Immune gene expression and antioxidant response to vitamin E enriched diets for males Litopenaeus vannamei breeder (Boone, 1931).

The is aim of this study was to evaluate if vitamin E supplementation to diet could improve the spermatic quantity and quality in males of Litopenaeus vannamei. A basal diet with 171.5 mg/kg (included in commercial vitamin premix) and experimental diets with 3 concentrations of vitamin E: 620 (diet A), 1069 (diet B) and 1517 (diet C) mg/kg were tested by 30 days. 500 L tanks were set up for each treatment, and seven males were set in each tank. Circulant cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), glucose, total protein was measured. Sperm quantity and quality were classified as normal, abnormal, or dead. In reproductive tract was measured the activity and differential expression lipid soluble antioxidant system (LSAS) and of immune genes system. The higher sperm quantity was obtained in A diet and decreased in shrimp fed B and C diets (p < 0.05). Males fed diets B and C presented a higher activity and relative expression of lipid system oy suggesting oxidative stress. A significant increment of prophenol oxidase (proFo) and α-2-macroglobulin (α-2 M) transcripts were observed in males fed C diet (p < 0.05). All these variables were present in males with low sperm amount and low hemocyanin gene expression (p < 0.05). Therefore, diet A supplemented with 620 mg/kg vitamin E could benefit males L. vannamei broodstock, taking a count the sperm quantity and all the lipid and immune genes response.