Dietary cholesterol intervention could alleviate the intestinal injury of Oreochromis niloticus induced by plant-based diet via the intestinal barriers.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effects of cholesterol supplementation in a plant-based diet on the intestinal barriers (physical, chemical, immune, and biological) of GIFT strain tilapia.
Results Summary
The study found that supplementing 1.2% cholesterol in a plant-based diet improved intestinal structure, tight junction function, enzyme activity, reduced inflammation-related gene expression, and enhanced microbiota composition in tilapia. The 1.2% dosage showed the most significant benefits compared to other tested levels.
Population
GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with an initial mean weight of 6.08 ± 0.12 g.
Effective Dosage
0.6%, 1.2%, and 1.8% cholesterol added to the plant-based diet.
Duration
9 weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
cholesterol supplementation at 0.6% | increase | intestinal structure | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | exhibited a more organized intestinal structure | #1 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | intestinal structure | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | exhibited a more organized intestinal structure | #2 |
cholesterol supplementation at 0.6% | increase | muscle layer thickness | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significantly increased | #3 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | muscle layer thickness | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significantly increased | #4 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | tight junction-related genes (claudin-14, occludin, zo-1) | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significant up-regulation | #5 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | intestinal cell proliferation | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | notable enhancement | #6 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | trypsin and lipase activities | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significantly elevated | #7 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | decrease | hepcidin gene expression | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | considerably down-regulated | #8 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.8% | increase | hepcidin gene expression | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | up-regulated | #9 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | decrease | inflammation-related gene expression levels (tnf-α, il-1β, caspase 9, ire1, perk, atf6) | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | markedly reduced | #10 |
cholesterol supplementation at 0.6% | increase | Shannon index | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significant increase | #11 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | Shannon index | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significant increase | #12 |
cholesterol supplementation at 1.2% | increase | abundance of Firmicutes and Clostridium | GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) | - | significant increase | #13 |
supplementation of 1.2% cholesterol in the plant-based diet | increase | intestinal tight junction function | tilapia | - | exhibits the potential to enhance | #14 |
supplementation of 1.2% cholesterol in the plant-based diet | increase | composition of intestinal microbiota | tilapia | - | improve | #15 |
supplementation of 1.2% cholesterol in the plant-based diet | increase | intestinal health | tilapia | - | significantly promoting | #16 |
This study aims to explore the effects of supplementing cholesterol in plant-based feed on intestinal barriers (including physical barrier, chemical barrier, immune barrier, biological barrier) of GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were prepared as follows: plant-based protein diet (Con group) containing corn protein powder, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and rapeseed meal, with the addition of cholesterol at a level of 0.6 % (C0.6 % group), 1.2 % (C1.2 % group), and 1.8 % (C1.8 % group), respectively. A total of 360 fish (mean initial weight of (6.08 ± 0.12) g) were divided into 12 tanks with 30 fish per tank, each treatment was set with three tanks and the feeding period lasted 9 weeks. Histological analysis revealed that both the C0.6 % and C1.2 % groups exhibited a more organized intestinal structure, with significantly increased muscle layer thickness compared to the Con group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the C1.2 % group, there was a significant up-regulation of tight junction-related genes (claudin-14, occludin, zo-1) compared to the Con group (P < 0.05). 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining results also demonstrated a notable enhancement in intestinal cell proliferation within the C1.2 % group (P < 0.05). Regarding the intestinal chemical barrier, trypsin and lipase activities were significantly elevated in the C1.2 % group (P < 0.05), while hepcidin gene expression was considerably down-regulated in this group but up-regulated in the C1.8 % group (P < 0.05). In terms of the intestinal immune barrier, inflammation-related gene expression levels (tnf-α, il-1β, caspase 9, ire1, perk, atf6) were markedly reduced in the C1.2 % group (P < 0.05). Regarding the intestinal biological barrier, the composition of the intestinal microbiota indicated that compared to the Con group, both the 0.6 % and 1.2 % groups showed a significant increase in Shannon index (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and Clostridium in the C1.2 % group (P < 0.05). In summary, supplementation of 1.2 % cholesterol in the plant-based diet exhibits the potential to enhance intestinal tight junction function and improve the composition of intestinal microbiota, thereby significantly promoting tilapia's intestinal health.