calpain and Poultry-Diseases

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Calpain; Chick Embryo; Chickens; Coccidiosis; Eimeria tenella; Poultry Diseases

We investigated liver protease activity in force-fed and non-force-fed ducks using zymography gels to better understand mechanisms underlying liver steatosis in palmipeds. Male Muscovy and Pekin ducks were slaughtered before and after a short period (13 d) while they were conventionally fed or force fed. The force-fed regimen contained a high level of carbohydrates and was delivered in large doses. Main hepatic proteases (matrix metalloprotease-2, calpains, and cathepsins) were extracted from raw liver and specifically activated within electrophoretic gels. Both force-fed Muscovy and Pekin ducks presented higher liver weights and BW associated with lower matrix metalloprotease-2 and m-calpain hepatic activities. On the other hand, hepatic cathepsin activity was not affected by force feeding. It was concluded that Muscovy and Pekin duck hepatic proteases are affected similarly by the force feeding. Thus, this cannot explain differences observed between Muscovy and Pekin ducks regarding their ability to develop hepatic steatosis generally reported in literature.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Avian Proteins; Calpain; Cathepsins; Diet; Dietary Carbohydrates; Ducks; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Enteral Nutrition; Fatty Liver; Hepatic Stellate Cells; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Peptide Hydrolases; Poultry Diseases; Species Specificity