Effects of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibition and vitamin E supplementation on ferroptosis-related mechanisms and post-mortem meat quality in broiler chickens.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, in meat quality by comparing the effects of pre-slaughter administration of teriflunomide, an inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), which can induce ferroptosis, and dietary vitamin E, an antioxidant that can suppress ferroptosis, on the post-mortem biochemical properties of broiler chicken muscle.

METHODS

Broiler chickens were randomly allocated to three groups: control, teriflunomide-treated, and vitamin E-supplemented. Teriflunomide was administered subcutaneously prior to slaughter, and vitamin E was provided in the diet. Post-mortem thigh muscles were analyzed for oxidative status, such as lipid peroxide levels and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG); the expression of ferroptosis-related genes, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4); and meat quality traits such as pH, color, and water-holding capacity.

RESULTS

Teriflunomide significantly reduced the GSH/GSSG ratio (p<0.001) and increased ACSL4 expression compared with the control and vitamin E groups (p<0.05), indicating elevated oxidative stress. Vitamin E significantly increased GPX4 expression compared with teriflunomide (p<0.05). Lipid peroxidation was numerically lower in the vitamin E group than in the other groups, although the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.062). Teriflunomide slowed post-mortem pH decline (p<0.001) and decreased L* and b* values, whereas a* values were higher (p<0.05). Vitamin E maintained higher L* and b* values and slightly lower a* values than the control (p<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in water-holding capacity among the groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that ferroptosis-related processes play a critical role in regulating post-mortem meat quality in broiler thigh muscles. DHODH inhibition by teriflunomide and antioxidant treatment with vitamin E yielded contrasting effects.