INHIBITION BY AMINOGUANIDINE OF GLUCOSE-DERIVED COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING IN SKELETAL-MUSCLE OF BROILER BREEDER HENS

Aminoguanidine (AG) is a nucleophilic compound that inhibits nonenzyma tic, glucose-derived collagen cross-linking in animal tissues. Whether AG can attenuate the accumulation of collagen cross-links in the Bice ps femoris muscle of 64-wk-old broiler breeder hens as well as improve meat quality, was investigated. Eighty-four broiler breeder hens (30- wk-old) were divided into four equal groups. Each group was assigned r andomly to diets supplemented with 0, 200, 400, or 800 ppm AG, respect ively. Birds were fed individually, 150 g diet/d. After feeding AG for 34 wk, six birds from each group were killed and samples from the leg muscle were analyzed for changes in collagen content. Aminoguanidine decreased (P < 0.05) glucose-derived collagen cross-links in skeletal muscle as measured by fluorescence and collagen solubility. Insoluble collagen fraction decreased with increasing AG dosage, whereas acid-so luble and pepsin-soluble fractions increased with increasing AG dosage . Aminoguanidine did not affect shear force. In agreement with studies on animals with diabetes, AG is a potent inhibitor of glucose-derived cross-linking in chickens, although the results from the measurements of shear force do not support its use for improving carcass quality i n spent hens.