Cortisol response to air exposure in Solea senegalensis post-larvae is affected by dietary arachidonic acid-to-eicosapentaenoic acid ratio

Martins, Dulce Alves; Engrola, S.; Morais, S.; Bandarra, N.; Coutinho, J.; Yúfera, M.; Conceição, L. E. C.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/4647

Use this identifier to reference this record.

Name:	Description:	Size:	Format:
Cortisol response to air exposure in Solea senegalensis post-larvae is affected by dietary arachidonic acid-to-eicosapentaenoic acid ratio.pdf		292.63 KB	Adobe PDF	Download

Send Feedback

Authors

Conceição, L. E. C.

Abstract(s)

An experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of feeding frozen Artemia diets differing in arachidonic acid-to-eicosapentaenoic acid ratios (ARA/EPA) on growth, survival and stress coping ability of Senegalese sole post-larvae (19–31 days after hatch). Two experimental diets presenting high (‘High’; 3.0) or low (‘Low’; 0.7) ARA/EPA ratios were tested under two rearing conditions: undisturbed (C) and stressed by a 2-min air exposure every two days (S). Growth, survival and basal cortisol levels were similar between groups indicating that independently of dietary ARA/EPA ratios, fish were able to cope with the repeated stress imposed. Also, cortisol levels at 3 h past air exposure were determined in all groups at the end of the experiment. Among fish fed the ‘Low’ diet, Cgroups seemed to present a quicker recovery from the acute stress (basal-like levels) than S groups. Repeated stress effects were not apparent in fish fed the ‘High’ diet and, relative to basal levels, twofold higher cortisol concentrations were detected at 3 h, in both C and S groups. This study suggests the importance of ARA in steroidogenesis regulation and the modulatory role of EPA in this process. Despite the tolerance to a wide range of dietary ARA/EPA as indicated by growth and survival results, acute stress coping response may be more efficient in Senegalese sole post-larvae fed low ARA/EPA ratios and, under these particular conditions, a faster recovery of cortisol to basal values could be indicative of rearing conditions (undisturbed vs. repeatedly stressed).

Keywords

Solea senegalensis Cortisol Stress Fatty acids Arachidonic acid Eicosapentaenoic acid

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/4647

Citation

Martins, D.A.; Engrola, S.; Morais, S.; Bandarra, N.; Coutinho, J.; Yúfera, M.; Conceição, L.E.C. Cortisol response to air exposure in Solea senegalensis post-larvae is affected by dietary arachidonic acid-to-eicosapentaenoic acid ratio, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 37, 4, 733-743, 2011.