Abstract
An 8-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate whether diet supplementation of lutein could result in similar growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunity of Litopenaeus vannamei when compared to dietary astaxanthin. Juvenile L. vannamei (initial body weight: 0.64 ± 0.04 g) were fed with one of five isonitrogen and isolipids diets with/without lutein or astaxanthin [control group (C); the lutein (L) groups contained 0, 62.5, 75, 87.5 ppm lutein, respectively, the astaxanthin (A) group contained 50 ppm astaxanthin]. Results showed that dietary supplementation of lutein ranging from 62.5 to 75 ppm resulted in similar growth performance (WGR, SGR, FCR, and SR) of L. vannamei compared with the A group (P > 0.05). Apart from that, no statistical difference was observed in antioxidant parameters (hemolymph T-AOC, hemolymph MDA, and RNA expression level of GSH-PX, CAT), anti-inflammatory ability (Relish, Rho, and HSP70) and apoptosis-related gene expression (Caspase3) among lutein treatments ranging from 62.5 to 87.5 ppm and the A group (P > 0.05). These results indicate that a dose of 62.5–75 ppm of lutein was suitable in the diet of L. vannamei for substituting dietary astaxanthin.
Highlights
In recent years, there have been two significant factors existing in the shrimp farming industry that may affect the profit of shrimp
Higher weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) of L. vannamei were obtained in the L1, L2, and A groups compared to the C group (P < 0.05), while no statistical difference was found between the C and L3 groups (P > 0.05)
The present study demonstrated that significantly lower hemolymph MDA was obtained in four carotenoid pigment treatment groups than the C group, indicating lutein and astaxanthin could improve the antioxidant capacity of L. vannamei
Summary
There have been two significant factors existing in the shrimp farming industry that may affect the profit of shrimp. Maintaining bright and appropriate body pigmentation is a significant factor closely related to customers’. Previous studies paid more attention to diet supplementation with astaxanthin (3,3 -dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4 -dione) on crustaceans as it helps to enhance the stress resistance of crustaceans by acting as an effective antioxidant against ROS as well as being a green additive for improving growth performance and skin pigmentation of aquatic animals (Latscha, 1989; Petit et al, 1997; Chien et al, 2003; Seabra and Pedrosa, 2010). Other cost-effective additives need to be identified for substituting the astaxanthin in the shrimp diets
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