Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Epigallocatechin Gallate on Meat Quality and Muscle Antioxidant Capacity of Broilers Subjected to Acute Heat Stress

Abstract

This study evaluated epigallocatechin gallate’s (EGCG’s, 400 mg/kg) effect on meat quality and muscle antioxidant status of broilers under acute heat stress (AHS). A total of 144 21-day-old male Huainan partridge chickens were randomly allocated to the EGCG-free group (12 replicates) and the EGCG group (6 replicates). On day 94, the EGCG-free group was divided into the control group (CON) and the AHS group, and then AHS group and EGCG group (identified as AHS + EGCG group) were treated with AHS (33 ± 1 °C for 12 h). AHS increased (p < 0.05) L*24h, drip loss, muscle lactic acid, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) mRNA level, and decreased (p < 0.05) eviscerated percentage, pH24h, a*, muscle total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity, the ratio of T-SOD/MDA and glutathione peroxidase /MDA, glycogen content, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related 2 (Nrf2), catalase (CAT), NAD(P)H/quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) mRNA levels. The AHS + EGCG group exhibited lower (p < 0.05) L*24h, drip loss, muscle lactic acid, MDA contents and Keap1 mRNA level, and greater (p < 0.05) eviscerated percentage, pH24h, a*, muscle T-SOD activity, the ratio of T-SOD/MDA, Nrf2, and NQO1 mRNA levels compared with the AHS group. In conclusion, EGCG protects against AHS-impaired meat quality by improving muscle antioxidant capacity, which seems to be associated with the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Resveratrol Attenuates Heat Stress-Induced Impairment of Meat Quality in Broilers by Regulating the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

“…HS led to changes in the carcass traits of broilers, namely a decline in breast muscle rate and an increase in the proportion of abdominal fat [ 22 ]. Our previous study found that HS decreased the eviscerated carcass yield [ 19 ]. Consistent with these previous findings, the present study indicated that the breast muscle rate, leg muscle rate, and semi-evisceration yield of broilers were significantly decreased by HS, which might be attributed to the decrease in feed intake and the increase in muscle degradation [ 23 ].…”

“…Consistent with these previous findings, the present study indicated that the breast muscle rate, leg muscle rate, and semi-evisceration yield of broilers were significantly decreased by HS, which might be attributed to the decrease in feed intake and the increase in muscle degradation [ 23 ]. Previous studies have reported that the plant polyphenols lycopene [ 24 ] and epigallocatechin gallate [ 19 ] can mitigate the adverse effects of HS on the carcass traits of quail and broilers, respectively. Yu et al [ 25 ] revealed that RES could reduce abdominal fat deposition and improve carcass traits of ducks.…”

“…The primers for Nrf2 , kelch-like epichlorohydrin-associated protein 1 ( Keap1 ), HO-1 , NAD(P)H/quinone oxidoreductase 1 ( NQO1 ), CAT , SOD1 , GST , GSH-Px , and β-actin were synthesized by SangonBiotechCo., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) and are presented in Table S2 , as in our previous study [ 16 ]. The reaction condition and parameter setting were according to the settings in our previous research [ 19 ]. The target genes’ relative mRNA expression was determined using the 2 −∆∆Ct method against β-actin as the housekeeping gene.…”

An Encapsulated Organic Acid and Essential Oil Mixture Improves the Intestinal Health of Weaned Piglets by Altering Intestinal Inflammation and Antioxidative Capacity

“…Nrf2, a key transcription regulator, plays a key role in regulating antioxidant-related genes expression, including SOD, GPX and CAT. Therefore, the Nrf2 signaling pathway is essential for animals to cope with oxidative stress [ 21 , 39 ]. Ma et al [ 5 ] found that dietary organic acid and essential oil supplementation increased SOD and GPX activities in serum, but had no significant effect on intestinal SOD and GPX activities and MDA (a lipid oxidation product) content.…”

“…The PCR reaction mixture contained 0.5 µL of the cDNA sample, 0.5 µL of each primer, 10 µL SYBR Green qPCR Master Mix and 9.5 µL of nuclease free water. The parameters for thermal cycling were set in accordance with our published study [ 21 ]. Primers of Nrf2, SOD, GPX, CAT, Keap-1, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, mucin-2, zonula occludens (ZO) -1, ZO-2, occludin, claudin-1, claudin-1 and glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were obtained from other reports [ 19 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ] and are listed showed in Table S2 .…”