biostudies-literatureUnknown7(2)Zhao HNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaAn 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) on growth, digestive enzymes, body composition and nutrient retention-related gene expression of juvenile yellow catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>). Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (420 g/kg protein and 90 g/kg lipid) were formulated to contain 0 (control), 250, 500, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg SB. Triplicate groups of 40 fish (BW = 1.26 ± 0.01 g) per tank (300-L cylindrical fiberglass tanks) for each diet were fed to apparent satiation twice daily. Stomach, hepatopancreas and intestine samples were obtained for digestive enzymes activities analyses. A real-time quantitative PCR analysis was performed to determine the relative expression of target of rapamycin (<i>TOR</i>) and lipoprotein lipase (<i>LPL</i>) in the hepatopancreas and intestine. Fish fed the diets supplemented with SB at 500 and 1,000 mg/kg showed significantly higher specific growth rate and significantly lower feed conversion ratio compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Dietary SB inclusion did not alter activities of intestinal amylase, creatine kinase and sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase), but increased activities of hepatic trypsin, stomachic lipase, intestinal lipase, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase for fish fed 1,000 mg/kg SB compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Intestine length index, intestine somatic index, fold height and muscular thickness of distal intestine were significantly higher in 1,000 mg/kg SB groups compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Significantly higher levels of whole-body crude protein, ash, calcium, phosphorus, nutrition retention and relative mRNA of intestinal <i>TOR</i> were observed in 1,000 mg/kg SB group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Whole-body lipid content and hepatopancreas <i>LPL</i> mRNA expression in 2,000 mg/kg SB group were significantly higher than the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Relative mRNA levels of intestinal <i>LPL</i> and hepatopancreas <i>TOR</i> were significantly higher in the 500 mg/kg SB group compared to those in other groups (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The increased growth performance, digestive enzymes and nutrient retention in fish fed the diets supplemented with SB at 500 and 1,000 mg/kg suggests that SB can be a desirable growth promoter as an antibiotic alternative in diets.Animal nutrition (Zhongguo xu mu shou yi xue hui)539-547https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8245809biostudies-literatureEffects of dietary sodium butyrate on growth, digestive enzymes, body composition and nutrient retention-related gene expression of juvenile yellow catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>).PMC8245809Huang YCao JLi PWang GWang HMo WZhao HfalseEffects of dietary sodium butyrate on growth, digestive enzymes, body composition and nutrient retention-related gene expression of juvenile yellow catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>).An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) on growth, digestive enzymes, body composition and nutrient retention-related gene expression of juvenile yellow catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>). Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (420 g/kg protein and 90 g/kg lipid) were formulated to contain 0 (control), 250, 500, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg SB. Triplicate groups of 40 fish (BW = 1.26 ± 0.01 g) per tank (300-L cylindrical fiberglass tanks) for each diet were fed to apparent satiation twice daily. Stomach, hepatopancreas and intestine samples were obtained for digestive enzymes activities analyses. A real-time quantitative PCR analysis was performed to determine the relative expression of target of rapamycin (<i>TOR</i>) and lipoprotein lipase (<i>LPL</i>) in the hepatopancreas and intestine. Fish fed the diets supplemented with SB at 500 and 1,000 mg/kg showed significantly higher specific growth rate and significantly lower feed conversion ratio compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Dietary SB inclusion did not alter activities of intestinal amylase, creatine kinase and sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase), but increased activities of hepatic trypsin, stomachic lipase, intestinal lipase, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase for fish fed 1,000 mg/kg SB compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Intestine length index, intestine somatic index, fold height and muscular thickness of distal intestine were significantly higher in 1,000 mg/kg SB groups compared to the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Significantly higher levels of whole-body crude protein, ash, calcium, phosphorus, nutrition retention and relative mRNA of intestinal <i>TOR</i> were observed in 1,000 mg/kg SB group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Whole-body lipid content and hepatopancreas <i>LPL</i> mRNA expression in 2,000 mg/kg SB group were significantly higher than the control (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Relative mRNA levels of intestinal <i>LPL</i> and hepatopancreas <i>TOR</i> were significantly higher in the 500 mg/kg SB group compared to those in other groups (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The increased growth performance, digestive enzymes and nutrient retention in fish fed the diets supplemented with SB at 500 and 1,000 mg/kg suggests that SB can be a desirable growth promoter as an antibiotic alternative in diets.2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jun2025-06-01T12:18:45.775Z2025-06-01T12:18:45.775ZS-EPMC82458093425844310.1016/j.aninu.2020.12.007