Butyrate, known as one of the most important sources of energy for ruminants, is a volatile fatty acid produced by microbial anaerobic fermentation in the intestine. Butyrate, which has a simple structure consisting of an aliphatic 4 carbon chain, has been reported to have a trophic and anti-infective role in terrestrial animals, whereas a paucity of information concerning aquatic species exists. Butyrate is a bacterial produced source of energy and carbon storage for the fish, but beside its trophic activity that has been documented for both, terrestrial and aquatic animals, it possesses a number of other functions and activities. In young milk-feeding ruminants, a butyrate addition to the diet is applied to prevent infective diseases, while its defensive action versus pathogenic bacteria has been reported with aquaculture associated species as well. Moreover, an anti-stress activity was recently reported in mice, whereas the butyrate epigenetic activity, as an histone deacetylase inhibitor, is matter of study elsewhere and it is an important step for the establishment of its possible pluripotency for applications in aquaculture. Therefore, a study focused on the effects that butyrate may play on the trophism of fish intestine has been carried on in juvenile European sea bass. In a first experimental set, butirric acid has been added to a commercial feed formulation and the effects on intestine histological structure, as well as the transcriptomic activity of some pivotal genes has been studied. Successive experiments have been designed to study the possible recovering activity of butyrate on intestine of fish that were previously challenged with feed in which important ingredient substitutions have been made. An example with the effects observed on the expression of the gene coding for the heavy chain myosin is reported (Fig. 1). Results from a preliminary study will be discussed in the framework of some hypotheses that try to consider butyrate as a potential nutraceutical, in a design to improve elasticity on the choice of basic nutritional sources for carnivorous fish feeding. The discussion will comment on data from histological observations, on quantification of transcripts of genes coding for intestinal transporters of oligopeptides, antimicrobial peptides, as well as , DGGE microbioma description, and a possible fish intestine recovering activity, operated by this volatile fatty acid.

Does butyrate have a role in the protection of fish intestine? Results from a preliminary study on European sea bass (D. labrax)

TEROVA, GENCIANA;RIMOLDI, SIMONA;BERNARDINI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA;SAROGLIA, MARCO
2012-01-01

Abstract

Butyrate, known as one of the most important sources of energy for ruminants, is a volatile fatty acid produced by microbial anaerobic fermentation in the intestine. Butyrate, which has a simple structure consisting of an aliphatic 4 carbon chain, has been reported to have a trophic and anti-infective role in terrestrial animals, whereas a paucity of information concerning aquatic species exists. Butyrate is a bacterial produced source of energy and carbon storage for the fish, but beside its trophic activity that has been documented for both, terrestrial and aquatic animals, it possesses a number of other functions and activities. In young milk-feeding ruminants, a butyrate addition to the diet is applied to prevent infective diseases, while its defensive action versus pathogenic bacteria has been reported with aquaculture associated species as well. Moreover, an anti-stress activity was recently reported in mice, whereas the butyrate epigenetic activity, as an histone deacetylase inhibitor, is matter of study elsewhere and it is an important step for the establishment of its possible pluripotency for applications in aquaculture. Therefore, a study focused on the effects that butyrate may play on the trophism of fish intestine has been carried on in juvenile European sea bass. In a first experimental set, butirric acid has been added to a commercial feed formulation and the effects on intestine histological structure, as well as the transcriptomic activity of some pivotal genes has been studied. Successive experiments have been designed to study the possible recovering activity of butyrate on intestine of fish that were previously challenged with feed in which important ingredient substitutions have been made. An example with the effects observed on the expression of the gene coding for the heavy chain myosin is reported (Fig. 1). Results from a preliminary study will be discussed in the framework of some hypotheses that try to consider butyrate as a potential nutraceutical, in a design to improve elasticity on the choice of basic nutritional sources for carnivorous fish feeding. The discussion will comment on data from histological observations, on quantification of transcripts of genes coding for intestinal transporters of oligopeptides, antimicrobial peptides, as well as , DGGE microbioma description, and a possible fish intestine recovering activity, operated by this volatile fatty acid.
2012
Scollo, G; Terova, Genciana; Rimoldi, Simona; Bernardini, GIOVANNI BATTISTA; Antonini, M; Saroglia, Marco
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11383/1776318
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