Proteomic Analysis of the Protective Effect of Early Heat Exposure against Chronic Heat Stress in Broilers

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Heat stress affects the livestock industry, especially in poultry. Screening for metabolic changes after early and chronic heat exposure in poultry would be beneficial in resolving the production issues. In this study, we identified differentially expressed proteins that affected early heat exposure during chronic heat stress. Chronic heat stress affected 277 proteins, of which 95 differed in expression by early heat exposure. Differentially expressed proteins were related to actin metabolism and also involved in carbohydrate and carbon metabolism. According to our results, early heat exposed liver of broilers activates the different physiological mechanisms for protection from later heat stress. ABSTRACT: The increasing trend of global warming has affected the livestock industry through the heat stress, especially in poultry. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms of heat stress in poultry would be helpful for maintaining the poultry production. Three groups were designed to determine early heat stress effects during chronic heat stress: CC, raised at a comfortable temperature; CH, chronic heat exposure at 35 °C for 21–35 days continuously; and HH, early heat exposure at 40 °C for 24 h at 5 days old with 35 °C temperature for 21–35 days continuously. In this study, proteome analysis was carried out to identify differentially expressed proteins in the liver tissue of broilers under chronic and early heat exposure. There were eight differentially expressed proteins from early heat stress during chronic heat exposure, which were related to actin metabolism. According to KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) analysis, the proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism were expressed to promote the metabolism of carbohydrates under chronic heat stress. Early heat reduced the heat stress-induced expression changes of select proteins. Our study has shown that early heat exposure suggests that the liver of broilers has various physiological mechanisms for regulating homeostasis to aid heat resistance.