A Proteomic Approach to Investigating the Antioxidant Properties of Passion Fruit Seed Oil on Broiler Liver under Cyclic Heat Stress

The impact of passion fruit seed oil (PFSO) supplementation on the liver proteome of broilers exposed to a cyclic heat stress protocol was the focus of this research. Five experimental diets (0, 0.30, 0.50, 0.70, and 0.90% PFSO) were fed to chickens, which underwent 8 h of daily thermal stress in a climate chamber throughout the trial. At 36 days, hepatic samples were procured from nine animals per group. The proteins were resolved via two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and the spots showing differential expression were identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The main discovery was that dietary supplementation with 0.30 and 0.90% PFSO led to increased levels of heat shock protein (HSPs), which provide essential cellular protection during stress. Simultaneously, a pronounced downregulation of antioxidant proteins was observed, suggesting a recalibration of the cellular defense mechanisms. Beyond stress proteins, significant changes were also noted in proteins governing lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, confirming the influence across multiple metabolic pathways of PFSO. These data indicate that PFSO boosted resistance to heat stress through the modulation of critical metabolic functions, presenting valuable implications for improving poultry welfare and performance in adverse environmental conditions.