Biological Trace Element Research最新文献

{"title":"Association between the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index and Stroke: A cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Ting Wang, Haiyan Liu, Xiue Wei","doi":"10.1007/s12011-023-04011-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12011-023-04011-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) is indeed a valuable nutritional tool used to evaluate the overall antioxidant capacity of an individual's daily food consumption. The CDAI was calculated from the intake of six antioxidant components in the diet, including vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, and zinc. This study aimed to determine the association between CDAI and stroke. Utilizing data from the 2003-2018 NHANES dataset, CDAI was computed by summarizing the intake of six dietary antioxidants based on 24-hour dietary recall interviews. The relationship between CDAI and stroke was examined using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis. This study ultimately included 39,432 participants, of whom 1,527 (3.87%) had a stroke. The multivariate logistic regression model 3 that fully adjusted all confounding variables showed a negative association between CDAI and stroke (OR = 0.97; 95% CI:0.95, 0.99). The highest tertile of CDAI saw a 23% drop in the prevalence of stroke compared to the lowest tertile (OR = 0.77; 95%CI: 0.64,0.92). Restricted cubic spline suggested that this negative correlation was nonlinear with an inflection point of -2.99. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests showed that this negative correlation was more applicable in patients with prediabetes (P < 0.05). There was a non-linear negative correlation between CDAI level and stroke prevalence, and this correlation was more significant in people with pre-diabetes. Appropriate CDAI levels may contribute to the management of stroke risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139048305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of Essential Trace Elements Cu, Zn, Mn, and Ni in Mediterranean Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Algerian Coast.","authors":"Khaled Abderrahmani","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04380-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04380-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to determine the levels of essential trace elements copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel in two size groups of mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, sampled from three sites along the Algerian coast with different levels of pollution. The results of this work are very interesting for determining the effect of mussel size on the variation of contaminant levels in environmental monitoring studies. Thirty individuals from 2 size groups, less than 4-cm and more than 4-cm shell length, were collected over 4 seasons at each site studied. The samples were dissected, and copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel were measured in the whole soft tissues by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The maximum concentrations of copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel expressed in mg/kg dry weight at the three sites were 54.01, 146.25, 20.69, and 8.85, respectively. A clear distribution pattern of the studied elements was observed in the two size classes. In fact, significantly higher concentrations (P < 0.05) were found in individuals with a shell length of less than 4 cm. Significantly, higher concentrations (P < 0.05) were found in individuals with a shell length of less than 4 cm due to their high filtration and low excretion activities compared to long individuals. In addition, metal pollution index (MPI) values were higher in small bivalve individuals. The trace element contents found in the mussel samples of the present study showed large spatial and temporal variations among the different sites studied, highlighting the typical exposure of marine sites to different marine pollutants. Notably, elevated concentrations of copper were observed in the port of Zemmouri, likely due to port activities. Conversely, the highest levels of manganese and nickel were recorded at Boudouaou El Bahri, potentially attributable to the use of fertilisers by agricultural activities. Some shellfish samples had exceeded the permissible concentration levels of copper and manganese, thereby posing a danger to bivalve consumers.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142307071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What Dietary Vitamins and Minerals Might Be Associated with Paraoxonase-1 Serum Levels in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease?","authors":"Masoumeh Rafinezhad, Sorayya Kheirouri, Mohsen Abbasnezhad, Mohammad Alizadeh","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04382-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04382-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is an antioxidant enzyme inversely associated with atherosclerosis incidence. Dietary antioxidants help to increase PON-1 serum levels. Since most vitamins and minerals have antioxidant properties, this research aimed to examine the association between PON-1 serum levels and dietary intake of vitamins and minerals in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this cross-sectional study, 102 inpatients with CAD and 60 healthy individuals participated. The average dietary vitamins and minerals intake were computed using information from the food frequency questionnaire with the assistance of Nutritionist IV software. The serum PON-1 level was measured using the ELISA method. Regarding minerals, serum PON-1 level was positively correlated with dietary calcium (β = 0.57, p = 0.001), phosphorus (β = 0.52, p = 0.004), and potassium intake (β = 0.40, p = 0.03), but inversely associated with dietary consumption of iron (β =  - 0.43, p = 0.04), and sodium (β =  - 0.41, p = 0.02). Concerning vitamins, serum levels of PON-1 were positively associated with vitamin B6 (β = 0.53, p = 0.01) and riboflavin (β = 0.44, p = 0.03) but inversely correlated with niacin (β =  - 0.49, p = 0.03). The serum level of PON-1 might be associated with the dietary intake of minerals and vitamins. Therefore, a diet rich in certain minerals and vitamins may be advantageous in increasing serum PON-1 levels and preventing CAD.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142307072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic Effects of Hydroxychloride and Organic Zinc on Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Liver and Tibia Mineral Profiles of Broiler Chickens.","authors":"Vahideh Sadr, Hoai Thi Thanh Nguyen, Lane Pineda, Yanming Han, Mehdi Toghyani","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04385-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04385-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the potential synergism between hydroxychloride and organic zinc (Zn) at different levels on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. There were seven experimental diets including a negative control diet without any supplemental Zn, and six diets with 80 mg/kg added Zn in the forms of ZnSO₄, hydroxychloride Zn (HCZ) and organic Zn (ORZ), and a combination of HCZ and ORZ at 40 mg/kg HCZ + 40 mg/kg ORZ (HCZ40-ORZ40), 55 mg/kg HCZ + 25 mg/kg ORZ (HCZ55-ORZ25), and 70 mg/kg HCZ + 10 mg/kg ORZ (HCZ70-ORZ10). Each diet was replicated eight times with 17 chicks per replicate. On day 35, HCZ70-ORZ10 and HCZ40-ORZ40 diets resulted in the highest body weights (P < 0.05). Throughout the entire production period (1-35 days), all HCZ and ORZ diets significantly improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to PC (P < 0.05), with HCZ40-ORZ40 showing the lowest FCR. Breast meat yield was lower in NC-fed birds, while HCZ80 and HCZ70-ORZ10 groups had the lowest abdominal fat weight (P < 0.05). Liver and gizzard weight, tibia breaking strength, and ash percentage, footpad dermatitis, and hock burns were not affected. Tibia Zn content was higher in HCZ or ORZ-supplemented birds compared to NC (P < 0.05), whereas other minerals in tibia and liver were unaffected. In summary, the absence of supplemental Zn negatively affects growth and carcass characteristics, whereas replacing ZnSO₄ with HCZ, ORZ, or their combinations improves bodyweight and FCR. HCZ70-ORZ10 and HCZ40-ORZ40 were identified as optimal combinations for maximizing feed efficiency.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142280062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Downregulated Expression and Hypermethylation of SIRT1 in Patients with Kashin-Beck Disease-Mediated Chondrocyte Apoptosis May Potentially Be Ameliorated by Selenium Supplement.","authors":"Xiaoli Yang, Lixin Han, Di Zhang, Cuixiang Xu, Zhankui Jin, Yongmin Xiong","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04362-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04362-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to elucidate the role of silent information regulator 2 homologue 1 (SIRT1) in cartilage damage in Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) by exploring the correlation between SIRT1 and KBD and the potential effect of SIRT1 expression and methylation on chondrocyte apoptosis. SIRT1 protein expression was detected using IHC, and the mRNA levels of SIRT1, DNMTs, and apoptosis-related genes were measured by RT-qPCR. Methylation levels of SxIRT1 were detected by MALDI-TOF-MS, MSP, and qMSP. Chondrocyte apoptosis was determined by Hoechst 33,342 staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI following selenium (Se) deficiency or T-2 toxin and Se supplement. Both protein and mRNA levels of SIRT1 were reduced in KBD patients, and SIRT1 expression discriminated between KBD and non-KBD with an AUC greater than 0.7. Methylation levels of SIRT1 were significantly elevated in KBD patients, and SIRT1 hypermethylation increased the risk of acquiring KBD 3.879-fold. DNMTs mRNA levels were increased in KBD patients, and further, DNMT1 mRNA levels were decreased, and SIRT1 mRNA levels were increased in the SIRT1 hypomethylation group. Moreover, the SIRT1 expression was negatively correlated with pro-apoptotic genes and positively correlated with anti-apoptotic gene expression, especially in KBD patients. Furthermore, apoptosis rates, DNMT1 mRNA level, and SIRT1 methylation level were increased in chondrocytes treated with Se deficiency and T-2 toxin, but SIRT1 mRNA level was downregulated, whereas the opposite trend was observed in chondrocytes treated with Se supplement. Low SIRT1 expression and CpG hypermethylation in KBD patients are associated with increased disease risk, which mediated chondrocyte apoptosis can be ameliorated by Se supplement.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142280059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Heavy Metal Concentration in Different Organs of Labeo rohita in Water and Sediment of Marala Ravi Link Canal (MRL) and Upper Chenab Canal (UCC) of Chenab River, Pakistan, and Their Health Implications.","authors":"Waqas Ahmad, Muhammad Samee Mubarik, Sajid Yaqub Qureshi, Naveed Ahmad Khan","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04387-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04387-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heavy metals (HMs) increasing rate in riverine water by human activities cause serious hazards to the health and sustainability of aquatic environments. The present study examines the accumulation of HMs (Ni, Mn, Pb, Cr) in water, sediments, and Labeo rohita fish of MRL and UCC, Chenab River Pakistan, and its implications on human health. Fish 36 specimens were collected with an average body weight of 170 ± 20 g. The results revealed that HM concentration in fish organs of MRL and UCC found in gills: Ni 8.57 ± .01, Mn 7.57 ± .01, Cr 5.20 ± .01, Pb 2.56 ± .01; Ni 8.20 ± .01, Mn 7.19 ± .01, Cr 4.78 ± .01, Pb 2.19 ± .01; liver: Mn 9.54 ± .01, Ni 6.98 ± .01, Cr 4.75 ± .01, Pb 4.66 ± .01; Mn 9.15 ± .01, Ni 6.48 ± .01, Pb 4.26 ± .01, Cr 4.22 ± .01; and muscle: Ni 4.94 ± .01, Mn 4.86 ± .02, Cr 1.73 ± .01, Pb 1.50 ± .01; Ni 4.48 ± .02, Mn 4.29 ± .01, Cr 1.28 ± .01, Pb 1.25 ± .02, respectively. BCF in gills, liver, and muscle found MN > Ni > Pb > Cr; Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb; Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb, respectively. THQ value for individual metal observed THQ < 1, which signifies no adverse effects, while the combined THQ value of investigated HMs found (1.094, 1.149) THQ > 1, which signifies expected adverse effects on human health during lifetime. HI values 2.23 and 2.16 observed HI > 1 indicated that consumption of studied fish contaminated with HMs cause a possible health risk. HM concentration was also observed higher than the permissible limits of TRV/USEPA/WHO in water and sediments. Therefore, consumption of investigated fish L. rohita can accumulate an estimated concentration of 1 × 14.10^-4 to 4.50 × 10^-4 (mg/kg, ww)/day of Cr, Mn, Ni, and Pb which exceeded the permissible limit of 1 × 10^-4 to 1 × 10^-6 of FAO/WHO and specifying possible carcinogenic threats for humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142280060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glutathione Attenuates Copper Levels and Alleviates Hepatic Injury in TX Mice.","authors":"Mengzhen Wang, Qiang Hu, Ni Wang, Yuge Jiang, Ting Dong, Shijian Cao, An Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04384-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04384-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wilson's disease (WD) is an inherited disorder that is characterized by abnormal copper metabolism, and treatment of this condition in the clinic focuses on promoting copper ion excretion. Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide compound whose active group is a sulfhydryl group, which is involved in many important biochemical reactions. Thus, the antioxidant and integrative detoxification effects of GSH have attracted attention. Whether GSH promotes copper ion excretion and reduces oxidative stress to alleviate WD-related liver injury is the focus of this study. Here, we used toxic milk (TX) mice as a model to study WD, and we treated these mice with GSH. We observed that GSH was effective at promoting copper excretion by TX mice. In addition, GSH has been shown to be effective in attenuating liver injury, including improving the structure and morphology of stem tissue and reducing hepatocyte necrosis. The effects of GSH on hepatic oxidative stress were determined by measuring catalase, malondialdehyde and total superoxide dismutase. The results showed that GSH could increase hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, reduce lipid peroxidation levels and attenuate liver injury. In conclusion, GSH may exert its hepatic benefits by promoting copper ion excretion and preventing oxidative stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142280061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mendelian Randomization Reveals Serum Copper as a Micronutrient is a Risk Factor for Erectile Dysfunction","authors":"Wu Wensong, Yu Qianqian, Aisha Awuti, Chang Fan, Chen Fangmin","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04377-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04377-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The cause and effect between serum micronutrients and erectile dysfunction (ED) is not clear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the causal relationship between micronutrients and ED by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. We used the published genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for two-sample MR analysis. This study utilized inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode method to assess the causal relationship between serum micronutrients and ED. IVW is considered the standard method for MR analysis. We used Cochran’s <i>Q</i> tests to evaluate the heterogeneity. To investigate horizontal pleiotropy, this study employed the MR Egger method. Additionally, leave-one-out analysis was used to evaluate the influence of individual genetic loci on the results. The results showed that there was a causal relationship between serum copper and ED, and it was positively correlated with ED (OR = 1.115, CI = 1.00–1.24, <i>p</i> = 0.014). There was no significant correlation between other micronutrients and ED. Sensitivity analysis results indicated that our findings exhibit no heterogeneity or pleiotropy, thereby strengthening our conclusions. Serum copper is a risk factor for ED, which provides a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of ED in the future. However, further experiments are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142268208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of miRNA in Hyperthyroidism Induced by Excessive Iodine in Drinking Water","authors":"Zhihan Yang, Yishan Dong, Shuo Wang, Jing He, Zheng Shen, Jin Cheng, Jinyu Li, Qiaoling Liu, Ziqi Xu, Dianjun Sun, Wei Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04358-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04358-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In recent years, iodine deficiency-related diseases have been effectively controlled; the prevalence of excessive iodine-induced thyroid diseases has increased, such as hyperthyroidism. However, there are still several controversial outcomes regarding the relationship between excessive iodine intakes and hyperthyroidism. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) extensively participate in the progression of thyroid diseases; nevertheless, the relationship and mechanism between iodine exposure and miRNAs have not been explored in hyperthyroidism patients. In this study, a total of 308 pairs of hyperthyroidism patients and healthy controls were enrolled in. Logistic regression analysis showed that level of water iodine &gt;100 μg/L was an independent risk factor for hyperthyroidism. Compared with the healthy control, the serum thyroglobulin (Tg) content and levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly elevated in hyperthyroidism patients. Further, high-throughput miRNA sequencing was applied to find crucial miRNAs involved in the occurrence of hyperthyroidism related to excessive water iodine. Based on the fold change and <i>Q</i> value, miR-144-3p, miR-204-5p, miR-346, miR-23b-5p, and miR-193b-3p were selected for validation by qRT-PCR. Our results showed that miR-346 and miR-204-5p in the case group were significantly lower than those of the control group, and the similar results found under the level of water iodine &gt;300 μg/L. Nonetheless, no significant difference was found at 10–100 μg/L level of water iodine. Furthermore, the ROC curve indicated that miR-346 and miR-204-5p had the ability to diagnose hyperthyroidism patients. Taken together, excessive water iodine may decrease the expression of miR-346 and miR-204-5p, which mediate the elevation of Tg and cytokines, ultimately making contribution to the development of hyperthyroidism.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142248700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots on Growth Performance and Gut Health in Broilers","authors":"Lei Shi, Meng-Ling Ruan, Bing-Bing Zhang, Guo-Xin Gong, Xue-Wu Li, Alainaa Refaie, Lv-Hui Sun, Zhang-Chao Deng","doi":"10.1007/s12011-024-04371-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04371-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aims to investigate the effect of different levels of zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO-QDs) on the growth performance and gut health in broilers. A total of 1125 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into five groups with 15 replicates of 15 chicks each. The broilers were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 40, 80, 120, or 160 mg Zn/kg as ZnO-QDs for 6 weeks. The results showed that dietary 80 and 120 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation increased (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) average daily gain (1.4–1.7%) and reduced feed conversion ratio (1.3%) compared to the basal diet group during various experimental periods. Meanwhile, 80 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation increased (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) trypsin activity (25.4%), villus height, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum. Moreover, 80 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation increased (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) the activities of glutathione reductase (47.7%) and superoxide dismutase (30.9%), while 120 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation decreased (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) glutathione peroxidase activity (27.1%) in the jejunum. Furthermore, 40 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation down-regulated (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) the expression of genes; <i>interleukin-2</i>, transforming growth factor β (<i>TGF-β</i>), <i>Cathelicidin-1</i>, <i>Cathelicidin-2</i>, <i>Cathelicidin-3</i>, and <i>Occludin</i>, while 80–160 mg Zn/kg ZnO-QD supplementation up-regulated (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) <i>Claudin-2</i> expression in the jejunum. In conclusion, dietary ZnO-QD supplementation improved growth performance of broilers potentially by enhancing their intestinal health status. Based on nonlinear regression analysis, the appropriate level of ZnO-QD supplementation would be from 98.2 to 102.5 mg Zn/kg.</p>","PeriodicalId":8917,"journal":{"name":"Biological Trace Element Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142248748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}