This feeding trial was conducted to determine the vitamin E requirement of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) and to study the effects of vitamin E on nonspecific immune parameters. Commercial sea cucumber diets supplemented with 0, 50, 100, 200, 500 or 1000 mg kg À1 vitamin E were fed to juvenile sea cucumber (7.96 AE 0.01 g) for 60 days. Specific growth rate and total coelomocyte counts were maximized in sea cucumber fed diets supplemented with 100 mg kg À1 vitamin E. Reactive oxygen species production was maximized at 50 mg kg À1 vitamin E, whereas superoxide dismutase activity was the highest in sea cucumber fed diets supplemented with 100 mg kg À1 vitamin E. The vitamin E concentration in the body wall of the sea cucumber increased as the vitamin E level in the diet increased. Analysis of specific growth rate and total coelomocyte counts of the sea cucumber indicated that 88-92 mg kg À1 vitamin E is required for maximal growth and nonspecific immune responses of A. japonicus and that 114.7 mg kg À1 vitamin E is required to minimize lipid peroxidation levels.
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