Effects of activated zinc oxide on serum changes of interleukin 6, ‎tumor necrosis factor alpha and occludance 1 in broiler breeder hens

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical properties of zinc oxide on serum changes of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and occludance 1 (ZO-1) in broiler breeders. A total of 200 hens (Ross 308), at the age of 54 weeks, was used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, 5 replications, and 10 birds per replication. In this study, two levels of zinc (70 and 100 mg/kg diet), and two ZnO sources (regular zinc oxide and activated zinc oxide) were used. The production performance of the birds and the concentration of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor and occludin in serum were measured at the end of the experiment. The supply of 70 mg/kg diet in both its regular and activated ZnO forms increased blood concentration of TNFα and ZO-1 (P<0.01). In contrast, addition of 100 mg of ZnO from both sources reduced pro-inflammatory factors and concentration of ZO-1 in the blood (P<0.01). Results of present study showed that the concentration of blood inflammatory factors and tight junction proteins in hens that are prone to intestinal inflammation which probably occur due to a meal in a day decreases with the consumption of higher levels of zinc. Changes in inflammatory factors and the concentration of tight junction proteins were in the same direction. Consumption of 100 mg of activated ZnO decreased IL-6 compared to 70 mg (P<0.01). Therefore, it is concluded that the change in physical properties, has improved the functionality of ZnO.