Serum Superoxide Dismutase Activity Research Articles

Effect of Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation on growth performance, serum immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal health in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides).

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemistry, immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of raccoon dogs during the winter fur-growing period. Forty-five 135 (±5) day-old male raccoon dogs were randomly assigned to three dietary groups supplemented with 0 (group N), 1 × 109 (group L) and 5 × 109 CFU/g (group H) Cyberlindnera jadinii, with 15 raccoon dogs per group. The results showed that Cyberlindnera jadinii in groups L and H improved average daily gain (ADG) and decreased feed-to-weight ratio (F/G) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism among the three groups (P > 0.05). Compared with group N, serum glucose levels were lower in groups L and H (P < 0.05). The levels of serum immunoglobulins A and G in group L were higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05), and the levels of serum immunoglobulins A and M in group H were higher than those in group N (P < 0.05). Supplementation with Cyberlindnera jadinii in groups L and H increased serum superoxide dismutase activity, and the total antioxidant capacity in group H increased compared with group N (P < 0.05). The phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were dominant in raccoon dogs. The results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that the composition of microbiota in the three groups changed significantly (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Campylobacterota was increased in the H group compared to the N and L groups (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Sarcina was increased in group L compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Subdoligranulum and Blautia were decreased in group H compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). Also, the relative abundance of Prevotella, Sutterella and Catenibacterium was higher in group L (P < 0.05) compared with group H. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Cyberlindnera jadinii improved growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune status, and improved intestinal microbiota in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs. Among the concentrations tested, 1 × 109 CFU/g was the most effective level of supplementation.

Effects of day-of-hatch intramuscular administration of a herbal extract mixture and its re-supplementation in drinking water on growth performance, stress indicators, and antioxidant status of broiler chickens reared under hot summer conditions.

Broilers under oxidative stress from high ambient temperatures may benefit from the use of additives that have antioxidant properties. This experiment investigated the efficacy of a herbal extract mixture (HEM; aqueous extracts from Ferula gummosa, Thymus vulgaris, and Trachyspermum copticum) in day-old chicks, injected intramuscular (deep pectoral muscle; (0, 30, 60, and 90 μL/0.1 mL of sterilized and distilled water)), and supplemented in drinking water (0 and 0.25 mL/L) during the rearing period. Broilers were reared in battery cages under summer temperature conditions, with average maximum temperature of 35.5°C, average minimum temperature of 25.5°C, and average relative humidity of 50-60%. A total of 400 1-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups (5 replicates/treatment with 10 birds per replicate). From d1 to d10, the indoor air temperature was adjusted to match fluctuating outdoor summer temperatures, and was set at 30-34°C and 50-60% relative humidity; and from d10 onwards, no adjustments were made. Injection of HEM linearly decreased feed:gain (P = 0.005), heterophile-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratio (P = 0.007), and serum concentrations of cholesterol (P = 0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) (P < 0.001), malondialdehyde (P = 0.005), and cortisol (P = 0.008). The 60 μL of HEM injection produced the best results in terms of final body weight (BW; P = 0.003), overall average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.002), European performance index (P < 0.001), carcass yield (P < 0.001), and serum glutathione peroxidase activity (P < 0.001). Supplementation of HEM in drinking water also increased final BW (P = 0.048), overall ADG (P = 0.047), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.042), and total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.030), while decreasing the H/L ratio (P = 0.004) and serum LDL concentration (P = 0.031). There were interactions between injection and water supplementation for BW (day 24; P = 0.045), carcass yield (day 42; P = 0.014), and serum superoxide dismutase activity (day 42; P = 0.004). In conclusion, administering an injection of HEM at a dose of 60 μL at the time of hatching, followed by supplementation at a dose of 0.25 mL/L via drinking water during the rearing period could be a useful strategy for improving the performance and health status of heat-stressed broiler chickens.

Effects of biomacromolecules on growth, digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidation, and immunity in broilers

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two biomacromolecules, fermented wheat bran polysaccharides (FWBPs) and sodium humate (SH), on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant status, and immunity of broilers. A total of 144 male, one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three dietary groups: control (CON), 0.4% FWBPs, and 0.1% SH, with six replicates of eight birds. The FWBPs and SH groups had a greater body weight (BW) at 21 and 42 d, average daily weight gain (ADG) in the starter period, average daily feed intake (ADFI) in the overall period, and feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) in the grower period. However, the ADFI was decreased by FWBPs supplementation and increased by SH supplementation in the grower period. The dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility were higher in the SH group at 21 d. At 21 d, the FWBPs group had an increased duodenal trypsin and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentration, and a decreased liver malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. The SH group had increased duodenal lipase activity, serum IgM, and interleukin-2 concentrations but decreased liver MDA concentrations. At 42 d, FWBPs and SH supplementation decreased duodenal trypsin and chymotrypsin and serum superoxide dismutase activity. Jejunum chymotrypsin activity and liver MDA content were decreased in the SH group. In conclusion, dietary FWBPs or SH supplementation during the starter period can improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility and enhance antioxidant capacity and immunity of broilers.

The isolation, identification, whole-genome sequencing of Clostridium butyricum LV1 and its effects on growth performance, immune response, and disease-resistance of Litopenaeus vannamei

In this study, a strain of Clostridium butyricum was isolated from the intestine of Litopenaeus vannamei with the method of anaerobic microbial isolation and culture. Next, the probiotic properties of LV1 were evaluated with susceptibility tests, tolerance tests, and whole genome sequencing in vivo and in vitro, followed by the analysis of the effect of LV1 on the growth performance, immune response, and disease resistance of Litopenaeus vannamei. According to the results, the 16 S rDNA sequence of LV1 was 100% homolofgous to the reference sequence of Clostridium butyricum. Moreover, LV1 was resistant to several antibiotics including amikacin, streptomycin, and gentamicin and highly tolerated artificial gastric and artificial intestinal fluids. The whole genome of LV1 was 4625,068 bp in size and included 4336 coding genes. Among these genes, GO, KEGG, and COG databases exhibited the highest number of genes annotated to metabolic pathway classes and 105 genes annotated as glycoside hydrolases. Meanwhile, 176 virulence genes were predicted. The use of diets supplemented with 1.2 × 109 CFU/kg of LV1 live cells significantly increased the weight gain and specific growth rates of Litopenaeus vannamei and the activity of serum superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the use of these diets markedly improved the relative expression of intestinal immunity- and growth-related genes. In conclusion, LV1 has excellent probiotic properties. Specifically, the addition of 1.2 × 109 CFU/kg of LV1 live cells to the diet improved the growth performance, immune response, and disease-resistance of Litopenaeus vannamei.

Antioxidant and Lipid-Lowering Effects of Buriti Oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) Administered to Iron-Overloaded Rats.

The indiscriminate use of oral ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) doses induces significant oxidative damage to health. However, carotene-rich foods such as buriti oil can help the endogenous antioxidant defense and still maintain other body functions. This study aimed to assess the effects of buriti oil intake in iron-overloaded rats by FeSO4 administration. Buriti oil has β-carotene (787.05 mg/kg), α-tocopherol (689.02 mg/kg), and a predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids (91.30 g/100 g). Wistar rats (n = 32) were subdivided into two control groups that were fed a diet containing either soybean or buriti oil; and two groups which received a high daily oral dose of FeSO4 (60 mg/kg body weight) and fed a diet containing either soybean (SFe) or buriti oil (Bfe). The somatic and hematological parameters, serum lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined after 17 days of iron overload. Somatic parameters were similar among groups. BFe showed a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (38.43%) and hemoglobin (7.51%); an increase in monocytes (50.98%), SOD activity in serum (87.16%), and liver (645.50%) hepatic GPx (1017.82%); and maintained serum GPx compared to SFe. Buriti oil showed systemic and hepatic antioxidant protection in iron-overloaded rats, which may be related to its high carotenoid, tocopherol, and fatty acid profile.

Dietary fulvic acid supplementation improves the growth performance and immune response of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicas)

The present study aims to explore the effects of dietary fulvic acid (FA) supplementation on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and immune response of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicas). FA was used to replace 0 (control), 0.1, 0.5 and 1 g cellulose in the basic diet of sea cucumber to formulate four experimental feeds with equivalent nitrogen and energy denoted as F0, F0.1, F0.3 and F1, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the survival rate among all groups (P > 0.05). Results show that the body weight gain rate, specific growth rate, intestinal trypsin, amylase and lipase activities, serum superoxide dismutase, catalase, lysozyme, alkaline and acid phosphatase activities and disease resistance ability against the pathogen, Vibrio splendidus of the sea cucumbers fed with FA-containing diets were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The optimum dose of dietary FA supplementation required for the maximum growth of sea cucumber was 0.54 g/kg. Therefore, dietary FA supplementation to the feed of sea cucumber can significantly improve its growth performance immune response.

Protective effect of corn peptide on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats induced by high fat diet

To explore the dose-effect and mechanism of the protective effect of corn peptide(CP) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). Seventy male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, CP group, puerarin positive control group, low-, medium-, high-dose corn peptide group, the experiment started after 1 week of adaptive feeding. The control group and CP group were fed with ordinary feed and others were fed with high-fat feed, while the control group was given intragastric administration of purified water, the CP group and the low-, medium-, high-dose corn peptide group were given intragastric administration of corn peptide(800, 400, 600 and 800 mg/(kg·d), respectively), and the puerarin positive control group was given intragastric administration of 300 mg/(kg·d) of puerarin, for 10 weeks. The body weight and general condition of rats were recorded every week, after 10 weeks, the indexes of 7 groups were compared. Compared with the model group, the liver index(3.67, 3.29, 3.19 and 3.04, P&lt;0.05) of the rats in the three doses of corn peptide groups decreased. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(13.66, 11.82, 11.55 and 10.53, P&lt;0.05) decreased. The serum triglyceride(TG)(0.59, 0.42, 0.34 and 0.28, P&lt;0.05), total cholesterol(TC)(2.57, 2.10, 1.67 and 1.46, P&lt;0.05), free fatty acid(FFA)(0.66, 0.44, 0.40 and 0.36, P&lt;0.05), and leptin(10.64, 9.87, 9.43 and 9.05, P&lt;0.05) decreased. The serum interleukin-6(74.61, 61.66, 51.12 and 35.68, P&lt;0.05) and tumor necrosis factor-α(100.18, 74.13, 67.44 and 48.46, P&lt;0.05) decreased. The serum aspartate aminotransferase(41.38, 19.41, 14.98 and 8.44, P&lt;0.05) and alanine aminotransferase(25.14, 13.10, 11.57 and 7.48, P&lt;0.05) activity decreased. The liver TG(9.89, 5.55, 4.73 and 3.13, P&lt;0.05), TC(1.73, 0.97, 0.80 and 0.50, P&lt;0.05) and FFA(1.81, 1.11, 0.77 and 0.70, P&lt;0.05) decreased. The serum malondialdehyde(MDA)(21.36, 15.24, 12.75 and 10.87, P&lt;0.05) level and liver MDA(11.87, 8.27, 6.33 and 4.98, P&lt;0.05) level decreased. The serum and liver superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity increased(P&lt;0.05), and the effect is related to the intervention dose of corn peptide. The size of the liver became smaller, the liver color gradually changed from light yellow to light red. Corn peptide has a certain preventive effect on NAFLD in rats, and the preventive effect of corn peptide is related to its intervention dose.

Dietary Lactobacillus helveticus and Gum Arabic improves growth indices, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal microbiota, innate immunological parameters, antioxidant capacity, and disease resistance in common carp

The present study aimed at determining the effects of Lactobacillus helveticus (LH), Gum Arabic (GA; natural prebiotic), and their combination as synbiotic on growth performance, digestive enzymes activity, gut microbiota, innate immunity status, antioxidant capacity, and disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophyla in common carp, Cyprinus carpio for 8 weeks. For this, 735 common carp juveniles (Mean ± standard deviation; 22.51 ± 0.40 g) were fed with 7 different diets including basal diet (C), LH1 (1 × 107 CFU/g), LH2 (1 × 109 CFU/g), GA1 (0.5%), GA2 (1%), LH1+GA1 (1 × 107 CFU/g + 0.5%), and LH2+GA2 (1 × 109 CFU/g + 1%) for 8 weeks. Dietary supplementation with GA and/or LH significantly increased growth performance, WBC, serum total immunoglobulin, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, skin mucus lysozyme and total immunoglobulin and intestinal lactic acid bacteria. Whereas there were significant improvements in various parameters tested in different treatments, the highest improvement in growth performance, WBC, monocyte/neutrophil percentages, serum lysozyme, alternative complement, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde, skin mucosal alkaline phosphatase, protease, and immunoglobulin, intestinal total bacterial count, protease and amylase activities were observed in the synbiotic treatments, particularly LH1+GA1. After an experimental infection with Aeromonas hydrophila, all experimental treatments exhibited significantly higher survival, compared to the control treatment. The highest survival was related to the synbiotic (particularly LH1+GA1), followed by prebiotic, and probiotic treatments. Overall, synbiotic containing 1 × 107 CFU/g LH + 0.5% GA can improve growth rate and feed efficiency in common carp. Moreover, the synbiotic can improve the antioxidant/innate immune systems and dominate lactic acid bacteria in the fish intestine that may be the reasons of the highest resistance against A. hydrophila infection.

Antioxidant activity in off and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and valve replacement surgery.

Cardiac surgeries initiate oxidative stress, increasing organ dysfunction development and mortality. The present study investigated the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as an antioxidant enzyme, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass (CABG) and heart valve replacement surgeries. A prospective study was performed on patients with proven coronary artery disease (CAD) or valvular heart disease (VHD) candidates for on- or off-pump CABG andvalve replacement surgery. Serum SOD activity was measured preoperatively, at 24h postoperatively, and at thetime of discharge. In addition, echocardiography was performed before surgery and at discharge. A total of 48, 51, and 47 patients were enrolled in theon-pump, off-pump CABG, and valve replacement groups, respectively. Baseline serum SOD activity showed no significant association with BMI, age, and blood pressure in either CAD or VHD patients. The SOD values decreased at the 24h postoperative time and then increased at the time of discharge in all groups, except for a slight decrease in the on-pump group. The changes in serum SOD values were not significantly different for the three surgical groups. The serum SOD activities fell significantly after CABG and valve replacement surgery. Further investigation is emphasized for the role of SOD in oxidative stress after cardiac surgery.

The Comparative Effects of Azanza garckeana Fruit Pulp and Melatonin on Serum and Testicular Oxidative Stress Changes, Live Sperm Cells and Spermatozoa Abnormalities Evoked by Chronic Administration of Bisphenol A in Rabbit Bucks

The study aimed to elucidate serum and testicular oxidative stress changes induced by bisphenol A (BPA) and their amelioration by Azanza garckeana (AG) pulp extract and melatonin. Adult New Zealand White rabbit bucks (n = 42), with average live weight of 1.2 ± 0.03 kg and aged 10-18 months were fed ad libitum on a commercial diet. They were randomly divided into seven groups of six (6) bucks each. Group A was administered distilled water (1.5 mL); group B, BPA (100 mg/kg); group C, AG (500 mg/kg); group D, melatonin (1.0 mg/kg); group E was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG (500 mg/kg) for another six weeks; group F was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg ), then melatonin (1.0 mg/kg) for another six weeks; and group G was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG (500 mg/kg) and melatonin(1.0 mg/kg) for another six weeks. There was a significant increase (p &lt; 0.05) in the activities of both serum and testicular superoxide dismutase and catalase, concentrations of and reduced glutathione concentration as well as a decrease in MDA concentration in treatment groups. Percentage dead sperm, spermatozoa abnormalities such as detached sperm heads, free, coiled and bent tails in the groups exposed to BPA increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05) compared to controls. It is concluded that BPA-induced oxidative stress. The administration of AG only ameliorated this negative effects better than melatonin. However, optimum results was seen when both substances were administered synergistically.

Dietary methionine restriction alleviates oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-challenged broilers at early age.

In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary methionine restriction (MR) on the antioxidant function and inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broilers reared at high stocking density. A total of 504 one-day-old male Arbor Acre broiler chickens were randomly divided into four treatments: 1) CON group, broilers fed a basal diet; 2) LPS group, LPS-challenged broilers fed a basal diet; 3) MR1 group, LPS-challenged broilers fed a methionine-restricted diet (0.3% methionine); and 4) MR2 group, LPS-challenged broilers fed a methionine-restricted diet (0.4% methionine). LPS-challenged broilers were intraperitoneally injected with 1mg/kg body weight (BW) of LPS at 17, 19, and 21days of age, whereas the CON group was injected with sterile saline. The results showed that: LPS significantly increased the liver histopathological score (p < 0.05); LPS significantly decreased the serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity at 3h after injection (p < 0.05); the LPS group had a higher content of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF)-α, but a lower content of IL-10 than the CON group in serum (p < 0.05). Compared with the LPS group, the MR1 diet increased catalase (CAT), SOD, and T-AOC, and the MR2 diet increased SOD and T-AOC at 3h after injection in serum (p < 0.05). Only MR2 group displayed a significantly decreased liver histopathological score (p < 0.05) at 3h, while MR1 and MR2 groups did so at 8h. Both MR diets significantly decreased serum LPS, CORT, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α contents, but increased IL-10 content (p < 0.05). Moreover, the MR1 group displayed significantly increased expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), CAT, and GSH-Px at 3 h; the MR2 group had a higher expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), SOD, and GSH-Px at 8h (p < 0.05). In summary, MR can improve antioxidant capacity, immunological stress, and liver health in LPS-challenged broilers. The MR1 and MR2 groups experienced similar effects on relieving stress; however, MR1 alleviated oxidative stress more rapidly. It is suggested that precise regulation of methionine levels in poultry with stress may improve the immunity of broilers, reduce feed production costs, and increase production efficiency in the poultry industry.

Re-Visiting Antioxidant Therapy in Murine Advanced Atherosclerosis with Brussels Chicory, a Typical Vegetable in Mediterranean Diets.

Brussels chicory, a typical vegetable in Mediterranean diets, has been recently reported to stabilize advanced atherosclerotic plaques in the brachiocephalic artery of apoE-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice. Herein, we investigated whether Brussels chicory can stabilize advanced plaques in the aorta via improving oxidative stress. Thirty week old Apoe-/- mice were fed the AIN-93G diet or supplemented with 0.5% freeze-dried Brussels chicory for twenty weeks. Aortic plaque size and stability, aortic relaxation, monocyte adhesion to aortic endothelium, free radicals, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic factors involved in free radical production and elimination in aorta and serum were measured. Brussels chicory consumption did not alter aortic plaque size, however, it stabilized aortic plaques, promoted aortic relaxation, and also inhibited monocyte adhesion to aortic endothelium. Moreover, this administration reduced oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) content in aortic plaques, associated with inhibited aortic NADPH oxidase (NOX) and uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-mediated free radical production. However, Brussels chicory consumption did not appreciably alter aortic and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, aortic glutathione (GSH), as well as serum non-enzymatic antioxidants, such as bilirubin, uric acid, and GSH. Collectively, improved oxidative stress might contribute to the atheroprotective effect of Brussels chicory, supporting the prospect of the antioxidant therapy in advanced atherosclerosis progression.

ПОЛИМОРФИЗМЫ ГЕНОВ ФЕРМЕНТОВ АНТИОКСИДАНТНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ SOD2 (C47T, rS4880) И CAT (G262A, rS1001179) В ПАТОГЕНЕЗЕ ХРОНИЧЕСКОГО ГЕПАТИТА С

Introduction. An important component in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C is the imbalance in oxidant and antioxidant systems. It is known that mutations in genes of antioxidant enzymes can lead to changes in antioxidant potential. Aim. To determine correlations of polymorphic variants of SOD2 (C47T, rs4880), CAT (G262A, rs1001179) superoxide dismutase and catalase genes with antioxidant system activity and features of clinical course of chronic hepatitis C. Material and Methods. The study of single nucleotide variants of genes of antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase SOD2 (C47T) and catalase CAT (G262A) was undertaken in 90 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 64 healthy controls. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from the epithelium of the inner surface of the cheek using ‘SNP-screen ‘ diagnostic reagents was analysed. The levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, alanine aminotransferase enzymes and degree of liver fibrosis were determined in the group of chronic hepatitis C patients. Correlations between investigated indexes were studied. Results and discussion. The distribution of alleles and genotypes of single nucleotide variants of catalase CAT (G262A) and superoxide dismutase SOD2 (C47T) genes among healthy subjects and chronic hepatitis C patients (p&gt;0,05) had no significant difference (p&gt;0,05), which testified to absence of influence of the studied gene variants on the risk of hepatitis C virus infection. We revealed statistically significant correlation of single-nucleotide variants of SOD2 (C47T) and CAT (G262A) genes with the development of chronic hepatitis C. Patients having G allele (genotypes GG and GA) of CAT (G262A) single nucleotide variants had low level of catalase enzyme, high level of alanine aminotransferase and high degree of F3-F4 fibrosis (correlation coefficient = -0,88*, p˂0,01). In patients with CC genotype SOD2 (C47T) a strong correlation with serum superoxide dismutase activity, severity of cytolysis syndrome (increased alanine aminotransferase) and degree of liver fibrosis (correlation coefficient = +0,70; p˂0,01) was established. Conclusion. In infection with hepatitis C virus polymorphic variants of SOD2 (C47T) and CAT (G262A) antioxidant system enzyme genes are the risk factors of hepatitis C progression, influencing catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, cytolysis syndrome development, determining liver fibrosis formation.

Dietary leucine requirement of fingerling Channa punctatus (Bloch) based on growth, feed conversion and leucine retention efficiency, hematological parameters, antioxidant and intestinal enzyme activities.

To find out the dietary leucine requirement of fingerling Channa punctatus (5.24 ± 0.07g), six purified experimental diets (45% CP and 14.73kJ/g DE) with various leucine concentrations (0.5, 1.0,1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0% diet) were fed to apparent satiation to triplicate groups for 12weeks (714/02/a/CPCSEA). Absolute weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, protein and leucine retention efficiency, and RNA/DNA ratio improved up to 2.0% leucine in the diet. Carcass protein and fat increased significantly with increasing leucine levels up to a 2.0% dry diet. Moisture content showed a reverse pattern. Red blood corpuscles hemoglobin and hematocrit increased with incremental levels of leucine up to 2.0% diet. Significant changes were also noted in serum total protein, superoxide dismutase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lysozyme activity. Serum protein, superoxide dismutase and lysozyme activity were positively correlated with increasing leucine levels up to 2.0% diet, whereas aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase showed the opposite trend. Based on the quadratic regression analysis of absolute weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein, and leucine retention efficiency, inclusion of 2.0% leucine is recommended for optimum growth of fingerling C. punctatus.

Dietary acidic calcium sulfate enhances growth, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histology and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with acidic calcium sulfate on growth, intestinal histology, and disease resistance of juvenile largemouth bass. Fish (19.88 ± 0.03 g) were fed on diets supplemented with 0 % (control), 1% acidic calcium sulfate (ACS1), 2 % acidic calcium sulfate (ACS2), 3 % acidic calcium sulfate (ACS3) and 0.03 % florfenicol (F) for 56 days. The results showed that the supplementation of 1 % acidic calcium sulfate to the diet significantly enhanced the growth performance (P < 0.05). Serum alanine aminotransferase activity in ACS2 and ACS3 groups was significantly higher than that in the control and ACS1 groups (P < 0.05). The serum alkaline phosphatase activity in ACS1 and F groups was significantly higher than that in the control and ACS3 groups (P < 0.05). The activity of serum superoxide dismutase in the control, ACS2 and ACS3 groups was significantly lower than that in ACS1 group (P < 0.05). Intestinal trypsin, amylase, and lipase activities increased significantly with increasing acidic calcium sulfate when compared to the control. (P < 0.05). The intestinal histology features showed that the villi height and width of ACS1 and ACS2 groups were significantly increased compared to that of the control (P < 0.05). The results of TOR pathway related genes in the liver showed that the expressions of TOR and ribosomal protein S6 of ACS1 group were significantly higher than the control, while the expression of 4E-BP1 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). When challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila, the survival rate of the control was significantly lower than that of F, ACS1, and ACS2 groups (P < 0.05). In summary, the optimum amount of acidic calcium sulfate for this experiment is 1 %. 1 % acidic calcium sulfate can effectively improve the growth performance and disease resistance of juvenile largemouth bass.

Effects of dietary supplementation with chlorogenic acid on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and hepatic inflammation in broiler chickens subjected to diquat-induced oxidative stress

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on broilers subjected to (DQ)-induced oxidative stress. In experiment 1, one hundred and ninety-two male one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were distributed into 4 groups and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg CGA for 21 d. In experiment 2, an equivalent number of male one-day-old chicks were allocated to 4 treatments for a 21-d trial: 1) Control group, normal birds fed a basal diet; 2) DQ group, DQ-challenged birds fed a basal diet; and 3) and 4) CGA-treated groups: DQ-challenged birds fed a basal diet supplemented with 500 or 1,000 mg/kg CGA. The intraperitoneal DQ challenge was performed at 20 d. In experiment 1, CGA administration linearly increased 21-d body weight, and weight gain and feed intake during 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05). CGA linearly and/or quadratically increased total antioxidant capacity, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, elevated glutathione level, and reduced malondialdehyde accumulation in serum, liver, and/or jejunum (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, compared with the control group, DQ challenge reduced body weight ratio (P < 0.05), which was reversed by CGA administration (P < 0.05). DQ challenge increased serum total protein level, aspartate aminotransferase activity, and total bilirubin concentration (P < 0.05), which were normalized when supplementing 500 mg/kg and/or 1,000 mg/kg CGA (P < 0.05). DQ administration elevated hepatic interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 levels (P < 0.05), and the values of interleukin-1β were normalized to control values when supplementing CGA (P < 0.05). DQ injection decreased serum superoxide dismutase activity, hepatic catalase activity, and serum and hepatic glutathione level, but increased malondialdehyde concentration in serum and liver (P < 0.05), and the values of these parameters (except hepatic catalase activity) were reversed by 500 and/or 1,000 mg/kg CGA. The results suggested that CGA could improve growth performance, alleviate oxidative stress, and ameliorate hepatic inflammation in DQ-challenged broilers.

Effects of α-lipoic acid on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in sheep.

α-Lipoic acid (α-LA) was usually applied to improve the ability of removing the reactive oxygen species of host. The affection of α-LA on ruminants was mainly focused on the variation of serum antioxidant and immune indexes, but the research on tissues or organs remained limited. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of α-LA on growth performance, antioxidant status, and immune indexes of serum and tissues in sheep. One hundred Duhu F1 hybrid (Dupo♀ × Hu sheep♂) sheep aged 2 to 3 mo with similar body weight (27.49 ± 2.10 kg) were randomly allocated into five groups. Five diets supplemented with 0 (CTL), 300 (LA300), 450 (LA450), 600 (LA600), and 750 (LA750) mg/kg α-LA were fed to sheep for 60 d. The results showed that α-LA supplementation significantly increased the average daily feed intake (P < 0.05); however, no significant variation was found in the average daily gain, feed conversion rate, carcass weight, and slaughter rate among groups (P > 0.05). Compared with CTL group, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in serum of LA600 and LA750 groups were increased (P < 0.05). At LA450-LA750 groups, SOD, CAT activities in liver and ileum tissues and GSH-Px activities in ileum tissues were increased than CTL group (P < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in serum and muscle tissue were decreased than CTL group (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity contents in liver, muscle, and ileum tissues of LA600 group were increased compared with CTL group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the interleukin-10 (IL-10) contents of serum in LA450-LA750 groups were increased than CTL group (P < 0.05); the contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum, interleukin-2 (IL-2) in liver, and interleukin-6, IL-1β in muscle were decreased than CTL group (P < 0.05). The content of immunoglobulin A in serum of LA600 group, ileum, and muscle of LA750 group was increased than CTL group (P < 0.05). Based on the quadratic regression analysis of GSH-Px, MDA, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-1β, the optimal dietary α-LA levels were estimated to be 495.75, 571.43, 679.03, 749.75, and 678.25 mg/kg, respectively. This research will provide certain contribution for the effective utilization of α-LA in sheep production.

Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) supplementation alleviates dexamethasone treatment-induced oxidative stress and inflammation response in broiler chickens

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) on growth performance, serum and liver antioxidant status, inflammation response and hematological changes, in male broiler chickens under experimentally induced stress via in-feed dexamethasone (DEX). A total of 300 male chicks (Ross 308) on day 7 after hatching, were randomly selected into four groups which were positive control group (PC, without any treatment), negative control (NC, with 1 mg/kg DEX), a third group received 1 mg/kg DEX and 100 mg/kg GABA (DG +) and the last one was (DG ++) which received 1 mg/kg DEX and 200 mg/kg GABA. Each group has five replicates (15 birds/replicate). Dietary GABA modulated DEX-induced adverse effects on body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. The DEX-induced effect of serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 was reduced by dietary GABA supplementation. The activity of serum and liver superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase were enhanced and malondialdehyde was reduced by GABA supplementation. The serum levels of total cholesterol & triglyceride were higher while low-density lipoprotein & high-density lipoprotein were lower in GABA groups than NC group. GABA supplementation also significantly decreased the heterophil, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and elevated the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) than NC group. In conclusion, dietary GABA supplementation can alleviate DEX stress-induced oxidative stress and inflammation response.

Polyphenols as a partial replacement for vitamin E in nursery pig diets.

A total of 300 pigs (241 × 600; DNA, Columbus, NE; initially 6.0 ± 0.01 kg) were used in a 42-d trial to determine the effects of vitamin E levels and partially replacing vitamin E with a polyphenol (Cabanin CSD, R2 Argo, Denmark) on growth performance, complete blood count, serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and cytokine panel. Sixty pens of pigs were weighed and allotted to one of the five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 12 pens per treatment. A control treatment was formulated to provide 15 IU/kg of vitamin E equivalence from vitamin E. This control treatment was then used as a base for three replacement strategy diets to determine the effects of replacing an additional 60 IU/kg of vitamin E with polyphenol in diets containing a basal level of vitamin E requirement estimate (15 IU/kg). First, an additional 60 IU/kg of vitamin E was added for a total of 75 IU/kg of vitamin E equivalence. Second, 50% of the additional vitamin E (30 IU/kg) was replaced with the equivalency of polyphenol. Third, all 60 IU/kg of the additional vitamin E was replaced with the equivalency of polyphenol. To evaluate whether there are negative effects of feeding nursery pigs a high level of polyphenol, a fifth treatment was formulated to provide 575 IU/kg of vitamin E equivalence with 75 IU/kg from vitamin E and 500 IU/kg from polyphenol. Whole blood and serum samples were collected on days 10 and 42, and pig weights and feed disappearance were measured on days 10, 21, 31, 38, and 42. For growth performance, increasing vitamin E equivalence tended to improve (quadratic, P < 0.10) gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) from days 10 to 21, and tended to improve (linear, P < 0.10) G:F from days 21 to 42 and 0 to 42. There was a vitamin E equivalence × day interaction (P = 0.050) for serum SOD activity. Increasing vitamin E equivalence increased (linear, P < 0.05) serum SOD activity on day 42 but not on days 10 (P > 0.10). For serum cytokines, there was no evidence of differences (P > 0.10) between treatments and vitamin E equivalence. Moreover, there was no evidence of differences (P > 0.10) in all response variables between the three replacement strategies throughout the entire periods. In summary, increasing vitamin E equivalence tended to improve G:F, which may be related to the improved SOD activity. Furthermore, polyphenol can effectively replace vitamin E provided above the vitamin E requirement to provide similar benefits from increasing vitamin E equivalence.

Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Total Flavonoids of Willow Buds on Acute Pancreatitis in Mice

To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of total flavonoids of willow buds on acute pancreatitis is the objective of the study. The willow buds of Salix babylonica L. (~1 cm) were harvested from Shenyang Institute of Technology between March 2020 to April 2020. Ultrasound-assisted extraction of total flavonoids of willow buds was conducted and an L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis mouse model was established. The content of naringenin was determined by Agilent 1100 high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum biochemical test, serum oxidation test and plasma leukocyte content was determined and HE staining was performed. The protective and therapeutic effects of total flavonoids of willow buds on acute pancreatitis in mice were investigated. Total flavonoids of willow buds effectively decreased the activity of serum amylase, lipase and malondialdehyde, reduced plasma white blood cells and increased serum calcium content and superoxide dismutase activity in acute pancreatitis mice; total flavonoids of willow buds alleviated the pathological injury of the pancreas in acute pancreatitis mice. In conclusion, total flavonoids of willow buds may reduce pancreatic injury via reducing the inflammatory response and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which is a promising natural anti-acute pancreatitis drug.