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. 2022 Dec 17;12(24):3574.
doi: 10.3390/ani12243574.

Feed Supplemented with Aronia melanocarpa (AM) Relieves the Oxidative Stress Caused by Ovulation in Peak Laying Hens and Increases the Content of Yolk Precursors

Bo Jing  1   2 , Huanwei Xiao  1   2 , Haixu Yin  1   2 , Yingbo Wei  1   2 , Haoyuan Wu  1   2 , Dongliang Zhang  1 , Ivan Stève Nguepi Tsopmejio  1   2 , Hongmei Shang  3 , Zhouyu Jin  1   2 , Hui Song  1   2   4
Affiliations

Feed Supplemented with Aronia melanocarpa (AM) Relieves the Oxidative Stress Caused by Ovulation in Peak Laying Hens and Increases the Content of Yolk Precursors

Bo Jing et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

The continuous ovulation of laying hens during the peak period is likely to cause oxidative stress, resulting in a reduction in the laying cycle over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effects of Aronia melanocarpa (AM) in the diet and its effect on the yolk precursor content caused by ovulation in laying hens during the peak period. A total of 300 25-week-old Roman brown laying hens were randomly divided into five groups with six replicates in each group, 10 in each replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet, the positive control group was fed a Vitamin C (VC) plus basal diet, and the experimental group was fed 1%, 4%, and 7% doses of AM plus diet according to the principle of energy and nitrogen requirements, which lasted eight weeks. At the end of the study, the egg quality, biochemical, and antioxidant markers, as well as mRNA and protein expressions, were evaluated to determine the potential signaling pathways involved. Results showed that the addition of AM to the feed increased the weight of laying hens at the peak of egg production and improved egg quality. The biochemical markers, as well as the antioxidant parameters in the serum, liver, and ovarian tissues, were ameliorated. The gene and protein expression of recombinant kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) in the liver and ovarian tissues was decreased, while nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression was increased. The feed supplemented with AM also increased the estrogen contents and lipid parameters, as well as the gene and protein expressions related to the yolk precursor. Feed supplemented with AM could improve the egg quality and the oxidative stress caused by the ovulation process of laying hens during the peak egg production period by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. These results suggest that the feed supplemented with 1% AM and 4% AM can improve egg production in peak laying hens.

Keywords: Aronia melanocarpa; egg quality; oxidative stress; peak laying hens; yolk precursor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors do not declare a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on liver and ovary histology of laying hens. (A) Liver tissue morphology in different groups; (B) Ovary tissue morphology in different groups. The bar represents 200 μm.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on AST and ALT of laying hens. Values are shown as mean ± SD (n = 6). Significant differences compared to control group are designated as * show significant difference at p < 0.05. AST content in liver (A), ALT content in liver (B), AST content in serum (C), ALT content in serum (D). Abbreviations: AST, Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, Alanine aminotransferase.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Values are shown as mean ± SD (n = 6). Significant differences compared to control group are designated as ** show very significant difference at p < 0.01, * show significant difference at p < 0.05. Keap1 (A), Nrf2 (B), HO-1 (C) and SOD1 (D) gene expressions in liver, Keap1 (E), Nrf2 (F), HO-1 (G) protein expressions in liver, protein gray value in liver (H), Keap1 (I), Nrf2 (J), HO-1 (K) and SOD1 (L) gene expressions in ovary, Keap1 (M), Nrf2 (N) and HO-1 (O) protein expressions in ovary, protein gray value in ovary (P). Abbreviations: Keap1, Kelch-like ECH- associated protein l, Nrf2, Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, HO-1, Heme Oxygenase-1, SOD1, Superoxide Dismutase 1.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on E2 and ER-α. E2 content (A) in serum, ER-α (B) gene expression in liver. Values are shown as mean ± SD (n = 6). Significant differences compared to control group are designated as * show significant difference at p < 0.05. Abbreviations: E2, Estrogen, ER-α, Estrogen receptor-α.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on TG and TC. TG content in serum (A), liver (B) and ovary (C), TC content in serum (D), liver (E), ovary (F) and yolk (G). Values are shown as mean ± SD (n = 6). Significant differences compared to control group are designated as ** show very significant difference at p < 0.01, * show significant difference at p < 0.05. Abbreviations: TG, Triglyceride, TC, Cholesterol.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effects of feed supplemented with AM on yolk precursor and receptor. VTGII (A), apoB (C) and apoVLDLII (D) gene expressions in liver, VLDLR (F) gene expression in ovary, VTG (B), VLDL (E) and VLDLR (G) content in serum. Values are shown as mean ± SD (n = 6). Significant differences compared to control group are designated as ** show very significant difference at p < 0.01, * show significant difference at p < 0.05. Abbreviations: VTG, vitellogenin, VLDL, Very low density lipoprotein, VLDLR, very low density lipoprotein receptor.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effect of feed AM supplementation on egg production rate of laying hens at 25–33 weeks during peak laying period.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Feed supplemented with AM relieves the oxidative stress caused by ovulation in peak laying hens and increases the content of yolk precursors. ↑ means rise; ↓ means reduce.
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