Dietary supplementation with sodium propionate and tributyrin alleviated hepatic lipid deposition and improved the antioxidant capacity and hypoxic stress resistance of spotted seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus)

• Published in: Frontiers in Marine Science Vol. 11
• Main Authors: Cui, Kun, Zhang, Hanle, Yun, Biao, Wang, Jianxue, Qian, Xueqiao, Xue, Min
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 07-10-2024
• Subjects: antioxidant capacity; hepatic lipid deposition; hypoxic stress; sodium propionate; tributyrin
• ISSN: 2296-7745; 2296-7745
• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1481672

We investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with sodium propionate (SP) and tributyrin (TB) on hepatic lipid deposition and antioxidant capacity of spotted seabass ( Lateolabrax maculatus ) via an 8-week feeding experiment and a hypoxia stress experiment. The fish were fed five experimental diets: a control diet (CON), a diet supplemented with 2 g/kg SP (SP-0.2%), 4 g/kg SP (SP-0.4%), 2 g/kg TB (TB-0.2%), or 4 g/kg TB (TB-0.4%). No significant difference in growth performance was presented among the groups ( P > 0.05). The SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% groups presented significantly lower hepatosomatic and viscerasomatic indexes compared with the CON group. Then, the SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% groups presented stronger resistance to hypoxic stress than the other groups and were analyzed further. The hepatic histology and triglyceride levels revealed that SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% reduced hepatic lipid deposition. Similarly, the downregulation of malondialdehyde and the upregulation of total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities and the related gene expression levels revealed that SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% improved the antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the RNA sequencing demonstrated that SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% regulated gene expression to a similar extent. Among the 117 differentially expressed genes, 67 genes were enriched in the same pattern, and involved the FoxO signaling, PI3K-Akt signaling, and insulin-related pathways. In conclusion, supplementing SP-0.4% and TB-0.2% as feed additives effectively improved hepatic lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity, and hypoxic stress resistance of spotted seabass.