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. 2025 May;11(3):e70355.
doi: 10.1002/vms3.70355.

The Impact of Dietary Melatonin on Heart and Lung Telomere Length and Shelterin Protein Gene Expression of Pulmonary Hypertensive Broiler Chickens

Peyman Gheytaspour  1 , Shahab Bahadoran  1 , Hossein Hassanpour  2   3
Affiliations

The Impact of Dietary Melatonin on Heart and Lung Telomere Length and Shelterin Protein Gene Expression of Pulmonary Hypertensive Broiler Chickens

Peyman Gheytaspour et al. Vet Med Sci. 2025 May.

Abstract

Objectives: Pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) is a common metabolic disease in broiler chickens linked to oxidative stress. This study explored the potential of melatonin, an antioxidant, to improve PHS response and telomere structure in chickens with cold-induced PHS.

Methods: We investigated the effects of dietary melatonin supplementation on telomere length and the expression of genes related to telomere protection (shelterin genes) in the heart and lungs of broiler chickens with PHS.

Results: Melatonin supplementation improved telomere length in the heart tissue of chickens with PHS. We also observed changes in the expression of genes (TRF1, RAP1, and TPP1) responsible for protecting telomeres, suggesting a potential mechanism for melatonin's beneficial effects. Melatonin's impact was more pronounced in the heart than in the lungs.

Conclusions: Melatonin may help protect cardiac cells during PHS by improving telomere length and influencing the activity of genes involved in telomere protection. These findings suggest that melatonin could be a valuable tool in managing heart cell dysfunction associated with PHS in poultry.

Keywords: Melatonin; ascites; congestive heart failure; shelterin complex; telomere; telosome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Graphs of linear regression between cardiac telomere length/relative expression of genes and RV:TV ratio (right ventricular to total ventricular weight ratio) at 42 days in the melatonin groups. p < 0.05 indicates a significant correlation. A negative correlation was observed between relative telomere length, TRF1, RAP1, TPP1, and the RV:TV ratio in the melatonin‐treated broilers.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Principle component analysis (PCA) of the five shelterin components. The most contributing components to intergroup variation in pulmonary hypertensive chickens following dietary supplementation by melatonin. Ellipses represent the 68% CI of distribution in each group. The TPP1, RAP1, TRF1, POT1, and TRF2 were the top contributors to PC1, in that order.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Forest plot comparing telomere length and shelterin genes in melatonin‐(0.2 and 0.4%) groups of broiler chickens. CI, coefficient interval. The effect size of telomere length, RAP1, TPP1, and TRF1 transcripts in melatonin‐0.4% significantly increased.
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