EFFECT OF CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID ON GROWTH, LIPID METABOLISM AND LIVER PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR‐ACTIVATED RECEPTOR EXPRESSION OF LARGE YELLOW CROAKER (PSEUDOSCIAENA CROCEA R.)*

Abstract

ABSTRACT One thousand six hundred fish were divided into four groups and were reared in eight cages. Four dietary treatments that contained either 0, 1, 2 or 4% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) were formulated. Dietary CLA had no effect on growth, biometric parameters and lipid content (P > 0.05), whereas some significant effects on the fatty acid composition in both muscle and liver were observed. The activity of lipogenic enzymes was depressed in fish fed on increasing CLA levels. Dietary CLA significantly increased the saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), whereas it decreased monounsaturated fatty acids in tissues. The expression of PPARαand PPARγ(Peroxisome proliferators‐activated receptor alpha and gamma) in liver was significantly higher in fish fed dietary CLA (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that large yellow croakers are capable of absorbing and depositing CLA and long‐chain n‐3 PUFA in their liver and muscle, showing that this species fed CLA could be beneficial in the human diet.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis research is strongly oriented to aquaculture applications. The results of the study demonstrates the effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on lipid metabolism and provides theoretical basis to prepare specialized diet for large yellow croaker.