Influences of ferulic acid on intestinal digestive and antioxidant enzymes, immune, antioxidant gene and tight junction protein expression and microbiota in hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀× Epinephelus polyphekadion♂)

• Published in: Aquaculture reports 2022-12, Vol.27, p.101348, Article 101348
• Main Authors: Fu, Weijie, Amenyogbe, Eric, Luo, Jun, Yang, Erjun, Huang, Jian-sheng, Chen, Youming, Chen, Gang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Digestive enzyme; Ferulic acid; Gene expression; Hybrid grouper; Intestinal microbiota
• ISSN: 2352-5134; 2352-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aqrep.2022.101348

The current study was performed to assess the effects of dietary administration of ferulic acid (FA) on digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant capacity, morphology, immunity, and microbiota in the gut of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × Epinephelus polyphekadion♂). A total of 630 fish (9.51 ± 0.01 g) were allocated randomly to seven dietary treatments, each with three replicates. Experiment diets supplemented with FA at the levels of 0, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, and 1280 mg kg−1 (FA0 (control), FA40, FA80, FA160, FA320, FA640, and FA1280), were fed to fish for 70 days. The results showed that dietary 80–160 mg kg−1 FA intake considerably augmented the enzymes activities of digestion (lipase, trypsin, amylase, and pepsin) and antioxidation (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) and the values of immune parameters (Immunoglobulin, C3 and lysozyme), as well as reduced malondialdehyde content, with respect to the control group (P