Effects of α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Growth Performance, Liver Histology, Antioxidant and Related Genes Expression of Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × E. lanceolatus ♂)

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of α-lipoic acid on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity in hybrid groupers (♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ E. lanceolatus) fed with a high-lipid diet. Groupers (8.97 ± 0.01 g) were fed six different diets, with α-lipoic acid content in diets being 0, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 mg/kg, named S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6, respectively. The results show that the addition of 2000 mg/kg α-lipoic acid in the diet inhibited the growth, weight gain rate (WGR), and specific growth rate (SGR), which were significantly lower than other groups. In serum, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly higher in the S5 group than in the S1 group. In the liver, CAT, SOD and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) levels were significantly increased in α-lipoic acid supplemented groups. α-lipoic acid significantly upregulated liver antioxidant genes sod and cat, anti-inflammatory factor interleukin 10 (il10) and transforming growth factor β (tgfβ) mRNA levels. Conclusion: the addition of 2000 mg/kg of α-lipoic acid inhibits the growth of hybrid groupers. In addition, 400–800 mg/kg α-lipoic acid contents improve the antioxidant capacity of groupers and have a protective effect against high-lipid-diet-induced liver oxidative damage.