Abstract: |
In recent times, nutraceuticals have been used extensively to identify promising feed
additives for the improvement of the aquaculture industry through the enhancement of growth and
survival rates, potentiation of the immune responses, and fortification of the resistance against
infectious bacterial diseases. In this study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were fed with diets
supplemented with quinoa seeds (QU) or prickly pear fruit peel (PP) at the dose levels of 10% or
20% of the diet. After 45 days of the feeding trial, the fish were exposed to Aeromonas sobria (A. sobria)
challenge. The pre-challenge indices indicated that both supplements mediated a significant
improvement in most of the estimated parameters, including survival rate, antioxidant status,
hematological and immunological indices, and hepatoprotective potential. These effects were
recorded in the groups fed with high doses of the supplements (20%). The least changes were
observed in the QU10-supplemented fish. In the spleen tissue, the TGF-β gene was upregulated in
the PP10-, PP20- and QU20-supplemented groups, while the expression of the IFN-γ gene remained
unaffected in all the supplemented groups, except for the PP20-supplemented group, which showed
an upregulation. After the challenge with A. sobria, the relative survival percentage was improved
by the supplementation of PP and QU, particularly in the PP20-supplemented group, possibly via
the promotion of immunological responses, hepatoprotective potency, and modulation of the
studied genes. Moreover, the morphological structure of the tissues showed marked recovery. The
findings suggest that Nile tilapia fed with different levels of PP peel and QU seeds, particularly at
the level of 20%, enhanced the immune response in fish and improved their resistance against A.
sobria infection.
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