Liu Xiaopan, Li Li, Miao Zhongwei, Xin Qingwu, Zhang Linli, Cai Qiannan, Shi Wenli, Zhao Bangzhe, Zheng Nenzhu, Zhu Zhiming
Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Fujian Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350013, China.
College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 363000, China.
Poult Sci. 2025 May 7;104(8):105273. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105273.
Heat stress (HS) is a critical factor affecting the health and performance of poultry. This study investigated the effects of varying durations of HS on antioxidant capacity and intestinal damage in Jinding ducks. The ducks were exposed to an environment at 40°C for 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h to simulate HS conditions. The impact of HS on intestinal health was assessed by measuring the expression of small intestinal heat shock proteins, inflammatory factors, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, intestinal permeability, and pathomorphological changes in the jejunum. The results showed that with prolonged HS, the expression of antioxidant capacity and heat shock proteins initially increased and then decreased, while intestinal inflammation and damage progressively intensified. Notably, after 12 h of HS, there was a significant increase in intestinal permeability, impaired barrier function, decreased digestive enzyme activity, pronounced disturbances in jejunal morphology, and a substantial reduction in immune cell numbers. These findings suggest that Jinding ducks subjected to 12 h of HS at 40°C can serve as a model for acute HS. This study not only elucidated the alterations in antioxidant and intestinal immunity in Jinding ducks associated with extended HS but also provided a scientifically robust experimental model for future research on anti-HS agents. The results were significant for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms through which HS affects poultry health and offered a scientific basis for developing new strategies to mitigate HS impacts.
热应激（HS）是影响家禽健康和生产性能的关键因素。本研究调查了不同时长的热应激对金定鸭抗氧化能力和肠道损伤的影响。将鸭子置于40°C环境中1小时、3小时、6小时和12小时，以模拟热应激条件。通过测量小肠热休克蛋白的表达、炎症因子、肠道消化酶活性、肠道通透性以及空肠的病理形态变化，评估热应激对肠道健康的影响。结果表明，随着热应激时间延长，抗氧化能力和热休克蛋白的表达先升高后降低，而肠道炎症和损伤则逐渐加剧。值得注意的是，热应激12小时后，肠道通透性显著增加，屏障功能受损，消化酶活性降低，空肠形态明显紊乱，免疫细胞数量大幅减少。这些发现表明，在40°C环境下经受12小时热应激的金定鸭可作为急性热应激的模型。本研究不仅阐明了热应激时间延长后金定鸭抗氧化和肠道免疫的变化，还为未来抗热应激剂的研究提供了科学可靠的实验模型。这些结果对于深入了解热应激影响家禽健康的机制具有重要意义，并为制定减轻热应激影响的新策略提供了科学依据。
