Influence of gossypol from dietary cottonseed meal on haematology, reproductive steroids and tissue gossypol enantiomer concentrations in male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) males were fed, during a 9‐month period, five experimental diets where fishmeal proteins were gradually replaced with cottonseed meal (CS) proteins (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%; diets 1–5, respectively). This study was carried out to evaluate the action and tissue concentrations of gossypol. Growth performance of fish was not affected with the increasing levels of CS in the diets. Haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit significantly decreased in fish fed 100% CS compared with other dietary treatments. Gonadosomatic index, plasma sex steroids (testosterone, 11‐ketotestosterone and 17,20β‐dihydroxy‐4‐pregnen‐3‐one) and sperm characteristics (concentration, motility, protein concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity) were not negatively affected by increasing levels of CS. For the first time, a comprehensive study of gossypol concentrations, total and (+) and (−)‐enantiomers, in several tissues (liver, blood plasma, spermatozoa and seminal plasma) was performed. The concentrations of both (+) and (−)‐enantiomers significantly increased with increasing levels of CS in the diet. The highest concentrations were found in the liver of fish fed diet 5 (185 ± 18 μg g−1). In blood plasma, the concentrations of total gossypol were 10 times lower than the one found in the liver, but 10 and 100 times higher than the concentrations in the spermatozoa and seminal plasma, respectively. In all tissues studied, the concentration of (+)‐enantiomer was higher than the (−)‐enantiomer. The ratio (−)‐enantiomer/total gossypol did not change significantly with the increasing levels of CS in the diet. The results of the present study indicate that CS can be used over a period of 9 months to replace fishmeal proteins completely without compromising growth and reproduction of rainbow trout males.