack bean supplementation may increase broiler chicken performance and intestinal health due to butyrate production. It may affect intestinal morphology and integrity by upregulating a tight junction protein gene. Jack beans also impacted jejunum immune responses and inflammatory cytokine gene expression.