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Dietary docosahexaenoic acid decreased lipid accumulation via inducing adipocytes apoptosis of grass carp, Ctenopharygodon idella

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of by which docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) inhibit the accumulation of adipose tissue lipid in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). We therefore designed two semi-purified diets, namely DHA-free (control) and DHA-supplemented, and fed them to grass carp (22.19 ± 1.76 g) for 3 and 6 weeks. DHA supplementation led to a significantly lower intraperitoneal fat index (IPFI) than that in the control group by reducing the number of adipocytes but significantly higher adipocyte size (P < 0.05). In the intraperitoneal adipose tissue, the DHA-fed group showed significantly higher peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, CCAAT enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)α, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)1c mRNA expression levels at both 3 and 6 weeks (P < 0.05). However, the ratio of the expression levels of B cell leukemia 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) was significantly lower in the DHA-fed group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the protein expression levels of the apoptosis-related proteins caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9 were also significantly higher (P < 0.05). Overall, although DHA promotes lipid synthesis, it is more likely that DHA could suppress the lipid accumulation in adipocytes of grass carp by inducing adipocyte apoptosis.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported financially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31372538). We thank Ankang Fisheries Experimental and Demonstration Station (AFEDS) of the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University for the experimental fish.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, People’s Republic of China

    Ai Jin, Cai-xia Lei, Jing-jing Tian, Jian Sun & Hong Ji

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  1. Ai Jin
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Correspondence to Hong Ji.

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Jin, A., Lei, Cx., Tian, Jj. et al. Dietary docosahexaenoic acid decreased lipid accumulation via inducing adipocytes apoptosis of grass carp, Ctenopharygodon idella . Fish Physiol Biochem 44, 197–207 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-017-0424-6

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