Effect of organic and inorganic dietary selenium supplementation on gene expression in oviduct tissues and Selenoproteins gene expression in Lohman Brown-classic laying hens

BACKGROUND: The oviduct of a hen provides a conducive environment for egg formation, which needs a large amount of mineral elements from the blood via trans-epithelial permeability. Eggshell is the calcified layer on the outside of an egg that provides protection and is critical for egg quality. However, little is known about the genes or proteins involved in eggshell formation, and their relationship to dietary microminerals. We hypothesized that dietary selenium supplementation in chickens will influence genes involved in eggshell biomineralization, and improve laying hen antioxidant capacity. The objective of this research was to investigate how organic and inorganic dietary selenium supplementation affected mRNA expression of shell gland genes involved in eggshell biomineralization, and selenoproteins gene expression in Lohman Brown-Classic laying hens.

RESULTS: Shell gland (Uterus) and liver tissue samples were collected from hens during the active growth phase of calcification (15-20 h post-ovulation) for RT-PCR analysis. In the oviduct (shell gland and magnum) and liver of laying hens, the relative expression of functional eggshell and hepatic selenoproteins genes was investigated. Results of qPCR confirmed the higher (p