Nano- and Microdelivery Systems for Marine Bioactive Lipids

There is an increasing body of evidence of the positive impact of several marine lipids on human health. These compounds, which include ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have been shown to improve blood lipid profiles and exert anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects. The high instability of these compounds to oxidative deterioration and their hydrophobicity have a drastic impact in their pharmacokinetics. Thus, the bioavailability of these compounds may be affected, resulting in their inability to reach the target sites at effective concentrations. In this regard; micro/nanoparticles can offer a wide range of solutions that can prevent the degradation of targeted molecules, increase their absorption, uptake and bioavailability. In this work we will present the options currently available concerning micro- and nanodelivery systems for marine lipids; with emphasis on micro/nanoparticles; such as micro/nanocapsules and emulsions. A wide range of bottom-up approaches using casein, chitosan, cyclodextrins, among others; will be discussed.     

The effect of dietary supplementation with Aurantiochytrium limacinum on lactating dairy cows in terms of animal health,productivity and milk composition

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA )‐rich microalgae, Aurantiochytrium limacinum (AURA ), on a variety of health and productivity parameters in lactating cows. Twenty‐four cows were blocked by parity and number of days in milk and then randomly assigned to a control (CON ; n  = 12) group with no algal supplementation, or a treatment group (AURA ; n  = 12) provided with 100 g AURA  cow^?1 day^?1 or 16 g DHA  cow^?1 day^?1. A variety of health and productivity measurements were taken, and results indicated that supplementation had no negative effects on animal health in terms of somatic cell count, haematological and biochemical blood parameters, while body condition was marginally improved by algal supplementation. No differences were found for the various production parameters measured; however, a tendency towards increased milk production was observed for the AURA group during the final stage of the study (+4.5 kg cow^?1 day^?1, day 78–84). The fatty acid profile of milk was improved by supplementation, with significantly lower saturated fatty acids, significantly higher omega‐3 fatty acids and an improved omega‐3/omega‐6 ratio observed when compared to the control group. The amount of DHA in the milk of cows provided 105 g AURA  head^?1 day^?1 was 4.7 mg/100 g milk with a peak transfer efficiency from feed to milk at day 49 of 8.3%. These results indicate that supplementation with 105 g AURA  head^?1 day^?1 resulted in the successful enrichment of milk with DHA without negatively impacting the health or productivity of the animals.     

Heterotrophic Aurantiochytrium sp. supplementation to layer diets sustainably increases the omega-3 concentration of eggs

ABSTRACT

1. The consumption of adequate amounts of the long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) has been associated with beneficial effects on human health. Eggs are commonly consumed worldwide, and their omega-3 content can be easily altered by changing the diets of laying hens and so represent an important target for enrichment.

2. In this study, the effect of supplementing laying hens with DHA-rich, Aurantiochytrium limacinum at three different inclusion levels was investigated over a 24-week period.

3. Significant increases in egg DHA concentrations were observed after four weeks and were maintained for the duration of the 24-week study. The supplemented eggs in the current study had a DHA content of 82, 101, and 129 mg/yolk when supplemented with 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% treatments, respectively, which meets the EU criteria to be considered ‘high in omega-3?.

4. Using the sustainably grown protist Aurantiochytrium limacinum to supplement layer diets increased the egg DHA concentration and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio, improving the nutritional value of the eggs for human consumers.     

Stimulation of ROS-scavenging systems in squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants by compost supplementation under normal and low temperature conditions

The beneficial effect of compost, the final product of aerobic biodegradation of organic matter, on growth, lipid peroxidation [as malondialdehyde (MDA], hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂^•−), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as reduced ascorbate (ASC) and glutathione (GSH) and their oxidized forms was investigated in squash (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Eskandarany) plants exposed to normal and low temperature (LT) conditions. LT stress of 8 °C significantly reduced the plant growth of untreated plants, but compost alleviated the adverse effect of stress and significantly increased the fresh and dry weights under normal and stress conditions. LT also induced accumulation of H₂O₂ and O₂^•− and resulted in increased lipid peroxidation, pointing out to cellular oxidative stress. Under compost application, such reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxidized lipids were markedly reduced, but SOD, CAT, APX and GR activities, key enzymes of ROS-scavenging systems, were significantly increased. Data also indicated that there were general reductions in total ascorbate and glutathione pool in LT control plants, but compost-treated ones considerably have maintained higher levels of such redox metabolites. Significantly higher ratios of ASC/DHA (dehydroascorbate) and GSH/GSSG (glutathione disulfide) were generally found in compost-treated plants than in untreated-ones. It is evident that compost induced enhancement of LT tolerance was related to up-regulation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Such enhancement would eventually protect plant cells from LT-induced oxidative stress reactions via scavenging ROS.     

Effect of hypo- and hyper-saline conditions on osmolarity and fatty acid composition of juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) fed low- and high-HUFA diets

Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) grown in ponds are exposed to salinities of less than 5 g L^?1 during inland shrimp culture or to more than 40 g L^?1 from evaporation and reduced water exchange in dry, hot climates. However, dietary requirements for shrimp grown in low or high salinities are not well defined, particularly for fatty acids. Feeding shrimp postlarvae with highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) enhances tolerance to acute exposure to low salinity, as a result of better nutritional status, or/and specific effects of HUFA on membrane function and osmoregulation mechanisms. This study analysed the effect of HUFA supplementation (3% vs. 34%) on L. vannamei juveniles reared for 21 days at low (5 g L^?1), medium (30 g L^?1) and high salinities (50 g L^?1). Juveniles grown at 5 g L^?1 had lower survival compared with controls (30 g L^?1) or shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but no significant effect on survival was observed as a result of HUFA enrichment. In contrast, growth was significantly lower for shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but this effect was compensated by the HUFA‐enriched diet. Osmotic pressure in haemolymph was affected by salinity, but not by HUFA enrichment. Shrimp fed HUFA‐enriched diets had significantly higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in hepatopancreas and gills. These results demonstrate that growth at high salinities is enhanced with diets containing high HUFA levels, but that HUFA‐enriched diets have no effect on shrimp reared at low salinities.     

日粮中裂殖壶藻渣对多鳞白甲鱼生长、脂代谢及健康的影响

本研究旨在探究裂殖壶藻渣作为饲料原料对土著鱼类多鳞白甲鱼的生长性能、脂质代谢及健康状况的影响。在五种等氮等脂饲料中分别添加0g/kg(DS0)、30g/kg(DS3)、60g/kg(DS6)、90g/kg(DS9)和120g/kg(DS12)的裂殖壶藻渣,饲喂养殖于室内循环水系统的180尾多鳞白甲鱼（9.00g±0.25g/尾,12尾/缸）56天。结果显示：（1）增重率(WG)、特定生长率(SGR)及饲料系数(FCR)在各组间无显著差异(P>0.05);（2）DS9组和DS12组的肥满度(CF)、肝体比(HSI)、腹脂指数(IFI)、肝脏和腹脂甘油三脂(TG)含量均显著低于对照组(P<0.05);（3）DS6、DS9和DS12组肌肉中DHA含量、∑n-3 LC PUFA（N-3长链多不饱和脂肪酸）含量、n-3/n-6 PUFA比例、胆固醇血症指数(h/H)和血脂质量指数(FLQ)显著高于对照组,而动脉粥样硬化指数(AI)和血栓形成指数(TI)均显著低于对照组(P<0.05);（4）所有处理组肝脏的脂肪酸合成酶(FAS)和乙酰辅酶A羧化酶1(ACC1)的mRNA表达水平显著低于对照组(P<0.05);DS6、DS9和DS12组腹腔脂肪组织的乙酰辅酶A羧化酶2(ACC2)和甘油三酯水解酶(ATGL)的mRNA表达水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。（5）所有处理组血清中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性显著高于对照组,丙二醛(MDA)含量显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。研究表明,在日粮中添加90g/ kg的裂殖壶藻渣可能通过影响脂代谢相关基因的表达显著降低多鳞白甲鱼腹腔脂肪和肝脏脂肪蓄积,并提升其肌肉营养价值,增强机体抗氧化能力。     

饲料棕榈酸/(EPA+DHA)对大黄鱼抗氧化能力和肌肉品质的影响

为探究饲料中棕榈酸/(二十碳五烯酸+二十二碳六烯酸)(EPA+DHA)对大黄鱼(Larmichthys crocea) [初始体重为(30.51±0.16) g]抗氧化能力和肌肉品质的影响,本研究以鱼粉和豆粕为主要蛋白源,EPA富含油、DHA富含油、棕榈酸和卵磷脂为主要脂肪源,分别配制棕榈酸/(EPA+DHA)比例分别为1∶5、1∶1和5∶1的3种等氮(约43%粗蛋白)、等脂(约11%粗脂肪)饲料,并分别命名为P0、P50和P100组,在海水浮式网箱中进行为期70 d的摄食生长实验,从肌肉基本指标与分子基因层面探究饲料对大黄鱼抗氧化能力与肌肉品质的影响。结果显示,P0和P50组大黄鱼肌肉具有显著高的硬度、粘附性、内聚性和咀嚼性(P<0.05)。P0组大黄鱼肌肉多不饱和脂肪酸显著高于P50和P100组(P<0.05);P100组肌肉饱和脂肪酸显著高于P0和P50组(P<0.05)。P100组大黄鱼肌肉超氧化物歧化酶2基因(SOD2)和过氧化氢酶基因(CAT)表达水平显著高于P0和P50组(P<0.05);P0组肌肉核因子E2相关因子基因(Nrf2)表达水平则显著高于P50组(P<0.05),P100和P0组、P100和P50组间相比无显著差异(P>0.05)。对于超氧化物歧化酶1基因(SOD1),P0、P50和P100组相比均无显著差异(P>0.05)。P50组大黄鱼肌肉的总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)显著低于P0和P100组(P<0.05),P0、P50和P100组大黄鱼肌肉的总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、CAT活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量相比均无显著差异(P>0.05)。研究表明,饲料中棕榈酸含量较高时,大黄鱼肌肉质构特性降低,抗氧化能力没有受到显著影响;在饲料棕榈酸/(EPA+DHA)值发生改变时,大黄鱼肌肉品质的变化与鱼体内氧化应激和抗氧化能力之间的关联仍需进一步探究。     

The Negative Relationship between Fouling Organisms and the Content of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Cultivated Pacific Oysters,Crassostrea gigas

Bivalves serve as an important aquaculture product, as they are the source of essential fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in our diet. However, their cultivation in the wild can be affected by fouling organisms that, in turn, affect their EPA and DHA content. The effects of fouling organisms on the EPA and DHA contents of cultivated bivalves have not been well documented. We examined the effects of fouling organisms on the EPA and DHA contents and condition index of cultured oysters, Crassostrea gigas, in an aquaculture system. We sampled two-year-old oysters from five sites in Shizugawa Bay, Japan, in August 2014. Most of the fouling organisms were sponges, macroalgae, and Mytilus galloprovincialis. A significant negative relationship existed between the DHA content in C. gigas and the presence of sponges and macroalgae. A lower C. gigas EPA content corresponded to a higher M. galloprovincialis fouling mass and a lower C. gigas condition index. This can be explained by dietary competition between C. gigas and M. galloprovincialis for diatoms, which were the main producer of EPA in our study sites. Our findings indicate that fouling organisms likely reduce the EPA and DHA content in cultivated oysters. Therefore, our results suggest that the current efforts to remove fouling organisms from oyster clusters is an effective strategy to enhance the content of EPA and DHA in oysters.     

饲料中脂肪水平对海湾扇贝性腺发育、脂肪酸组成和组织结构的影响

为了探讨配合饲料及其脂肪含量对海湾扇贝性腺发育、脂肪酸组成和组织结构的影响,在基础饲料中通过梯度添加鱼油（质量分数为0%、3%、6%和9%）配置4种脂肪质量分数为7%、10%、14%和17%的等氮饲料（质量分数为47%粗蛋白）,分别记为F7、F10、F14和F17,并以小新月菱形藻（Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima）作为对照组,试验在室内1 000 L的水槽中进行,每种饲料随机投喂3组扇贝[初始体质量为（40.79±1.70） g],每个重复30只,试验周期30 d。结果显示：饲料中脂肪含量未显著影响扇贝死亡率（P>0.05）,对照组死亡率显著低于各个饲料处理组（P<0.05）。性腺指数（gonadosomatic index,GSI）随着饲料脂肪含量增加呈先上升后下降的趋势,在F14组GSI达到最高,与对照组差异不显著（P>0.05）,显著高于初始时期（P<0.05）。性腺中雌性部分含水量F10组最高,显著高于F17组（P<0.05）;雄性部分各处理组间差异不显著（P>0.05）。性腺中雌性部分粗脂肪含量显著高于雄性部分（P<0.05）。性腺中脂肪酸的含量PUFA>MUFA>SFA,饲料中脂肪含量显著影响性腺中SFA、MUFA、n-3PUFA、DHA和EPA的含量（P<0.05）,当饲料中脂肪含量为14%或17%时达到最高值。性腺组织切片可见,各个处理组卵母细胞和精原细胞充满整个滤泡腔,滤泡密集,滤泡之间无空隙。由此可得出,配合饲料替代部分单胞藻饲喂海湾扇贝,可使其性腺发育至育苗要求,饲料中脂肪质量分数为14%时可以代替部分单胞藻饲喂海湾扇贝促进性腺发育。     

Antibacterial Activity of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus

New compounds are needed to treat acne and superficial infections caused by Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus due to the reduced effectiveness of agents used at present. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are attracting attention as potential new topical treatments for Gram-positive infections due to their antimicrobial potency and anti-inflammatory properties. This present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of six LC-PUFAs against P. acnes and S. aureus to evaluate their potential to treat infections caused by these pathogens. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined against P. acnes and S. aureus, and the LC-PUFAs were found to inhibit bacterial growth at 32–1024 mg/L. Generally, P. acnes was more susceptible to the growth inhibitory actions of LC-PUFAs, but these compounds were bactericidal only for S. aureus. This is the first report of antibacterial activity attributed to 15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (15-OHEPA) and 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (HETrE), while the anti-P. acnes effects of the six LC-PUFAs used herein are novel observations. During exposure to the LC-PUFAs, S. aureus cells were killed within 15–30 min. Checkerboard assays demonstrated that the LC-PUFAs did not antagonise the antimicrobial potency of clinical agents used presently against P. acnes and S. aureus. However, importantly, synergistic interactions against S. aureus were detected for combinations of benzoyl peroxide with 15-OHEPA, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) and HETrE; and neomycin with 15-OHEPA, DGLA, eicosapentaenoic acid, γ-linolenic acid and HETrE. In conclusion, LC-PUFAs warrant further evaluation as possible new agents to treat skin infections caused by P. acnes and S. aureus, especially in synergistic combinations with antimicrobial agents already used clinically.