{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T15:09:04Z","timestamp":1789830544142,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Xingliao Talent Plan for Top Young Talents","award":["XLYC2203036"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["XLYC2203036"]}]},{"name":"High-Level Talent Support Grant for Innovation in Dalian","award":["2022RJ14"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022RJ14"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>To investigate the effects of dietary vitamin C (VC) supplementation at different concentrations (0, 5000, and 15,000 mg\/kg) on the growth and feeding performance of sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus), a 60-day feeding trial was conducted. The results demonstrated that supplementation with 5000 mg\/kg VC significantly enhanced growth performance, evidenced by a higher specific growth rate and weight gain, along with a shorter feeding initiation time and increased tentacle feeding frequency. Furthermore, the activities of digestive enzymes\u2014including amylase, lipase, and pepsin\u2014were markedly elevated in the intestines of A. japonicus fed 5000 mg\/kg VC, accompanied by increased mucus secretion in the oral tentacles. Correspondingly, intestinal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels and the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase (AjTPH) and 5-HT receptor (Aj5-HT4R) genes were significantly upregulated in the same group. In contrast, relatively lower growth performance was observed in the control (0 mg\/kg) and high-dose (15,000 mg\/kg) VC groups. Histological analysis further revealed that 5000 mg\/kg VC increased villus height and width and thickened the intestinal muscle layer. Overall, dietary supplementation with 5000 mg\/kg VC enhanced feeding activity, digestive function, and intestinal morphology, thereby promoting growth. However, excessive supplementation (15,000 mg\/kg) failed to provide similar benefits and was associated with impaired performance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biology15050377","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T13:37:37Z","timestamp":1772026657000},"page":"377","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Vitamin C Promoted Feeding and Growth Rate of Apostichopus japonicus by Increasing Its Digestive Capacity Through a 5-Hydroxytryptamine-Mediated Signaling Pathway"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Xianyu","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guangyao","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dejiang","family":"Luan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haobo","family":"Sun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ziyang","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wenjing","family":"Cai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Ding","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yaqing","family":"Chang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2443-1780","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rantao","family":"Zuo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Mariculture and Stock Enhancement in North China\u2019s Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"26","article-title":"Sea Cucumber Fisheries: Market Potential, Trade, Utilization and Challenges for Expanding the Production in the South-East Asia","volume":"4","author":"Rahman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. 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