Journal Article

Effects of Shrimp Shell-Derived Chitosan on Growth, Immunity, Intestinal Morphology, and Gene Expression of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in a Biofloc System

Fontana, Camilla Maria, Jung, Won-Kyo, Paolucci, Marina, Linh, Nguyen Vu, Wannavijit, Supreya, Srinual, Orranee, Lengkidworraphiphat, Phattawin, Dinh-Hung, Nguyen, Lubis, Anisa Rilla, Montha, Napatsorn, Doan, Hien Van

2024

Overview

Chitosan (CH) shows great potential as an immunostimulatory feed additive in aquaculture. This study evaluates the effects of varying dietary CH levels on the growth, immunity, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant status of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a biofloc system. Tilapia fingerlings (mean weight 13.54 ± 0.05 g) were fed diets supplemented with 0 (CH0), 5 (CH5), 10 (CH10), 20 (CH20), and 40 (CH40) mL·kg−1 of CH for 8 weeks. Parameters were assessed after 4 and 8 weeks. Their final weight was not affected by CH supplementation, but CH at 10 mL·kg−1 significantly improved weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) compared to the control (p < 0.05) at 8 weeks. Skin mucus lysozyme and peroxidase activities were lower in the chitosan-treated groups at weeks 4 and 8. Intestinal villi length and width were enhanced by 10 and 20 mL·kg−1 CH compared to the control. However, 40 mL·kg−1 CH caused detrimental impacts on the villi and muscular layer. CH supplementation, especially 5–10 mL·kg−1, increased liver and intestinal expressions of interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), LPS-binding protein (LBP), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione S-transferase (GST-α) compared to the control group. Overall, dietary CH at 10 mL·kg−1 can effectively promote growth, intestinal morphology, innate immunity, and antioxidant capacity in Nile tilapia fingerlings reared in biofloc systems.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Animal Feed / Animals / Antibiotics / antioxidant activity / Antioxidants / Antioxidants - metabolism / Antioxidants - pharmacology / Aquaculture / Aquaculture - methods / Biofloc technology / by-product / Chemical properties / Chitin / Chitosan / Chitosan - pharmacology / Cichlids - growth & development / Cichlids - immunology / Cichlids - metabolism / Diet / Dietary Supplements / Disease / feed additive / Feed additives / Fingerlings / Fish / Food additives / Food and nutrition / Food wastes / Freshwater fishes / Gene expression / Gene Expression - drug effects / Genetic aspects / Glutathione / Glutathione peroxidase / Glutathione reductase / Glutathione transferase / glutathione-disulfide reductase / Growth / growth performance / Growth rate / Health aspects / Immune response / Immunity / Immunostimulants / Immunostimulation / Innate immunity / Interleukin 1 / Interleukin 8 / Interleukins / Intestine / intestines / Intestines - drug effects / liver / LPS-binding protein / Lysozyme / Marine fishes / Morphology / Morphology (Animals) / mRNA expression / Mucus / Nutrition research / Oreochromis niloticus / Peroxidase / Polyculture (aquaculture) / Prebiotics / Reductases / Seafood / Skin / specific growth rate / Testing / Tilapia / Weight / weight gain