The effect of curcumin on ovary heat shock proteins and NFkB expression in quail

Heat stress compromises performance through reducing feed intake, while decreasing nutrient utilization, growth rate, egg production, egg quality and feed efficiency, lead to economic losses in poultry. High temperatures also lead to oxidative stress associated with a reduced antioxidant status in the bird in vivo, as reflected by increased oxidative damage and lowered plasma concentrations of antioxidants. Reducing the negative effects of environmental stress, antioxidants are used in the poultry diets. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) exhibits antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary curcumin on the levels of heat shock proteins (Hsp) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B) of ovarium in heat-stressed quail. A total of 180 five-week-old female Japanese quails were reared either at 22°C for 24 h/d (thermoneutral, TN group) or 34°C for 8 h/d (HS) in 2 × 3 (temperature X curcumin levels) factorially design. Birds in both environments were randomly fed 1 of 3 diets: basal diet and basal diet added with 200 or 400 mg of curcumin/kg of diet. Exposure to HS caused increasing in the levels of NF-?B, Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 in the ovarium by 80.3, 61.3, 51.5 and 55.4%, respectively. The ovarian NF-?B, Hsp 60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels decreased 24.8, 33.2, 18.4 and 26.5%, respectively for quails reared under the HS environment than for those reared under the TN environment with supplemental curcumin (P<0.0001 for all). In response to increasing supplemental curcumin level, there were linear decreases in the levels of NF-?B (153.1 to 84.9%), Hsp60 (139.4 to 86.4%), Hsp70 (133.8 to 88.3%) and Hsp90 (145.6 to 90.2%) (P<0.0001 for all). In conclusion, supplemental curcumin decreased the hepatic nuclear transcription factors and expressions of ovarial heat shock proteins in heat-stressed quails.