Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary lycopene supplementation on the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity of serum and liver, and gene expressions associated with Kelch-like ech-associated protein-1 (Keap1)/Nuclear Factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in liver of Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 6 replicates and 12 chickens for each replicate. The control group was fed with the basal diet, while the treated groups were fed with the basal diet with 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene in powder. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for 42 days. Compared with the control group, (a) the average daily gain increased (p = 0.002 vs. p = 0.001) and the feed conversion ratio decreased (p = 0.017 vs. p = 0.023) in groups treated with lycopene in the grower and whole phases, and the average daily feed intake was quadratically affected (p = 0.043) by lycopene in the grower phase; (b) the serum superoxide dismutase content was linearly affected (p = 0.035) by lycopene at 21 days; (c) the serum glutathione peroxidase content, superoxide dismutase content, and total antioxidant capability were higher (p = 0.014, p = 0.003, and p = 0.016, respectively) in the 30 mg/kg lycopene group at 42 days; (d) the liver glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase contents in groups treated with lycopene were higher (p ≤ 0.001 vs. p ≤ 0.001) at 21 days; (e) the liver glutathione peroxidase content was higher (p ≤ 0.001) in the 20 and 30 mg/kg lycopene groups, at 42 days; (f) the mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, superoxide dismutase 2, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1, and heme oxygenase 1 genes were higher (21 days: p = 0.042, p = 0.021, p = 0.035, and p = 0.043, respectively; 42 days: p = 0.038, p = 0.025, p = 0.034, and p = 0.043, respectively) in the 20 and 30 mg/kg lycopene groups at 21 and 42 days. The 30 mg/kg lycopene concentration improved the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity in serum and liver, and gene expression in the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway of Arbor Acres broilers.
Highlights
The Kelch-like ech-associated protein-1/Nuclear Factor E2-related factor 2 (Keap1-Nrf2) signaling pathway regulates the transcription of antioxidant genes, which is considered to be the most critical pathway in the cellular antioxidant mechanism [16, 17]
It was found that inhibiting Keap1 expression and enhancing Nrf2 expression in broiler muscles can relieve stress caused by environment [19], and activating Nrf2/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) pathway can ameliorate oxidative stress in the aging chicken ovary [7]
The ADG increased, and the FCR decreased in groups treated with lycopene in the grower and whole phases, and the ADFI was quadratically affected by lycopene in the grower phase, which was consistent with Mezbani’s study [22], who reported that chicken supplemented with 100 mg/kg lycopene from 21 to 42 days resulted in the increased body weight and decreased feed conversion ratio
Summary
Oxidative stress can be caused by moldy feed, poor feeding environment, and imbalance of intestinal flora in poultry [1– 3]. The phytochemicals, such as oleanolic acid, polyphenols, and carotenoids, could alleviate the adverse effects of the reactive oxygen species in animals [4–6]. Lycopene is a polyunsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon with 11 conjugated double bonds and two non-conjugated double bonds in its chemical structure [7, 8]. It is an acyclic isomer of β-carotene that mainly exists in ripe tomatoes and is the most potent antioxidant among most carotenoids [9, 10]. It is hypothesized that the lycopene improves antioxidative potentials by mediating the Keap 1/Nrf signaling pathway
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