Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams

Objective This study investigated the effects of dietary whole-plant mulberry (WM) on testicular development and antioxidant performance in sheep. Methods Fifty-four three-month-old Hu sheep were divided into three groups and fed diets containing different proportions of WM (WM0, without WM; WM4, 4%...

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Main Authors: Jiamei Liu, Ziwei Liang, Wanhong Li, Xiuxiu Weng, Xiangpeng Yue, Fadi Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies 2025-07-01
Series:Animal Bioscience
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Online Access:http://www.animbiosci.org/upload/pdf/ab-24-0627.pdf
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author Jiamei Liu
Ziwei Liang
Wanhong Li
Xiuxiu Weng
Xiangpeng Yue
Fadi Li
author_facet Jiamei Liu
Ziwei Liang
Wanhong Li
Xiuxiu Weng
Xiangpeng Yue
Fadi Li
author_sort Jiamei Liu
collection DOAJ
description Objective This study investigated the effects of dietary whole-plant mulberry (WM) on testicular development and antioxidant performance in sheep. Methods Fifty-four three-month-old Hu sheep were divided into three groups and fed diets containing different proportions of WM (WM0, without WM; WM4, 4% WM; WM8, 8% WM). Following a 70-day feeding trial, 15 individuals from each group were humanely slaughtered. The total cholesterol (T-CHO) levels and antioxidant capacity of the testes were measured. The expression of functional genes was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Leydig cells treated with proanthocyanidins (PCs) at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 20 μM. The total antioxidant capacity level (T-AOC), testosterone (T) level, cell viability, apoptosis and necrosis ratio were assessed. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the control (CK) and 10 μM PC groups. Results The PCs content in the WM was measured at 56.93±2.146 mg/g. The total (p = 0.06), the left (p = 0.07). and the right (p<0.05) testicular weights were increased in the WM8 group compared to the WM0 group. Compared to the WM0 group, the WM8 group showed decreased T-CHO (p<0.05) and increased T-AOC (p<0.05) in the testis, and the expression of StAR, PPARγ and Bcl2 was significantly increased (p<0.05), while Caspase9 and Caspase3 were significantly decreased (p<0.05). In vitro, supplementation of 10 μM PCs in Leydig cells significantly increased cell viability, T-AOC and T levels, and reduced the necrosis ratio (p<0.05) compared to the CK group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in the steroid biosynthesis pathway, p53 signaling pathway, cholesterol metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, and Hippo signaling pathway. Conclusion Supplementation with 8% WM improved antioxidant capacity and stimulated testis development through the promotion of cell proliferation, T synthesis, and antioxidant capacity of Leydig cells.
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spelling doaj-art-38bce9ad8c814d7da15bcfd224a9e3592025-08-20T03:32:57ZengAsian-Australasian Association of Animal Production SocietiesAnimal Bioscience2765-01892765-02352025-07-013871398141010.5713/ab.24.062725420Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu ramsJiamei Liu0Ziwei Liang1Wanhong Li2Xiuxiu Weng3Xiangpeng Yue4Fadi Li5 State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, ChinaObjective This study investigated the effects of dietary whole-plant mulberry (WM) on testicular development and antioxidant performance in sheep. Methods Fifty-four three-month-old Hu sheep were divided into three groups and fed diets containing different proportions of WM (WM0, without WM; WM4, 4% WM; WM8, 8% WM). Following a 70-day feeding trial, 15 individuals from each group were humanely slaughtered. The total cholesterol (T-CHO) levels and antioxidant capacity of the testes were measured. The expression of functional genes was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Leydig cells treated with proanthocyanidins (PCs) at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 20 μM. The total antioxidant capacity level (T-AOC), testosterone (T) level, cell viability, apoptosis and necrosis ratio were assessed. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the control (CK) and 10 μM PC groups. Results The PCs content in the WM was measured at 56.93±2.146 mg/g. The total (p = 0.06), the left (p = 0.07). and the right (p<0.05) testicular weights were increased in the WM8 group compared to the WM0 group. Compared to the WM0 group, the WM8 group showed decreased T-CHO (p<0.05) and increased T-AOC (p<0.05) in the testis, and the expression of StAR, PPARγ and Bcl2 was significantly increased (p<0.05), while Caspase9 and Caspase3 were significantly decreased (p<0.05). In vitro, supplementation of 10 μM PCs in Leydig cells significantly increased cell viability, T-AOC and T levels, and reduced the necrosis ratio (p<0.05) compared to the CK group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in the steroid biosynthesis pathway, p53 signaling pathway, cholesterol metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, and Hippo signaling pathway. Conclusion Supplementation with 8% WM improved antioxidant capacity and stimulated testis development through the promotion of cell proliferation, T synthesis, and antioxidant capacity of Leydig cells.http://www.animbiosci.org/upload/pdf/ab-24-0627.pdfantioxidationhu sheepleydig cellproanthocyanidinstestis development
spellingShingle Jiamei Liu
Ziwei Liang
Wanhong Li
Xiuxiu Weng
Xiangpeng Yue
Fadi Li
Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
Animal Bioscience
antioxidation
hu sheep
leydig cell
proanthocyanidins
testis development
title Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
title_full Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
title_fullStr Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
title_full_unstemmed Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
title_short Effect of whole-plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in Hu rams
title_sort effect of whole plant mulberry supplementation on testis development and antioxidant capacity in hu rams
topic antioxidation
hu sheep
leydig cell
proanthocyanidins
testis development
url http://www.animbiosci.org/upload/pdf/ab-24-0627.pdf
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