Expression Analysis of Interleukin-13 Gene in the Small Intestine of Three Genotypes of chickens Administered Conventional Antibiotics and Garlic

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the interleukin-13 gene in small intestine of three genotypes of chickens reared in the derived savannah. The study adopted a 3 x 3 factorial (3 genotypes and 3 treatments) in a completely randomized design. The genotypes that were used for the study were exotic genotype (White Leghorn), local (Nigerian Heavy Ecotype) chicken and crossbred (cross between exotic and local chicken). The treatments were: Control (water + No extract), Ciprofloxacin (water + Ciprofloxacin) and Garlic (water + Allium sativum extract at a dose of 800 mg/ml). A total of 360 F1 chicks (120 chicks from each genotype were randomly distributed into 3 groups (40 chicks per treatment) having 4 replicates (10 chicks in each). At 2, 4, and 6 months of age, the small intestines were collected and stored in RNA later for expression of interleukin-13 using the qPCR method expression studies. The effect of genotype x treatment interaction on the expression of interleukin-13 gene in the small intestinal tissues showed significant variations (P<0.05) at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. The local and crossbred birds fed garlic showed a greater upregulation of the interleukin-13 gene compared to the rest of the group. The results suggested chicken administered garlic had a higher expression of interleukin-13 gene in the small intestine at 2 and 4 months compared with chickens on the control diet and those given ciprofloxacin. The effect of garlic on gene expression however reduced at 6 months of age.