A krill powder-diet reduces fatty acid and amino acid catabolism while increasing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, a study of the hepatic transcriptome in mice

The effect of krill powder, a mixed source of protein and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), on hepatic gene expression was analyzed in CBA/J mice. Mice were fed a low-fat control diet or a 3% (w/w) krill powder low-fat diet for 3 months. Gene expression profiling on liver samples revealed that the krill powder supplemented diet modulated a large number of pathways compared to the control diet. Metabolic pathways that were down-regulated included β-oxidation, glucose metabolism, and amino acid catabolism. In contrast, the mitochondrial electron transport chain pathway was upregulated. Krill powder affected more pathways involved in protein metabolism than krill oil. Thus, a krill powder supplemented diet had potent and specific effects on energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation at the gene level. This indicates that krill powder supplementation could be an approach to prevent decline in mitochondrial respiratory chain function.