Mirhossein Hadavi - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Ebrahim H. Najdegerami - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Mehdi Nikoo - Department of Pathobiology and Quality Control, Artemia & Aquaculture Research institute, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Vahid Nejati - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

Objective(s): The effects of protein hydrolysates (FP) from Litopenaeus vannamei on oxidative stress, and autophagy gene expression was investigated in the NAFLD-induced rats.  Materials and Methods: For this purpose, twenty-four male rats were divided into four groups: Control, High-fat diet (HFD), FP۲۰+HFD, and FP۳۰۰+HFD (۲۰ and ۳۰۰ mg FP /kg rat body weight) and fed for ۷۰ days. Results: The results indicated that the rat body and relative weight of the liver were not affected by experimental treatments (P>۰.۰۵) although the highest relative weight of the liver was observed in HFD treatment. The highest and lowest values for antioxidant enzymes and MDA concentration were observed in FP treatments (P<۰.۰۵). Also, the results showed that FP significantly decreased liver enzymes (ALT, AST) in the liver in comparison with HFD treatment (P<۰.۰۵). Plasma biochemical indices were investigated and the lowest amylase, ALP, fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, cholesterol, and inflammation cytokines (TNF-α, IL-۶) were seen in the FP treatments which had a significant difference with HFD (P<۰.۰۵). Autophagy gene expression in the liver cells was affected by experimental diets and the lowest expression of Beclin-۱ and Atg۷ was observed in HFD and FP۳۰۰ treatments. Interestingly, the highest expression of LC۳-ɪ and P۶۲ was seen in HFD and FP treatments, not in the control. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this experiment indicated that FPs extracted from Whiteleg shrimp at ۵۰ °C improve the oxidative status, glucose metabolism, and autophagy gene expression and could be used as a useful nutritional strategy in fatty liver prevention.

Autophagy, Bioactive peptides, Fatty liver, Insulin, Oxidative Enzymes, Whiteleg shrimp