European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EFFECT OF QUINOA SEEDS AS FOOD SUPPLEMENT ON METABOLIC PROFILE AND GENE EXPRESSION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND IMMUNE MARKERS IN GROWING BARKI LAMBS UNDER DESERT CONDITIONS

Eman El Ebissy*

ABSTRACT

This search intended to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of quinoa seeds to growing Barki lambs. The study involved twenty apparently healthy lambs which were divided into two equal groups (ten lambs each). The first group considered as control group while the second group supplemented with quinoa seeds for subsequent 60 days. Supplementation of lambs with quinoa has significantly up-regulated the gene expression of immune (IL1, IL6, TLR4, and Tollip), antioxidant (SOD1, and CAT), and lipogenic (ACACA, FASN, and SCD) at day 60 compared with the other group. In lambs fed, the basal diet, CAT was the most up regulated gene at 0 day (1.41±0.14) and day 60 (1.44±0.13); while TLR4 was the most down regulated at 0 (0.35±0.1) and 60 days (0.37±0.1) in control group. In the same respect for lambs supplemented with quinoa, the gene expression of CAT was the most up regulated profile among the investigated markers at 0 (1.45±0.15), and 60 (2.36±0.1) days; while TLR4 was most down regulated genes with values (0.39±0.13) and (0.98±0.15) at 0, and 60 days, respectively. Therefore, our study is the first to explore the alterations in gene expression profile of immune, antioxidant, and lipogenic markers as a result of supplementation of growing Barki lambs with quinoa. In conclusion, supplementation of quinoa seeds enhance the antioxidant defense and immune response that reflect on the health status of lambs.

Keywords: Lambs, Quinoa, Gene expression, Antioxidant, Immune response.