Investigation of the influence of dietary iron oxide nanoparticles on immunity and oxidative stress markers in Gallus gallus domesticus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65139/xrztbz33Keywords:
Iron oxide nanoparticles, Gallus gallus domesticus, oxidative stress, immunity, antioxidant enzymes, hematology, nanotechnology, Yellow Catfish, Yellow catfish juvenilesAbstract
Conventional mineral supplements often exhibit poor absorption and gastrointestinal intolerance, reducing their nutritional effectiveness in poultry production. This study evaluated whether dietary iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) can overcome these limitations by enhancing nutrient absorption and modulating immune function and oxidative stress markers in Gallus gallus domesticus. A controlled feeding trial was conducted using 200 broiler chicks divided into five treatment groups (T₀ control, T₁ 50 mg/kg, T₂ 150 mg/kg, T₃ 250 mg/kg, T₄ 350 mg/kg IONPs) for 30 days. Standardized procedures assessed hematological indices, immunoglobulin concentrations, and oxidative stress biomarkers including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidant status (TOS). Statistical validation was performed through Shapiro-Wilk tests for normality, Levene's tests for homogeneity of variances, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD post-hoc comparisons. Results demonstrated significant dose-dependent alterations across all measured parameters. SOD activity progressively decreased from 9.8 ± 0.1 U/mg protein (T₀) to 5.4 ± 0.1 U/mg protein (T₄), representing a 45% reduction (p < 0.001). CAT activity similarly declined from 38.5 ± 0.15 to 19.0 ± 0.15 U/mg protein. Conversely, TOS levels increased dose-dependently from 5.6 ± 0.1 to 16.9 ± 0.1 µmol/L, indicating elevated oxidative stress. Immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgM, IgA) showed significant reductions with increasing IONP doses. The study provides a scientific basis for establishing safe supplementation levels of IONPs in poultry nutrition and contributes to understanding the risks and benefits of nanotechnology application in animal feed additives.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Saba Zulfiqar, Maryam Riasat, Salma Majeed, Zeeshan Rehman, Fiza Habib, Muqaddas Nisar (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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