Physical and Flavor Characteristics, Fatty Acid Profile, Antioxidant Status and Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant Enzyme Gene Expression Changes in Young Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Fillets Fed Dietary Valine

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 24;12(1):e0169270. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169270. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary valine on the physical and flavor characteristics, fatty acid (FA) profile, antioxidant status and Nrf2-dependent antioxidant enzyme gene expression in the muscle of young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fed increasing levels of valine (4.3, 8.0, 10.6, 13.1, 16.9 and 19.1 g/kg) for 8 weeks. Compared with the control group, the group fed valine showed improved physical characteristics of fish fillets (increased relative shear force, hydroxyproline, protein and lipid levels and decreased cathepsin B and L activities, as well as cooking loss, were observed). Moreover, valine improved the flavor of young grass carp fillets by increasing the amino acid (AA) concentration in fish muscle (increased aspartic acid, threonine, glutamine, cystine, methionine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, arginine and valine concentrations were observed). Additionally, optimal valine supplementation increased the potential health benefits to humans by decreasing the saturated FA (C15:0 and C16:0) concentration and increasing the unsaturated FA (monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), such as C16:1, C18:1c+t and C20:1, and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), such as C18:3n-3, C20:2 and C22:6) concentration. In addition, the reduced glutathione (GSH) content and the activities of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), catalase (CAT) and Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxydase (Se-GPx) increased under valine supplementation (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the SOD1, CAT and Se-GPx mRNA levels increased with dietary valine levels, possibly due to the up-regulation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), target of rapamycin (TOR) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) and the down-regulation of Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) in muscle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, valine improved the physical and flavor characteristics, FA profile, and antioxidant status and regulated the expression of the antioxidant enzyme genes Nrf2, Keap1, TOR and S6K1 in fish fillets.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Animal Feed*
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / analysis*
  • Carps / metabolism*
  • Catalase / biosynthesis
  • Catalase / genetics
  • Cooking
  • Dietary Fats / analysis*
  • Dietary Proteins / analysis*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fatty Acids / analysis*
  • Fisheries
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects*
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / biosynthesis
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / genetics
  • Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 / biosynthesis
  • Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 / genetics
  • Meat / analysis*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Muscle, Skeletal / enzymology
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / biosynthesis
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / genetics
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / physiology
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / biosynthesis
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / genetics
  • Shear Strength
  • Superoxide Dismutase / biosynthesis
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / biosynthesis
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Valine / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Antioxidants
  • Dietary Fats
  • Dietary Proteins
  • Fatty Acids
  • Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Catalase
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Valine

Grants and funding

This research was financially supported by the Science and Technology Support Program of Sichuan Province of China (2014NZ0003), National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2014CB138600), Major Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Project of Sichuan Province of China (2012NC0007; 2013NC0045), The Demonstration of Major Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Project of Sichuan Province of China (2015CC0011) and Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists of Sichuan Province (2014JQ0007). The authors would like to thank the personnel of these teams for their kind assistance. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.