Development of immune function and avian gut health
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Zoology
Abstract
Improving the health of animals reared for food is an essential element of sustainable farming and the DIFAGH programme is focussed on improving avian gut health. Poultry products (meat and eggs) represent the largest source of animal protein in the world and with increasing demand for efficient, sustainable supply with the highest ethical and ecological standards of farming. Prevention of disease is one of the most important factors in poultry welfare and sustainable production, especially since the majority of birds are young and immunologically immature (particularly in the gut). The DIFAGH project will directly impact on this area, focusing on the development of probiotic regimens that will improve the immune competence of young poultry and protect them against bacterial diseases. Improving immune competence will improve resistance of young birds to disease and improve the responses generated by vaccines. Improving gut health is a priority for the poultry industry since problems in the gut contribute significantly in other areas such as litter quality and the attendant issues related to hock burn and foot problems.The development of a strong consortium in the field of avian gut health will lead to a range of international exchange opportunities enriching the academic and cultural development of staff and students.
The DIFAGH project represents a trans-European consortium involving experts in avian immunology, infectious disease, microflora analysis and probiotic development. We will employ state of the art approaches to identify and test for the effectiveness of probiotic formulations to improve the gut health of chickens. Importantly we will also seek formulations that reduce the capacity for infections to establish within the gut of poultry (including those with zoonotic capability).
The benefits of our studies will positively impact on the welfare of many millions of poultry in the field. Furthermore, it will improve consumer protection by subsequently reducing the need for antimicrobial treatments, the prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in poultry as well as reducing the incidence of disease in humans. All studies will be licensed by appropriate agencies and ethical review bodies with the highest standards of animal care.
The DIFAGH project represents a trans-European consortium involving experts in avian immunology, infectious disease, microflora analysis and probiotic development. We will employ state of the art approaches to identify and test for the effectiveness of probiotic formulations to improve the gut health of chickens. Importantly we will also seek formulations that reduce the capacity for infections to establish within the gut of poultry (including those with zoonotic capability).
The benefits of our studies will positively impact on the welfare of many millions of poultry in the field. Furthermore, it will improve consumer protection by subsequently reducing the need for antimicrobial treatments, the prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in poultry as well as reducing the incidence of disease in humans. All studies will be licensed by appropriate agencies and ethical review bodies with the highest standards of animal care.
Technical Summary
The DIFAGH proposal links cutting edge technologies with gut flora modification experiments to define
the contribution of microbial colonisation to the development of chicken immune capacity, resistance
and transmission of infection. The programme unites efforts of experienced avian immunologists,
pathogen specialists and gut flora microbiologists, forming a trans-EU team of scientists to address the
complex interactions between the chicken and its microbial environment. The proposed programme of
work will deliver a combination of high quality fundamental research and practical outcomes, defining a
new framework for selecting pro-biotic formulations to accelerate immune development, improve poultry
gut health and reduce pathogen carriage. Specifically, we will determine the effects of pro-biotic
formulations of differing complexity on the development of immune capability and the outcome of
infection. We will also determine the effects on colonisation, persistence and transmission of
Campylobacter and Salmonella.These analyses will be supported by in vitro and in vivo approaches to determine the microbial recognition events
within the bird (such as those mediated by the avian Pattern Recognition Receptor system) and the nature of the lymphocyte response (functional and repertoire based analyses). One important anticipated outcome of this work will be to develop a new set of selection criteria for
identifying components for a defined pro-biotic formulation.
the contribution of microbial colonisation to the development of chicken immune capacity, resistance
and transmission of infection. The programme unites efforts of experienced avian immunologists,
pathogen specialists and gut flora microbiologists, forming a trans-EU team of scientists to address the
complex interactions between the chicken and its microbial environment. The proposed programme of
work will deliver a combination of high quality fundamental research and practical outcomes, defining a
new framework for selecting pro-biotic formulations to accelerate immune development, improve poultry
gut health and reduce pathogen carriage. Specifically, we will determine the effects of pro-biotic
formulations of differing complexity on the development of immune capability and the outcome of
infection. We will also determine the effects on colonisation, persistence and transmission of
Campylobacter and Salmonella.These analyses will be supported by in vitro and in vivo approaches to determine the microbial recognition events
within the bird (such as those mediated by the avian Pattern Recognition Receptor system) and the nature of the lymphocyte response (functional and repertoire based analyses). One important anticipated outcome of this work will be to develop a new set of selection criteria for
identifying components for a defined pro-biotic formulation.
Planned Impact
The impact of a trans-EU programme are expicitly stated in the original application (see attachment) and include both academic, translational and improved welfare of poultry farmed throughout Europe.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Bern (Collaboration)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Collaboration)
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover (Collaboration)
- University of Liege (Collaboration)
- Lohmann Animal Health (Collaboration)
- French National Institute of Agricultural Research (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Adrian Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Peroval MY
(2013)
A critical role for MAPK signalling pathways in the transcriptional regulation of toll like receptors.
in PloS one
Fiddaman SR
(2022)
Adaptation and Cryptic Pseudogenization in Penguin Toll-Like Receptors.
in Molecular biology and evolution
Ruiz-Hernandez R
(2015)
An infected chicken kidney cell co-culture ELISpot for enhanced detection of T cell responses to avian influenza and vaccination.
in Journal of immunological methods
Hill SC
(2016)
Antibody responses to avian influenza viruses in wild birds broaden with age.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Juul-Madsen H
(2014)
Avian Immunology
Smith A
(2014)
Avian Immunology
Smith A
(2014)
Avian Immunology
Rawson T
(2021)
Can good broiler flock welfare prevent colonization by Campylobacter?
in Poultry Science
Pielsticker C
(2016)
Colonization pattern of C. jejuni isolates of human and avian origin and differences in the induction of immune responses in chicken.
in Veterinary immunology and immunopathology
Hill SC
(2019)
Comparative micro-epidemiology of pathogenic avian influenza virus outbreaks in a wild bird population.
in Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
Description | This is part of a large pan-European consortium of researchers under the EMIDA umbrella with studies aimed at identifying the effects of microbiota on immune development and gut health. The work in this project has focussed on analysis of chickens raised in different environments including those with no microbiota (germ free) and with defined microbiota (gnotobiotic). We have also colonised some GF birds with single defined bacterial species to identify whether different components of the microbiota stimulate different responses in the chicken gut. The consortium includes experts from the UK, Germany, France, Czech Republic and Israel with 6 research groups undertaking different aspects of the programme. The UK element of the project is largely focussed on analysing the immune development and function of chickens raised in germ-free and/or gnotobiotic environments and comparing these with birds raised under conventional conditions. There is a tight relationship between the complexity of the microbiota and the complexity of the immune system in the gut and different components of the microbiota have different effects on gut immune development and function. We have also been able to identify that the immune system responds strongly to "commensal microbes" including responses associated with all arms of the immune system and specific IgA is raised against these commensal microbes. The overall aim of this work is to try and develop rational candidate microbes for inclusion in probiotics and to identify how many different microbes might be needed in such treatments. |
Exploitation Route | This project is providing key evidence for how different microbes interact with the host and how potential microbes may influence immune development. The work is focussed on chicken gut health and has real potential to impact on the development of defined probiotics for use in chickens. Moreover, this work moves towards the development of a framework for probiotic discovery with defined function(s) in terms of both host immune development and their potential to affect gut health. This framework would have impact in the poultry industry as well as in the broader arena of probiotic use including in humans or other animals. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | We have been working and continue to work with with industrial partners to apply some of the approaches developed in the course of this project. |
First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | ANIWHA |
Amount | £1,200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/K001388/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2016 |
End | 06/2019 |
Title | Immune repertoire analyses (avian) |
Description | We have developed systems for measuring the immune repertoire in chickens and use or are developing similar methodologies for use in a wide range of other species. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | A range of studies are underway. |
Title | immune repertoire analyses (general) |
Description | We have developed systems for measuring the immune repertoire in chickens, mice and humans, we are developing similar methodologies for use in a wide range of other species. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Collaborations underway. |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | French National Institute of Agricultural Research |
Department | Microbiology and the Food Chain |
Country | France |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
Country | Israel |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | Lohmann Animal Health |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | University of Bern |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | DIFAGH |
Organisation | University of Liege |
Department | Faculty of Veterinary Medicine |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project represents an EMIDA-ERANET programme linking a number of laboratories together. I lead the overall programme and all research teams including my own are working on a range of collaborative projects. We bring expertise in gut immunology, avian immunology, T/B cell repertoire analyses, innate immunity and infection biology to the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | All of the partners engage in cross-laboratory collaborations. The tasks are divided as follows: Immunity (Oxford and Munich), Germ-free chickens (Munich, Oxford and INRA), Campylobacter infections (Hannover), Salmonella infections (INRA), enterocyte biology (Jerusalem), microbiota biology (Lohmann), microbiome profiling and proteomics (Brno). |
Impact | A series of publications are currently being prepared, most of which involve multiple partners and can be considered multidisciplinary by brining together expertise across a range of areas including immunology, poultry health, infectious disease, microbiology and mathematical biology. One manuscript was recently published led by the Hannover group on the ability of different Campylobacter isolates (from humans and chickens) to colonise chickens and that these induced different immune responses in the chickens PMID 26827832. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Organisation of AIRG 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Organisation of the Avian Immunology Research Group. The largest avian immunology conference in the international calendar. Attracts researchers, industry specialists, students, veterinarians and poultry specialists. We also secured a fund from the Oxford HEFCE GCRF fund to bring 20+ leading poultry researchers from LMIC to the meeting and associated workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Poultry Health outreach and teaching |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Teaching on the Poultry Health Course aimed at veterinary practitioners, industry and postgraduates. Speaking at industry led events. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 |