Antioxidant systems in poultry biology: Nutritional modulation of vitagenes

In commercial poultry production a range of various stresses is responsible for economical loses due to decreased productive and reproductive performance of growing chickens, laying hens and breeders. It seems likely that at the molecular level nutritional, technological, environmental and internal stresses are associated with oxidative stress and disturbances in redox balance and cell signaling. Therefore, understanding molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress and signalling functions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in birds are among major priorities in nutritional and veterinary sciences. Recently it has been suggested that adaptation to stress in birds is mediated by a range of genes called vitagenes. The vitagene concept of health maintenance and adaptation to stress was successfully transferred from medical sciences to avian sciences and practical applications of the concept await further development. From the literature review it can be concluded that nutrients, including vitamins A, E, D, C, selenium, carnitine, betaine and silymarin can modulate the vitagene network. It seems likely that various combinations of the aforementioned nutrients could be used for effective modulation of vitagenes as an important part of stress management in poultry production.