Evaluation of the Ctx(Ile21)-Ha antimicrobial peptide supplementation in laying hens and its effect on egg quality

• Grant number: 23/01834-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Festozo Vicente
• Grantee: Lorenza Eivazian Vianna Nogueira Brandão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Engenharia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Tupã. Tupã , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06706-9 - Antimicrobial peptides: expanding the horizons for animal production performance optimization, AP.JP2

Abstract

The effectiveness of conventional drugs against some emerging pathogens has drastically decreased and they can cause undesirable and even lethal side effects. This occurred because, over time, the disorderly use of these antibiotics caused serious problems related to public health, such as antimicrobial resistance. In view of this, the antimicrobial peptide Ctx(Ile21)-Ha has been proving to be a promising molecule in the fight against microorganisms, in addition to not offering resistance. Thus, this project aims to synthesize, characterize, purify and analyze whether the antimicrobial peptide Ctx(Ile21)-Ha positively influences the quality of eggs from laying hens. For this purpose, biological tests will be carried out covering a complete reproductive cycle of these animals. The peptide molecules will be microencapsulated to avoid stomach degradation and added to the oral diet of laying hens for further evaluation of their physical and biochemical parameters. In addition, a sample collection consisting of one week of egg production for each treatment will be analyzed, where egg weight and shell resistance measurements will be taken. Microbiological parameters of the eggshell, bacterial count of chicken organs (liver, duodenum, cecum, cloacal swab, ovaries and oviducts), as well as histological and morphometric parameters will also be performed. In this way, with the implementation of the application of antimicrobial peptides in the area of animal production, innovative alternatives to conventional antibiotics are being sought, which may be an efficient strategy for increasing their production.