Effect of protein sources on the antioxidant metabolism of visceral organs of Morkaraman lambs

Abstract

The selection of protein sources plays a significant role in meeting the dietary requirements of animals and addressing specific nutritional needs. This study was designed to determine the effects of different protein sources incorporated into lamb diets on the antioxidant metabolism of the lung, heart and kidney tissues by means of the measurement of GSH and LPO levels and SOD, CAT and GPx activities. For this purpose, 24 male Morkaraman lambs were randomly assigned to 3 groups, each of 8 animals. The dietary protein sources provided to the animals were soybean meal + safflower meal in the control group (SSG), wheat gluten in the wheat group (WG), and corn gluten in the corn group (CG). The diets fed to each group were formulated to be isonitrogenous (17% crude protein/CP) and isocaloric (2700 kcal·kg-1 ME). In the lambs fed on the diet supplemented with wheat gluten, it was determined that SOD activity in the lung (P<0.05) and heart (P<0.01) tissues, CAT activity in the lung and heart tissues (P<0.01), and GPx activity in the kidney and heart tissues (P<0.01) had significantly increased. In the lambs fed on the diet supplemented with corn gluten, statistically significant increases were detected in the SOD activity of the lung (P<0.05) and heart (P<0.01) tissues, CAT activity of the lung, heart and kidney tissues (P<0.01, P<0.05), and GPx activity of the kidney and heart tissues (P<0.01, P<0.05). The lambs fed on the gluten–supplemented diets presented with statistically significant decreases in the LPO levels of the lung tissue (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the GSH levels of the lung, heart and kidney tissues (P<0.01). In result, it was ascertained that, when fed on diets supplemented with wheat gluten and corn gluten, the antioxidant metabolism of the lung, heart and kidney tissues were significantly affected in lambs.