Effects of functional ingredients on gut inflammation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L)

Functional feed ingredients are frequently used in feeds for Atlantic salmon, often claimed to improve immune functions in the intestine and reduce severity of gut inflammation. However, documentation of such effects is, in most cases, only indicative. In the present study effects of two packages of functional feed ingredients commonly used in salmon production, were evaluated employing two inflammation models. One model employed soybean meal (SBM) as inducer of a severe inflammation, the other a mixture of corn gluten and pea meal (CoPea) inducing mild inflammation. The first model was used to evaluate effects of two packages of functional ingredients: P1 containing butyrate and arginine, and P2 containing β-glucan, butyrate, and nucleotides. In the second model only the P2 package was tested. A high marine diet was included in the study as a control (Contr). The six diets were fed to salmon (average weight of 177g) in saltwater tanks (57 fish per tank), in triplicate, for 69 days (754 ddg). Feed intake was recorded. The growth rate of the fish was high, highest for the Contr (TGC: 3.9), lowest for SBM fed fish (TGC: 3.4). Fish fed the SBM diet showed severe symptoms of inflammation in the distal intestine as indicated by histological, biochemical, molecular, and physiological biomarkers. The number of differently expressed genes (DEG) between the SBM and Contr fed fish was 849 and comprised genes indicating alteration in immune functions, cellular and oxidative stress, and nutrient digestion, and transport functions. Neither P1 nor P2 altered the histological and functional symptoms of inflammation in the SBM fed fish importantly. Inclusion of P1 altered expression of 81 genes, inclusion of P2 altered 121 genes. Fish fed the CoPea diet showed minor signs of inflammation. Supplementation with P2 did not change these signs. Regarding composition of the microbiota in digesta from the distal intestine, clear differences regarding beta-diversity and taxonomy between Contr, SBM, and CoPea fed fish were observed. In the mucosa the microbiota differences were less clear. The two packages of functional ingredients altered microbiota composition of fish fed the SBM and the CoPea diet towards that of fish fed the Contr diet.