Interaction between Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors and Cannabidiol in the Gut of Chickens Applied to Different Challenge Conditions

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are important targets for cannabidiol (CBD), which mediate many of its biological actions. The hypothesis of the present research assumed that PPARs affect the gut response to different challenge factors in chickens (C. perfringens vs lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from E. coli), and CBD can mediate the pathways of this response. The study proved that CBD and challenge factors significantly affect the expression level of PPARα (P=0.001) and selected genes determining gut barrier function. A positive correlation was demonstrated between PPARs and genes involved in the formation of tight junctions, immune and oxidative stress responses in chickens. Dietary supplementation with CBD actively mediated the expression rate of PPARs, but the mechanism of interaction between CBD and PPARs was different depending on the stress factor used. The addition of CBD to the birds’ diets did not contribute to reducing intestinal permeability under induced stress conditions and did not cause a stress-inducing effect resulting in the increase of cortisol and endotoxin concentration in the blood. CBD also supported the mechanisms of protecting intestinal cells from cytotoxic effects in a C. perfringens challenge. This study indicates the importance of research towards understanding the mechanisms of PPARs as a target for enhancing intestinal barrier function, provides new results on the biological action of CBD in chickens and shows a constant PPARs association with the jejunum mucosa of birds.