Dietary L-carnitine modulates oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and pulmonary hypertension in chickens raised at high-altitude under cold stress.

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated L-carnitine's impact on oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and pulmonary hypertensive response in broilers under high-altitude and cold stress.

METHOD: A total of 225 male broiler chicks (Ross 308, 38.5 ± 0.5 g) were raised at 2100 m altitude and exposed to cold stress. Birds were divided into three groups: control, LC-50 (50 mg/kg L-carnitine), and LC-100 (100 mg/kg L-carnitine). At 42 days, blood and tissues were collected to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), hematocrit, and right ventricular to total ventricular weight (RV: TV) ratio (PHS indicator). Gene expression of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was analyzed in the heart, lung, and hindbrain using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

The RV: TV ratio, MDA levels, and hematocrit (%) significantly decreased in the LC-50 and LC-100 groups compared to the control group, while nitric oxide levels increased (For all P < 0.05). The expression of SOD1, GPX, CAT, and iNOS genes was significantly increased in the heart, lung, and hindbrain of the LC-100 group compared to the control group (P < 0.05), while CPT1 and CPT2 expression increased significantly only in the heart and hindbrain (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Dietary L-carnitine, especially at 100 mg/kg, effectively alleviates oxidative stress, enhances vasodilation, improves lipid metabolism, and mitigates pulmonary hypertensive responses in broilers exposed to high-altitude hypoxia and cold stress.