Chimie médicale

Dietary Vanadium Induces Decrease in Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Oxidative Stress in the Spleens of Broilers

Abstract

Cui Wei, Cui Hengmin, Peng Xi, Fang Jing, Zuo Zhicai, Liu Xiaodong and Wu Bangyuan

The purpose of this 42-day study was to evaluate the risk of oxidative stress in the spleens induced by dietary vanadium through determining changes in antioxidant enzymes and oxidation products. A total of 420 one-day-old avian broilers were divided into six groups. There were 70 broilers in each group. The broilers were fed on a cornsoybean basal diet as a control diet (vanadium 0.073 mg/kg) or the same diet amended to contain 5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg vanadium supplied as ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3). When compared with those of the control group, the splenic and serum vanadium contents were increased in the 15 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/ kg and 60 mg/kg groups. Also, the splenic and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were greatly depressed in the 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups; the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and the ability to inhibit hydroxyl radical were markedly depressed in the 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups; the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly increased in the 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups. At the same time, the splenic glutathione (GSH) content was significantly decreased in the 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups, and the serum GSH content was significantly decreased in the 15 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups. Also, the splenic and serum glutathione (oxidized form, GSSG) content was significantly higher in the 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg groups than that in the control group. These results indicated that dietary vanadium in the range of 30~60 mg/kg caused substantial oxidative stress in the spleen, which then affected the antioxidant function; this may be possible pathway leading to spleen injure. At the same time, it was found that dietary vanadium in the range of 5-15 mg/kg was relatively safe for the spleens of young broilers.