In the last years our research group focused on gut health evaluation in food producing animals, which is fundamental for their productive and reproductive performances. It relies on the maintenance of the delicate balance among the host, the gut environment and dietary compounds. Particularly, our team organizes zootechnical trials with different animal species (pigs, rabbits, poultry, fishes) fed innovative feed ingredients in collaboration with the Animal Nutrition sector, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Torino (Prof. Schiavone e Tarantola) and the Animal production sector, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Torino (Prof. Gasco and Biasato) for evaluating the morphometric, histopathological, immunohistochemical and biomolecular parameters related to gut health. Moreover, the same parameters are evaluated also in animal models in order to test different dietary supplementation or new medicine in collaboration with the Institute of the Sciences of Food Production (ISPA-CNR), Torino (Dr Cavallarin) or the Department of Drug Science and Technology, Torino (Dr. Battaglia). We actively collaborate with national and international partners for the organization of zootechnical trials and for further analysis.
In details, our team mainly evaluates:

• Gut morphometry: gut morphometry in terms of villus height and crypts depth is considered the main indicator of intestinal development, health and functionality. Samples of duodenum, jejunum and ileum are routinely processed for histology. Three morphometric indices were evaluated on slides stained with Haematoxylin & Eosin: villus height (Vh), crypt depth (Cd) and Vh/Cd ratio. Vh and Cd are useful indicators of gut proliferative and absorptive compartments while Vh/Cd ratio gives an indication of the likely maturity and functional capacity of the enterocytes. These intestinal features are essential for a correct nutrient absorption and, consequently, for an optimal animal growth.
• Histopathological evaluation of the main organs: small intestine, cecum and stomach are microscopically evaluated in order to check the integrity of the epithelium and the presence of inflammatory infiltrates or the activation of the GALT (Gut associated lymphoid tissue). In fact, inflammation negatively affect the absorption of the nutrients in the gut. Moreover, liver is also evaluated for detecting vacuolar degeneration or inflammation that can alter its functionality. The main lymphoid organs (spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius depending on animal species) are studied as an indicator of animal general health status.
• Mucin evaluation: The entire surface of the gastrointestinal mucosa is covered by an adherent mucus gel layer, mainly composed by mucins which are glycosylated glycoproteins synthesized, stored and secreted by goblet cells. Mucins constitute the first barrier against pathogens and they can be divided in neutral, acidic sialylated and acidic sulfated mucins. Modifications in terms of mucin quality and quantity can led to different pathologies such as ulcerative enteritis or cancer. Three histochemical staining (Periodic Acid Schiff-PAS, Alcian Blue and Alcian HID) are performed to evaluate if the percentage of each mucin type is affected by diet. Moreover, a real time PCR is performed to study MUC-2 gene expression, being the main gene related to mucin production.
• Local immune response evaluation: Gut immune response plays a key role in protecting the gut against pathogens. It is composed by different cell populations: dendritic cells, macrophages, lymphocytes B with their IgA and lymphocytes T with their cytokines. Immunohistochemical staining are used to characterise the inflammatory infiltrates (i.e CD3, CD79, CD45 for lymphocytes T, B and macrophages). A real time-PCR is also performed to investigate the expression of the main pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the gut.
• Microbiota evaluation: Gut microbiota is defined as the whole population of microorganisms inhabiting a specific environment. It helps the host in the fermentation of different feed ingredients and it protect the gastrointestinal tract from harmful bacteria, regulating the local immunity. Using a NGS (next generation sequencing) method our team investigate the main bacterial genera and species that inhabit the animal gastrointestinal tract. These analyses are performed in collaboration with the sector of Microbiology and Food Technologies, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Torino (Prof. Cocolin and Ferrocino).

The aim of this project is to evaluate whether a diet can negatively impact the animal gut health and, as a consequence, the animal general health status.

• EIT Food 2018 Innopoultry. The poultry food chain: tackling old problems with innovative approaches
• EIT Food 2019 From Waste To Farm: insect larvae as tool for welfare improvement in poultry
• Acel Pharma "Studio per valutare l’efficacia di Lactobacillus acidophilus come additivo nell’alimentazione del coniglio"
• Ricerca Locale, Università degli Studi di Torino 2016-2017 "SLN for oral insulin delivery"

• Biasato I., Gasco L., De Marco M., Renna M., Rotolo L., Dabbou S., Capucchio M.T., Biasibetti E., Tarantola M., Sterpone L., Cavallarin L., Gai F., Pozzo L., Bergagna S., Dezzutto D., Zoccarato I., Schiavone A. - Effects of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) inclusion in diets for female broiler chickens: implications for animal health and gut histology - J Anim Feed Sci Technol 2017 Dec; 234:253-263.
• Renna M., Schiavone A., Gai F., Rotolo L., Dabbou S., Capucchio MT., Biasibetti E., Tarantola M., Sterpone L., Cavallarin L., Gai F., Pozzo L., Bergagna S., Dezzuto D., Zoccarato I., Schiavone A. - Evaluation of the suitability of a partially defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucensL.) larvae meal as ingredient for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) diets - J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2017;8:57. Published 2017 Jul 1. doi:10.1186/s40104-017-0191-3
• Biasato I., Ferrocino I., Biasibetti E., Grego E., Dabbou S., Sereno A., Gai F., Gasco L., Schiavone A., Cocolin L., Capucchio MT. - Modulation of intestinal microbiota, morphology and mucin composition by dietary insect meal inclusion in free-range chickens - BMC Vet Res. 2018;14(1):383. Published 2018 Dec 4. doi:10.1186/s12917-018-1690-y
• Elia AC., Capucchio MT., Caldaroni B., Magara G., Dorr AJM., Biasato I., Biasibetti E., Righetti M., Pastorino P., Prearo M., Gai F., Schiavone A., Gasco L. -  Influence of Hermetia illucens meal dietary inclusion on the histological traits, gut mucin composition and the oxidative stress biomarkers in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Aquaculture, 2018; 496 (50): 57. doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.07.009
• Dabbou S., Gai F., Biasato I., Capucchio MT., Biasibetti E., Dezzuto D., Meneguz M., Plachà I., Gasco L., Schiavone A. - Black soldier fly defatted meal as a dietary protein source for broiler chickens: Effects on growth performance, blood traits, gut morphology and histological features - J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2018;9:49. Published 2018 Jul 9. doi:10.1186/s40104-018-0266-9
• Gasco L., Dabbou S., Trocino A., Xiccato G., Capucchio MT., Biasato I., Dezzuto D., Birolo M., Meneguz M., Schiavone A., Gai F. - Effect of dietary supplementation with insect fats on growth performance, digestive efficiency and health of rabbits - J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2019;10:4. Published 2019 Jan 17. doi:10.1186/s40104-018-0309-2
• Biasato I., Renna M., Gai F., Dabbou S., Meneguz M., Perona G., Martinez S., Barroeta Lajusticia AC., Bergagna S., Sardi L., Capucchio MT., Bressan E., Dama A., Schiavone A., Gasco L. - Partially defatted black soldier fly larva meal inclusion in piglet diets: effects on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, gut morphology and histological features - J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2019;10:12. Published 2019 Feb 19. doi:10.1186/s40104-019-0325-x
• Gariglio M., Dabbou S., Crispo M., Biasato I., Gai F., Gasco L., Piacente F., Odetti P., Bergagna S., Plachà I., Valle E., Colombino E., Capucchio M.T., Schiavone A. - Effects of the Dietary Inclusion of Partially Defatted Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Meal on the Blood Chemistry and Tissue (Spleen, Liver, Thymus,and Bursa of Fabricius) Histology of Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata domestica) - Animals 2019, 9, 307; doi:10.3390/ani9060307
• Dabbou S., Trocino A., Xiccato G., Nery J., Madrid J., Martinez S., Hernandez F., Kalmar ID., Capucchio MT., Colombino E., Biasato I., Bailoni L., Gasco L., Mugnai C., Schiavone A. - The effect of dietary supplementation with globin and spray-dried porcine plasma on performance, digestibility and histomorphological traits in broiler chickens - J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2020;10.1111/jpn.13356.
• Colombino E., Ferrocino I., Biasato I., Cocolin L., Prieto-Botella D., Zduńczyk Z., Jankowski J., Milala J., Kosmala M., Fotschki B., Capucchio MT. and Jus̈kiewicz J. - Dried fruit pomace inclusion in poultry diet: growth performance, intestinal morphology and physiology - J Anim Sci Biotechnol. (In press)

• Laboratories of Animal Pathology, Nutrition and Genetics sectors, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Torino

• Dr. Bergagna - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Laboratorio di Diagnostica Generale, Torino
• Dr. Dezzutto - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Laboratorio di Diagnostica Generale, Torino
• Prof. Gasco - Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Animal production sector, University of Turin, Grugliasco Turin
• Dr. Biasato - Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Animal production sector, University of Turin, Grugliasco Turin
• Prof. Cocolin - Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Microbiology and food technology sector, University of Torino, Grugliasco Turin
• Dr. Ferrocino - Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Microbiology and food technology sector, University of Torino, Grugliasco Turin
• Dr. Cavallarin - Institute of the Sciences of Food Production (ISPA-CNR), Grugliasco, Turin
• Dr. Gai - Institute of the Sciences of Food Production (ISPA-CNR), Grugliasco, Turin
• Research Centre for Food and Nutrition (CREA), Rome
• Prof. Jerzy Juśkiewicz - Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
• Prof. Elia - Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia
• Acel Pharma Srl, Beinasco, Torino, Italia
• Dr. Battaglia - Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin
• Dr. Dabbou - Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento