Intermittent Fasting Modulates the Glycogen Level in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and their Next Generation

Abstract

Introduction: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become the best model organism to study the evolutionary biological process and human developmental studies. The liver glycogen plays a vital role in maintaining cellular metabolism, accumulation of glycogen in liver affects the enzymes related to glycogen metabolism. Aim: Impact of intermittent fasting, refeed and overfeeding in glycogen homeostasis on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and their F1 generation. Materials and Methods: The present in-vivo study demonstrates the effect of intermittent fasting on glycogen storage in zebrafish and their F1 generation. The study was conducted at Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The duration of study was carried out for one month (December, 2021) for both parental and their F1 generation (April, 2022) groups. The F1 generation fishes involved after its matured (three months). The zebrafish (AB strain) were randomised and split into five experimental groups such as control, overfed, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours intermittent fasting. The F1 generation from each group was treated as same as parenting groups. The physiological and histological changes were observed in the study group. Significant results were evaluated as p<0.05 values turkey’s method was used. Results: The fasting and overfeeding significantly affects the physiological condition like body weight, length and Body Mass Index (BMI). The parental control and their F1 have a BMI of 0.042±0.04 g/ cm² and 0.041±0.04 g/cm². The maximum fasting treated groups (48 hours) of both parent and their F1 generation shows reduced BMI such as 0.032±0.03 g/cm² and 0.030±0.04 g/cm². The over feed group shows a BMI of 0.053±0.05 g/cm² and 0.052±0.05 g/ cm². The result demonstrates that the food-deprived groups and their F1 generation showed less glycogen storage in histological observation. The reefed and overfed groups and their F1 generation exhibit more glycogen accumulation in the liver. The result confers normal regulation of glycogen synthase and glycogen synthase kinase 3 in normally in control and fasting groups as well as in their F1 generation. Conversely, the overfeeding and refeed groups show modulated glycogen activity in both parent and their F1 generation. Conclusion: Glycogen accumulation leads too many diseases and it also affects the generations. The frequent fasting may help to minimise glycogen accumulation and BMI level reduces the complications of disorders related to glycogen homeostasis.