الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study was carried out to study the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and immunomodulatory effects of lycopene comparing with vitamin E in E. coli experimentally infected broilers via evaluation of hematological, antioxidant, immunological, biochemical and performance parameters in addition to screening of histopathological changes in lung, liver, intestine and heart.
One hundred and twenty-one day old broiler chicks were used in our study. Chicks were divided equally into six groups as the following:
Control group (1): was fed on commercial basal diet without additives. Lycopene treated group (2): was fed on commercial basal diet plus lycopene from the first day at a dose of 200 mg/kg diet till the end of experiment (35 days).
Vitamin E treated group (3): was fed on commercial basal diet plus vitamin E daily from the first day till the end of experiment at a dose rate of 200 mg/kg diet.
E. coli infected group (4): was fed on commercial diet and intramuscularly challenged with 0.3 ml of E. coli O78 broth (3.6x108 CFU) at 3 weeks old. Lycopene treated E. coli infected group (5): was fed on commercial basal diet plus lycopene and challenged as in group (4).
Vitamin E treated E. coli infected group (6): was fed on commercial basal diet plus vitamin E and challenged as in group (4).
Samples were whole blood for hematological examination, serum for measuring the serum immunological and biochemical parameters and blood on sodium citrate tube for estimation of phagocytic activity and index. In addition tissue specimens from liver were taken for estimation of oxidative markers and liver and intestinal specimens were collected for E. coli count. Also lung, liver, intestine and heart were taken for histopathological examination. Samples were collected 4 days and 2 weeks PI from 5 birds in each group.
The results were summarized as following:
(1)- Clinical signs:
E. coli infected non treated group, lycopene treated infected group and vitamin E treated infected group showed anorexia, dullness, depression, ruffled feather, diarrhea and respiratory signs. Symptoms were milder and mortalities were lower in treated infected groups (5 and 6).
(2)- Clinicopathological results:
2.1- Hematological results:
Lycopene and vitamin E treated groups revealed non-significant changes in erythrogram and leukogram except significant leukocytosis and lymphocytosis in in lycopene treated group 4 days PI. E. coli infected non treated group showed a picture of macrocytic hypochromic anemia as well as significant leukocytosis and heterophilia 4 days PI and a significant monocytosis
2 weeks PI comparing to control group. Lycopene treated infected group revealed non-significant changes in erythrogram except a significant decrease in MCV 2 weeks PI (but led to normalization) while significant increases in leukocytic and lymphocytic count 2 weeks PI in addition to a significant decrease in heterophil count and monocytic count 4 days and 2 weeks PI respectively were observed when compared to E coli infected non treated group. Vitamin E treated E. coli infected group showed non-significant changes in erythrogram except the MCV revealed a significant decrease and MCHC showed a significant increase (2 weeks PI). Also significant decreases in heterophils (4 days PI) and monocytic count (2 weeks PI) was recorded.
2.2- Inflammatory markers results:
Comparing to control group, lycopene treated group showed a significant decrease in CRP, haptoglobin (4 days and 2 weeks PI) and IL-1β (2 weeks PI) as well as significantly increased IL-10 at both collections. While vitamin E treated
group showed non-significant changes in all above mentioned parameters. On the other hand, significant increases in CRP, haptoglobin (4 days and 2 weeks PI), IL-1β and IL-10 (4 days PI) were observed in E. coli infected non treated group. Lycopene treated E. coli infected group comparing to infected non treated group had significantly decreased CRP, haptoglobin (4 days and 2 weeks PI) and IL-1β (4 days PI) and a significantly increased IL-10 at both collections. While vitamin E treated infected group had significantly decreased CRP (4 days PI) and haptoglobin (4 days and 2 weeks PI).
2.3- Results of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant parameters:
Lycopene and vitamin E treatment led to a significant decrease in liver MDA and a significant increase in liver CAT, GPX and SOD. E. coli infected non treated group when compared to control one had a significant increase in MDA and a significant decrease in CAT, GPX and SOD. Lycopene treated E. coli infected group and Vitamin E treated E. coli infected group when compared to E. coli infected non treated group showed a significant decrease in MDA and a significant increase in CAT, GPX and SOD.
2.4- Immunological results:
Our results revealed a significant increase in phagocytic activity in lycopene treated group while the infected non treated group showed significant decreases in phagocytic activity and index and lysozyme activity at 2weeks PI when compared to control group. Comparing to infected non treated group lycopene treated E. coli infected group revealed a statistical increase in phagocytic activity, phagocytic index 2weeks PI and non-significant change in lysozyme activity while vitamin E treated E. coli infected group had only significantly increased phagocytic activity.
2.5- Clinicobiochemical results:
The infected non-treated group showed significant increases in serum activities of AST and GGT and serum concentration of uric acid, total
cholesterol (4 days and 2 weeks PI) and creatinine (2 weeks PI) comparing with the control group. The lycopene treated E. coli infected group when compared to
E. coli infected non treated group denoted significant decreases in the serum AST, GGT (4 days and 2 weeks PI) and total cholesterol (2 weeks PI). Vitamin E treated E. coli infected group showed a significant decrease in serum AST 4 days and 2 weeks PI and GGT only 2 weeks PI.
2.6- Protein profile:
In protein profile of our results the infected non-treated group comparing to control group showed a significant increase in serum total protein and globulins in addition to a significant decrease in A/ G ratio at 4days PI. Lycopene and vitamin E treated infected groups had non-significant changes in TP, Albumin, globulin and A/G ratio when compared to infected non treated group.
(3)- Performance parameters:
Regarding to performance parameters lycopene supplemented non- infected group had a significant increases in BWT and BWG beside significant decrease in the FCR while vitamin E supplemented group showed only slight improvement in the FCR comparing with control group. On the other hand, E. coli infected non treated birds showed significant decreases the BWT and BWG and a significant increase in the FCR. Lycopene and vitamin E treated infected groups had significantly improved BWT, BWG and FCR comparing with infected non treated group with more improvement in lycopene treated one.
(4)- E. coli count:
The supplemented groups either with lycopene or vitamin E had significantly reduced E. coli count in liver and intestine comparing with infected non treated group with higher improvement in lycopene supplemented birds.
(5)-Pathological results
Postmortem examination of dead and sacrifierd chicks revealed that infected birds had sever lesions of collibacillosis as air sacculitis, congestion of lung, congestion and hemorrhage of liver, pericarditis and sever enteritis. Histopathological examination showed pulmonary emphysema and cellular exudate in the lung of E. coli infected non treated group. Liver showed vacuolar degeneration of the hepatocytes and dilatation of the hepatic sinusoids. Intestine of birds in this group showed edema, leukocytic cells infiltration in the lamina propria and vacuolation of the goblet cells. Finally heart showed peri vascular edema and necrobiotic changes.
On the other hand, lycopene treated E. coli infected group had improved histopathological picture comparing with either E. coli infected non treated group or vitamin E treated E. coli infected group.