Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide alleviates LPS-induced immune stress in broilers: integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis

This study aimed to investigate the alleviating effect and potential mechanisms of Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced immune stress in broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were used in a 2x2 factorial design, including a control group and a GP treatment group (1500 mg/kg GP supplemented in the diet). Starting on day 10, birds were intraperitoneally injected with either LPS or physiological saline to establish an immune stress model. The experimental period was divided into three phases: the initial phase (days 1-10), the stress phase (days 10-28), and the recovery phase (days 28-35). The study systematically evaluated the effects of GP supplementation on growth performance, immune organ indices, serum inflammatory cytokines, intestinal morphology, and goblet cell counts. Additionally, integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of spleen tissue were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed effects.