Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42617272›Full record

ArticlePoultry science2026

Attapulgite-enhanced probiotic delivery reprograms gut microbiota and metabolism to improve growth performance and immune function in broilers.

Ying Wang, Yang Gao, Kelan Dong, Fenglong Cai, Jianbin Zhang, Hua Yang, Lei Pu, Liang Hong

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Poultry science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ying WangTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Yang GaoTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Kelan DongTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Fenglong CaiTianjin Guangyuan Livestock and Poultry Breeding co., Ltd. Tianjin, 301806, China.
Jianbin ZhangTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Hua YangTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Lei PuTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China.
Liang HongTianjin Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Husbandry, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China. Electronic address: hongl0626@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of attapulgite (APT) combined with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP) and Limosilactobacillus reuteri (LR) on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, immune response, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens, aiming to develop an effective antibiotic alternative. In vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion demonstrated that APT significantly improved the survival of LP and LR, with scanning electron microscopy confirming bacterial adsorption onto APT. A total of 160 one-day-old broilers were assigned to dietary treatments, and growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical and immunological indices, intestinal morphology, tight junction protein expression, cecal microbiota, and metabolomic profiles were analyzed. The combined APT-probiotic treatment significantly improved average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), with effects comparable to antibiotic supplementation. It enhanced serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) and IL-10 levels while reducing IL-6, and increased antioxidant capacity. Intestinal barrier integrity was improved, as indicated by increased villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and upregulation of ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin1, and MUC2. Microbiota analysis revealed enrichment of Bacteroidetes and short-chain fatty acid-producing genera, accompanied by increased concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and valerate (P < 0.05). Metabolomics further indicated enhanced pathways related to energy metabolism and antioxidant defense. In conclusion, APT-enhanced probiotic supplementation improves growth performance and gut health by modulating the microbiota-metabolite axis, highlighting its potential as a sustainable antibiotic alternative in poultry production.

Indexed as

AttapulgiteLactiplantibacillus plantarumLimosilactobacillus reuteriMicrobial communityShort-chain fatty acids

Identifiers

PMID42617272
PMCPMC13520994

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.