Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-11-5
pubmed:abstractText
The aim of this experiment was to study the patterns of betaine accumulation into intestinal tissue, liver and plasma of broiler chicks with or without coccidial infection. The chicks were raised on a corn-based, low-betaine diet with or without 1000 ppm betaine supplementation and with or without intestinal microparasite (Eimeria maxima) challenge to the age of 21 days. Plasma, liver, intestinal tissue and digesta of non-challenged (NC) birds and plasma and intestinal tissue of coccidiosis challenged (CC) birds were analysed for betaine content. NC birds were also analyzed for homocysteine in plasma and S-adenosylmethionine (S-AM) in liver. The jejunal epithelium was histologically examined for the presence of coccidia and the crypt-villus ratio was measured. Dietary betaine supplementation decreased the plasma homocysteine concentration but had no effect on liver S-AM of NC birds. The data suggest that chicks on a low-betaine diet accumulate betaine into the intestinal tissue. When the diet was supplemented with betaine, betaine accumulated heavily into liver and to a lesser degree into intestinal tissue. The concentration of betaine in jejunal and ileal digesta was low suggesting that dietary betaine was mainly absorbed from the proximal small intestine. The coccidial challenge decreased the concentration of betaine in the liver, but greatly increased that in the intestinal tissue. The crypt-villus ratio was decreased by the dietary betaine supplementation in healthy and challenged chicks, suggesting that dietary betaine both protects the jejunal villi against coccidial infection and also stabilizes the mucosal structure in healthy broiler chicks. These results support our earlier findings suggesting that betaine is likely to act as an important intestinal osmolyte in broiler chicks.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
1095-6433
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
130
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
759-69
pubmed:dateRevised
2003-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Dietary betaine accumulates in the liver and intestinal tissue and stabilizes the intestinal epithelial structure in healthy and coccidia-infected broiler chicks.
pubmed:affiliation
Danisco Cultor Innovation, Technology Center, Kantvik, Sokeritehtaantie 20, FIN-02460 Kantvik, Finland. hannele.kettunen@pp.inet.fi
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article