Transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis reveal the anti-oxidation and immune boosting effects of mulberry leaves in growing mutton sheep

Xiaopeng Cui; Yuxin Yang; Minjuan Zhang; Shuang Liu; Hexin Wang; Feng Jiao; Lijun Bao; Ziwei Lin; Xinlan Wei; Wei Qian; Xiang Shi; Chao Su; Yonghua Qian

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1088850

Transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis reveal the anti-oxidation and immune boosting effects of mulberry leaves in growing mutton sheep

Front Immunol. 2023 Feb 27:13:1088850. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1088850. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Xiaopeng Cui¹, Yuxin Yang¹, Minjuan Zhang¹, Shuang Liu¹, Hexin Wang¹, Feng Jiao¹, Lijun Bao¹, Ziwei Lin¹, Xinlan Wei¹, Wei Qian¹, Xiang Shi¹, Chao Su¹, Yonghua Qian¹

Affiliation

¹ College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, the anti-oxidation of active ingredients in mulberry leaves (MLs) and their forage utilization is receiving increasing attention. Here, we propose that MLs supplementation improves oxidative resistance and immunity.

Methods: We conducted a trial including three groups of growing mutton sheep, each receiving fermented mulberry leaves (FMLs) feeding, dried mulberry leaves (DMLs) feeding or normal control feeding without MLs.

Results: Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that promoting anti-oxidation and enhancing disease resistance of MLs is attributed to improved tryptophan metabolic pathways and reduced peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Furthermore, immunity was markedly increased after FMLs treatment by regulating glycolysis and mannose-6-phosphate pathways. Additionally, there was better average daily gain in the MLs treatment groups.

Conclusion: These findings provide new insights for understanding the beneficial effects of MLs in animal husbandry and provide a theoretical support for extensive application of MLs in improving nutrition and health care values.

Keywords: anti-oxidation; glycolysis; immunity; mulberry leaves; peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids; tryptophan metabolism.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
Gene Expression Profiling
Morus*
Red Meat*
Sheep
Sheep, Domestic
Transcriptome

Substances

Fatty Acids, Unsaturated

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the Special Program in Technology and Innovation of the Shaanxi Forestry Academy (SXLK2020-0211), China Agriculture Research System of MOF (Ministry of Finance) and MARA (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) (CARS-18), Technical System Construction of the Shaanxi Sericulture Industry (NYKJ-2022-YL(XN)29) and The special fund of key support project in Northwest A&F University extension mode (TGZX2022-13).