The current protocol investigated how nucleotides and/or β-glucan affect antioxidant-related gene expression, hepatic tissue lipid peroxidation in chickens, and meat quality. The newly hatched chicks were divided into four groups (36 birds pre group) based on the nutritional supplements they received: the first was a control group, the second was supplemented with 200 mg nucleotides per kg of diet, the third was supplemented with 1-gram β-glucan per kilogram of diet, and the fourth was complemented with both nucleotides and β-glucan. On day 35, three chickens per replicate were slaughtered to evaluate the antioxidant-related gene expression, the antioxidant enzymes, and meat quality. The results demonstrated that the antioxidant-related gene expression was substantially (P < 0.05) upregulated in the fourth broiler group with the addition of nucleotides with β-glucan compared to the other experimental groups. Furthermore, it was detected that the supplements enhanced antioxidant-related enzyme activity in broiler liver tissue, reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) as an indicator of lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the study's results indicated that the two supplements significantly (P < 0.05) affected tenderness, water-holding capacity (WHC), and cook loss. However, there were no statistically significant variations observed in drip loss, PH, and color (lightness and redness); nevertheless, in comparison to the control group, all dietary-supplemented groups demonstrated a notably reduced yellowness value (P < 0.05). It can be concluded from the findings that the inclusion of nucleotides in conjunction with β-glucan in the diet resulted in improvements in the expression of some genes linked to antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)), antioxidant-related enzymes with decreased MDA, and meat quality characteristics including cook loss, yellowness value of meat color, water holding capacity (WHC), and tenderness. |
