RETRACTED ARTICLE: Antibiotic growth promoters virginiamycin and bacitracin methylene disalicylate alter the chicken intestinal metabolome
Authors: Erik P Lillehoj
Ujvala Deepthi Gadde
Hyun S Lillehoj
Sungtaek Oh
Journal: Scientific reports (2018)
Discipline: Multidisciplinary
Keywords: dietary antibiotic growth promoters; metabolomics; broiler chickens; biochemical compounds; intestine
Affiliations: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA., Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA. ., Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.

Abstract:  Although dietary antibiotic growth promoters have long been used to increase growth performance in commercial food animal production, the biochemical details associated with these effects remain poorly defined. A metabolomics approach was used to characterize and identify the biochemical compounds present in the intestine of broiler chickens fed a standard, unsupplemented diet or a diet supplemented with the antibiotic growth promoters, virginiamycin or bacitracin methylene disalicylate. Compared with unsupplemented controls, the levels of 218 biochemicals were altered (156 increased, 62 decreased) in chickens given the virginiamycin-supplemented diet, while 119 were altered (96 increased, 23 decreased) with the bacitracin-supplemented diet. When compared between antibiotic-supplemented groups, 79 chemicals were altered (43 increased, 36 decreased) in virginiamycin- vs. bacitracin-supplemented chickens. The changes in the levels of intestinal biochemicals provided a distinctive biochemical signature unique to each antibiotic-supplemented group. These biochemical signatures were characterized by increases in the levels of metabolites of amino acids (e.g. 5-hydroxylysine, 2-aminoadipate, 5-hydroxyindoleaceate, 7-hydroxyindole sulfate), fatty acids (e.g. oleate/vaccenate, eicosapentaenoate, 16-hydroxypalmitate, stearate), nucleosides (e.g. inosine, N6-methyladenosine), and vitamins (e.g. nicotinamide). These results provide the framework for future studies to identify natural chemical compounds to improve poultry growth performance without the use of in-feed antibiotics. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 2021 retraction. https: www.nature.com articles s41598-021-82285-2 The Authors have retracted this Article. After publication, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where the research was performed, identified a gap in the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approved protocols for a published research report during its normal oversight and review processes. The broader programmes received all of the necessary approvals; however, a few specific protocols procedures were not included in the program protocols. The research using antibiotic growth promoter treatments described in this article did not receive the appropriate ethical approval. All Authors agree with the retraction and its wording. ,