Effect of dietary date seed meal as an alternative carbohydrate source on immune-related gene expression of Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei

Abstract Current study aimed to examine the effect of dietary date seed meal (DSM) as an alternative carbohydrate ingredient on immune-related genes expression of Pacific white shrimp ( Penaeus vannamei ). A total number of 750 shrimp (4.0 ± 0.1 g) were randomly assigned into five experimental treatments, each with three replicates. Experimental diets contained 0, 50, 100, 150 and 230 g/kg DSM substituted for both wheat and rice flour. Shrimp were fed at a rate of 5% body weight three times daily and the mRNA expression of α2-macroglobulin (α2-M), lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein (LGBP), integrin β, and peroxinectin (PX) was studied on five shrimp per treatment after 8 weeks feeding trial. The results showed that replacement of DSM up to 100 g/kg in the diet of P. vannamei caused no significant changes in the expression of α2-M and integrin β, however both of these genes showed lower expression in shrimp fed diets containing 150 and 230 g/kg DSM compared to control group. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in the expression of PX and LGBP between shrimp fed diets containing different amounts of DSM and control group. These findings demonstrated that as an inexpensive source of carbohydrate, DSM could be substituted up to 100 g/kg for wheat and rice flour in the diet of farmed shrimp without suppressive effects on the immune status.