Vitamin E in early stages of sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax) development

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology Molecular & integrative physiology, 2004-08, Vol.138 (4), p.435-439
• Main Authors: Guerriero, G., Ferro, R., Russo, G.L., Ciarcia, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal reproduction; Animals; Antioxidants; Bass - blood; Bass - embryology; Bass - growth & development; Bass - metabolism; Body Size; Body Weight; broodfish; Dicentrarchus labrax; Eggs; Embryo, Nonmammalian - chemistry; Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism; Embryos; Female; Fertilization - physiology; fish larvae; germ cells; Larva - chemistry; Larva - growth & development; Larva - metabolism; Larvae; larval development; Male; Marine; nutrition physiology; Ovum - chemistry; Ovum - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Time Factors; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - analysis; Vitamin E - blood; Vitamin E - metabolism; vitamin physiology
• ISSN: 1095-6433; 1531-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2004.06.003

This study reports titration of vitamin E levels in the sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax) using high-pressure liquid chromatography. The first part of the work is devoted to vitamin E detection in: (1) plasma of maturing females and males characterized by different body sizes; (2) seminal fluid and eggs; and (3) developing embryos of sea bass fed with vitamin E. In the second part of the study, variations of vitamin E levels during larval development are analyzed. The results show a direct correlation between plasma vitamin E content and body size for both adult male and female sea bass. High vitamin E levels were found in seminal fluid, in eggs before and after fertilization, and in embryos during development and at hatching, whereas vitamin E level was low in dead embryos and in embryos with limited survival. During larval development, the vitamin E content decreased slowly but steadily during the first four days of larval growth; subsequently, it progressively increased from day 9 to day 40. In teratogenic larvae, vitamin E content was significantly higher than in normal larvae. This study provides evidence on how vitamin E exerts an antioxidant defense in sea bass reproduction.