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Antioxidants
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Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd...
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Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 2139

Editors

Dr. Yukun Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0056, Japan
Interests: nutrition; probiotic; aquatic; antioxidant; bio-enzyme; fermentation; immunology; intestinal microorganism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Amina Moss

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
Interests: crustacean; phospholipids; sustainable aquaculture; aquaculture welfare; aquaculture nutrition; feed additives; interaction of aquaculture feed and the environment; aquaponics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Saichiro Yokoyama

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
Interests: aquaculture nutrition; protein nutrition; peptides; digestibility; immune response; feed supplementation; fatty acids; lipid metabolism; enzyme activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global aquaculture continues its rapid expansion to meet the rising global demand for safe, high-quality aquatic protein amid declining wild fishery stocks. Intensive farming systems, while driving production efficiency, expose aquatic organisms to multifaceted stressors—including high stocking density, water quality fluctuations, pathogenic challenges, and thermal stress—that trigger excessive reactive oxygen species production, cellular oxidative damage, and compromised growth, immune function, and end-product quality. This Special Issue builds on the success of its prior edition to explore the synergies between antioxidants and sustainable aquaculture.

We welcome multidisciplinary research on the mechanistic actions and practical applications of natural and synthetic antioxidants, from dietary supplements to functional feed additives. We invite original research, reviews, and short communications investigating antioxidant-mediated regulation of oxidative stress, growth performance, stress resilience, disease resistance, and fillet quality in aquatic species, with a focus on bridging fundamental mechanistic insights and industry-applicable solutions for sustainable aquatic production.

Dr. Yukun Zhang
Dr. Amina Moss
Dr. Saichiro Yokoyama
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • oxidative stress
  • aquatic animals
  • dietary antioxidants
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • natural antioxidants
  • fish nutrition
  • antioxidant supplementation
  • environmental stressors
  • sustainable aquaculture
  • stress management

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 18943 KB  
Article
Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals Potential Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying Changes in Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Other Immune Functions Induced by Bellamya purificata Polysaccharides in Cherax quadricarinatus
by Chang Yuan, Huizan Yang, Xianhui Pan, Yong Lin, Kangqi Zhou, Feng Lin, Wenjian Chen, Yusen Li, Yaoquan Han, Hui Wei, Caiguang Wang, Liangliang Huang and Dapeng Wang
Antioxidants 2026, 15(7), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15070907 - 22 Jul 2026
Abstract
This study investigated the potential effects of Bellamya purificata polysaccharide (BPP) supplementation in feed on Cherax quadricarinatus, aiming to elucidate its impact on immune function and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying [...] Read more.
This study investigated the potential effects of Bellamya purificata polysaccharide (BPP) supplementation in feed on Cherax quadricarinatus, aiming to elucidate its impact on immune function and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying dietary BPP concentrations (0‰, 2‰, 4‰, 6‰, and 8‰) on growth performance, histopathology, immune function, and transcriptomic profiles of C. quadricarinatus. Dietary BPP significantly increased the final body length and body weight of C. quadricarinatus. Furthermore, BPP inclusion improved the histological damage of hepatopancreatic tissues, alleviated physiological stress, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, antibacterial activity, and anti-inflammatory function, as evidenced by alterations in relevant enzyme activities and gene expression levels. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 957 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were predominantly enriched in GO terms and KEGG pathways associated with BPP-mediated immune regulation, such as the PPAR signaling pathway, peroxisome, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and lysosome. In addition, 14 candidate genes were identified, including Acox3, ACOX1, SCP2, and PPT1. Integrated analysis of GO, KEGG, and Short Time-Series Expression Miner (STEM) data supported the development of a mechanistic model illustrating how C. quadricarinatus modulates immune function in response to BPP supplementation. RT-qPCR validation confirmed the accuracy and reliability of the high-throughput sequencing results. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of BPP as a functional feed additive in aquaculture and provide novel insights into disease prevention strategies for the C. quadricarinatus farming industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 2799 KB  
Article
Gene- and Isoform-Level Responses to Extreme Acidic pH Stress in an Emerging Marine Invertebrate Model Organism Litoditis marina
by Beining Xue, Pengchi Zhang, Hanwen Yang and Liusuo Zhang
Antioxidants 2026, 15(7), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15070862 - 9 Jul 2026
Viewed by 381
Abstract
Ocean acidification poses a critical threat to marine invertebrate survival and diversification, yet the post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying acid stress responses remain poorly understood. Here, we employed Oxford Nanopore long-read RNA sequencing to systematically characterize transcriptional and post-transcriptional responses to acidic pH stresses [...] Read more.
Ocean acidification poses a critical threat to marine invertebrate survival and diversification, yet the post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying acid stress responses remain poorly understood. Here, we employed Oxford Nanopore long-read RNA sequencing to systematically characterize transcriptional and post-transcriptional responses to acidic pH stresses in the marine nematode Litoditis marina. Our analysis revealed 912 upregulated and 728 downregulated genes enriched in autophagy, fatty acid metabolism, and peroxisome activation, alongside 327 differential alternative splicing events and 1512 transcripts with significant usage changes under severe acidic pH stress. By integrating weighted gene co-expression network analysis with databases such as WormExp2, we found that acidic pH stress response exhibited resemblance to oxidative stress response. Specifically, we identified genes involved in the oxidative stress response, such as gpx-1, cyp-13A11, trxr-1, cyc-1, and key regulators, including hlh-30/TFEB. Genes such as gpx-1, trxr-1, and cyp-23A1 might protect L. marina from oxidative stress under acidic pH. Moreover, several ferroptosis-related genes, such as gpx-5, fat-2, and smf-1, might render L. marina vulnerable to acidic pH stress. Among the genes with splicing changes, we identified oxidative stress responding genes such as sod-4, prx-2, coq-2, coq-3, prx-10, ctl-2, gst-7, trx-1, mdt-15, and fat-2. Additionally, we discovered the preference for proximal 3′ UTR under acidic pH stress. Genes related to ferroptosis, including cyp-23A1, C07E3.9/PLA2G1B, and C53D5.5/GGT1, exhibited differential 3′ UTR usage under acidic pH stress. Our findings shift the focus from traditional gene-centric analyses to capturing the full breadth of post-transcriptional diversity, providing novel insights into post-transcriptional gene regulation in marine metazoans under environmental stress, as well as revealing that alleviating oxidative stress might increase resistance to acid pH stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 11111 KB  
Article
Physiological and Intestinal Microbiota Responses to the Feeding Stimulant Dimethyl-β-Propiothetin (DMPT) in Aquatic Animals—A Preliminary Study on Pontastacus leptodactylus Fed on a Plant-Based Diet
by Ying Yan, Ming Li, Yanjie Tang, Xiting Chen, Haibo Jiang, Muzi Zhang, Na Li and Bin Li
Antioxidants 2026, 15(6), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15060715 - 4 Jun 2026
Viewed by 393
Abstract
The replacement of fishmeal with plant protein is a key strategy for sustainable aquaculture, but reduced feed intake and digestive efficiency remain major constraints. This study evaluated the effects of dietary dimethyl-β-propiothetin (DMPT) supplementation on feed intake, digestive function, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal [...] Read more.
The replacement of fishmeal with plant protein is a key strategy for sustainable aquaculture, but reduced feed intake and digestive efficiency remain major constraints. This study evaluated the effects of dietary dimethyl-β-propiothetin (DMPT) supplementation on feed intake, digestive function, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota in narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) fed an all-plant protein diet. Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated: a plant protein diet (PPD), an animal protein diet (APD), and a PPD supplemented with 0.5% DMPT. After a 4-week feeding trial, results showed that PPD significantly reduced feed intake and digestive enzyme activities compared to APD, whereas DMPT supplementation restored feed intake to a level comparable to APD, maintained growth-related parameters at intermediate levels, and significantly enhanced α-amylase (AMS), lipase (LPS), and trypsin (TPS) activities. Additionally, DMPT markedly improved hepatopancreatic antioxidant capacity, as indicated by increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, without affecting muscle composition or intestinal morphology. Microbiota analysis revealed that DMPT altered community structure, increased Bacillota abundance, and promoted microbial network stability. Overall, DMPT supplementation effectively mitigates the limitations of plant protein diets and supports the replacement of animal protein in crayfish aquafeeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition)
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25 pages, 4173 KB  
Article
Combined Effects of Dietary Astaxanthin and β-Carotene on Antioxidant Status, Pigmentation, Muscle Quality, and Flavor Profile in Male and Female Macrobrachium rosenbergii
by Zhouyu Chen, Jianlin Guo, Shunxiao Shi, Pengyuan Zhang, Yansong Xue, Yucai Xue, Bin Han, Kelvin Zhao Kang Ong, Zhixiao Ma, Weidong Yang, Xinjun Gang, Yanzi Liang, Yuhan Guo, Taranat Jiasalati, Amina Moss, Xuxiong Huang, Yukun Zhang and Weilong Wang
Antioxidants 2026, 15(6), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15060711 - 3 Jun 2026
Viewed by 563
Abstract
Carotenoid nutrition plays a crucial role in crustacean aquaculture by regulating antioxidant defense, pigmentation, physiological performance, and edible quality. This study evaluated the combined effects of dietary astaxanthin and β-carotene on antioxidant status, pigmentation, muscle quality, and flavor profile in male and female [...] Read more.
Carotenoid nutrition plays a crucial role in crustacean aquaculture by regulating antioxidant defense, pigmentation, physiological performance, and edible quality. This study evaluated the combined effects of dietary astaxanthin and β-carotene on antioxidant status, pigmentation, muscle quality, and flavor profile in male and female Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Seven isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated, including a carotenoid-free control and six diets supplemented with different astaxanthin and β-carotene combinations. After a 77-day feeding trial, growth performance, antioxidant parameters, digestive enzyme activities, carotenoid deposition, body coloration, muscle texture, free amino acids, flavor nucleotides, equivalent umami concentration, and volatile flavor compounds were systematically assessed. Dietary carotenoid supplementation improved growth performance in both sexes, although the response patterns differed between males and females. In males, astaxanthin contributed more prominently to growth and several physiological traits, whereas in females, astaxanthin, β-carotene, and their interaction significantly affected multiple response variables. Carotenoid supplementation enhanced antioxidant capacity, carotenoid deposition, body redness, muscle texture, and flavor-related traits. GC-IMS analysis further revealed sex-dependent remodeling of volatile flavor profiles under different carotenoid combinations. Among all treatments, the combined high-dose diet containing 160 mg/kg astaxanthin and 160 mg/kg β-carotene showed the best overall performance in both sexes. These findings indicate that dietary astaxanthin and β-carotene combinations exert compound- and sex-dependent effects in M. rosenbergii and provide a basis for developing sex-specific functional feeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 9334 KB  
Article
Dietary N-Carbamylglutamate Partially Alleviates High-Starch-Induced Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Glycogenic Hepatopathy in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
by Tao Cheng, Jiandong Chen, Mengfei Liu, Beiping Tan and Shuyan Chi
Antioxidants 2026, 15(6), 673; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15060673 - 27 May 2026
Viewed by 376
Abstract
High-starch diets are increasingly used in aquafeeds to reduce feed costs, but carnivorous fish such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) have limited capacity to utilize dietary starch and are prone to hepatic metabolic disorders. In the present study, we evaluated whether [...] Read more.
High-starch diets are increasingly used in aquafeeds to reduce feed costs, but carnivorous fish such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) have limited capacity to utilize dietary starch and are prone to hepatic metabolic disorders. In the present study, we evaluated whether dietary N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) could alleviate high-starch-induced hepatic oxidative stress and liver injury in largemouth bass. Fish were fed a control diet containing 11.50% starch, a high-starch diet containing 18.00% starch, or a high-starch diet supplemented with 0.15%, 0.20%, or 0.25% NCG for 8 weeks. Compared with the high-starch group, dietary NCG supplementation significantly reduced serum glucose and triglyceride levels, decreased hepatic glycogen and malondialdehyde contents, and increased hepatic superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. NCG also reduced serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities and alleviated hepatic histopathological damage. At the transcriptional level, NCG upregulated genes related to insulin signaling, glycolysis, lipid catabolism, and antioxidant regulation, including insr, irs, gk, pk, atgl, hsl, ampk, and nrf2, while downregulating the expression of keap1, nf-κB, mtor, and multiple inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes. These changes were accompanied by increased serum nitric oxide levels and improved survival and growth performance under high-starch feeding conditions. Collectively, these results indicate that dietary NCG supplementation attenuates high-starch-induced hepatic oxidative stress and redox-associated liver injury in largemouth bass, which may be associated with the transcriptional modulation of genes related to the AMPK/Nrf2/Keap1 and mTOR/NF-κB signaling pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants and Aquaculture: A Synergistic Approach for Sustainable Aquatic Production—2nd Edition)
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