Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2024 Sep 30;19(9):e0307212. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307212. eCollection 2024.
The study investigated the impact of N-acetyl cysteine on growth, immune response, and antioxidant activity in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were reared at three densities (1.50, 3.00, and 4.50 kg/m3) with four levels of N-acetyl cysteine supplementation (0, 2, 4, and 6 mg/kg) over 60 days. Better growth was observed at low density, but at all densities, fish fed the highest N-acetyl cysteine level (6 mg/kg) showed improved growth. Chemical composition of fish and activity of amylase, lipase and protease in all treatments were noted to be insignificant. The levels of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) and cortisol in HD treatments were high as compared to LD and MD treatment. However, fish fed with N3 diet in each density treatment showed the lowest level of antioxidant enzymes as well as cortisol. Similarly, the levels of malondialdehyde were noted to be high at HD treatments as compared to that in LD and MD. Its levels were lower in fish fed with N3 diets in all density treatments. Expression of somatostatins-1 did not increase in MD and HD treatments in response to high stocking density when compared with LD treatment. However, pro-opiomelanocortin-α level was reduced after N3 diet in HD treatment and interleukin 1-β expression increased after N3 supplement in HD treatment. In conclusion, N-acetyl cysteine supplementation improved growth and antioxidant response in tilapia. The most optimum dose of N-acetyl cysteine was noted to be 6 mg/kg at high stocking, suggesting the potential role of this nutraceutical in tilapia intensive culture.
本研究调查了 N-乙酰半胱氨酸对罗非鱼（Oreochromis niloticus）生长、免疫反应和抗氧化活性的影响。在 60 天的时间里，将鱼在三种密度（1.50、3.00 和 4.50 kg/m3）下饲养，并添加四种不同水平的 N-乙酰半胱氨酸补充剂（0、2、4 和 6 mg/kg）。在低密度下观察到更好的生长，但在所有密度下，最高 N-乙酰半胱氨酸水平（6 mg/kg）喂养的鱼表现出更好的生长。所有处理中鱼的化学成分以及淀粉酶、脂肪酶和蛋白酶的活性均无显著差异。与低密度和中密度处理相比，高密度处理中的抗氧化酶（过氧化氢酶、超氧化物歧化酶和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶）和皮质醇水平较高。然而，在每个密度处理中，喂食 N3 饮食的鱼表现出最低水平的抗氧化酶和皮质醇。同样，与低密度和中密度处理相比，高密度处理中的丙二醛水平较高。在所有密度处理中，喂食 N3 饮食的鱼的丙二醛水平较低。与低密度处理相比，在高密度处理中，生长密度较高时，生长激素抑制素-1 的表达没有增加，但高密度处理中的 N3 饮食后促肾上腺皮质素-α水平降低，高密度处理中 N3 补充后白细胞介素 1-β表达增加。总之，N-乙酰半胱氨酸补充剂改善了罗非鱼的生长和抗氧化反应。在高密度养殖中，N-乙酰半胱氨酸的最佳剂量为 6 mg/kg，这表明这种营养保健品在罗非鱼集约化养殖中的潜在作用。
