Taurine Supplementation to Plant-Based Diets Improves Lipid Metabolism in Senegalese Sole

Abstract

Taurine is a sulphur-containing amino acid with important physiological roles and a key compound for the synthesis of bile salts, which are essential for the emulsion and absorption of dietary lipids. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of taurine supplementation to low-fishmeal diets on the metabolism of taurine, bile acids, and lipids of Senegalese sole. A fishmeal (FM) and a plant-protein-based (PP0) diet were formulated, and the latter was supplemented with taurine at 0.5 and 1.5% (diets PP0.5 and PP1.5). Diets were assigned to triplicate tanks containing 35 fish (initial weight ~14 g) for 6 weeks. Fish from the PP0 treatment presented lower taurine and bile-acid concentrations compared with the FM treatment, and a downregulation of cyp7a1 and abcb11 was observed. Triolein catabolism decreased in PP0-fed fish, resulting in increased hepatic fat content and plasma triglycerides, while no effects on plasma cholesterol were observed. Taurine supplementation to plant-based diets resulted in a higher taurine accumulation in fish tissues, increased bile-acid concentration, and upregulation of cyp7a1 and abcb11. Hepatic fat content and plasma triglycerides decreased with increasing dietary taurine supplementation. Taurine supplementation mitigated part of the negative effects of plant-based diets, leading to better lipid utilisation.

Dietary Taurine Improves The Growth Performance, Health Status and Liver Histopathology of Meagre (Argyrosomus Regius) Fed A Reduced Fish Meal Diet

“…Therefore, these differences can be expected in experimental groups fed with taurine. In contrast, Aragão et al (2023) recorded a significant decrease in the HSI and VSI of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) fed with fish meal-based diets compared to plant-based diets and 0.5% and 1.5% taurine-included diets. However, no significant differences in HSIs were reported in previous studies carried out with rainbow trout (O. mykiss), common dentex (D. dentex) and totoaba (T. macdonaldi) juveniles (Gaylord et al, 2006;Chatzifotis et al, 2008;López et al, 2015).…”

“…The inclusion of dietary taurine has beneficial effects on growth performance, feed utilization, proximate composition, muscle texture, disease resistance, multiple metabolic functions (osmoregulation, intestinal immune function, cell membrane stabilization, protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism), reproduction performance and immunity of fish (Salze and Davis, 2015;Sampath et al, 2020). Previous studies conducted on marine species revealed that dietary taurine enhanced the growth performance, serum parameters, gene expression and organoleptic characteristics at least one of the species of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), black sea bream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) (Wei et al, 2019;Kotzamanis et al, 2020;Tong et al, 2020;Nakamura et al, 2021;Aragão et al, 2023). Because of these beneficial effects, taurine is considered a functional feed additive/amino acid.…”

Dietary Taurine Intake Affects the Growth Performance, Lipid Composition, and Antioxidant Defense of Juvenile Ivory Shell (Babylonia areolata)

“…Studies in aquatic animals have shown that taurine is involved in the synthesis of bile salts, which are essential for the emulsion, digestion, and absorption of dietary lipids [ 20 , 50 , 51 ]. Lipids, including phospholipids and essential fatty acids, are essential nutrients which significantly affect the growth and development of aquatic animals [ 15 , 52 , 53 ].…”