Effects of Stocking Density on Growth, Hepatic Antioxidant and Inflammatory Responses, and Intestinal Barrier Function in Cage-Cultured Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea).
- 1Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
- 2Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of stocking density on growth, antioxidant responses, hepatic inflammatory signaling, and intestinal barrier function in cage-cultured large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Fish (~288 g) were reared for 8 weeks at low (5.73 kg/m³), medium (8.64 kg/m³), or high (11.55 kg/m³) initial stocking densities. High density reduced growth and survival and increased feed conversion ratio, serum cortisol, glucose, and malondialdehyde, while decreasing total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.05). Hepatic Nrf2, SOD, CAT, and GPX expression decreased, whereas Keap1 expression increased at high density. High density also increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, decreased anti-inflammatory factors and IκB abundance, shortened intestinal villi, reduced ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1 abundance, and increased serum diamine oxidase, D-lactate, and endotoxin (p < 0.05). Medium-density fish showed generally comparable responses to low-density fish for most endpoints. These findings indicate that high stocking density induces physiological stress and oxidative imbalance associated with an impaired hepatic Nrf2-related antioxidant response, enhanced NF-κB inflammatory signaling, and impaired intestinal barrier integrity in large yellow croaker.
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BibTeX
@article{chai2026effects,
title = {{Effects of Stocking Density on Growth, Hepatic Antioxidant and Inflammatory Responses, and Intestinal Barrier Function in Cage-Cultured Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea).}},
author = {Ruoyu Chai and Zheng Liu and Huihui Zhou and Chengdong Liu and Kangsen Mai and Gen He and Xuan Wang},
journal = {Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/antiox15101257},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939830},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of Stocking Density on Growth, Hepatic Antioxidant and Inflammatory Responses, and Intestinal Barrier Function in Cage-Cultured Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea).
AU - Ruoyu Chai
AU - Zheng Liu
AU - Huihui Zhou
AU - Chengdong Liu
AU - Kangsen Mai
AU - Gen He
AU - Xuan Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/antiox15101257
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939830
AB - This study investigated the effects of stocking density on growth, antioxidant responses, hepatic inflammatory signaling, and intestinal barrier function in cage-cultured large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Fish (~288 g) were reared for 8 weeks at low (5.73 kg/m³), medium (8.64 kg/m³), or high (11.55 kg/m³) initial stocking densities. High density reduced growth and survival and increased feed conversion ratio, serum cortisol, glucose, and malondialdehyde, while decreasing total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.05). Hepatic Nrf2, SOD, CAT, and GPX expression decreased, whereas Keap1 expression increased at high density. High density also increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, decreased anti-inflammatory factors and IκB abundance, shortened intestinal villi, reduced ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1 abundance, and increased serum diamine oxidase, D-lactate, and endotoxin (p < 0.05). Medium-density fish showed generally comparable responses to low-density fish for most endpoints. These findings indicate that high stocking density induces physiological stress and oxidative imbalance associated with an impaired hepatic Nrf2-related antioxidant response, enhanced NF-κB inflammatory signaling, and impaired intestinal barrier integrity in large yellow croaker.
SN - 2076-3921
ER -