Effect of Lycopene on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Expression of Gene in the Keap1-Nrf2 Signaling Pathway of Arbor Acres Broilers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary lycopene supplementation on the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity of serum and liver, and gene expressions associated with Kelch-like ech-associated protein-1 (Keap1)/Nuclear Factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in liver of Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 6 replicates and 12 chickens for each replicate. The control group was fed with the basal diet, while the treated groups were fed with the basal diet with 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene in powder. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for 42 days. Compared with the control group, (a) the average daily gain increased (p = 0.002 vs. p = 0.001) and the feed conversion ratio decreased (p = 0.017 vs. p = 0.023) in groups treated with lycopene in the grower and whole phases, and the average daily feed intake was quadratically affected (p = 0.043) by lycopene in the grower phase; (b) the serum superoxide dismutase content was linearly affected (p = 0.035) by lycopene at 21 days; (c) the serum glutathione peroxidase content, superoxide dismutase content, and total antioxidant capability were higher (p = 0.014, p = 0.003, and p = 0.016, respectively) in the 30 mg/kg lycopene group at 42 days; (d) the liver glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase contents in groups treated with lycopene were higher (p ≤ 0.001 vs. p ≤ 0.001) at 21 days; (e) the liver glutathione peroxidase content was higher (p ≤ 0.001) in the 20 and 30 mg/kg lycopene groups, at 42 days; (f) the mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, superoxide dismutase 2, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1, and heme oxygenase 1 genes were higher (21 days: p = 0.042, p = 0.021, p = 0.035, and p = 0.043, respectively; 42 days: p = 0.038, p = 0.025, p = 0.034, and p = 0.043, respectively) in the 20 and 30 mg/kg lycopene groups at 21 and 42 days. The 30 mg/kg lycopene concentration improved the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity in serum and liver, and gene expression in the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway of Arbor Acres broilers.

Effects of lycopene on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B1

“…Wang et al. (2022) found that adding 30 mg/kg LYC to the diet resulted in a decrease in the feed‐to‐weight ratio of 42‐day‐old AA broilers. In this experiment, the addition of 200 mg/kg LYC mitigated the negative impact that AFB 1 had on the performance of the broilers.…”

“…(2022) found that the addition of LYC could upregulate the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and the protein levels of Nrf2 and downregulate the mRNA and protein levels of Keap1. The dietary inclusion of LYC improved antioxidant status by increasing GSH‐Px and GST activities in the serum and liver (El‐Sheshtawy et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2022). Similarly, we found that 100 µg/kg AFB 1 added to the diet significantly reduced GSH‐Px activity, and a decline in the free‐radical scavenging abilities of ABTS ·+ and OH · was observed, whereas the addition of LYC reversed the decline.…”

“…Similarly, the ADG of broiler chickens supplemented with 100 µg/kg AFB 1 in this experiment was lower, and the F/G was higher than that of the control group, which had an impact on the performance of broiler chickens. Wang et al (2022) found that adding 30 mg/kg LYC to the diet resulted in a decrease in the feed-to-weight ratio of 42-day-old AA broilers. In this experiment, the addition of 200 mg/kg LYC mitigated the negative impact that AFB 1 had on the performance of the broilers.…”

Dietary supplementation with tomato waste to improve performance and egg quality of laying hens: a meta-analysis

“…Hence, the eggs produced would be healthier for consumption due to their low cholesterol levels, helping to overcome the phobia associated with high cholesterol concentrations. Furthermore, enriching the diet of hens with tomato waste had no adverse effect on their health; on the contrary, tomato waste showed health-promoting effects, as it contains high concentrations of lycopene, acting as an antioxidant (Wang et al, 2022). Some studies showed that supplementation of laying hens' feed with tomato waste at concentrations of 9-12% reduced egg-yolk cholesterol and improved its colour (Habanabashaka et al, 2014;Mahata et al, 2016).…”

Physiological Responses in Broiler Chickens Administered Lycopene During the Hot-Dry Season

“…It is highly effective in removing reactive oxygen species (ROS), particularly singlet oxygen [25]. Lycopene is beneficial for enhancing growth responses in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress [2,26,39]. Lycopene's health benefits may be linked to its antioxidant properties, which enhance the numerous physiological reactions in broiler chickens [20,35].…”