Chronic Mild Cold Conditioning Modulates the Expression of Hypothalamic Neuropeptide and Intermediary Metabolic-Related Genes and Improves Growth Performances in Young Chicks: e0142319

• Published in: PloS one 2015-11, Vol.10 (11)
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Phuong, Greene, Elizabeth, Ishola, Peter, Huff, Geraldine, Donoghue, Annie, Bottje, Walter, Dridi, Sami
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142319

Background Low environmental temperatures are among the most challenging stressors in poultry industries. Although landmark studies using acute severe cold exposure have been conducted, still the molecular mechanisms underlying cold-stress responses in birds are not completely defined. In the present study we determine the effect of chronic mild cold conditioning (CMCC) on growth performances and on the expression of key metabolic-related genes in three metabolically important tissues: brain (main site for feed intake control), liver (main site for lipogenesis) and muscle (main site for thermogenesis). Methods 80 one-day old male broiler chicks were divided into two weight-matched groups and maintained in two different temperature floor pen rooms (40 birds/room). The temperature of control room was 32 degree C, while the cold room temperature started at 26.7 degree C and gradually reduced every day (1 degree C/day) to reach 19.7 degree C at the seventh day of the experiment. At day 7, growth performances were recorded (from all birds) and blood samples and tissues were collected (n = 10). The rest of birds were maintained at the same standard environmental condition for two more weeks and growth performances were measured. Results Although feed intake remained unchanged, body weight gain was significantly increased in CMCC compared to the control chicks resulting in a significant low feed conversion ratio (FCR). Circulating cholesterol and creatine kinase levels were higher in CMCC chicks compared to the control group (P