title: Dietary vitamin A supplementation improved reproductive performance by regulating ovarian expression of hormone receptors, caspase-3 and Fas in broiler breeders.
abstract: The effects of dietary vitamin A (VA) supplementation on reproductive performance, VA deposition, and potential mechanisms of action were studied in Chinese yellow-feathered broiler breeders. A total of 528 yellow-feathered broiler breeders that were 46 wk old were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented with 0; 5,400; 10,800; or 21,600 IU/kg VA for 9 wk. Each dietary treatment had 6 replicates with 22 birds per replicate. After 7 wk of treatment, 60 settable eggs per replicate were collected for hatching. The results showed that dietary VA improved the laying rate, egg-to-feed ratio, and hatch weight of offspring (P < 0.05). Hepatic retinyl palmitate in broiler breeders and hatchlings (within 12 h) increased with increasing VA (P < 0.05). VA supplementation increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) receptor transcripts in the ovarian stroma and the walls of yellow follicles, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor expression in the walls of white and yellow follicles, and luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor and growth hormone (GH) receptor transcripts in the walls of yellow follicles (P < 0.05). Caspase-3 and Fas mRNA levels in the ovarian stroma and the walls of white and yellow follicles decreased with VA supplementation (P < 0.05). The relative expression of retinol dehydrogenase 10 (RDH10) transcripts in the walls of white follicles increased with 5,400 IU/kg VA supplementation (P < 0.05). Supplemental 21,600 IU/kg VA increased cytochrome P450 26A1 (CYP26A1) transcripts in the ovarian stroma and the walls of white follicles (P < 0.05). Dietary VA elevated retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) expression in the ovarian stroma and the walls of yellow follicles and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) expression in the walls of yellow follicles. It was concluded that VA supplementation improved reproductive performance and hepatic storage of VA, and this was associated with the regulation of ovarian hormone receptor expression and suppression of apoptosis gene transcripts through its active metabolite retinoic acid (RA). The optimal dietary VA level for Chinese yellow-feathered broiler breeders at 46 to 54 wk of age was found to be 10,800 IU/kg.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China chenfanggz@126.com.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Zongyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Shouqun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Xiajing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Zongyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Qiuli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D004224:Diterpenes; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C009166:retinol acetate
keywords: apoptosis; breeder reproduction; hormone receptor expression; ovary; vitamin A