2026/01/06 by Mingyan Zhao, Felix Kwame Amevor, Liqiang Liu +8 · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Gut microbiota and health #Animal Nutrition and Physiology #Probiotics and Fermented Foods
paper · doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5c11552
Intestinal inflammation compromises nutrient absorption, health, and productivity in laying hens. Here, we isolated a gut-resident Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) strain from indigenous chickens and evaluated its prophylactic effects against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal inflammation. Oral LGG administration improved growth performance and antioxidant capacity, restored the villus structure, and reinforced epithelial barrier integrity by upregulating tight junction genes. LGG markedly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines ( IL -1β, IFN -γ) and increased TGF -β. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that LGG normalized microbial diversity, corrected the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, enriched beneficial taxa ( Lactobacillus, Lachnoclostridium ), and reduced inflammation-associated genera ( Escherichia, Bacteroides ). Untargeted metabolomics revealed a significant modulation of tryptophan metabolism, including elevated levels of kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, and indoleglyoxylic acid. The microbiota–metabolite correlations indicate a coordinated regulatory axis underlying LGG-mediated protection. These findings demonstrate that native LGG mitigates intestinal inflammation through microbiota remodeling and metabolic reprogramming, supporting its potential as an antibiotic-free strategy for improving gut health in poultry.