Skip to main content

The Hepatoprotective Effects of Zinc Glycine on Liver Injury in Meat Duck Through Alleviating Hepatic Lipid Deposition and Inflammation

Biological Trace Element Research volume 195, pages 569–578 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Dietary zinc status was recently approved to exert a powerful influence on liver health, and zinc deficiency results in hepatic injury caused by fat deposition, inflammation, and oxidant stress, but the effect of zinc on hepatic lipid metabolism and liver injury in meat duck has not been well defined. To determine the hepatoprotective effects of graded zinc glycine in meat ducks. A total of 384 1-day-old male meat ducks were subjected to 5 weeks feeding program with three experimental diets: (1) low-zinc diet, (2) adequate-zinc diet, and (3) high-zinc diet. Blood and liver samples were collected for biochemical analysis, gene expression analysis, and histopathological study. Diet with low zinc increased hepatic lipid content and triglyceride concentration. Meat ducks fed low-zinc diet exhibited considerably increased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity than birds fed other diets among all groups (P < 0.05). Low zinc administration also notably induced hepatocyte apoptosis and stimulated hepatic inflammatory gene expression. Adequate or high zinc supplementation increased hepatic zinc level, reduced hepatic lipid deposition and hepatosomatic indices through suppressing the expression of lipogenic genes including fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) (P < 0.05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of both fatty acid secretion and β-oxidation, including carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a), peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)α, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) (P < 0.05). Dietary zinc addition also declined hepatic mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, diets with adequate or high zinc significantly decreased serum ALT activity and hepatocyte apoptosis. These data revealed that supplementing adequate- or high-zinc glycine efficiently protects liver injury by attenuating lipid deposition and hepatic inflammation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

References

  1. Karagozian R, Derdak Z, Baffy G (2014) Obesity-associated mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis. Metabolism 63:607–617

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hermier D (1997) Lipoprotein metabolism and fattening in poultry. J Nutr 127:805 s–808 s

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Lu L, Chen Y, Wang Z, Li X, Chen W, Tao Z, Shen J, Tian Y, Wang D, Li G, Chen L, Chen F, Fang D, Yu L, Sun Y, Ma Y, Li J, Wang J (2015) The goose genome sequence leads to insights into the evolution of waterfowl and susceptibility to fatty liver. Genome Biol 16:89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Molee W, Bouillier-Oudot M, Auvergne A, Babile R (2005) Changes in lipid composition of hepatocyte plasma membrane induced by overfeeding in duck. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 141:437–444

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hermier D, Guy G, Guillaumin S, Davail S, Andre JM, Hoo-Paris R (2003) Differential channelling of liver lipids in relation to susceptibility to hepatic steatosis in two species of ducks. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 135:663–675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Liu J (2014) Ethanol and liver: recent insights into the mechanisms of ethanol-induced fatty liver. World J Gastroenterol 20:14672–14685

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu J, Han L, Zhu L, Yu Y (2016) Free fatty acids, not triglycerides, are associated with non-alcoholic liver injury progression in high fat diet induced obese rats. Lipids Health Dis 15:27

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Qin S, Han H, Zhang K, Ding X, Bai S, Wang J, Zeng Q (2018) Dietary fibre alleviates hepatic fat deposition via inhibiting lipogenic gene expression in meat ducks. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 102:e736–e745

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Dongiovanni P, Lanti C, Riso P, Valenti L (2016) Nutritional therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. J Nutr Biochem 29:1–11

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Olechnowicz J, Tinkov A, Skalny A, Suliburska J (2018) Zinc status is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid, and glucose metabolism. J Physiol Sci 68:19–31

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Zhou Z, Kang X, Jiang Y, Song Z, Feng W, McClain CJ, Kang YJ (2007) Preservation of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha is associated with zinc protection against TNF-alpha hepatotoxicity in mice. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 232:622–628

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bao B, Prasad AS, Beck FW, Fitzgerald JT, Snell D, Bao GW, Singh T, Cardozo LJ (2010) Zinc decreases C-reactive protein, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory cytokines in elderly subjects: a potential implication of zinc as an atheroprotective agent. Am J Clin Nutr 91:1634–1641

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhong W, Zhao Y, Sun X, Song Z, McClain CJ, Zhou Z (2013) Dietary zinc deficiency exaggerates ethanol-induced liver injury in mice: involvement of intrahepatic and extrahepatic factors. PLoS One 8:e76522

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tupe RS, Tupe SG, Tarwadi KV, Agte VV (2010) Effect of different dietary zinc levels on hepatic antioxidant and micronutrients indices under oxidative stress conditions. Metabolism 59:1603–1611

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Huang C, Luo Z, Hogstrand C, Chen F, Shi X, Chen QL, Song YF, Pan YX (2016) Effect and mechanism of waterborne prolonged Zn exposure influencing hepatic lipid metabolism in javelin goby Synechogobius hasta. J Appl Toxicol 36:886–895

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Xu C, Huang Z, Liu L, Luo C, Lu G, Li Q, Gao X (2015) Zinc regulates lipid metabolism and MMPs expression in lipid disturbance rabbits. Biol Trace Elem Res 168:411–420

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kang X, Zhong W, Liu J, Song Z, McClain CJ, Kang YJ, Zhou Z (2009) Zinc supplementation reverses alcohol-induced steatosis in mice through reactivating hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha. Hepatology 50:1241–1250

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhou Z, Liu J, Song Z, McClain CJ, Kang YJ (2008) Zinc supplementation inhibits hepatic apoptosis in mice subjected to a long-term ethanol exposure. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 233:540–548

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Rishi P, Kaur P, Virdi JS, Shukla G, Koul A (2008) Amelioratory effects of zinc supplementation on Salmonella-induced hepatic damage in the murine model. Dig Dis Sci 53:1063–1070

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kim J, Ahn J (2014) Effect of zinc supplementation on inflammatory markers and adipokines in young obese women. Biol Trace Elem Res 157:101–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Jarosz Ł, Marek A, Grądzki Z, Kwiecień M, Kalinowski M (2017) The effect of feed supplementation with zinc chelate and zinc sulphate on selected humoral and cell-mediated immune parameters and cytokine concentration in broiler chickens. Res Vet Sci 112:59–65

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Jarosz Ł, Marek A, Grądzki Z, Laskowska E, Kwiecień M (2019) Effect of zinc sulfate and zinc glycine chelate on concentrations of acute phase proteins in chicken serum and liver tissue. Biol Trace Elem Res 187:258–272

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  23. National Research Council (1994) Nutrient requirements of poultry, 9th edn. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kleiner DE, Brunt EM, Van Natta M, Behling C, Contos MJ, Cummings OW, Ferrell LD, Liu YC, Torbenson MS, Unalp-Arida A, Yeh M, McCullough AJ, Sanyal AJ (2005) Design and validation of a histological scoring system for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology 41:1313–1321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Stradiot L, Verhulst S, Roosens T, Oie CI, Moya IM, Halder G, Mannaerts I, van Grunsven LA (2017) Functionality based method for simultaneous isolation of rodent hepatic sinusoidal cells. Biomaterials 139:91–101

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Zhou Z, Wang L, Song Z, Saari JT, McClain CJ, Kang YJ (2005) Zinc supplementation prevents alcoholic liver injury in mice through attenuation of oxidative stress. Am J Pathol 166:1681–1690

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Elliott WH, Elliott DC (2009) Biochemistry and molecular biology, 4th edn. Oxford University, Oxford, UK

    Google Scholar 

  28. Takai T, Saito Y, Yamamoto K, Tanabe T (1988) Developmental changes of the content of acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA in chicken liver. Arch Biochem Biophys 266:313–318

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ribet C, Montastier E, Valle C, Bezaire V, Mazzucotelli A, Mairal A, Viguerie N, Langin D (2010) Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha control of lipid and glucose metabolism in human white adipocytes. Endocrinology 151:123–133

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Watt AJ, Garrison WD, Duncan SA (2003) HNF4: a central regulator of hepatocyte differentiation and function. Hepatology 37:1249–1253

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Kerner J, Hoppel C (2000) Fatty acid import into mitochondria. Biochim Biophys Acta 1486:1–17

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Blasiole DA, Davis RA, Attie AD (2007) The physiological and molecular regulation of lipoprotein assembly and secretion. Mol BioSyst 3:608–619

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Dowman JK, Tomlinson JW, Newsome PN (2010) Pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. QJM 103:71–83

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Sun Q, Zhong W, Zhang W, Li Q, Sun X, Tan X, Sun X, Dong D, Zhou Z (2015) Zinc deficiency mediates alcohol-induced apoptotic cell death in the liver of rats through activating ER and mitochondrial cell death pathways. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 308:G757–G766

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Jarrar MH, Baranova A, Collantes R, Ranard B, Stepanova M, Bennett C, Fang Y, Elariny H, Goodman Z, Chandhoke V, Younossi ZM (2008) Adipokines and cytokines in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 27:412–421

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Goel A, Dani V, Dhawan DK (2005) Protective effects of zinc on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes and hepatic histoarchitecture in chlorpyrifos-induced toxicity. Chem Biol Interact 156:131–140

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Yousef MI, El-Hendy HA, El-Demerdash FM, Elagamy EI (2002) Dietary zinc deficiency induced-changes in the activity of enzymes and the levels of free radicals, lipids and protein electrophoretic behavior in growing rats. Toxicology 175:223–234

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Gregory Fraley, Ahsan Mustafa, and Huaiyong Zhang for the revision of English.

Funding

Financial support was provided by the Science and Technology Support Program of Sichuan Province (Grant No. 2013NZ0054) and the research funding was also provided by Sichuan Longda Animal Husbandry Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (No. 009H2200).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yunhan Zhang and Yaqi Chang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Nutrition, Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of China, Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, No. 211 Huiming Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China

    Yunhan Zhang, Yaqi Chang, Ting Yang, Min Wen, Zhengyu Zhang, Guangmang Liu, Hua Zhao, Xiaoling Chen, Gang Tian, Jingyi Cai & Gang Jia

  2. Chelota Group, Guanghan, 618300, China

    Bing Wu

Authors
  1. Yunhan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yaqi Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ting Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Min Wen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhengyu Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Guangmang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Hua Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xiaoling Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Gang Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Jingyi Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Bing Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Gang Jia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gang Jia.

Ethics declarations

Animals, diets and experimental design Care, handling and sampling procedures was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Sichuan Agricultural University (approval No. SAU-13-147).

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, Y., Chang, Y., Yang, T. et al. The Hepatoprotective Effects of Zinc Glycine on Liver Injury in Meat Duck Through Alleviating Hepatic Lipid Deposition and Inflammation. Biol Trace Elem Res 195, 569–578 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01860-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01860-x

Keywords

  • Zinc glycine
  • Lipid deposition
  • Inflammation
  • Liver injury
  • Meat duck