Bai_2025_Poult.Sci_104_105850

The present work investigated the effects of pantethine on egg quality, lipid parameters, lipid metabolism-related enzymes, hepatic gene expression, and gut microbiota in laying hens. A total of 144 46-week-old laying hens were randomly assigned to two treatments (6 replicates x 12 birds per group): a basic diet without pantethine (CK) and a basic diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg pantethine (TP). Dietary pantethine maintained productive performance and increased egg Haugh unit (P < 0.05). Serum and hepatic triglyceride contents were reduced in pantethine-treated laying hens (P < 0.05). Dietary pantethine elevated lipoprotein lipase and total lipase levels, while decreasing fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase levels in the liver (P < 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis revealed that dietary pantethine altered the hepatic gene profiles (P < 0.05). Liver transcriptomic analysis identified 427 genes showing significant expression changes in hepatic tissues of the TP group compared with CK group, including 276 upregulated and 151 downregulated genes. KEGG analysis showed enrichment of these genes in the PPAR signaling pathway, involving PPARG, PCK1, PLIN1, and SCD. For intestinal microbiota , dietary pantethine significantly changed cecal microbiota structure. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, but pantethine significantly reduced Firmicutes abundance and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the cecal microbiota (P < 0.05). Burkholderia, Veillonella, and Mycobacterium were positively associated with PPARG but negatively related to PCK1, SCD, and PLIN1. In conclusion, hepatic genes and gut bacteria interacted synergistically to improve egg Haugh unit and hepatic lipid metabolism in pantethine-treated laying hens.