饲料鱼溶浆影响黄颡鱼的胆汁酸代谢及脂肪沉积

为探讨鱼溶浆(SW)对黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)胆汁酸代谢的影响, 以30%鱼粉日粮为对照(FM), 在无鱼粉日粮中分别添加约8% (SW8)、17% (SW17)和25% (SW25)的鱼溶浆(干物质), 设计4组等氮等能日粮, 在池塘网箱中养殖黄颡鱼[初始体重(15.67±0.11) g] 60d。结果显示: 与FM组相比, SW25组黄颡鱼全鱼脂肪含量显著降低(P<0.05), SW17、SW25组肝胰脏脂肪含量显著降低; 同时, SW17、SW25组血清胆固醇降低11.9%—16.6%, 甘油三酯降低32.5%—47.9% (P<0.05)。SW25组肝胰脏胆汁酸水平比FM组降低了76.3% (P<0.05), 而在血清、肠道中胆汁酸水平升高了125.7%和123.3% (P<0.05)。黄颡鱼肝胰脏CYP7A1基因的mRNA表达量没有显著变化(P>0.05), BSEP、ABCC4、NTCP 基因的表达量随鱼溶浆添加量增加而呈现上升趋势, SW25组的表达量比FM组高16.9%、68.2%和222.8%, ABCC4、NTCP表达量变化显著(P<0.05)。结果表明: 在无鱼粉日粮中添加25%的鱼溶浆(干物质), 不影响黄颡鱼肝胰脏胆汁酸的合成作用, 但促使胆汁酸向血液、肠道中转移, 增强了脂肪的能量代谢作用, 减少鱼体脂肪沉积。     

果胶和木聚糖对中华绒螯蟹肠道菌群结构的影响

本研究旨在揭示果胶和木聚糖对中华绒螯蟹(Eriocheir sinensis)肠道菌群结构的影响。将果胶和麦麸(木聚糖源)分别以8%和30%的比例添加到饲料中制成试验饲料,将经过酶解的果胶和麦麸添加到饲料中制备成对照饲料,饲养初始体重为(5.9依0.4)g的中华绒螯蟹8周。养殖试验结束后,采用16S r DNA荧光定量PCR法分析测定了中华绒螯蟹肠道菌群结构。结果显示中华绒螯蟹肠道细菌主要由变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、梭杆菌门(Fusobacteria)的细菌组成。果胶组肠道菌群丰度指数Ace和Chao分别低于其对照组31%和39%,肠道菌群多样性指数Simpson比对照组高25%,而Shannon指数比对照组低48%。木聚糖组Ace和Chao指数均比果胶组高约25%,比其酶解对照组高约14%。木聚糖组的多样性指数与其酶解木聚糖组及果胶组的差异较小。上述结果表明,果胶和木聚糖均影响中华绒螯蟹肠道的菌群结构,但两者对肠道菌群丰度的影响不同。     

肠道气泡堆积对银鲳肠道菌群结构的影响

为研究肠道气泡堆积对银鲳(Pampus argenteus)肠道菌群的影响,2019年3月于东海水产研究所福鼎研究中心采集了15尾肠道气泡堆积的银鲳为病鱼组,15尾健康银鲳为健康鱼组,并通过16S r DNA基因DNA高通量测序技术结合LEfSe分析方法,对两组样品间菌群结构和多样性进行对比分析。结果显示,病鱼组肠道菌群多样性与健康鱼组无显著差异(P 0.05),但病鱼组肠道菌群的均匀度和相对丰度都显著低于健康鱼组(P 0.05)。两组样品的优势菌群均为变形菌门(Proteobacteria),且相对丰度都较大(超过97%)。此外,利用LEfSe分析两组样品发现,病鱼组中如根瘤菌(Rhizobium)、栖热菌(Thermus)等好氧菌丰度显著高于健康鱼组,而不动肝菌(Acinetobacter)、微酸菌(Ilumatobacter)等显著低于健康鱼组,蓝细菌(Cyanobacteria)相对丰度显著高于健康鱼组。由此可以表明,肠道气泡堆积很可能会引发肠道菌群紊乱。     

高通量测序分析小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤和肠道的微生物多样性

【目的】解析小头裸裂尻鱼不同部位的微生物群落结构、物种组成、多样性特征以及菌群功能差异。【方法】通过Illumina MiSeq扩增子高通量测序,分析小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤黏膜、肠道黏膜和肠道内容物3个部位微生物菌群组成差异,并通过Tax4Fun预测菌群潜在功能。【结果】皮肤黏膜微生物α多样性最高,其Shannon指数显著高于肠道黏膜(P<0.05)和肠道内容物(P<0.001)。主坐标分析表明,皮肤黏膜微生物显著区别于其他2个部位。在门水平小头裸裂尻鱼3个部位相对丰度前五的微生物类群均为放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)和蓝藻门(Cyanobacteria),其中肠道内容物中放线菌门相对丰度(46.53%)显著高于肠道黏膜(29.23%,P<0.05)和皮肤黏膜(25.83%,P<0.01);肠道黏膜中变形菌门的相对丰度(40.33%)显著高于肠道内容物(26.10%,P<0.05)。对各部位相对丰度前10的菌群进行分析发现,小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤黏...     

阿魏酸对高脂血症小鼠肝脂肪变性及肠道菌群的调节作用

目的探讨阿魏酸(ferulic acid)对高脂血症小鼠肝脂肪变性及肠道菌群的调节作用。方法将24只6周龄雄性Apo E-/-小鼠随机分为4组(n=6),即对照组、模型组、阿魏酸组[40 mg/(kg·d)]、辛伐他汀组[5 mg/(kg·d)];另取6只同龄C57BL/6小鼠为空白组。高脂喂养12周后,再给药处理12周,采集小鼠粪便进行肠道菌群检测,检测血脂水平,制作肝切片观察病理变化。结果与对照组相比,模型组小鼠体重、血清总胆固醇(total cholesterol,TC)、甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)、低密度脂蛋白(low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)明显升高(P 0. 05),肝切片可见小鼠肝细胞质内充满脂滴,大部分肝细胞呈现脂肪变性,模型组厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和韦荣球菌科(Erysipelotrichaceae)的细菌数量升高,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、瘤胃菌科(Ruminococcaceae)和Odoribacter数量减少;与模型组比较,阿魏酸组小鼠体重、血清TC、TG、LDL-C显著降低,肝脂肪变性明显减轻,厚壁菌门和韦荣球菌科细菌数量减少,拟杆菌门、瘤胃菌科和Odoribacter数量升高。结论阿魏酸可以改善小鼠的血脂异常,肝脂肪变性,调节肠道菌群失衡。     

光唇鱼仔稚幼鱼肠道菌群与养殖水体细菌群落的相关性

采用16S rRNA高通量测序,系统研究了光唇鱼(Acrossocheilus fasciatus)仔鱼、稚鱼和幼鱼肠道菌群组成及与同时期养殖水体细菌群落的相关性。研究结果表明,光唇鱼仔鱼、稚鱼和幼鱼的肠道菌群中Chao1指数和Shannon指数均没有显著变化(P>0.05);而随着光唇鱼幼体的发育,养殖水体中Chao1指数和Shannon指数呈现显著下降趋势(P<0.05)。光唇鱼仔鱼和稚鱼肠道菌群中的优势菌门由变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)组成,而同时期养殖水体中优势菌门为变形菌门;光唇鱼幼鱼肠道菌群中的优势菌门为梭杆菌门(Fusobacteria)和变形菌门,同时期养殖水体中优势菌门由变形菌门、拟杆菌门和梭杆菌门组成。线性回归分析结果显示,随光唇鱼幼体发育,在光唇鱼肠道菌群中变形菌门、厚壁菌门和梭杆菌门相对丰度的时序变化趋势与其在养殖水体中相同。在属水平上,光唇鱼仔鱼、稚鱼肠道菌群中优势菌属均为醋酸杆菌属(Acetobacter),而幼鱼肠道菌群中优势菌属为鲸杆菌属(Cetobacte...     

哈尼梯田稻-渔共作模式下杂交黄颡鱼肠道微生物研究

为了探究哈尼梯田稻-鱼共作综合种养模式(稻渔组, DY组)和传统池塘养殖模式(池塘组, CT组)下杂交黄颡鱼(Tachysurus fulvidraco♀×Pseudobagrus vachellii♂)肠道微生物结构变化, 试验采用16S rDNA测序技术对不同养殖模式下黄颡鱼肠道微生物进行分析。测序结果显示, CT组和DY组优势菌门均为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和梭杆菌门(Fusobacteria)。和CT组相比, 在门水平上DY组厚壁菌门和拟杆菌门相对丰度显著上升, 而变形菌门相对丰度显著下降。在属水平上DY组梭状芽孢杆菌属、Romboutsia属、Paludibacter属、Epulopiscium属和拟杆菌属相对丰度显著上升, 而邻单胞菌属丰度显著下降。不同的养殖模式没有显著影响黄颡鱼肠道微生物的丰富度(Richness), 但DY组拥有更高的微生物均匀度(Evenness)。BugBase表型预测结果如下, CT组革兰氏阴性菌, 兼性厌氧菌丰度更高, DY组则革兰氏阳性菌, 厌氧菌丰度更高。同时DY组肠道菌群相较于CT组具有更低的潜在致病性和生物膜形成能力。DY组黄颡鱼肠道微生物多样性更高, 稳定性更好, 对疾病的抵抗力可能更强。水稻-黄颡鱼新型稻渔综合种养模式具有更佳的经济和生态效应。     

早期灌喂母源粪菌对新生仔猪肠道菌群发育的影响

【目的】粪菌移植(fecal microbiota transplantation,FMT)作为一种治疗手段,已在人类肠道疾病治疗中有较多应用,但在干预新生仔猪肠道菌群上的研究未见报道。本文旨在研究早期母源粪菌移植对新生仔猪肠道菌群发育的影响。【方法】选取一窝12头杜长大新生仔猪,随机分为粪菌处理组(feces treatment,FT)和对照组(control,CO)。FT组仔猪出生后1–5 d每日灌注母源粪菌接种液,CO组灌注等量生理盐水。于1、3、5、7、10、14、18和22日龄采集仔猪粪样,Miseq高通量测序分析仔猪粪便菌群。【结果】灌喂母源粪菌有增加仔猪肠道菌群丰富度的趋势;主坐标分析显示,两组仔猪粪样菌群结构簇并未分开,并在18和22日龄时靠近母猪粪样菌群结构簇;随日龄增加,两组仔猪肠道中的变形菌门丰度均显著降低,而厚壁菌门的丰度显著增加,且从10日龄起拟杆菌门和厚壁菌门之和约为90%;与对照组相比,灌喂母源粪菌增加了10日龄时Escherichia-Shigella的丰度,而降低了18日龄时该菌属的丰富度,18日龄时肠球菌属和普氏菌属的丰度则显著增加。【结论】1–3日龄口服灌喂母源粪菌液并不能影响仔猪肠道菌群的定殖,这一阶段主要受母体微生物结构的影响;灌喂粪菌液对仔猪肠道菌群定殖的影响最多持续10–14 d;而且仔猪在22 d左右,肠道菌群结构逐渐趋同于母猪肠道菌群。     

不同饵料对大口黑鲈生长性能和肠道微生物的影响

以冰鲜鱼、配合饲料和混合投喂3种饵料, 研究其对大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)生长性能和肠道微生物的影响。结果表明, 在生长性能方面, 配合饲料组试验鱼的末均重、体长、增重率和特定生长率均显著低于冰鲜鱼组和混合投喂组(P<0.05), 混合投喂组最后养成规格最大, 生长速度也最快, 但与冰鲜鱼组差异不显著(P>0.05)。在肠道微生物群落的丰富度与多样性方面, 配合饲料投喂组丰富度最高, 冰鲜鱼组最低, 但冰鲜鱼组多样性最高, 配合饲料投喂组次之, 混合投喂组最低。在门级水平上, 厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteriota)、蓝藻门(Cyanobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidota)、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetota)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)和酸杆菌门(Acidobacteriota)是大口黑鲈肠道优势菌群。属级水平上, 冰鲜鱼组的优势菌属主要为支原体属(Mycoplasma)、克雷伯氏菌属(Klebsiella)及聚球菌属(Synechococcus_CC9902); 配合饲料组优势菌属为克雷伯氏菌属(Klebsiella)、罗姆布茨菌(Romboutsia)及分枝杆菌属(Mycobacterium); 混合投喂组优势菌属则是支原体属(Mycoplasma)、厌氧氨氧化菌(Candidatus_Brocadia)及罗姆布茨菌(Romboutsia)。功能预测表明, 配合饲料投喂组大口黑鲈肠道菌群在“能量生产与转化”“碳水化合物运输和代谢”“氨基酸转运与代谢”和“脂质转运与代谢”等功能类群的相对丰度最高, 而冰鲜鱼组肠道菌群在“核苷酸的转运和代谢”“辅酶运输和代谢和翻译”“核糖体结构和生物发生”等功能类群的相对丰度占优。饵料对大口黑鲈的生长、肠道菌群组成和功能都具有显著的影响。研究为大口黑鲈的配合饲料开发和健康养殖提供了理论依据。     

基于16S rRNA基因测序比较分析不同抗生素干预对小鼠肠道菌群动态变化的影响

目的探讨不同种类抗生素对小鼠肠道菌群多样性和组成动态变化的影响。方法采用健康SPF级雌性C57BL/6小鼠20只随机分为对照组(CON组)6只、万古霉素组(VAN组)6只和多黏菌素组(PMB组)8只,通过饮用抗生素方式连续处理5周,于3周、5周采集小鼠粪便样本进行16S rRNA基因的V4-V5区测序。结果与CON组相比,VAN组处理3周和5周菌群多样性显著降低,以疣微菌门(阿克曼菌科)、变形菌门(肠杆菌科)及无胆支原体科相对丰度显著增加,拟杆菌门(Muribaculaceae菌科、普雷沃菌科)和毛螺菌科显著减少为特征(P均0.05)。PMB组处理3周后,菌群多样性显著增加,以普雷沃菌科和毛螺菌科相对丰度显著增加,疣微菌门(阿克曼菌科)和Muribaculaceae菌科显著减少为特征。PMB处理5周后,菌群多样性显著降低,以疣微菌门(阿克曼菌科)相对丰度显著增加,而厚壁菌门(毛螺菌科)显著减少为特征(P均0.05)。结论用不同种类的抗生素处理不同时间后小鼠肠道菌群组成不同,但多样性均显著降低,且抗生素处理时间越长菌群多样性降低幅度越大,菌群种类越少。     

Effects of Exposure to Dietary Chromium on Tissue Mineral Contents in Rats Fed Diets with Fiber

This study evaluated the effects of diets with fiber (cellulose and/or pectin) supplemented with chromium(III) on homeostasis of selected minerals in femurs, thigh muscles, livers, and kidneys of rats. For 6 weeks, male rats were fed experimental diets: a fiber-free diet (FF), a diet containing 5 % cellulose (CEL), 5 % pectin (PEC), or 2.5 % cellulose and 2.5 % pectin (CEL?+?PEC). These diets had 2.53 or 0.164 mg Cr/kg diet. The tissue levels of Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cr were determined by using atomic absorption spectrometry. Supplementing diets with Cr resulted in significantly higher Cr levels in the femurs of rats fed the CEL diet and significantly higher Cr and Fe levels in the rats fed the CEL?+?PEC diet compared to the rats fed FF diet. Muscle Ca content was significantly lower in the rats fed the CEL?+?PEC?+?Cr diet compared to the rats fed FF?+?Cr diet. The rats consuming the PEC?+?Cr diet had the highest liver Cr content. The highest kidney Zn content was observed in the rats fed diets containing Cr and one type of fiber. These results indicate that diets containing chromium at elevated dose and fiber have a significant effect on the mineral balance in rat tissues.     

黄颡鱼饲料中添加谷胱甘肽降低藻毒素毒性作用的研究

通过60d的生长实验研究饲料中不同含量的谷胱甘肽(GSH)对黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco Richardson)摄食含蓝藻粉饲料后的毒性保护作用。共配制6种近似等氮等能(粗蛋白45%,总能19.5kJ/g)的实验饲料。以不添加蓝藻粉、不添加GSH的饲料组作为正对照,其他5种饲料均添加7.5%的藻粉,微囊藻毒素(Microc ystins,MCs)含量约为58μg/g,GSH添加量分别为:0(负对照)、200、500、800和1400mg/kg。实验结果表明,第1至第30天时,负对照组与正对照组实验鱼的摄食率无显著性差异(P>0.05)。第31至第60天时,负对照组实验鱼的摄食率显著高于正对照和其他GSH添加组(P0.05),但各GSH添加组肾脏中GSH显著低于正对照而高于负对照(P<0.05)。200、500和800mg/kg GSH添加组肝脏和肌肉中丙二醛(MDA)含量显著低于负对照(P<0.05)。在整个实验期间,随着饲料中GSH含量的增加,肝脏、肾脏、全肠和肌肉中微囊藻毒素含量先显著下降,当GSH添加量为500和800mg/kg时达到稳定,直至GSH添加量为1400mg/kg时显著上升。根据对黄颡鱼增重,肝脏和肌肉中MDA的含量以及组织中毒素的分析,在饲料中添加500-800mg/kg GSH可以有效缓解黄颡鱼饲料中微囊藻毒素的毒性。       

Effect of dietary ascorbic acid on growth and non-specific immune responses of tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes

We report nutritional physiology and non-specific immune responses of ascorbic acid (AA) in puffer fish for the first time. This study aimed to examine the essentiality and requirements of AA in diets for the tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes based on growth performance, liver AA and bone collagen concentration, and non-specific immune responses. Five casein-gelatin based semi-purified diets were formulated to contain five graded levels of l-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate at 0, 40, 80, 160 and 700mg/kg (designated as AMP0, AMP40, AMP80, AMP160 and AMP700, respectively) and fed to triplicate groups of fish. After 10weeks of feeding trial, growth performances of fish (initial body weight, 35g) fed the AMP0 were significantly lower compared to that of fish fed diets supplemented with AMP. The fish fed the AMP0 diet also exhibited significantly lower hematocrit, condition factor and hepatosomatic index compared to the fish fed diets supplemented with AMP. Phagocytic activity (NBT assay) was significantly lower in fish fed the AMP0 diet than in fish fed the AMP containing diets. Plasma lysozyme activity of fish fed the AMP80 and AMP160 was significantly higher than that of fish fed the AMP0. Dietary supplementation of AMP significantly increased the liver superoxide dismutase in the fish. Myeloperoxidase activity of fish fed the AMP0 was significantly lower compared to that of fish fed the AMP containing diets. Bone collagen level tended to increase numerically and total AA concentration in liver of fish was significantly increased in a dose dependent manner by the supplementation of AMP. Therefore, tiger puffer requires exogenous ascorbic acid and the optimum dietary level could be 29mg AA/kg diet for normal growth and physiology. Dietary AA concentration over 82mg/kg could be required to enhance non-specific immune responses of the fish. However, it does not seem that the fish needs an overdose of dietary AA (>160mg/kg) for better non-specific immune responses.     

Effect of dietary vitamin C on the growth performance and innate immunity of juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin C on growth performance, hematologic parameters and innate immune responses in juvenile cobia, Rachycentron canadum. Seven practical diets were formulated to contain 0.0 (as the basal diet), 13.6, 27.2, 54.4, 96.6, 193.4 and 386.5 mg ascorbic acid equivalent kg(-1) diet. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of juvenile cobia with initial body weight of 5.5 g in 500-L cylindrical fiberglass tank. The results of 8 weeks feeding trial showed that typical vitamin C-deficient signs such as spinal deformation and body nigrescence were observed in the fish fed the basal diet. Fish fed the basal diet had significantly lower weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and feed efficiency (FE) than those fed the diets supplemented with vitamin C, but no significant differences were observed among diets supplemented with vitamin C. However, survival rate was significantly affected by the dietary vitamin C levels, fish fed the basal diet had lower survival rate than those fed the diets supplemented with vitamin C. The ascorbic acid concentration in liver was correlated positively with the dietary vitamin C levels, however, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations in liver was not significantly affected by the dietary vitamin C levels, although, fish fed the basal diet had the highest TBARS values among all treatments. The activities of serum lysozyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), alkaline phophatase (AKP) and total immunoglobulin (Ig) were significantly influenced by the dietary vitamin C levels, fish fed the basal diet had lower lysozyme, SOD, AKP and total Ig than those fed diets supplemented with vitamin C. The serum glucose and triglyceride concentrations were significantly affected by the dietary vitamin C levels. Fish fed the basal diet had lower red blood cell and hemoglobin values than those fed the vitamin C supplemented diets. The challenge experiment with Vibrio harveyi showed that lower cumulative survival was in fish fed the unsupplemented diet, the cumulative survival were significantly increased with increase of the dietary ascorbic acid levels from 13.6 to 96.6 mg kg(-1), while the cumulative survival reached plateau when dietary ascorbic acid levels increased from 96.6 to 386.5 mg kg(-1). These results indicated that dietary vitamin C did significantly influence on growth performance and immune response of juvenile cobia.     

Maternal obesogenic diet enhances cholestatic liver disease in offspring

Human and animal model data show that maternal obesity promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in offspring and alters bile acid (BA) homeostasis. Here we investigated whether offspring exposed to maternal obesogenic diets exhibited greater cholestatic injury. We fed female C57Bl6 mice conventional chow (CON) or high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet and then bred them with lean males. Offspring were fed 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) for 2 weeks to induce cholestasis, and a subgroup was then fed CON for an additional 10 days. Additionally, to evaluate the role of the gut microbiome, we fed antibiotic-treated mice cecal contents from CON or HF/HS offspring, followed by DDC for 2 weeks. We found that HF/HS offspring fed DDC exhibited increased fine branching of the bile duct (ductular reaction) and fibrosis but did not differ in BA pool size or intrahepatic BA profile compared to offspring of mice fed CON. We also found that after 10 days recovery, HF/HS offspring exhibited sustained ductular reaction and periportal fibrosis, while lesions in CON offspring were resolved. In addition, cecal microbiome transplant from HF/HS offspring donors worsened ductular reaction, inflammation, and fibrosis in mice fed DDC. Finally, transfer of the microbiome from HF/HS offspring replicated the cholestatic liver injury phenotype. Taken together, we conclude that maternal HF/HS diet predisposes offspring to increased cholestatic injury after DDC feeding and delays recovery after returning to CON diets. These findings highlight the impact of maternal obesogenic diet on hepatobiliary injury and repair pathways during experimental cholestasis.     

Body Fat Accumulation in Zebrafish Is Induced by a Diet Rich in Fat and Reduced by Supplementation with Green Tea Extract

Fat-rich diets not only induce obesity in humans but also make animals obese. Therefore, animals that accumulate body fat in response to a high-fat diet (especially rodents) are commonly used in obesity research. The effect of dietary fat on body fat accumulation is not fully understood in zebrafish, an excellent model of vertebrate lipid metabolism. Here, we explored the effects of dietary fat and green tea extract, which has anti-obesity properties, on body fat accumulation in zebrafish. Adult zebrafish were allocated to four diet groups and over 6 weeks were fed a high-fat diet containing basal diet plus two types of fat or a low-fat diet containing basal diet plus carbohydrate or protein. Another group of adult zebrafish was fed a high-fat diet with or without 5% green tea extract supplementation. Zebrafish fed the high-fat diets had nearly twice the body fat (visceral, subcutaneous, and total fat) volume and body fat volume ratio (body fat volume/body weight) of those fed low-fat diets. There were no differences in body fat accumulation between the two high-fat groups, nor were there any differences between the two low-fat groups. Adding green tea extract to the high-fat diet significantly suppressed body weight, body fat volume, and body fat volume ratio compared with the same diet lacking green tea extract. 3-Hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase and citrate synthase activity in the liver and skeletal muscle were significantly higher in fish fed the diet supplemented with green tea extract than in those fed the unsupplemented diet. Our results suggest that a diet rich in fat, instead of protein or carbohydrate, induced body fat accumulation in zebrafish with mechanisms that might be similar to those in mammals. Consequently, zebrafish might serve as a good animal model for research into obesity induced by high-fat diets.     

Plasma cholesterol-lowering effect on rats of dietary fiber extracted from immature plants

Crude dietary fiber samples were prepared from beet, cabbage, Japanese radish, onion and mung bean sprouts (BF, CF, RF, OF and MF, respectively). These samples contained total dietary fiber at the levels of 814, 699, 760, 693 and 666 g/kg, respectively. To examine the effect of these dietary fiber sources on the plasma cholesterol concentration, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on a fiber-free (FF) diet or on an FF diet supplemented with 5% or 10% dietary fiber. Dietary fiber extracted from vegetables, wood cellulose (CL), pectin (PE) and guar gum (GG) were used as the fiber sources. Compared with the rats fed on the FF diet, a significant reduction in the plasma cholesterol concentration was observed in the rats fed on BF, CF, RF, MF, PE or GG after a 21-d feeding period. Cecal acetate, n-butyrate and total short-chain fatty acids were significantly higher in the rats fed on these dietary fibers, except for CF, than in those fed on the FF diet. A negative correlation was apparent between the total dietary fiber content, hemicellulose content and pectin content of each dietary fiber source and the plasma cholesterol concentration. These results suggest that some vegetable fibers exert a plasma cholesterol-lowering effect through cecal fermentation of these fibers.     

Dietary vitamin E supplementation affects tissue lipid peroxidation of hybrid tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus x O. aureus

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E contents on the growth, ascorbate induced iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation in post-mortem muscle and liver tissue, and Raman spectral changes in lens of juvenile hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. aureus). Experimental fish were fed practical diets supplemented with 0, 50, 100, 200, 450 and 700 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet for 14 weeks. There was no significant difference in weight gain, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio among fish fed test diets (P>0.05). Protein content of fish fed diet containing the lowest vitamin E level was the lowest (P<0.05) among all groups. No difference was found in other body constituents among test fish (P>0.05). The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances produced by iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation in muscle and liver tissue of fish fed the diet without alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those from fish fed diets containing higher levels of alpha-tocopheryl acetate. Dietary vitamin E supplementation increased the antioxidant capability of tilapia tissues against lipid peroxidation. Further, dietary vitamin E supplementation also influenced the lens cortical membrane structure of tilapia.     

Partial replacement of dietary fish oil with blends of vegetable oils (rapeseed, linseed and palm oils) in diets for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) over a long term growth study: effects on muscle and liver fatty acid composition and effectiveness of a fish oil finishing diet

Triplicate groups of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.), of initial mass 5 g, were fed one of three practical type diets for 64 weeks. The three diets differed only in the added oil and were 100% fish oil (FO; diet A), 40% FO/60% vegetable oil blend (VO; diet B) where the VO blend was rapeseed oil, linseed oil and palm oil in the ratio 10/35/15 by weight and 40% FO/60% VO blend (diet C) where the ratio was 24/24/12 by weight. After final sample collection the remaining fish were switched to a 100% FO finishing diet for a further 20 weeks. After 64 weeks fish fed 60% VO diet B had significantly lower live mass and liver mass than fish fed diets A and C although SGR, FCR and length were not different between groups. There were no differences in any of the above parameters after either 14 or 20 weeks on the FO finishing diet. Fatty acid compositions of flesh were correlated to dietary fatty acids although there was selective retention of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3; DHA) regardless of dietary input. Inclusion of dietary VO resulted in significantly reduced flesh levels of DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3; EPA) while 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 were all significantly increased in fish fed the 60% VO diets. Fatty acid compositions of liver showed broadly similar changes, as a result of dietary fatty acid composition, as was seen in flesh. However, the response of flesh and liver to feeding a FO finishing diet was different. In flesh, DHA and EPA values were not restored after 14 or 20 weeks of feeding a FO finishing diet with the values in fish fed the two 60% VO diets being around 70% of the values seen in fish fed FO throughout. Conversely, and despite liver DHA and EPA levels being reduced to only 40% of the value seen in fish fed 100% FO after 64 weeks, the levels of liver DHA and EPA were not significantly different between treatments after feeding the FO finishing diet for 14 weeks. However, a 200 g portion of sea bass flesh, after feeding the experimental diets for 64 weeks followed by a FO diet for 14 weeks, contained 1.22 and 0.95 g of EPA + DHA for fish fed FO or 60% VO, respectively. Therefore, sea bass grown for most of the production cycle using diets containing 60% VO can still contribute a significant quantity of healthy n-3 HUFA to the human consumer.     

Apolipoprotein B gene expression in rat intestine. The effect of dietary fiber.

The effect of the dietary fiber on apo B mRNA level was studied in the intestine of rats that were fed either fiber-free or high-fiber (30% sugar-beet fiber) low-fat diets for 3 weeks. The fiber diet studied does not affect jejunal apo B mRNA levels but decreases the level of ileal apo B mRNA. In the rat cecum, in both fiber-free and fiber groups, we failed to detect the apo B mRNA. The test fiber diet feeding markedly increased fecal bile salt and cholesterol excretions. We suggest that dietary fiber can modify apo B expression in the intestine. The increased fecal bile salt excretion might be involved in such a modification.