Effect of dietary Flammulina velutipes (Curt.: Fr.) stem waste on ovarian follicles development in laying hens

Abstract

Flammulina velutipes is one of the most consumed mushrooms mainly produced in China but their stem base, which is a waste resource in production usually not used, but has revealed reducing cholesterol effects and preventing fatty liver. Considering the important role of ovarian development in poultry production and the unclear mechanism of dietary nutrition in ovarian development, the effect of F. velutipes stem waste (FVS) on ovarian follicle development in laying hens and its potential mechanism were investigated by adding 2%, 4% and 6% FVS to the diet of laying hens and the production performance, biochemical parameters, hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis hormone level, mRNA and protein changes on laying hens at sexual maturity and peak laying period were evaluated. FVS significantly improved the egg white weight and eggshell strength of laying hens, and markedly reduced the levels of lipid and abdominal fat. In addition to regulate lipid metabolism, FVS also inhibited the ovarian apoptosis pathway, reduced follicular atresia, increased the genes and proteins expression related to follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and steroid hormone synthesis signal pathway, and increased the level of serum hormone. FVS could thus promote ovarian development by reducing cholesterol and other lipid levels, stimulating steroid hormone signalling pathway as well as improve the production performance of laying hens, suggesting that FVS could be added to poultry feed as a nutritional supplement.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Flammulina velutipes stem waste can improve egg white weight and eggshell strength;

2. Flammulina velutipes stem waste reduces ovarian apoptosis and inhibits follicular atresia;

3. Flammulina velutipes stem waste can be used as a feed supplement to improve ovarian health in poultry;

Keywords:

• Flammulina velutipes stem waste
• production performance
• follicular development
• ovary apoptosis
• steroid hormone

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Huiling hens production base for providing laying hens feeding place.

Ethics statement

All animal handling procedures was strictly complied with the Use and Care of Laboratory Animals and were approved by the Animal Care Review Committee, Jilin Agricultural University.

Authors’ contributions

Chang Sun: drafting the manuscript, conception and design. Haoyuan Wu: acquisition of data. Huanwei Xiao: analysis and interpretation of data. Ivan Stève Nguepi Tsopmejio: revising the manuscript. Zhouyu Jin: Given final approval of the version to be published. Hui Song: Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by research and development project of safe and efficient new feed products of Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology [grant number：20180201019NY].