Abstract
BackgroundEnteromorpha prolifera (E. prolifera) polysaccharide has become a promising feed additive with a variety of physiological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, and cation chelating ability. However, whether Enteromorpha polysaccharide-trace element complex supplementation regulates amino acid and fatty acid metabolism in chicken is largely unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of E. prolifera polysaccharide (EP)-Zn supplementation on growth performance, amino acid, and fatty acid metabolism in chicken.MethodsA total of 184 one-day-old Ross-308 broiler chickens were randomly divided into two treatment groups with 8 replicates, 12 chickens per replicate, and fed either the basal diet (control group) or basal diet plus E. prolifera polysaccharide-Zinc (400 mg EP-Zn/kg diet).ResultsDietary EP-Zn supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the body weight, average daily gain, muscle antioxidant activity, serum HDL level, and reduced serum TG and LDL concentration. In addition, dietary EP-Zn supplementation could modulate ileal amino acid digestibility and upregulate the mRNA expression of amino acid transporter genes in the jejunum, ileum, breast muscle, and liver tissues (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, breast meat from chickens fed EP-Zn had higher (P < 0.05) Pro and Asp content, and lower (P < 0.05) Val, Phe, Gly, and Cys free amino acid content. Furthermore, EP-Zn supplementation upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expressions of mTOR and anti-oxidant related genes, while down-regulated protein degradation related genes in the breast muscle. Breast meat from EP-Zn supplemented group had significantly lower (P < 0.05) proportions of Σn-3 PUFA, and a higher percentage of Σn-6 PUFA and the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA. Besides, EP-Zn supplementation regulated lipid metabolism by inhibiting the gene expression of key enzymes involved in the fatty acid synthesis and activating genes that participated in fatty acid oxidation in the liver tissue.ConclusionsIt is concluded that EP-Zn complex supplementation regulates apparent ileal amino acid digestibility, enhances amino acid metabolism, and decreases oxidative stress-associated protein breakdown, thereby improving the growth performance. Furthermore, it promotes fatty acid oxidation and restrains fat synthesis through modulating lipid metabolism-related gene expression.Graphical abstract
Highlights
In the poultry industry, antibiotics have been used to improve growth performance and protect birds from pathogenic microorganisms [1]
E. prolifera polysaccharide (EP)-Zn supplementation regulated lipid metabolism by inhibiting the gene expression of key enzymes involved in the fatty acid synthesis and activating genes that participated in fatty acid oxidation in the liver tissue
It is concluded that Enteromorpha polysaccharide-zinc (EP-Zn) complex supplementation regulates apparent ileal amino acid digestibility, enhances amino acid metabolism, and decreases oxidative stress-associated protein breakdown, thereby improving the growth performance
Summary
Antibiotics have been used to improve growth performance and protect birds from pathogenic microorganisms [1]. Developing potential feed additives from natural sources that can completely substitute antibiotics are urgently needed. In this milieu probiotics, prebiotics, marine algae, and plant extract have received increasing attention as in-feed antibiotic alternatives. As a kind of algae for medicine and food, E. prolifera has been proved to show various physiological and biological activities, such as anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, hypolipidemic, and anti-cancer properties [4,5,6,7]. Enteromorpha prolifera (E. prolifera) polysaccharide has become a promising feed additive with a variety of physiological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, and cation chelating ability. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of E. prolifera polysaccharide (EP)-Zn supplementation on growth performance, amino acid, and fatty acid metabolism in chicken
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