Next Article in Journal
Antifouling Potential of Diadema setosum and Sonneratia lanceolata Extracts for Marine Applications
Next Article in Special Issue
mTOR Plays a Conserved Role in Regulation of Nutritional Metabolism in Bivalve Sinonovacula constricta
Previous Article in Journal
Exfoliating Whales–Sandy Bottom Contact Behaviour of Humpback Whales
Previous Article in Special Issue
The Effect of Schizochytrium sp. on Growth, Fatty Acid Profile and Gut Microbiota of Silver Pomfret (Pampus argenteus)
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Effects of Selenium Yeast Addition on the Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Status and Body Composition of Juvenile Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus before and after Aestivation

1
Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China’s Sea (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China
2
Hubei Key Laboratory of Yeast Function, Angel Yeast Co., Ltd., Yichang 443000, China
3
Angel Yeast Co., Ltd., Yichang 443000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(3), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030601
Submission received: 6 February 2023 / Revised: 25 February 2023 / Accepted: 7 March 2023 / Published: 13 March 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fish Physiology and Molecular Nutrition)

Abstract

:
This study was performed to investigate the effects of selenium yeast (Se-yeast) on the growth, intestinal health, immune status and body composition of juvenile Apostichopus japonicus before and after aestivation. Five experimental diets were formulated with increasing addition of Se-yeast (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg), with the diet without Se-yeast as the control. Each diet was randomly assigned to three tanks of juvenile A. japonicus (initial body weight: 2.96 ± 0.04 g). The whole experiment lasted for 135 days, which included a 45-day feeding experiment before aestivation, a 60-day aestivation phage and a 30-day feeding experiment after aestivation. The results showed that weight gain rate (WGR) was significantly increased by the increasing addition of Se-yeast before aestivation. After aestivation, WGR was markedly elevated by 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast but was inhibited by 1.5–2.0 mg/kg Se-yeast. The evisceration rate (ER) of A. japonicus was obviously inhibited by the relatively higher addition level of Se-yeast (1.5–2.0 mg/kg) before aestivation. After aestivation, the ER was significantly inhibited by Se-yeast at an addition of 1.5 mg/kg. Before aestivation, the highest activities of all digestive enzymes were obtained by Se-yeast addition at a level equal to or above 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast. After aestivation, the activities of most digestive enzymes were maximized by Se-yeast at the addition level of no more than 1.0 mg/kg. Before aestivation, the activities of nitric oxide synthase and alkaline phosphatase significantly increased by the increasing addition of Se-yeast. After aestivation, immune related parameters exhibited the highest or comparable values when the addition level of Se-yeast was equal to or less than 1.0 mg/kg. Notably, the selenium content in the body wall of A. japonicus increased significantly as Se-yeast addition increased in the diets. These results showed that Se-yeast at the addition level of 1.5–2.0 mg/kg before aestivation and 1.0–1.5 mg/kg after aestivation was beneficial for the promotion of growth, intestinal health and immune status of juvenile A. japonicus.

1. Introduction

Sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) is one of the most important marine culture species for its nutritional, medicinal and healthcare values in China [1]. In the past decades, wild populations of A. japonicus have declined seriously due to the overfishing and environmental destruction [2]. Aquaculture of A. japonicus has been attempted and gradually expanded in the Northern China, especially after overcoming the breeding and nursery technologies in the 1990s. Now, the annual output exceeds 180 thousand tons, which greatly soothes the reliance on the worldwide wild sea cucumber resources [3]. The indoor nursery of A. japonicus larvae and juveniles is usually challenged by a high water temperature during summer, when the incidence of disease outbreak and evisceration rate of A. japonicus is usually increased [4]. To deal with high temperature, sea cucumbers entered a hypometabolic state, which is called as aestivation [5]. During aestivation, sea cucumbers showed intestinal degeneration and cessation of feed intake. Therefore, the nutritional enrichment before and after aestivation is important for the sea cucumbers to build up their strength.
Selenium (Se), as an essential trace element, is involved in regulating growth performance, nonspecific immune response and antioxidant capacity of almost all organisms [6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. There are two existing forms of Se, among which organic Se is widely used as a feed additive due to its advantages of lower toxicity [13,14]. Selenium methionine (Se-met), bio-fermenting Selenium (Se-bio) and selenium yeast (Se-yeast) are the main forms of organic Se which have been previously used as a feed additive for A. japonicus [2,15,16,17]. It was found that dietary Se-met at an addition level of 0.4–0.6 mg/kg promoted the growth and immune parameters of juvenile A. japonicus [15]. Compared to Se-met, Se-bio showed better effects on accumulation efficiency and immune capacity of A. japonicus [17]. A recent study found that Se-yeast at an addition level of 0.5–1.0 mg/kg was beneficial for the promotion of growth and immune response of early juvenile (appropriately, 10,000 individuals/kg) A. japonicus [2]. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effects of Se-yeast addition on the growth, intestinal health, immune status and body composition of juvenile (appropriately 400 individuals/kg) A. japonicus, before and after aestivation, is unknown.
Thus, the effects of Se-yeast addition on the growth, intestinal health, immune status and body composition of juvenile A. japonicus were investigated before and after aestivation. The aim of this study was to ascertain the optimal addition level of Se-yeast for juvenile A. japonicus to better cope with high-temperature water.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Experimental Diets

The Se-yeast was obtained from Angel Yeast Co., Ltd. (Yichang, China). It was previously found that the optimal Se-yeast addition level was 0.5–1.0 mg/kg for the survival and growth performance in juvenile A. japonicus [2]. Thus, the actual Se-yeast addition level in this study was 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively. Table 1 shows the formulation and proximate analysis of experimental feeds. The fine ingredients of each feed were successively weighed and then mixed evenly in a plastic bag by hand. After that, about 30% water was added before the pellets were extruded through a pellet-making machine, which were then dried at 60 °C. Finally, the pellets were crushed and sieved into proper sizes.

2.2. Feeding Experiment Program

Juvenile A. japonicus were provided by Dalian Xinyulong Marine Biological Seed Technology Co., Ltd. (Dalian, China), which were then acclimated for two weeks to adapt to the experimental procedures. Then, A. japonicus without obvious symptom of disease were randomly distributed into 15 tanks (500 L). Each tank was cultured with 60 individuals with an initial body weight of 2.96 ± 0.04 g. Each experimental diet was randomly assigned to three tanks of animals twice daily at 7:00 and 16:00. The whole experiment was divided into three stages. At the first stage, the water temperature was 19.0–22.0 °C, which lasted for 45 days. At the second stage, the water temperature was 23–25 °C, which was the aestivation stage and lasted for 60 days. At the third stage, the experimental water temperature was 19–22 °C, which lasted for 30 days. The detailed experiment program can be referred in Table 2. About 30% seawater was exchanged daily from each tank during the experiment, with water salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen maintained at 30 ± 1 ‰, 8.0 ± 0.1 and above 8.0 mg/L, respectively.

2.3. Sampling Procedures

Before sampling, the feeding activities were stopped for 48 h at each stage. The body weight and the number of animals in each tank were recorded. Then, 15 individuals were chosen out of each tank, which were dissected for the coelomic fluid and digestive tract. The coelomic fluid was centrifugated (3500 rpm, 4 °C, 10 min) to obtain the supernatant, which was later analyzed for the immune parameters. The length and weight of intestine of A. japonicus were measured individually, pooled into sterile tubes, and then stored at −80 °C for analyzing digestive enzyme activities.

2.4. Analyzation of Digestive Enzymes and Immune Enzymes

The procedures of supernatant preparation have been previously described by Ning et al. [2]. Briefly, the digestive tract from each tank was homogenated with cold 0.9% NaCl. Then, the homogenate was centrifuged (4 °C, 2500 rpm, 10 min) to obtain the supernatant. Commercial kits (Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute, Nanjing, China) were used for the determination of the activities of digestive enzymes (protease, amylase, cellulase and lipase) and the total nitric oxide synthase (T-NOS), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT).

2.5. Analyzation of Body Compositon

The proximate body composition (crude protein, crude lipid, carbohydrates and moisture) was analyzed according to the methods described by AOAC [18]. The moisture was determined by drying the samples to constant weight at 105 °C. Crude protein and lipid were determined by using the Kjeldahl method and Soxhlet method, respectively. The detailed procedures of Se determination have been recorded in Ning et al. [2]. Briefly, an appropriate amount of dry sample was cold digested overnight by adding 10 mL of the mixed acid (perchloric acid: nitric acid, 1:9), and it was then heat digested by adding 2 mL nitric acid and 5 mL HCl successively. After that, the solution was transferred and mixed with 2.5 mL K3 Fe(CN)6. At last, Se contents were assayed based on hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry methods [19].

2.6. Calculations and Statistical Analysis

Survival rate (SR, %) = Nf/Ni × 100
Weight growth rate (WGR, %) = (FBWIBW)/IBW × 100
Relative digestive tract length (RDL, %) = DL/BL × 100
Relative digestive tract weight (RDW, %) = DW/FBW × 100
Visceral somatic index (VSI, %) = VW/FBW × 100
Evisceration rate (ER, %) = Ne/Ni × 100
where Ni, Nf, IBW and FBW are the initial number, final number, initial body weight and final body weight of A. japonicus from each tank, respectively; DL and BL are the digestive tract length and whole body length of A. japonicus from each tank, respectively; DW, VW and BW are the digestive tract weight, viscera weight and body weight of A. japonicus from each tank, respectively; and Ne was the number of A. japonicus with evisceration of each tank.
The experimental data were analyzed by using software SPSS 22.0 (Redmond, WA, USA). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to detect whether there is a significance among dietary groups (p < 0.05). Then, Duncan multiple comparisons was chosen to compare the differences in means between dietary groups. All data are presented in the form of means ± standard error (SE).

3. Results

3.1. Growth Performance

Before aestivation, the WGR of A. japonicus significantly increased with the increase in Se-yeast addition level in the diets (p < 0.05). As the addition level increased from 0 to 0.5 mg/kg, the VSI of A. japonicus significantly increased (p < 0.05), and then decreased as the addition level increased from 0.5 to 2.0 mg/kg (p < 0.05). The ER of A. japonicus was obviously inhibited by Se-yeast at relatively higher addition levels (1.5–2.0 mg/kg) (Table 3).
After aestivation, WGR of A. japonicus showed a “first increasing and then decreasing tendency” with the increase in Se-yeast addition. The highest WGR was observed in the group with 1.0% Se-yeast, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). As the Se-yeast addition level increased, the VSI of A. japonicus showed an obviously increasing tendency (p > 0.05). The ER of A. japonicus showed an opposite changing tendency with WGR as Se-yeast addition level increased, with the lowest value observed in the group with the addition of 1.5 mg/kg Se-yeast (Table 3).

3.2. Digestive Enzyme Activities

Before aestivation, as the Se-yeast addition level increased, pepsin and amylase activities first increased and then decreased. The highest pepsin and amylase activities were observed in the dietary group with the addition of 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast (p < 0.05). While the activities of cellulase and lipase increased significantly as Se-yeast addition elevated in the diets (p < 0.05) (Table 4).
After aestivation, pepsin and lipase activities showed a “first increasing and then decreasing tendency” with the increase in Se-yeast addition. The highest activities of pepsin and lipase were detected in the 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast group. The cellulase activity showed an increasing tendency with the increase in Se-yeast addition (p > 0.05) (Table 4).

3.3. Immune Reponse

Before aestivation, NOS and AKP activities significantly increased as the Se-yeast addition level increased in the diets. The highest SOD and CAT activities were obtained by Se-yeast at an addition of 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast, which was significantly higher than those at other addition levels except for the 1.5 mg/kg (p > 0.05) (Table 5).
During aestivation, activities of AKP, SOD and GSH-Px showed “first increasing and then decreasing” changing tendencies as dietary Se-yeast addition increased, with the highest values achieved by 1.0–1.5 mg/kg addition level (p < 0.05). No significance was detected in CAT activity between different groups (p > 0.05) (Table 5).
After aestivation, AKP and GSH-Px activities significantly decreased with the increase in Se-yeast level (p < 0.05). On the contrary, SOD activity increased significantly as dietary Se-yeast increased (p < 0.05). As the Se-yeast addition level increased, the CAT activity first increased and then decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The highest CAT activity was achieved by Se-yeast at a moderate addition level (0.5–1.0 mg/kg) (Table 5).

3.4. Proximate Compositions

Before and after aestivation, crude protein and moisture showed no significant differences in the body wall of A. japonicus (p > 0.05). At three sampling timepoints, crude lipid showed a “first increasing and then decreasing” changing tendency as the addition level increased, with A. japonicus fed diets with 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast exhibiting the highest lipid level (p < 0.05). During aestivation, crude protein increased significantly with the increasing addition of Se-yeast (p < 0.05). A. japonicus fed diets with relatively higher addition level (1.5–2.0 mg/kg) of Se-yeast showed significantly higher content of crude protein than those without or with 1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast (p < 0.05). The content of carbohydrates significantly increased with the increase in Se-yeast after aestivation (p < 0.05) (Table 6).

3.5. Selenium Accumulation

At each stage, A. japonicus showed an obviously increasing retention of Se by the increasing addition level of Se-yeast in the diets (p < 0.05). Compared to the contents before aestivation, the Se content decreased during aestivation, and then it bounced to even higher values after aestivation (Figure 1).

4. Discussion

When sea water temperature rises above 22 °C, A. japonicus can enter the state of aestivation. During aestivation, A. japonicus shows a complete cessation of feeding due to the degeneration of the digestive tract. When water temperature is below about 18 °C, A. japonicus is more active and gradually returns to normal food intake.
In this experiment, the WGR of experimental animals before aestivation increased significantly with the increase in Se-yeast addition. A recent study by our research team found that the WGR of early juvenile A. japonicus with the initial body weight of about 0.1 g was increased by 0.5–1.0 mg/kg Se-yeast but was inhibited by an overdose (2 mg/kg) addition of Se-yeast [2]. The discrepancy could be due to the different initial body weight of experimental animals, with larger individuals less sensitive to the equal dosage of Se-yeast. After aestivation, Se-yeast showed inhibitory effects on A. japonicus as the addition level was equal to or higher than 1.5 mg/kg. It was commonly accepted that Se showed highly toxic effects on animals when the addition level exceeded the optimal dosage [20,21]. Indeed, the detrimental effects of Se have been reported on tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) if the addition level of Se was higher than 2 mg/kg [22]. The digestive enzyme activities of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) reached the maximum values by Se addition at the addition level of 0.6 mg/kg [23]. However, juvenile pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) showed no significant differences in the activities of digestive enzymes when the addition of Se-yeast ranged from 0.72 to 2.51 mg/kg [24]. The inconsistence could be related to the differences in animal species, initial body weight and feed formulation. The results of the present study showed that the activities of digestive enzymes of A. japonicus were promoted by Se-yeast at a moderate or relatively higher addition level (1.0–2.0 mg/kg) before aestivation, while the ideal activities of digestive enzymes were achieved by Se-yeast at the addition level of no more than 1.0 mg/kg. Thus, the optimal addition level of Se-yeast was estimated to be no more than 2.0 mg/kg before aestivation, and 1.0 mg/kg after aestivation for juvenile A. japonicus from the perspective of digestive enzyme activities. It could be the previous accumulation of Se in the body wall before aestivation that accounted for the relatively lower requirement of Se after aestivation.
In this study, Se-yeast at moderate or relatively higher addition level (1.0–2.0 mg/kg) significantly increased the immune status of sea cucumbers before aestivation. This was consistent with the findings of Durigon et al. [8], who found that dietary Se (Na2 SeO3) at an addition level of 0.86 mg/kg enhanced the antioxidant capacity of juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). However, the optimal addition level of Se-yeast was lower than the findings of Chen et al. [25] and Zeng et al. [19], who found that the highest immune and antioxidant capacity were achieved by 3–12 mg/kg Se-yeast and 5 mg/kg Se-met in the diets. It was previously found that the optimal Se-yeast addition level was 0.5–1.0 mg/kg for the survival and growth performance in juvenile A. japonicus [2]. Thus, the highest addition level of Se-yeast was only set at 2.0 mg/kg in this study. Thus, further studies are needed to investigate the effects of Se-yeast at the addition of more than 2.0 mg/kg on the immune and antioxidant status of A. japonicus. Furthermore, the ER of was significantly inhibited by relatively higher addition level of Se-yeast (1.5–2.0 mg/kg) before aestivation. This indicated that the good immune status was beneficial for the intestinal health.
The body wall is the main edible part of A. japonicus, with abundant nutrients and active metabolites [26,27]. In this study, Se-yeast addition did not significantly affect the crude protein before or after aestivation of A. japonicus. During aestivation, the protein content of A. japonicus showed an increasing tendency as the addition of Se-yeast increased in the diets. This could be due to the effects of Se on the hindered degradation of protein in the body wall of A. japonicus. In this study, the contents of crude lipid in the body wall of A. japonicus were markedly increased by the moderate addition level (1.0 mg/kg) of Se-yeast. Zhao et al. [28] found that the lipid deposition in the pigs (Susscrofa domestica) were promoted by an addition level of 3 mg/kg Se in the diets. In this study, the increasing addition of Se-yeast increased the contents of carbohydrates in the body wall of A. japonicus during or after aestivation. It is possible that the addition of Se-yeast increased the contents of polysaccharide, which is one of the most important nutrients of A. japonicus. However, the contents of polysaccharide were not assayed in this study. Thus, further research is needed to clarify this confusion in the future. Se addition has been verified to improve the nutritional value of edible part in several aquatic animals including A. japonicus [2], meagre (Argyrosomus regius) [12], common carp (Cyprinus carpio) [14] and grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus) [29]. In accordance, A. japonicus of this study showed an obviously retention of Se in the body wall as the addition level of Se-yeast increased. This further verified that application of Se-yeast was an effective strategy to enrich A. japonicus with Se elements. During evisceration, the Se content decreased to some extent in the body wall of A. japonicus. This indicated that some amount of Se was used for dealing with oxidative stress induced by high temperature.

5. Conclusions

In summary, Se-yeast at the addition level of 1.5–2.0 mg/kg before aestivation and 1.0–1.5 mg/kg after aestivation was beneficial for the promotion of growth, intestinal health and immune status of juvenile A. japonicus. Notably, the selenium content in the body wall of A. japonicus increased significantly as Se-yeast addition increased in the diets. These results will contribute to providing clues for formulating functional feeds for juvenile A. japonicus to better deal with challenges during aestivation.

Author Contributions

R.Z. and X.W. performed the whole experiment. R.Z. and Z.W. drafted the manuscript. X.Z., Z.Y. and Z.H. analyzed the nutrient profile of body wall. J.D. and Y.C. revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by High-Level Talent Support Grant for Innovation in Dalian (2020RD03, 2022RJ14).

Institutional Review Board Statement

The animal study protocol was approved by the Animal Care Committee of Dalian Ocean University.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

All the data are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the laboratory members for their technical advice and helpful discussions.

Conflicts of Interest

There is no conflict of interest to declare.

References

  1. Li, Z.; Xue, X.; Yang, H.; Liao, H.; Han, Y.; Jiang, Z.; Ren, T. Effect of dietary carbohydrate levels on growth performance, nonspecific immune enzymes and acute response to low salinity and high temperature of juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Aquacult. Nutr. 2020, 26, 683–692. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Ning, Y.; Wu, X.; Zhou, X.; Ding, J.; Chang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Huang, Z.; Zuo, R. An evaluation on the selenium yeast supplementation in the practical diets of early juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus): Growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, immune and antioxidant capacity, and body composition. Aquacult. Nutr. 2021, 27, 2142–2153. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Han, Q.; Keesing, J.K.; Liu, D. A Review of Sea Cucumber Aquaculture, Ranching, and Stock Enhancement in China. Rev. Fish. Sci. Aquac. 2016, 24, 326–341. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Xi, X.; Zhang, L.; Liu, S.; Tao, Z.; Yang, H. Aerated sea mud is beneficial for post-nursery culture of early juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (selenka). Aquacult. Int. 2016, 24, 211–224. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Chen, M.; Zhang, X.; Liu, J.; Storey, K.B. High-throughput sequencing reveals differential expression of miRNAs in intestine from sea cucumber during aestivation. PLoS ONE 2013, 8, e76120. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  6. Wang, L.; Wu, L.; Liu, Q.; Zhang, D.F.; Yin, J.J.; Xu, Z.; Zhang, X.Z. Improvement of flesh quality in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed supranutritional dietary selenium yeast is associated with the inhibited muscle protein degradation. Aquacult. Nutr. 2018, 24, 1351–1360. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Ewa, J.; Edyta, R.; Jolanta, G.; Edyta, W.; Magdalena, K.; Sara, R.; Wojciech, W. The effect of selenium supplementation on glucose homeostasis and the expression of genes related to glucose metabolism. Nutrients 2016, 8, 772. [Google Scholar]
  8. Durigon, E.G.; Kunz, D.F.; Peixoto, N.C.; Uczay, J.; Lazzari, R. Diet selenium improves the antioxidant defense system of juveniles Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.). Braz. J. Biol. 2018, 79, 527–532. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  9. Guo, H.; Lin, W.; Hou, J.; Wang, L.; Zhang, D.; Wu, X.; Li, D. The protective roles of dietary selenium yeast and tea polyphenols on growth performance and ammonia tolerance of juvenile wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Front. Physiol. 2018, 9, 1371. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  10. Hao, X.; Ling, Q.; Hong, F. Effects of dietary selenium on the pathological changes and oxidative stress in loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 2014, 40, 1313–1323. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Khan, K.U.; Zuberi, A.; Fernandes, J.B.K.; Ullah, I.; Sarwar, H. An overview of the ongoing insights in selenium research and its role in fish nutrition and fish health. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 2017, 43, 1689–1705. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  12. Khalil, H.; Mansour, A.T.; Goda, A.; Omar, E.A. Effect of selenium yeast supplementation on growth performance, feed utilization, lipid profile, liver and intestine histological changes, and economic benefit in meagre, Argyrosomus regius, fingerlings. Aquaculture 2018, 501, 135–143. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  13. Payne, R.L.; Southern, L.L. Comparison of inorganic and organic selenium sources for broilers. Poult. Sci. 2005, 84, 898–902. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  14. Saffari, S.; Keyvanshokooh, S.; Zakeri, M.; Johari, S.A.; Pasha-Zanoosi, H. Effects of different dietary selenium sources (sodium selenite, selenomethionine and nanoselenium) on growth performance, muscle composition, blood enzymes and antioxidant status of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Aquacult. Nutr. 2017, 23, 611–617. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  15. Wang, J.Q.; Wang, Z.X.; Zhang, K.; Zhang, Y.M.; Jiang, Y.S.; Liu, C.B.; WU, Y.Q. Effects of dietary selenomethionine levels on growth and some immune indices in juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. J. Dalian Ocean Univ. 2012, 27, 110–115. [Google Scholar]
  16. Zhou, W.; Cao, Q.; Wang, Z.F.; Xiao-Jie, H.U.; Zhang, J.Y.; Liu, J.B. Effect of dietary methionine selenium on growth and digestive index of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. J. Dalian Ocean Univ. 2015, 30, 181–184. [Google Scholar]
  17. Hu, Y.; Han, Y.; Wang, L.; Bai, Z.; Ren, T. Toxicity effects of different dietary selenium forms on sea cucumber, Apostichopus Japonicus. Aquacult. Rep. 2019, 15, 100209. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists). Official Methods of Analysis of Official Analytical Chemists International, 16th ed.; Association of Official Analytical Chemists: Arlington, MA, USA, 1995; pp. 16–26. [Google Scholar]
  19. Zeng, F.; Rabbi, M.H.; Hu, Y.; Li, Z.; Ren, T. Synergistic Effects of Dietary Selenomethionine and Vitamin C on the Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Microbiota in Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus). Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 2021, 199, 3905–3917. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  20. Iqbal, S.; Atique, U.; Mughal, M.S.; Khan, N.; Haider, M.S.; Iqbal, K.J.; Rana, M.A. Effect of selenium incorporated in feed on the hematological profile of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). J. Aquac. Res. Devel. 2017, 8, 100513. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Lee, S.; Nambi, R.W.; Won, S.; Katya, K.; Bai, S.C. Dietary selenium requirement and toxicity levels in juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Aquaculture 2016, 464, 153–158. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  22. Iqbal, S.; Atique, U.; Mahboob, S.; Haider, M.S.; Iqbal, H.S.; Al-Ghanim, K.A.; Mughal, M.S. Effect of supplemental selenium in fish feed boosts growth and gut enzyme activity in juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). J. King Saud Univ.-Sci. 2020, 32, 2610–2616. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Su, C.F.; Luo, L.; Wen, H.; Chen, X.C.; Sheng, X.S.; Chen, Z. Efects of dietary selenium on growth performance, quality and digestive enzyme activities of grass carp. J. Shanghai Fish. Univ. 2007, 16, 124–129. [Google Scholar]
  24. Takahashi, L.S.; Biller-Takahashi, J.D.; Mansano, C.; Urbinati, E.C.; Saita, M.V. Long-term organic selenium supplementation overcomes the trade-off between immune and antioxidant systems in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Fish Shellfish. Immun. 2017, 60, 311–317. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  25. Chen, H.; Li, J.; Yan, L.; Cao, J.; Xie, L. Subchronic effects of dietary selenium yeast and selenite on growth performance and the immune and antioxidant systems in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Fish Shellfish Immun. 2019, 97, 283–293. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Cheng, X.; Rui, Z.; Wen, Z. Bioactive compounds and biological functions of sea cucumbers as potential functional foods. J. Funct. Foods 2018, 49, 73–84. [Google Scholar]
  27. Halder, D.; Pahari, S.K. An overview of sea cucumber: Chemistry and pharmacology of its metabolites. Indian Res. J. Pharm. Sci. 2020, 7, 2277–2298. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Zhao, Z.; Barcus, M.; Kim, J.; Lum, K.L.; Mills, C.; Lei, X.G. High dietary selenium intake alters lipid metabolism and protein synthesis in liver and muscle of pigs. J. Nutr. 2016, 146, 1625–1633. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  29. Lin, Y.H. Effects of dietary organic and inorganic selenium on the growth, selenium concentration and meat quality of juvenile grouper Epinephelus malabaricus. Aquaculture 2014, 430, 114–119. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Figure 1. Effects of selenium yeast supplementation in the body wall of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus). At each experimental stage, mean value bars bearing with different letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05).
Figure 1. Effects of selenium yeast supplementation in the body wall of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus). At each experimental stage, mean value bars bearing with different letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05).
Jmse 11 00601 g001
Table 1. The ingredients and proximate analysis of experimental diets (g/kg).
Table 1. The ingredients and proximate analysis of experimental diets (g/kg).
IngredientSelenium Yeast Addition Level (mg/kg)
00.51.01.52.0
Sea mud a500500500500500
Sargassum fusiforme powder b400400400400400
Sargassum thunbergii powder c6060606060
Shell powder powder3030303030
Selenium-free yeast109.759.58.79
Selenium yeast-0.250.50.751
Proximate composition
Crude protein (%)9.719.729.709.719.70
Crude lipid (%)1.621.611.621.611.60
a Sea mud: crude protein 0.5% dry matter, Dalian Xin Yulong Marine Biological seed Technology Co., Ltd. (Dalian, Liaoning Province, China). b Sargassum fusiforme powder: crude protein 11% dry matter, crude lipid 1.6% dry matter, Dalian Xin Yulong Marine Biological seed Technology Co., Ltd. (Dalian, Liaoning Province, China). c Sargassum thunbergii powder: crude protein 16.8% dry matter, crude lipid 3% dry matter, Dalian Xin Yulong Marine Biological seed Technology Co., Ltd. (Dalian, Liaoning Province, China).
Table 2. Experimental procedures in this study.
Table 2. Experimental procedures in this study.
Experimental StagesBefore AestivationAestivationAfter Aestivation
Feeding proceduresFeeding+-+
Water temperature19.0–22.0 °C23–25 °C22–19 °C
Lasting period45 days60 days30 days
Sampling proceduresDigestive tract+-+
Body wall+++
Coelomic fluid+++
Sample analysisDigestive enzyme activities+-+
Proximate composition+++
Immune and antioxidant capacity+++
Table 3. Effects of selenium yeast addition on the growth and physiological performance of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
Table 3. Effects of selenium yeast addition on the growth and physiological performance of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
IndicesSelenium Yeast Addition Level (mg/kg)
00.51.01.52.0
Before aestivation
IBW (g)2.97 ± 0.073.04 ± 0.022.86 ± 0.012.88 ± 0.093.04 ± 0.03
FBW (g)4.67 ± 0.04 e5.76 ± 0.04 b4.99 ± 0.05 d5.34 ± 0.04 c5.94 ± 0.05 a
BL (cm)3.68 ± 0.05 c4.35 ± 0.11 a3.81 ± 0.06 c3.7 ± 0.04 c4.10 ± 0.10 b
BW (cm)1.17 ± 0.05 c1.27 ± 0.03 bc1.23 ± 0.02 bc1.54 ± 0.04 a1.34 ± 0.04 b
DL (cm)11.91 ± 0.33 c14.56 ± 0.57 b17.65 ± 0.08 a12.94 ± 0.72 bc14.38 ± 0.65 b
DW (g)0.24 ± 0.02 b0.25 ± 0.01 b0.25 ± 0.01 b0.29 ± 0.01 b0.34 ± 0.02 a
WGR (%)57.90 ± 1.0 d83.3 ± 1.6 b74.3 ± 0.6 c85.6 ± 0.5 b94.3 ± 1.4 a
SR (%)96.43 ± 1.1198.85 ± 1.1597.41 ± 1.37100.0097.04 ± 1.61
RDL (%)3.24 ± 0.13 b3.27 ± 0.19 b4.58 ± 0.13 a3.53 ± 0.20 b3.5 ± 0.10 b
RDW (%)0.05 ± 0.00 b0.06 ± 0.00 a0.05 ± 0.00 b0.05 ± 0.00 b0.05 ± 0.00 b
ER (%)5.93 ± 0.49 b8.93 ± 0.47 a9.63 ± 0.35 a0 c0 c
VSI (%)45.44 ± 0.10 c69.79 ± 2.58 a52.93 ± 1.80 b58.01 ± 0.38 b47.11 ± 0.62 c
VBI (%)32.49 ± 1.25 b40.92 ± 0.25 a32.28 ± 1.28 b33.84 ± 0.42 b31.85 ± 0.42 b
After aestivation
IBW (g)1.89 ± 0.242.09 ± 0.051.65 ± 0.231.55 ± 0.041.77 ± 0.28
FBW (g)3.38 ± 0.41 ab4.13 ± 0.13 a3.40 ± 0.01 ab3.07 ± 0.21 b3.66 ± 0.15 ab
BL (cm)3.36 ± 0.11 b4.73 ± 0.43 a3.81 ± 0.22 ab3.72 ± 0.49 ab3.79 ± 0.10 ab
BW (cm)1.49 ± 0.011.52 ± 0.111.53 ± 0.091.55 ± 0.112.06 ± 0.61
DL (cm)10.58 ± 0.7510.43 ± 1.4010.99 ± 0.1711.20 ± 1.9210.01 ± 1.28
DW (g)0.22 ± 0.020.32 ± 0.060.29 ± 0.020.35 ± 0.190.39 ± 0.02
WGR (%)89.0 ± 2.3 c104.1 ± 6.2 bc130.6 ± 1.6 a103.2 ± 3.1 bc121.5 ± 5.2 ab
SR (%)100 ± 0 a100 ± 0 a100 ± 0 a100 ± 0 a94.66 ± 2.68 b
RDL (%)3.14 ± 0.12 a2.21 ± 0.23 b2.9 ± 0.18 a2.98 ± 0.17 a2.63 ± 0.28 ab
RDW (%)0.07 ± 0.000.08 ± 0.020.10 ± 0.010.12 ± 0.070.11 ± 0.01
ER (%)8.46 ± 1.00 b8.10 ± 0.96 b9.09 ± 0.05 ab3.30 ± 0 c11.25 ± 0.72 a
VSI (%)39.3 ± 4.1440.26 ± 3.9646.26 ± 11.8843.09 ± 5.8544.81 ± 4.21
At each experimental stage, mean values of each index with different superscript letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05). Abbreviations: IBW, initial body weight; FBW, final body weight; BL, body length; BW, body width; DL, digestive tract length; DW, digestive tract weight; WGR, weight gain rate; SR, survival rate; RDL, relative digestive tract length; RDW, relative digestive tract weight; ER, evisceration rate; VSI: Viscera somatic index; VBI, Visceral body weight index.
Table 4. Effects of selenium yeast addition on digestive enzyme activities of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
Table 4. Effects of selenium yeast addition on digestive enzyme activities of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
IndicesSelenium Yeast Addition Level (mg/kg)
00.51.01.52.0
Before aestivation
Pepsin1.53 ± 0.01 c1.57 ± 0.02 bc1.67 ± 0.02 a1.63 ± 0.02 ab1.56 ± 0.03 bc
Amylase1.47 ± 0.02 ab1.49 ± 0.00 ab1.51 ± 0.02 a1.50 ± 0.02 a1.42 ± 0.03 b
Cellulase7.98 ± 0.05 e10.16 ± 0.11 d12.17 ± 0.13 c13.34 ± 0.09 b15.09 ± 0.08 a
Lipase4.44 ± 0.06 e5.04 ± 0.02 d5.35 ± 0.02 c5.52 ± 0.01 b9.62 ± 0.06 a
After aestivation
Pepsin1.41 ± 0.19 b1.59 ± 0.44 b2.50 ± 0.14 a2.29 ± 0.32 ab2.08 ± 0.09 ab
Amylase1.33 ± 0.102.24 ± 0.041.85 ± 0.351.76 ± 0.291.87 ± 0.38
Cellulase9.30 ± 2.4311.64 ± 1.7612.13 ± 2.1213.53 ± 3.3813.42 ± 1.78
Lipase5.24 ± 1.13 c10.22 ± 1.65 abc13.10 ± 0.71 a11.95 ± 1.62 ab6.76 ± 0.72 bc
At each experimental stage, mean values of each index with different superscript letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05). The unit of pepsin, amylase and cellulase was U/mg prot; the unit of lipase was U/g prot.
Table 5. Effects of selenium yeast supplementation on the immunity enzyme activities and antioxidant capacity of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
Table 5. Effects of selenium yeast supplementation on the immunity enzyme activities and antioxidant capacity of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
IndicesSelenium Yeast Addition Level (mg/kg)
0 0.51.01.5 2.0
Before aestivation
T-NOS4.81 ± 0.02 e6.19 ± 0.03 d8.27 ± 0.07 c9.72 ± 0.31 b11.19 ± 0.73 a
AKP 0.61 ± 0.01 c0.68 ± 0.03 c0.89 ± 0.02 b0.93 ± 0.06 b1.28 ± 0.06 a
SOD135.09 ± 0.97 c142.97 ± 0.42 b148.22 ± 0.72 a144.21 ± 0.24 ab142.18 ± 2.83 b
CAT0.36 ± 0.01 c0.40 ± 0.00 b0.43 ± 0.01 a0.42 ± 0.01 ab0.36 ± 0.01 c
GSH-Px14.82 ± 0.86 a10.58 ± 0.07 bc12.66 ± 0.58 ab13.17 ± 1.08 a9.06 ± 0.14 c
MDA1.06 ± 0.06 a1.06 ± 0.05 a0.67 ± 0.01 b0.56 ± 0.02 b0.43 ± 0.05 c
Aestivation
T-NOS1.59 ± 0.184 a1.08 ± 0.028 b1.57 ± 0.039 a1.14 ± 0.078 b1.16 ± 0.028 b
AKP0.74 ± 0.17 c1.04 ± 0.06 bc1.45 ± 0.12 a1.26 ± 0.08 ab0.34 ± 0.02 d
SOD132.91 ± 0.85 ab121.01 ± 9.38 b121.80 ± 1.14 b143.42 ± 2.21 a124.63 ± 4.61 b
GSH-Px13.05 ± 0.83 b16.12 ± 3.47 ab17.12 ± 2.58 ab21.30 ± 0.33 a16.64 ± 1.63 ab
CAT0.31 ± 0.050.39 ± 0.020.36 ± 0.060.34 ± 0.030.34 ± 0.02
MDA0.32 ± 0.07 c0.38 ± 0.17 bc0.58 ± 0.10 bc0.74 ± 0.14 b2.09 ± 0.10 a
After aestivation
T-NOS4.00 ± 0.404.82 ± 0.754.11 ± 0.443.55 ± 0.774.96 ± 0.37
AKP1.08 ± 0.21 a0.63 ± 0.13 b0.61 ± 0.05 b0.54 ± 0.08 b0.59 ± 0.15 b
SOD130.34 ± 0.75 b130.37 ± 0.34 b139.77 ± 5.80 ab135.27 ± 0.77 ab141.82 ± 0.19 a
GSH-Px19.76 ± 0.71 a17.23 ± 1.28 ab15.13 ± 1.09 bc11.59 ± 2.40 cd10.38 ± 0.59 d
CAT0.28 ± 0.03 c0.43 ± 0.02 a0.43 ± 0.02 a0.36 ± 0.00 b0.31 ± 0.01 bc
MDA0.64 ± 0.080.83 ± 0.230.79 ± 0.290.68 ± 0.140.86 ± 0.21
At each experimental stage, mean values of each index with different superscript letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05). Abbreviations: SOD (U/mL), superoxide dismutase; MDA (nmol/mL), malonaldehyde; CAT (U/mL), catalase; T-NOS (U/mL), total nitricoxide synthase; AKP (U/100 mL), alkaline phosphatase; GSH-PX (U/mL), glutathione peroxidase.
Table 6. Effects of selenium yeast addition on the proximate composition in the body wall of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
Table 6. Effects of selenium yeast addition on the proximate composition in the body wall of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) before and after aestivation (means ± SE, n = 3).
IndicesSelenium Yeast Addition Level (mg/kg)
00.51.01.52.0
Before aestivation
Crude protein 44.25 ± 1.6241.95 ± 0.2342.82 ± 0.7944.77 ± 1.7943.38 ± 1.36
Moisture91.75 ± 0.2992.02 ± 0.2092.20 ± 0.2691.93 ± 0.1791.86 ± 0.27
Crude lipid 0.09 ± 0.01 c0.10 ± 0.01 bc0.12 ± 0.00 a0.11 ± 0.00 ab0.10 ± 0.00 bc
Carbohydrate11.50 ± 1.17 a8.41 ± 0.23 b11.14 ± 0.50 a8.76 ± 0.24 b11.43 ± 0.09 a
Aestivation
Crude protein 45.07 ± 1.16 b46.67 ± 1.23 ab45.20 ± 0.20 b48.75 ± 0.47 a49.34 ± 0.76 a
Moisture90.62 ± 0.0890.57 ± 0.1390.40 ± 0.2390.31 ± 0.0790.34 ± 0.08
Crude lipid 0.11 ± 0.00 a0.11 ± 0.00 ab0.12 ± 0.00 a0.10 ± 0.01 ab0.09 ± 0.01 b
Carbohydrate7.34 ± 1.137.16 ± 0.488.28 ± 0.038.94 ± 0.558.30 ± 0.80
After aestivation
Crude protein 45.56 ± 1.2143.19 ± 1.1545.08 ± 1.5045.29 ± 0.7043.03 ± 0.03
Moisture92.64 ± 0.0892.80 ± 0.1192.81 ± 0.5292.56 ± 0.1892.72 ± 0.09
Crude lipid 0.09 ± 0.01 b0.11 ± 0.01 a0.12 ± 0.00 a0.12 ± 0.01 a0.11 ± 0.00 a
Carbohydrate11.56 ± 0.04 b10.51 ± 0.27 c12.03 ± 0.23 ab12.29 ± 0.28 ab12.35 ± 0.23 a
At each experimental stage, mean values of each index with different superscript letters are significantly different between dietary groups (p < 0.05).
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zuo, R.; Wu, X.; Wang, Z.; Zhou, X.; Chang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Huang, Z.; Ding, J. Effects of Selenium Yeast Addition on the Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Status and Body Composition of Juvenile Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus before and after Aestivation. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11, 601. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030601

AMA Style

Zuo R, Wu X, Wang Z, Zhou X, Chang Y, Yang Z, Huang Z, Ding J. Effects of Selenium Yeast Addition on the Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Status and Body Composition of Juvenile Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus before and after Aestivation. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2023; 11(3):601. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030601

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zuo, Rantao, Xiangying Wu, Ziyao Wang, Xiaohui Zhou, Yaqing Chang, Zhilong Yang, Zuqiang Huang, and Jun Ding. 2023. "Effects of Selenium Yeast Addition on the Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Status and Body Composition of Juvenile Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus before and after Aestivation" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 11, no. 3: 601. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030601

APA Style

Zuo, R., Wu, X., Wang, Z., Zhou, X., Chang, Y., Yang, Z., Huang, Z., & Ding, J. (2023). Effects of Selenium Yeast Addition on the Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Status and Body Composition of Juvenile Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus before and after Aestivation. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(3), 601. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030601

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop