Total Triglyceride Concentrations Research Articles

Water temperature affects the protein requirements, growth performance, and nutritional metabolism of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) juveniles

This study aimed to determine whether water temperature and dietary protein levels played a role in regulating the growth and nutritional metabolism of juvenile grass carp (4.47 ± 0.01 g). Six dietary protein levels (18.20%, 24.32%, 30.60%, 36.42%, 43.27%, 49.49%) and two levels of water temperature (23 ℃ and 28 ℃) were used with a 6 × 2 experimental design method. After 60 days, the results demonstrated that appropriate dietary protein levels (30.60%, 23 ℃; 36.42%, 28 ℃) significantly increased the specific growth rate and weight gain rate of grass carp and significantly decreased the feed conversion ratio (P<0.05), and grass carp at 28 °C showed better feed utilization efficiency and growth performance. In addition, grass carp at 28 °C showed higher metabolic levels, and the expression of genes related to protein synthesis/catabolism, lipid synthesis/catabolism, and gluconeogenesis was significantly higher than at 23 °C. The highest plasma total cholesterol, plasma glucose and whole-body lipid content was observed in grass carp reared at 28 °C under low dietary protein level feeding (18.20%), while similar phenomena appeared in the high dietary protein levels (43.27%, 49.49%) feeding group at 23 °C. Correspondingly, a significantly higher the expression level of lipid anabolism genes was also observed in this dietary protein level. In addition, the plasma total cholesterol, total triglyceride, glucose, and total protein contents of grass carp under 23 °C culture were significantly higher than those of the 28 °C group. Based on the feed conversion ratio and specific growth rate by regression lines calculated using a quadratic model, the protein requirements of juvenile grass carp reared at 28 °C were 38.31%, and 38.03%, which were higher than the protein requirements of 36.76%, and 34.13% at 23 °C. These results may provide theoretical guidance for the precise protein requirements for grass carp juveniles reared at different temperatures.

Growth performance and physiological status evaluation of Spirulina platensis algae supplementation in broiler chicken diet

Spirulina platensis algae (SPA) is a natural feed supplement with 40 to 45% crude protein, 2.44% Ca, and 6.27% P. It contains substances (e.g., β-carotene and zeaxanthin, and high Fe, vitamins and phycocyanin). These substances reveal potential biological properties such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic contain. The effects of dietary supplementation of SPA on growth performance, antioxidative, immune status, and intestinal histology were investigated. A total of 540 broiler chickens were randomly assigned into 3 treatments of 18 breeding pens each housed in 6 replicates per each experimental treatment (30 broiler chickens per pen). Three diets were formulated to contain 0, 3, and 6% of SPA and fed from d 7 to 35. Body weight and body weight gain at 5 wk of age were greater in the diet containing 6% SPA compared with the 0% SPA. The supplementation of SPA to a broiler chicken diet improved the feed conversion ratio. The obtained results of the experiment showed that broiler chicken fed with 3 and 6% of feed SPA increased RBC, Hb, and WBC and lymphocyte was greater (P ≤ 0.05) values compared to the 0% SPA. Serum total lipid, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations in the diet containing 3 or 6% SPA decreased compared with the 0% SPA. Furthermore, the concentration of high-density lipoprotein was increased , while the opposite is observed with low-density lipoprotein concentration. Serum Ca and P concentrations had greater in the diet containing 3 or 6% SPA compared to the 0% SPA. Both the 3 and 6% SPA groups increased (P ≤ 0.05) blood glutathione; however, the SPA groups decreased (P ≤ 0.05) malondialdehyde but increased blood immunity status relative to the control group. Moreover, the content of Ca and P in tibia ash increased in both broiler chicken fed the diets containing 3 and 6% SPA compared with those fed the diet containing 0% SPA. In comparison to the control treatment, all experimental chickens had increased villus height, goblet cells per 100 enterocytes and villus height per crypt depth in the jejunum histology examination. The inclusion of SPA in broiler chicken fed the diet containing of 6% had a considerably positive effect on growth performance and gut health status. In addition, it is a good source of Ca and P to increase tibia strength.

Physiological responses of broiler chickens fed reduced-energy diets supplemented with emulsifiers.

To investigate the physiological effects of exogenous emulsifiers in broiler chickens that were fed tallow-incorporated reduced-energy diets over 35 days. A total of 256 Ross 308 one-day-old broilers (42.28±0.16 g) were randomly allocated in a 2×2 factorial arrangement to 32 pens with eight chicks per cage. Birds were fed one of four dietary treatments as follows: i) positive control (PCN; energy sufficient diet); ii) negative control (NCN; energy-deficient diet, -100 ME kcal/kg); iii) PCL (PCN plus 0.05% emulsifier); and iv) NCL (NCN plus 0.05% emulsifier). Growth performance was evaluated weekly whereas assessments for the carcass traits, digestibility, some blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and meat quality were measured on d 21 and d 35. Birds fed the NCL diet had higher (p<0.05) body weights, daily gains, daily feed intake, and improved feed efficiency over the entire 35-day period. Improvements (p<0.05) for the ileal digestibility of crude fat, energy, and dry matter commensurate with longer (p<0.05) villus heights were also observed with emulsifiers in the NCL and PCL diets. For the carcass measurements, only the liver weights were increased (p<0.05) with emulsifiers in the supplemented groups. For blood metabolites, higher (p<0.05) lipase levels were noticed with emulsifiers in the NCL and PCL diets. In addition, marginal reductions (p = 0.076; p = 0.095, respectively) were also noted with emulsifiers for the total cholesterol and triglyceride contents on d 35. Regarding meat quality, breast muscle yellowness was increased (p<0.05) with emulsifier use in supplemented groups. Our results suggest that emulsifier supplementation at 0.05% in diets could potentially improve the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broilers over 35 days. This could compensate for the lower growth performance that could be recorded with fat-incorporated lower-energy diets.

Effects of Vine Tea Extract on Meat Quality, Gut Microbiota and Metabolome of Wenchang Broiler.

Simple SummaryThe current work was to assess the effect of vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) extract (AGE) addition on the meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolome of Wenchang broilers. It was found that diet addition with AGE could enhance the quality and flavor of Wenchang broiler.This study investigates the effects of vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) extract (AGE) on meat quality, gut microbiota and cecal content metabolites of Wenchang broilers. A total of 240 female Wenchang broilers aged 70 days were randomly allocated into four groups with five replicates of twelve broilers each. Broilers were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with AGE at 0 (T1), 0.2% (T2), 0.4% (T3) and 0.6% (T4) until 124 days of age. The whole feeding trial lasted 54 days. Results suggest that the content of total triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum of broilers are linearly reduced with dietary AGE supplementation (p < 0.05). The T3 and T4 groups had higher (p < 0.05) a* value in thigh and breast muscles than the T1 group. Additionally, the dietary supplementation of AGE decreased the shear force and drip loss of both thigh and breast muscles linearly (p < 0.05). Compared with the T1 group, AGE supplementation increased the levels of inosine monophosphate (IMP) significantly (p < 0.05) in both the thigh and breast muscles. Furthermore, an increase (p < 0.05) in the total unsaturated fatty acid (USFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acid (USFA: SFA) in both the thigh and breast muscles in the T3 group was observed. Higher abundance of Bacteroidota (p < 0.05) and lower abundance of Firmicutes (p < 0.05) were observed in the T3 group. The abundance of Faecalibacterium was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the T3 group compared with the T1 group. Cholesterol sulfate and p-cresol sulfate were identified as differential metabolites between the T1 and T3 groups. It suggested that 0.4% of AGE supplementation significantly downregulated the levels of p-cresol sulfate and cholesterol sulfate (p < 0.05) and the hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity compared with the control. Our present study demonstrates that dietary supplementation with AGE can improve the quality and flavor by increasing the IMP and PUFA content in the muscle of Wenchang broilers. Furthermore, dietary AGE supplementation with 0.4% can regulate the cholesterol metabolism of Wenchang broilers.

Abstract 1463: Impaired reciprocal regulation between SIRT6 and TGF-β signaling as a potential mechanism for development and progression of fatty liver

Abstract Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of fibrotic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Dysregulated TGF-β signaling and loss of SIRT6 activity are implicated in fatty liver disease. SIRT6 limits fibrosis by inhibiting SMAD3 activity and limits de novo lipogenesis by inhibiting SREBP1 and SREBP2 activity. We hypothesized that altered reciprocal regulation between TGF-β signaling and SIRT6 contributes to NAFLD and its progression. The goal of this study was to identify regulatory crosstalk between SIRT6 and SMAD3 and SPTBN1, a regulator of SMAD3 activity. Methods: We used bioinformatics and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with HepG2 cells to examine the binding of SMAD3 or CTCF to the SIRT6 gene in the presence or absence of TGF-β. Using cultured cells, we examined the effect of altering SPTBN1 or SMAD3 on SIRT6 abundance, and of altering SIRT6 on SPTBN1 and SMAD3 abundance. We examined liver phenotypes of SPTBN1+/- mice fed either a normal chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) and monitored body weight and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, as well as analyzed liver tissue for SIRT6 abundance. Results: We identified two consensus SMAD-binding elements and two consensus CTCF binding sites in the SIRT6 promoter and showed by ChIP that TGF-β stimulated SMAD3 and CTCF binding to the promoter region of SIRT6. We found that deficiency in SMAD3 or SPTBN1 reduced SIRT6 mRNA and protein abundance. Overexpression of SIRT6 reduced expression of selected TGF-β-induced genes. Knockdown of SIRT6 increased SPTBN1 but not SMAD3 abundance and overexpression of SIRT6 reduced only SPTBN1 abundance. We found that fatty liver and associated metabolic changes induced by HFD is worse in SPTBN1+/- mice than in control mice. Furthermore, this condition was associated with reduced SIRT6 protein abundance in the liver. Conclusions: We found a reciprocal regulatory mechanism involving SPTBN1 through which SIRT6 can influence TGF-β signaling and identified SIRT6 as a target of TGF-β-SMAD3 signaling. The development of liver steatosis with reduced SIRT6 in SPTBN1+/- mice suggested that impaired induction of SIRT6 contributes to the severe liver phenotype, which resembles nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Future investigation may yield opportunities to intervene and prevent NAFLD from progressing to NASH and thus reduce the risk of HCC. Citation Format: Kazufumi Ohshiro, Xiyan Xiang, David Bernstein, James M. Crawford, Bibhuti Mishra, Patricia S. Latham, Nancy R. Gough, Shuyun Rao, Lopa Mishra. Impaired reciprocal regulation between SIRT6 and TGF-β signaling as a potential mechanism for development and progression of fatty liver [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1463.

Effects of bovine milk and buffalo milk on lipid metabolism in mice.

Buffalo milk contains more polyunsaturated fatty acids than bovine milk. However, it is not clear about the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism. In this study, a mouse model was used to explore the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism in mice. The experiment was divided into three groups: a control group on a normal diet; a bovine milk group infused with bovine milk; a buffalo milk group infused with buffalo milk. We fed three groups of mice (n = 6) for 6 weeks. These results showed that bovine milk and buffalo milk had no effect on body weight gain. Bovine milk increased the content of ApoA1, ApoBand glucose in serum, compared with the control group, but buffalo milk has no profound change in serum ApoB. Remarkably, buffalo milk decreased the content of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in the liver lipid profile, and also downregulated the expression of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (Cpt2) gene involved in the fatty acid oxidation in the liver. This study also found that bovine milk and buffalo milk did not cause the expression of pro-inflammatory factors in serum and colon tissues. This experiment proved that buffalo milk has beneficial effects on the regulation of lipid metabolism, and also does not affect the normal growth and pro-inflammatory response of the colon in mice. It provides a theoretical basis for future in-depth research on the special functions of buffalo milk and the development of buffalo milk functional foods.

Cardiac alterations with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction association with hepatic steatosis in female prediabetic rats submitted to high-fat-high-sucrose diet

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is known to be linked with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in type 2 diabetes, but few studies are interested in this relationship in prediabetes. This association needs to be explored especially among prediabetic women, who are at greater risk of CVD than men. We aimed to evaluate cardiac alterations and their association with hepatic inflammation and lipid metabolism in prediabetic female rats submitted to 5 months of high-fat-high-sucrose diet (HFS). Wistar female rats were divided in 2 groups fed for 5 months with standard or HFS diet (CTRL/HFS). We analyzed cardiac function, morphology, perfusion and fibrosis by magnetic resonance imaging, then rats underwent an IPGTT. The expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation was afterwards studied in liver samples, as well as total lipid mass and triglyceride (TG) contents. Five months of HFS diet induced glucose intolerance ( P < 0.05), and cardiac alterations with increased heart perfusion ( P < 0.01), diastolic and systolic myocardial wall thickness ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) but also increased diastolic left ventricular mass ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac fibrosis, cardiac output and index between groups. HFS diet induced hepatic lipid accumulation with increased total lipid mass ( P < 0.001) and TG contents, but also lipid metabolism adaptations with increased acyl CoA oxidase ( P < 0.0001), CPT1a ( P < 0.0001) and LCAD ( P < 0.0001) expressions. No significant differences were found for FAS, MCAD and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and MCP1) expressions. HFS diet in female rats induced cardiac alterations associated with hepatic lipid metabolism adaptations characterized by increased lipid peroxidation and β oxidation. Further analyses must be performed to study the relation between cardiac and hepatic alterations observed in female prediabetic rats.

Adipocyte Size, Adipose Tissue Fibrosis, Macrophage Infiltration and Disease Risk Are Different in Younger and Older Individuals with Childhood and Adulthood Onset Obesity

ObjectivesThe timing of obesity onset and age have been shown to affect the risk of obesity-related comorbidities, although the impact of each of these factors on markers of adipose tissue function remains unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether differences in regional adipose tissue characteristics vary with age and age of obesity onset, and whether these differences are associated with the markers of cardiometabolic health.MethodsAdipose tissue samples were from 80 female bariatric surgery candidates who were classified by age of obesity onset and age into 4 groups: 1) younger adults (<40 y) with childhood-onset obesity (< 18 y) (Childhood-Young); 2) younger adults with adulthood-onset obesity (>18 y) (Adulthood-Young); 3) older adults (>55 y) with childhood-onset obesity (Childhood-Old); and 4) older adults with adulthood-onset obesity (Adulthood-Old). Adipocyte diameter, adipose tissue fibrosis and macrophage infiltration were determined in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Clinical parameters were obtained from participants’ medical records.ResultsVisceral adipocyte size in the Childhood-Young group was the smallest of all the groups. Age affected visceral infiltration of M1-like cells in both older groups, whereas onset, specifically childhood-onset, was related to visceral infiltration of M2-like cells in the Childhood-Old group. Fibrosis accumulation in SAT and VAT varied with age and onset, particularly in the Childhood-Old group having the lowest fibrosis levels. Markers of cardiometabolic health (fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations) were positively and well associated with adipose tissue characteristics of the Childhood-Old group but not of the Adulthood-Young group.ConclusionsOlder adults with childhood onset obesity, who had the greatest duration of obesity exposure, were particularly vulnerable to the cardiometabolic effects associated with perturbations in adipose tissue characteristics. These results, suggest that age and age of obesity onset may have independent and cumulative effects on obesity pathology.Funding SourcesSylvia Santosa holds a Canada Research Chair – Tier 2 in Clinical Nutrition. This research is also supported by a Discovery Grant from The Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Development of internal standard for lipoprotein subclass analysis using dual detection gel-permeation high-performance liquid chromatography system.

The LipoSEARCH® System is an innovative lipoprotein class analysis method based on gel-permeation high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This system uses a gel permeation column to separate the major lipoprotein subclasses (chylomicron, very low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein) in serum according to particle size and splits them into two pathways to measure total cholesterol (TC; esterified + unesterified cholesterol) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations simultaneously to obtain chromatograms for each.These chromatograms were analyzed based on the results of the calibration serum by fitting Gaussian curves to profile the 20 lipoprotein subclasses defined in detail. An important assumption of this HPLC system is its simultaneous detection of two pathways to guarantee the accuracy of each analysis. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the development of an internal standard that can guarantee the simultaneous detection of this system by adding a pigment to the serum. We focused on quinone pigments with absorption at 550 nm, which is the wavelength used for the enzymatic assay of TC and TG concentrations in the system. As a result, we succeeded in producing overlapping pigment peaks that appeared after the analytical chromatograms in two pathways. It is also suggested that the pigment solution as an internal standard is stable in freezing storage and has little effect on the analysis. The developed internal standard is expected to contribute to the accuracy assurance of lipoprotein analysis by this dual-detection HPLC system.

Effects of Caponization on Growth Performance and Carcass Composition of Yangzhou Ganders.

Simple SummaryGoose meat is recognized as one of the healthiest foods. Goose capons are specially bred and consumed in several parts of China for their high-quality meat. However, the effects of caponization on goose growth and carcass traits have remained uninvestigated, and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this research, caponization lowered testosterone and increased the total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in serum. Caponization increased live weights by promoting food intake and abdominal fat deposition, and improved meat quality by increasing intermuscular fat. Changes in the expression of these genes indicate that caponization increases the live weight mainly by increasing fat deposition rather than muscle growth. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms of caponization on growth performance and fat deposition in ganders.In this study, we determined the effects of caponization on the growth performance and carcass traits of Yangzhou ganders. Fifty sham operated geese (the control group) and 80 caponized geese (the caponized group) were selected at 150 days of age and reared until 240 days of age. At 210 days of age, 30 geese from the caponized group were selected and fed with testosterone propionate (testosterone group). The results showed that caponization lowered testosterone and increased the total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in serum, live weights, average 15 day gains, and feed intake. Abdominal fat and intramuscular fat were significantly higher in the caponized geese than in the control at 240 days. Gene expression analysis showed that caponization promoted abdominal fat deposition and intermuscular fat content by upregulating the expression of adipogenic genes in the liver, adipose tissue, and muscle tissue. The high expression of SOCS3 in the hypothalamus, liver, and muscle of caponized geese suggests that caponization may lead to negative feedback regulation and leptin resistance. Changes in the expression of these genes, along with the downregulation of PAX3 in the breast muscle and MYOG in the leg muscles, indicate that caponization increases the live weight mainly by increasing fat deposition rather than muscle growth. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms of caponization on growth performance and fat deposition in ganders.

Amelioration of aluminum-induced hepatic and nephrotoxicity by Premna odorata extract is mediated by lowering MMP9 and TGF-β gene alterations in Wistar rat

This study aims to investigate the effect of Premna odorata (P. odorata) (Lamiaceae) on the hepatic and nephrotoxicity induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl3) in rat. Wistar male rats were equally classified into four groups: control, P. odorata extract (500 mg/kg B.W.), AlCl3 (70 mg/kg B.W.), and P. odorata extract plus AlCl3 groups. All treatments were given orally for 4 weeks. Serum transaminases and some biochemical parameters, hepatic and renal antioxidant/oxidant biomarker; tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α); matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) mRNA expression; histopathological examination of the liver, and kidneys were investigated. The obtained results revealed that AlCl3 significantly increased the activities of serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase as well as produced a significant increase in total cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, and creatinine concentrations, while there were no changes observed in the total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations. Also, aluminum administration significantly decreased the reduced glutathione content and increased the catalase activity, malondialdehyde, and TNF-α concentrations in the liver and kidney tissue. Moreover, AlCl3 results in congestion, degeneration, and inflammation of the liver and kidney tissue. Co-treatment of P. odorata extract with AlCl3 alleviated its harmful effects on the previous parameters and reduced the histopathological alterations induced by AlCl3. Therefore, Premna odorata may have a potent protective effect against oxidative stress induced by Al toxicity through downregulation of MMP9 and TGF-β gene expression.

Corn distiller's dried grains with solubles as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal in Pekin duck diets based on its predicted AME and the evaluated standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids

The study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) levels on growth performance, carcass characteristic, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids (SIDAA) in Pekin ducks aged 11 to 42 d based on the evaluation of its SIDAA. A total of 560 eleven-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly allotted to 5 treatments with 7 replicate pens per treatment and 16 ducks per pen based on the average body weight. Six isonitrogenous and isocaloric experimental diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis to produce diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% DDGS, respectively. With increasing of dietary DDGS levels, a linear and quadratic reduction (P < 0.05) was observed in the body weight (BW) at d 42, average day gain (ADG) and average day feed intake (ADFI) from d 11 to 42, breast meat yield, the moisture and protein content in the breast meat, and dietary DM and EE utilization. Moreover, a linear and quadratic increase (P < 0.05) was observed in the b* value of the breast meat and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Compared with the control group, the group with 10% inclusion of DDGS exhibited no adverse effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and the SIDAA of the diets (P > 0.05). These results suggested that 10% of corn DDGS can function as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal, and the optimal levels of DDGS in the diets of ducks aged from 11 to 42 d depends more on its quality.

Nucleotide supplementation in the diet of Sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus): Improved zootechnical performance, biochemical indices, and immune responses

Nucleotides (NT) are low-molecular-weight intracellular compounds which play pivotal roles in physiological activities of fish. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary NT supplementation on performance, body composition, serum biochemical properties and innate immune responses of Sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus). Five semi purified experimental diets containing graded levels of NT (0.00%, 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.35%, and 0.50%) from Vannagen, a commercial NT product, were fed to triplicate groups of Sterlet sturgeon with an initial average weight of 95.33 ± 1.23 g in a flow-through system for 10 weeks. The fish were fed by hand to apparent satiation six times daily (04.00, 08.00, 12.00, 16.00, 20.00 and 24.00 h). The results corroborated that dietary NT supplementation linearly improved the weight gain ratio (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency (FE), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) in Sterlet sturgeon after 10-week administration (p < 0.05). A quadratically increasing trend of crude protein and fat content was also observed by dietary inclusion of 0.25% NT with the highest values of 237.90 ± 0.17 and 79.55 ± 2.05 g kg-1 in fish fed with 0.35 NT supplemented diet, respectively (p < 0.05). Nucleotide inclusion produced a significantly linear increase in serum biochemical parameters with the highest level of total protein (34.67 ± 0.80 g L−1), albumin (10.00 ± 0.10 g L−1), and globulin (24.66 ± 0.71 g L−1) in fish fed with 0.50% NT supplemented diet (p < 0.05). Measured stress responses including cortisol and glucose levels were also linearly (p < 0.05) and quadratically (p < 0.05) reduced after feeding with different dietary NT concentrations, respectively. Sterlet sturgeon fed a diet containing 0.35% exogenous NT showed the highest immune responses including lysozyme activity (LA) (40.67 ± 2.60 U mL−1), immunoglobulin M (IgM) (62.00 ± 1.73 mg dL−1), complement component C3 (65.30 ± 4.81 mg dL−1), and complement component C4 (8.73 ± 0.50 mg dL−1), which were significantly higher than those fed the basal diet (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that dietary NT supplementation has positive effects on growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, biochemical parameters and immune responses of Sterlet sturgeon. Based on the whole body crude protein content, serum total cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations, LA as well as complement component C3 and C4, the optimal level of dietary nucleotide supplementation for Sterlet sturgeon was estimated to be in a range of 0.263–0.383% of diet.

Modulation Mechanism of Proanthocyanidins from Leaves of Bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. Et Zucc.) on Hyperlipemic Rats Induced by High-fat-diet

Aim: To investigate the lipid-lowering effect of proanthocyanidins from Bayberry leaf (BLP) in rat model of hyperlipidemia and to clarify the underlying molecular mechanism.&#x0D; Study Design: The study includes in-vitro and in-vivo experiments in rat model.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Zhejiang Province, China, between March 2021 to December 2021.&#x0D; Methodology: BLP were preliminarily characterized. The adsorption rate of BLP was determined based on in-vitro binding to bile acids. The effect of BLP on membrane transport of bile acids was examined through Caco-2 mono-layer in trans-well. The effect of BLP on serum enzyme activity and lipid metabolism genes expression were also investigated in a high-fat diet rat model.&#x0D; Results: Total poly-phenol and proanthocyanidins contents were 97.93% and 82.25% respectively, using gallic acid and Epigallocatechin-3-O-Gallate (EGCG) as equivalent. The total flavonoid content was 12.05% (quercetin as equivalent) and the average polymerization degree of BLP was determined as 4.51. And the in-vitro average binding rates of BLP to bile acids were all higher than 80%. Meanwhile, the membrane transport of bile acids in Caco-2 monolayer cells were significantly obstructed by BLP. Furthermore, the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in rat serum were markedly decreased after 28-day of BLP treatment. And the hepatic steatosis was significantly ameliorated in high-dose BLP treatment group compared with high fat group. High-dose administration of BLP significantly reduced the levels of 3-hydroxy-3-3methylglutary-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, while the levels of ATP binding cassette transporters (ABCG-5), liver X receptor-α (LXR-α) and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) were significantly increased.&#x0D; Conclusion: BLP can mediate the serum lipid metabolism via preventing bile acids re-absorption, reducing oxidative stress and regulating the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes.

Spirulina and C-phycocyanin mitigate titanium dioxide nanoparticle-induced hematobiochemical and hepatorenal disorders through antioxidative pathway

The present investigation is designed to evaluate the ameliorative efficacy of spirulina and its active constituent, C-phycocyanin, on hepatorenal injury induced by titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). Forty-eight male albino rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, Spirulina treated group, C-phycocyanin treated group, TiO2 NPs treated group, TiO2 NPs+ Spirulina treated group and TiO2 NPs+ C-phycocyanin treated group. The estimation of hepatic and renal function markers and oxidative status as well as histopathologic alterations in hepatic and renal tissues were analyzed. Spirulina and C- phycocyanin treatments caused significant improvement in all hematological indices such as RBCs, Hb, HCT, and total and differential WBCs relative to the untreated TiO2 NPs group. Also, spirulina and C-phycocyanin treatments significantly alleviated hepatic enzymes and bilirubin concentrations. Oral administration of spirulina and C- phycocyanin decreased total cholesterol and triglycerides content significantly. Both Spirulina and C- phycocyanin attenuated creatinine, urea, and uric acid significantly. Furthermore, the present study revealed that spirulina and C- phycocyanin significantly increased hepatorenal antioxidants content and retard malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. Histopathological examinations displayed that both spirulina and C- phycocyanin treatments repaired mostly the abnormal architecture of hepatic and renal tissues induced by TiO2 NPs. In conclusion, the modulatory role of spirulina and C-phycocyanin may be due to their strong antioxidative effects and other active constituents of spirulina.

Lemon fermented products prevent obesity in high-fat diet-fed rats by modulating lipid metabolism and gut microbiota.

Citrus limon (lemon) possesses immunoregulatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering effects. Our previous study showed that lemon fermented products (LFP) which were lemon fermented with Lactobacillus OPC1 had the ability to avert obesity. However, the LFP effects on the pathway of lipid metabolism by gut microbiota were still unclear. This study was aimed to investigate the LFP effects on liver lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in a rat model of obesity caused by a high-calorie diet. LFP effectively reduced the total triglyceride (49.7%) and total cholesterol (53.3%) contents of the liver. Additionally, the mRNA levels of genes related to triglyceride metabolism (SREBP-1c, PPARγ, and ACC), cholesterol metabolism (HMG-CoA reductase, ACAT, and LCAT), and lipid β-oxidation (PPARα, and CPT-1) were regulated by LFP. Furthermore, LFP reduced the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and enhanced the ratio of Firmicutes Clostridia. Overall, these findings suggested that LFP might use as a potential dietary supplement for preventing obesity by modulating the lipid metabolism and improving the gut microbiota.

Effects of Dietary Curcumin on Growth and Digestive Physiology of Seriola dumerili

In order to understand the effects of dietary curcumin on the growth and digestive performance of Seriola dumerili, this study was conducted under laboratory conditions. The control group was added with 0% curcumin, and two treatment groups were added with 0.01% and 0.02% curcumin, respectively. Fish were fed with experimental diet for 8 weeks. The growth data, growth genes, intestinal digestive enzymes, tissue parameters, and blood lipid-related indicators were measured, and the correlation between digestive indicators, growth gene indicators, and growth characteristic indicators was analyzed. The results showed that the survival rate, visceral ratio, hepatosomatic ratio, and condition factor of Seriola dumerili increased first and then decreased with the increase of curcumin content in feed. The feed conversion ratio of the control group was significantly higher than that of the treatment group. With the increase of curcumin content in feed, lipase and trypsin increased first and then decreased with the increase of curcumin content. Compared with the control group, curcumin significantly increased the muscle thickness and the number of goblet cells of Seriola dumerili. High and low contents of curcumin can reduce the content of serum total cholesterol and triglyceride, and a low dose (0.01%) of curcumin has the strongest lipid-lowering effect. The relative gene expression of IGF1 and IGF2 reached the maximum in the 0.02% treatment group. The results showed that the addition of curcumin in feed could theoretically improve the survival rate, feed efficiency, and other growth characteristics of Seriola dumerili, improve intestinal digestion and structure, promote intestinal health, and reduce blood lipid levels. The best effect was achieved in the 0.01% treatment group. The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for the feasibility of adding curcumin to Seriola dumerili feed in production and realize the optimal proportion of feed additives for this species, which is beneficial to the sustainable development of aquaculture.

Effect of in ovo lithium carbonate and citrate injection on embryonic development and total blood glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol concentration

Effect of in ovo lithium carbonate and citrate injection on embryonic development and total blood glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol concentration

Effect of maternal dietary starch-to-fat ratio and daily energy intake during late pregnancy on the performance and lipid metabolism of primiparous sows and newborn piglets.

The present study evaluated the effects of maternal dietary energy intake and starch-to-fat ratio during late gestation on the performance and lipid metabolism of sows and their offspring. On day 84 of gestation, 80 Landrace × Yorkshire primiparous sows were assigned to 2×2 factorial arrangements according to body weight following a randomized complete block design. The factors were daily energy intake (8,375 kcal ME/d [CE] vs. 9,600 kcal ME/d [HE]) and dietary starch-to-fat ratio (10:1 [CR] vs. 15:1 [HR]). All sows were fed one of four diets from day 85 of gestation until farrowing. Data were analyzed using the GLM procedure in SPSS. High energy intake increased the body weight of sows on day 110 of gestation (P = 0.031) as well as the weight of piglets at birth (P = 0.018). Increased energy intake elevated the plasma triglyceride concentrations in sows (P = 0.027) and piglets (P = 0.044). Maternal high energy intake altered the liver metabolome of newborn piglets in terms of metabolites related to carbohydrate and linoleic acid metabolism. Moreover, maternal high energy intake increased hepatic total cholesterol (P = 0.023) and triglyceride (P = 0.026) concentration in newborn piglets. Furthermore, maternal high energy intake significantly increased the transcript abundance of fatty acid synthase (FAS; P = 0.001) and protein abundance of phosphorylated protein kinase B (P =0.001) in the liver of newborn piglets. A high starch-to-fat ratio reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration in the plasma of sows (P = 0.044) and newborn piglets (P = 0.048) as well as in the liver of newborn piglets (P = 0.015). Furthermore, maternal high starch-to-fat ratio increased the transcript abundances of FAS (P = 0.004) in newborn piglets. In conclusion, high daily energy intake of sows increased the birth weight of newborn piglets. Moreover, maternal high daily energy intake and high dietary starch-to-fat ratio improved the lipid metabolism of newborn piglets.

Production, metabolism, and follicular dynamics in multiparous dairy cows fed diets providing different amounts of metabolizable protein prepartum and postpartum

Our objectives were (1) to determine whether increasing metabolizable protein (MP) supply above requirements in late-gestation cows would benefit health, milk production, and reproduction; (2) to determine whether an increased supply of MP postpartum affects production; and (3) to determine whether supply of MP prepartum interacts with MP supply postpartum. Pregnant nonlactating cows (n = 60) blocked by expected parturition date were assigned to 1 of 3 prepartum diets from 21 d prepartum to parturition: 12% crude protein (CP) soybean meal (SBM) supplement (LSB); 15% CP SBM supplement (HSB); and 15% CP SBM plus animal-marine protein supplement (HMP). Diets were formulated to supply an estimated 924, 988, and 1,111 g/d of MP, respectively, at 11.5 kg of dry matter intake (DMI). After parturition, cows received diets containing 18% CP, either from SBM (SB) or SBM plus animal-marine protein (AMP) supplements, that provided 2,056 (SB) or 2,293 g/d (AMP) of MP at 21 kg of DMI; thus, treatments were in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Milk production and DMI were recorded for 63 d postpartum. Prepartum DMI was lower at wk -3 for cows fed LSB compared with those fed HSB or HMP. Postpartum DMI did not differ significantly between cows fed SB and those fed AMP (20.8 vs. 19.6 kg/d). Milk production did not differ due to prepartum diets or postpartum diets. Milk fat and protein percentages were not affected by prepartum or postpartum diets. Cows fed AMP postpartum tended to produce more milk fat, but 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) did not differ from SB-supplemented cows (33.6 kg/d vs. 32.2 kg/d). Gross feed efficiency (FCM/DMI) was greater for cows fed AMP postpartum (1.82 vs. 1.68). Prepartum concentrations of urea N in plasma were lower for LSB than for HSB and HMP, and HSB was greater than HMP. Postpartum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate were greater for cows fed AMP postpartum than for those fed SB. Postpartum urea N was higher for SB than for AMP (14.4 vs. 12.5 mg/dL). Concentration of total protein in plasma was greater postpartum for cows fed HSB or HMP prepartum than for those fed LSB, and was greater postpartum for cows fed AMP than for those fed SB. Hepatic concentrations of total lipids and triglyceride did not differ among treatments. Hepatic glycogen was greater postpartum for cows fed SB postpartum. Feeding HSB or HMP increased the number of follicles 6 to 9 mm in diameter compared with LSB. The size of the largest follicle was increased by HMP compared with HSB. In conclusion, increasing the amount of MP fed to cows during the last 21 d prepartum did not affect milk production or BCS but increased plasma total protein concentration. Follicular dynamics were improved by increasing the amount of MP prepartum. Feeding HMP prepartum improved follicular dynamics prepartum and increased milk fat yield in wk 1. Feeding AMP postpartum increased efficiency of FCM production and plasma total protein. We found few interactions between prepartum and postpartum MP supply.