Biofortificação de morango com selênio, ferro e zinco: efeitos no modelo zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

Biofortification is a strategy that aims to ensure food security for the entire world population. Therefore, the use of animal models that demonstrate its positive and adverse effects on the human body is necessary to demonstrate the impacts of this approach on health. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with strawberries biofortified with iron, selenium and zinc, isolated or in combination, in juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio). The commercial diet Alcon Basic® was supplemented with 6% dried strawberries, and the treatments with the experimental diets consisted in seven groups of animals treated with strawberries biofortified with minerals isolated and in combination, namely iron (Fe); selenium (Se); zinc (Zn); Fe + Se; Fe + Zn; Se + Zn; Fe + Se + Zn; one group treated with non-biofortified strawberries and a control group treated only with commercial diet Alcon Basic®. The animals were fed four times a day. At the end of the experimental period of 45 days, the fish were anesthetized, weighed and measured for growth performance analysis. In addition, biochemical parameters were evaluated; histology of the intestine, liver and muscle; oxidative stress and accumulation of Fe, Se and Zn by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed a significant increase in the width of the intestinal villi of fish that received a diet supplemented with Se, Zn, Fe+Se, Fe+Zn and Fe+Se+Zn. A significant increase in the activity of all enzymes evaluated was observed with the supplementation of the diet with strawberries biofortified with Zn, in addition to a significant increase in the formation of ROS and MDA levels. The diet supplemented with non-biofortified strawberries led to an increase in ROS production, however there was no increase in lipid peroxidation levels. The diet supplemented with Fe+Zn increased the activity of the enzymes SOD, GST and GPx, while the three microminerals Fe, Se and Zn in association in the diet (Fe+Se+Zn) led to an increase in the activity of GPx, with a slight increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation being observed with these diets, which, however, did not lead to an increase in the formation of ROS. In addition, it was verified through the EDS results that there was a greater absorption of the microminerals Fe, Se and Zn in the fish that received a diet supplemented with them, when compared to the Control treatment, with Fe being the most present element in the organism of the animals in all diets. Therefore, the strawberry biofortified with Fe+Zn and Fe+Se+Zn at the levels studied can be recommended for supplementation of the diet, since it exerts positive effects on the antioxidant system, through the increase in the enzymatic activity. Furthermore, through the EDS results, there is an indication that the strawberry was biofortified, in addition to demonstrating that supplementing the diet with strawberries biofortified with Fe, Se and Zn, isolated and/or in combination, can benefit the health of animals, without compromising the normal development of the organism, as seen through the results of the other parameters analyzed in this study.