Research Note: Jejunum phosphatases and systemic myo-inositol in broiler chickens fed without or with supplemented phytase

As a constituent of animal cells, myo-inositol (MI) has been hypothesized to be crucial in several metabolic and regulatory pathways. Recently, it was shown that dietary phytase contributes to release of MI from phytate in the poultry digestive tract, increasing its systemic concentrations. This study investigated the activities of phosphatases in the jejunum and systemic plasma MI concentration in broilers not supplemented or supplemented with phytase through analyses based on modifications from commercial enzyme activity kits. Three hundred sixty male Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to 24 pens (15 birds per pen) in 4 dietary groups. The positive control group was fed with an adequate basal diet. The negative control group (NC) was fed with a reduced level of P and Ca. Groups Phy1500 and Phy3000 were fed with the NC diet plus 1,500 or 3,000 FTU of phytase per kilogram of feed, respectively. One bird per pen was selected for the measurement of jejunal phosphatase activity; MI concentration in plasma, the liver, and the kidney; and key MI enzyme concentrations (liver inositol monophosphatase 1 [IMPase 1] and kidney myo-inositol oxygenase [MIOX]). Endogenous phytase and alkaline phosphatase activity as well as IMPase 1 and MIOX expression were not statistically different among the dietary groups. The supplementation of 1500 FTU of phytase per kilogram of feed resulted in increase of plasma (P < 0.001) and kidney (P < 0.05) but not liver MI concentrations. The results indicated that systemic MI might reflect MI released from dietary sources; however, it did not appear to change expression of enzymes related to endogenous MI synthesis in the liver and catabolism in the kidney. New and larger studies are necessary to reach stronger evidence on the effects of dietary phytase on intestinal and systemic MI concentrations in broilers.