Effects of dietary β-glucan on the growth and innate immune response of juvenile Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus

• Effects of β-glucan on growth and immunity in Persian sturgeon were investigated.
• β-glucan increased innate immune responses in experimental fish.
• Elevated growth performance was observed in fish fed with β-glucan.

The present study evaluated the effects of different levels of dietary β-glucan (MacroGard®) on growth performance and innate immune parameters in juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). Fish (20.1 ± 0.8 g) were allocated into 12 tanks (15 fish per tank) and triplicate groups were fed a control diet or diets containing 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% β-glucan. After six weeks of daily feeding (3.0% body weight day−1), humoral innate immune parameters (serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, lysozyme activity and alternative complement activity (ACH50)) and growth parameters (final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), food conversion ratio (FCR)) were examined. Innate immune responses (lysozyme activity and ACH50) were significantly higher in 0.2% and 0.3% β-glucan fed fish (P < 0.05). Similarly, elevated growth performance (final weight, SGR and FCR) was observed in fish fed 1%, 2% and 3% β-glucan compared to the control group (P < 0.05). However, dietary β-glucan had no significant effect on survival rate of fish (P > 0.05). These results indicate that β-glucan can be considered as a beneficial dietary supplement for improving the immune response and growth performance of Persian sturgeon.