Effect of alcohol and pyruvate/dihydroxyacetone on liver and serum lipids of SCWL pullets

Abstract

To determine the effect of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone on alcohol-induced fatty liver in chickens, ten-week old Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were pair-fed isocaloric, purified diets supplemented with three levels of pyruvate/dihydroxyacetone (1:1; P/D) at 0%, 5% and 10% of the diet. Three times daily birds were gavaged with ethanol or glucose to result in 37.5% of total caloric intake. Serum and liver lipids and serum metabolites and enzymes were determined after 2 weeks. There was a significant loss in body weight with 10% P/D. In general, 5 and 10% P/D affected liver and serum parameters similarly. The ethanol-induced increase in both liver weight and % liver was prevented with P/D. Liver lipid concentration was not affected by the treatments. However, ethanol significantly increased total liver lipids, an effect prevented by P/D. Ethanol ingestion altered the fatty acid profile of liver lipids by reducing palmitic acid (16:0) and increasing linoleic (18:2), arachidonic (20:4) and docohexaenoic acid (22:6). Ethanol also increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol in serum, whereas P/D prevented these effects. Furthermore, ethanol ingestion doubled serum β-hydroxybutyrate levels and significantly increased serum glucose, effects that were partially ameliorated by dietary P/D. The results indicate that supplementation of diets with P/D prevents ethanol-induced changes in lipid metabolism in chickens.