Silencing transformer and transformer-2 in Zeugodacus cucurbitae causes defective sex determination with inviability of most pseudomales

transformer is a switch gene for sex determination in many insects, which cooperates with transformer-2 that is expressed in both sexes to regulate female differentiation, particularly in dipterans. Zeugodacus cucurbitae(Coquillett) is a very destructive pest worldwide, however, its sex determination pathway remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that the female sex ratio is sharply reduced with knockdown of either transformer or transformer-2 by RNA interference in early embryos of Z. cucurbitae. Most of the males grown from the embryos with transient transformer and transformer-2 suppression mated with wild-type females and produced mixed sex progeny, with one exception that produced only female progeny, and all of the few remaining males failed to mate with wild-type females and produced no progeny. The exceptional male and those males with mating failure were XX pseudomales as determined by the detection of Y chromosome-linked Maleness-on-the-Y, indicating that most XX pseudomales are not viable. The phenotypes of transformer and transformer-2 suggest that they play a key role in regulating sex determination and are required for female sexual development of Z. cucurbitae. Our results will be beneficial to the understanding of sex determination in Z. cucurbitae and can facilitate the development of genetic sexing strains for its biological control.

Maleness-on-the-Y(MoY) orthologue is a key regulator of male sex determination in Zeugodacus cucurbitae(Diptera:Tephritidae)

The initiation of sex differentiation in insects is regulated by primary sex determination signals.In the Medfly Ceratitis capitata and other tephritids,Maleness-on-the-Y(MoY) is the master gene for male sex determination.However,the primary signal in Zeugodacus cucurbitae(Coquillett),a very destructive tephritid pest across the world,remains ambiguous.In this study,we have isolated and characterized the Medfly MoY homolog in Z.cucurbitae,ZcMoY.ZcMOY protein shows high sequence conservation to its homologs in Bactrocera species.ZcMoY transcription begins and peaks at very early embryonic stages and then becomes undetectable except the testes and heads of day 1 male adults.Silencing ZcMoY in early embryos by RNAi causes abnormal external genitalia and interior reproductive organs,giving rise to intersexes and feminization of XY individuals.The expression pattern and knockdown phenotypes of ZcMoY indicate that ZcMoY plays a key role in regulating sex determination of Z.cucurbitae males.Our findings will help the understanding of sex determination in Z.cucurbitae and facilitate the development of genetic sexing strains in its biological control.

QTL analysis of early flowering of female flowers in zucchini(Cucurbita pepo L.)

Early flowering promotes early maturity, production, and the capacity to counteract biotic and abiotic stresses, making it an important agronomic trait in zucchini. The present study demonstrated that the zucchini inbred line ‘19’ consistently flowered early, taking significantly fewer days to bloom the first female flower(DFF) than the inbred line ‘113’. Genetic analysis revealed that DFF, an inheritable quantitative trait, is controlled by multiple genes. Based on the strategy of quantitative trait locus(QTL) sequencing(QTL-seq) combined with linkage analysis, three QTLs for DFF were identified on chromosomes 4, 11, and 20. This study used additional F2 populations grown under different environmental conditions for QTL mapping analysis of DFF with insertion/deletion(InDel) markers to validate these results. Using the composite interval mapping(CIM) method of R/qtl software, we only identified one major locus under all environmental conditions, located in a 117-kb candidate region on chromosome 20. Based on gene annotation, gene sequence alignment, and qRT-PCR analysis, we found that the Cp4.1LG20g08050 gene encoding a RING finger protein may be a candidate gene for the opposite regulation of early flowering in zucchini. In summary, these results lay a foundation for a better understanding of early flowering and improving early flowering-based breeding strategies in zucchini.

Hybrid Deep Learning Method for Diagnosis of Cucurbita Leaf Diseases

In agricultural engineering,the main challenge is on methodologies used for disease detection.The manual methods depend on the experience of the personal.Due to large variation in environmental condition,disease diagnosis and classification becomes a challenging task.Apart from the disease,the leaves are affected by climate changes which is hard for the image processing method to discriminate the disease from the other background.In Cucurbita gourd family,the disease severity examination of leaf samples through computer vision,and deep learning methodologies have gained popularity in recent years.In this paper,a hybrid method based on Convolutional Neural Network(CNN)is proposed for automatic pumpkin leaf image classification.The Proposed Denoising and deep Convolutional Neural Network(CNN)method enhances the Pumpkin Leaf Pre-processing and diagnosis.Real time data base was used for training and testing of the proposed work.Investigation on existing pre-trained network Alexnet and googlenet was investigated is done to evaluate the performance of the pro-posed method.The system and computer simulations were performed using Matlab tool.

Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché Regulates the Metabolism of Carbohydrates and Lipids in Liver by Activation of PPARα without Affectation on PPARγ in Vivo and in Vitro

Diabetes mellitus control in Mexico is practiced by using antidiabetic agents and, by empirical way using medicinal plants. Cucurbita ficifolia (C. ficifolia) has been attributed with hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic, and anti-inflam- matory effects, and D-chiro-inositol (DCI), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and β-sitosterol were proposed as active principles. The last two compounds were suggested as activators of two transcription factors, PPARα and PPARγ, in C2C12 myocytes, which participate in β-oxidation of fatty acids and insulin sensitivity. However, the involvement of the hepatocytic and adipocytic PPARs in the effects of C. ficifolia has not yet been explored. This research aimed to determine the effects of C. ficifolia on PPARα, PPARγ, and inflammatory cytokines in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mice, HepG2 hepatocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes, implicating two additional cell types associated with metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. STZ-induced diabetes mice received C. ficifolia (200 mg/kg/day) for 30 days, measuring serum cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). RNA was extracted from liver. Besides, HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells were incubated (24 h) with C. ficifolia (0.078 mM DCI), using pioglitazone or fenofibrate as controls. RNA was also extracted from cells and PCR in real-time was performed to determinate PPARα and PPARγ expression. In diabetic animals, C. ficifolia decreased glycemia and body weight, decreasing the expression level of TNF-α and IL-6. In addition, C. ficifolia increased PPARα expression in liver of diabetic animals, in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells;PPARγ expression only significantly increased in HepG2 cells. The data suggest that the effects on the glycemia and lipids of C. ficifolia and its anti-inflammatory effects imply, besides skeletal muscle cells, hepatic and adipocytic PPARα activation, without affectation on PPARγ. PPARs regulation by C. ficifolia may improve the metabolic dysfunctions associated with metabolic disease, controlling the intake, activation, and oxidation of fatty acids and lipid storage.

Antinephrotoxic and antihyperlipidaemic activities of Cucurbita maxima leaf supplemented diets in stz-induced diabetic rats

Background:Cucurbita maxima plant materials are frequently used to manage a number of disorders,according to previous studies.Objective:The goal of the present report was to look into further possible effects of this plant on kidney disorder in rats brought on by diabetes as well as the related abnormalities in lipid metabolism.Methods:To assess the ameliorative effect of the plant,streptozotocin(STZ)(45 mg/kg/day)was given as a single dosage to cause type 1 diabetes.After then,diabetic rats received supplemented diets of Cucurbita maxima for four weeks at 5%,10%,15%and 20%ad libidium.However,in another experiment to evaluate the preventive capacity of Cucurbita maxima,the STZ-induction came at the end of four weeks supplementation.Blood and kidney tissues were obtained at the end of the treatments and investigated.Consequently,the analysis of kidney function and lipid profile was made using serum obtained from the blood sample.Histological change in kidney was also observed using haematoxylin and eosin stain Results:Our findings demonstrated that Cucurbita maxima drastically(P<0.05)decreased the elevated kidney indicators such as urea and creatinine in the blood,and restored the electrolytes and lipid profiles anomalies as compared to the normal control.However,the alteration of biochemical parameters in the STZ-induced diabetic control remained unchanged throughout as compared to the normal control.The above mentioned biochemical changes that took place in kidney tissues were further corroborated by histological alterations.Conclusion:The results suggest that Cucurbita maxima leaves supplemented diets reversed STZ-induced renal disorder and abnormal lipid metabolism,and that these effects may be mediated by interacting with multiple receptors to raise the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the system.

Valorization of Cucurbita pepo Seed Oil in Soap Production

The present study was conducted with the aim of extracting and characterising Cucurbita pepo seed oil and then producing soap with important dermatological properties. The physico-chemical results of the Cucurbita pepo seed oil after extraction were satisfactory and indicate that the oil obtained contains long-carbonaceous fatty acids. The production of the soap was based on the realisation of a saponification reaction by reflux heating between the extracted oil and a solution of soduim hydroxyde 7M for one hour. The soap obtained is characterised by the following physico-chemical parameters: salt content, alkali content, pH, and humidity;which meet ISO 684-1974 standards. The antibacterial parameters of the soaps S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6 were determined by the Agar Diffusion test using the well method and these soaps showed an interesting antibacterial activity against the germs pseudomonas aeruginosa and staphylococcus aureus. Soaps based on Raffia sese oil (kolo oil) and Elaesis guineensis oil (palm oil) have also been synthesized for comparison with soap obtained from Cucurbita pepo seed oil.

美洲南瓜(Cucurbita pepo)种皮苯丙氨酸解氨酶基因克隆与表达分析

【目的】克隆有壳美洲南瓜种皮PAL基因(CP-PAL),研究PAL基因在有壳和裸仁美洲南瓜种皮发育过程中的表达特性,为揭示美洲南瓜种皮发育机理及木质素积累在南瓜种皮发育中的作用等方面提供理论依据。【方法】利用RT-PCR,结合RACE技术克隆CP-PAL的全长序列并进行生物信息学分析;利用实时荧光定量PCR技术,采用2-△△Ct方法对种皮发育过程中PAL基因的表达进行分析。【结果】CP-PAL序列全长为1 720 bp,含有一个1 359bp的ORF,114 bp 5′端非翻译区、236 bp 3′端非翻译区及11 bp polyA结构,可编码452个氨基酸,分子量为48.86 kD,等电点为6.55,原子总数为6 885个,分子式为C2158H3449N607O657S14。通过BLASTX比对表明CP-PAL核苷酸序列及其氨基酸序列与黄瓜PAL核苷酸及其氨基酸序列的相似性最高。CP-PAL包含PAL-HAL、PLN02457及phe_am_lyase 3个结构域及酶活性中心序列(GTITASGDLVPLSYIA),属于Lyase_I_Like超家族。CP-PAL不具有导肽及信号肽,为非跨膜蛋白,可能定位于细胞质及内质网上,属可溶性蛋白。CP-PAL蛋白含有4个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ识别位点、6个蛋白激酶C识别位点、12个豆蔻酰化位点及2个糖基化位点。此外,分析可知CP-PAL有18个丝氨酸磷酸化位点、6个苏氨酸磷酸化位点及5个酪氨酸磷酸化位点。无规则卷曲是CP-PAL蛋白二级结构中最大量的结构元件,α-螺旋和延伸链分散于整个蛋白质中,且N-末端以无规则卷曲形式存在,C-末端以延伸链形式存在。CP-PAL氨基酸序列同挑选的其他14种植物的PAL氨基酸序列进行多重序列比较,发现功能区域的氨基酸序列较为保守,N-端的差异最大。系统进化树分析表明CP-PAL和黄瓜PAL蛋白的亲缘关系最近。CP-PAL蛋白三级结构以α-螺旋为主要结构元件,β-转角和无规则卷曲较少。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明PAL基因在有壳和裸仁美洲南瓜种皮发育中呈现反向对应的变化趋势:有壳美洲南瓜种皮PAL基因在自交授粉20 d后表达量增加,而裸仁美洲南瓜种皮PAL基因在20 d后表达量下降。整个种皮发育过程中,PAL基因在裸仁美洲南瓜中的表达量低于其在有壳美洲南瓜中的表达量。【结论】从有壳美洲南瓜种皮中克隆得到与木质素合成相关的PAL基因,该基因可能通过参与调控种皮木质素的合成从而影响美洲南瓜裸粒品种的种皮发育。

美洲南瓜(Cucurbita pepo)种皮发育形态观察及其相关酶活性测定

采用组织整体染色和石蜡切片相结合的方法对美洲南瓜有壳品种04LAg-26-2和无壳品种04LAg-26-28种皮发育形态结构比较观察。结果表明,有壳美洲南瓜种皮是由表皮层、下皮层、厚壁组织层、软组织层和绿色组织层构成,无壳裸仁南瓜的形成主要是授粉后18 d种皮发育过程中厚壁组织中的细胞变形、瓦解,缺少木质素的积累而导致了下皮层、厚壁组织层的缺失;对2个品种的种皮、叶片、叶柄和瓜囊不同组织中木质素合成相关酶活性测定结果表明,无壳品种04LAg-26-28在授粉18 d后,种皮中苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、肉桂酸-4-羟基化酶(C4H)、4-香豆酸-辅酶A连接酶(4CL)、肉桂醇脱氢酶(CAD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性明显降低,而叶片、叶柄和瓜囊中这几种酶活性在授粉18 d后,呈逐渐增加的趋势。

印度南瓜(Cucurbita maxima Duch.)核不育系‘Se_MA1802’的特性

植物核雄性不育现象在自然界中广泛存在,隐性核不育具有不育系和保持系植株,因而具有重要的雄性不育育种应用和杂交种子生产研究与利用价值。利用自主诱变并选择的具有核雄性不育特性的‘Se_MA1802’印度南瓜材料,对其雄性不育特征及遗传规律进行研究,结果表明,印度南瓜‘Se_MA1802’不育系为单基因控制的可稳定遗传的隐性核不育,后代遗传性状稳定,与系内可育株对比,花器略小、平均单果质量减轻、平均单果种子数目减少,无其他不良性状相连锁,同2个恢复系配组F_1表现出100%雄性可育,具有较重要的开发利用前景。

Accumulation of carotenoids and expression of carotenoid biosynthesis genes in fruit flesh during fruit development in two Cucurbita maxima inbred lines

Mesocarp color is an important agronomic trait of Cucurbita maxima and is determined mainly by the contents and compositions of the carotenoids.The two inbred lines with significant differences in fruit flesh color were used in the study,the orange’312-1’and white’98-2’.Changes in seven carotenoid contents and compositions in the flesh of fruit produced by inbred lines’312-1’and’98-2’were analyzed during fruit development.The expression of eight key carotenoid biosynthesis genes in the fruit flesh were investigated during five fruit development stage in two inbred lines.As the flesh color intensified,the orange flesh color of’312-1’was determined mainly by the increased contents of lutein,β-carotene and zeaxanthin and the lack of carotenoid accumulation led to the formation of white flesh in’98-2’fruit.The expression of the LCY-e and CHYb genes was significantly stronger in’312-1’than in’98-2’,and their expression was strongly correlated with lutein andβ-carotene contents during fruit development.This study provides a deep understanding of the molecular mechanism of carotenoid biosynthesis in fruit flesh and provides a basis for additional studies on the highly refined improvement of squash quality.

Trichoderma-Induced Improvement in Growth, Photosynthetic Pigments, Proline, and Glutathione Levels in Cucurbita pepo Seedlings under Salt Stress

Salt stress is one of the major abiotic stress in plants.However,traditional approaches are not always efficient in conferring salt tolerance.Experiments were conducted to understand the role of Trichoderma spp.(T.harzianum and T.viride)in growth,chlorophyll(Chl)synthesis,and proline accumulation of C.pepo exposed to salinity stress.There were three salt stress(50,100,and 150 mM NaCl)lavels and three different Trichoderma inoculation viz.T.harzianum,T.viride,and T.harzianum+T.viride.Salt stress significantly declined the growth in terms of the shoot and root lengths;however,it was improved by the inoculation of Trichoderma spp.C.pepo inoculated with Trichoderma exhibited increased synthesis of pigments like chl a,chl b,carotenoids,and anthocyanins under normal conditions.It was interesting to observe that such positive effects were maintained under salt-stressed conditions,as reflected by the amelioration of the salinity-mediated decline in growth,physiology and antioxidant defense.The inoculation of Trichoderma spp.enhanced the synthesis of proline,glutathione,proteins and increased the relative water content.In addition,Trichoderma inoculation increased membrane stability and reduced the generation of hydrogen peroxide.Therefore,Trichoderma spp.can be exploited either individually or in combination to enhance the growth and physiology of C.pepo under saline conditions.

Genome-wide SNP discovery and core marker sets for assessment of genetic variations in cultivated pumpkin(Cucurbita spp.)

Three pumpkin species Cucurbita maxima,C.moschata,and C.pepo are commonly cultivated worldwide.To identify genome-wide SNPs in these cultivated pumpkin species,we collected 48 F1 cultivars consisting of 40 intraspecific hybrids(15 C.maxima,18 C.moschata,and 7 C.pepo)and 8 interspecific hybrids(C.maxima x C.moschata).Genotyping by sequencing identified a total of 37,869 confident SNPs in this collection.These SNPs were filtered to generate a subset of 400 SNPs based on polymorphism and genome distribution.Of the 400 SNPs,288 were used to genotype an additional 188 accessions(94 F1 cultivars,50 breeding lines,and 44 landraces)with a SNP array-based platform.Reliable polymorphisms were observed in 224 SNPs(78.0%)and were used to assess genetic variations between and within the four predefined populations in 223 cultivated pumpkin accessions.Both principal component analysis and UPGMA clustering found four major clusters representing three pumpkin species and interspecific hybrids.This genetic differentiation was supported by pairwise Fst and Nei’s genetic distance.The interspecific hybrids showed a higher level of genetic diversity relative to the other three populations.Of the 224 SNPs,five subsets of 192,96,48,24,and 12 markers were evaluated for variety identification.The 192,96,and 48 marker sets identified 204(91.5%),190(85.2%),and 141(63.2%)of the 223 accessions,respectively,while other subsets showed<25%of variety identification rates.These SNP markers provide a molecular tool with many applications for genetics and breeding in cultivated pumpkin.

The domestication of Cucurbita argyrosperma as revealed by the genome of its wild relative

Despite their economic importance and well-characterized domestication syndrome,the genomic impact of domestication and the identification of variants underlying the domestication traits in Cucurbita species(pumpkins and squashes)is currently lacking.Cucurbita argyrosperma,also known as cushaw pumpkin or silver-seed gourd,is a Mexican crop consumed primarily for its seeds rather than fruit flesh.This makes it a good model to study Cucurbita domestication,as seeds were an essential component of early Mesoamerican diet and likely the first targets of human-guided selection in pumpkins and squashes.We obtained population-level data using tunable Genotype by Sequencing libraries for 192 individuals of the wild and domesticated subspecies of C.argyrosperma across Mexico.We also assembled the first high-quality wild Cucurbita genome.Comparative genomic analyses revealed several structural variants and presence/absence of genes related to domestication.Our results indicate a monophyletic origin of this domesticated crop in the lowlands of Jalisco.We found evidence of gene flow between the domesticated and wild subspecies,which likely alleviated the effects of the domestication bottleneck.We uncovered candidate domestication genes that are involved in the regulation of growth hormones,plant defense mechanisms,seed development,and germination.The presence of shared selected alleles with the closely related species Cucurbita moschata suggests domestication-related introgression between both taxa.

In vitro Regeneration of First-generation Inbred Progenies of Cucurbita pepo L. Double Haploids

Using seeds of inbred progenies of Cucurbita pepo L. DH12-11409 double haplolds as experimental materials, the effects of different hormone combinations, explant types and seedling ages on adventitious bud regeneration and rooting of C. pepo L. were investigated. According to the results, inoculating cotyledonary nodes of yellow-green cotyledons from 5-d-old C. pepo L. double haploids to MS ＋ 30 g/L Suc ＋ 8 g/L Agar ＋ 2.0 mg/L 6-BA ＋ 0.1 mg/L NAA led to the best results with the induction frequency of 90.0% and differentiation coefficient of 8.5. MS medium with addition of 0.05 or 0.1 mg/L NAA led to the highest rooting rate. Regenerated seedlings with 5 - 6 true leaves exhibited the highest survival rate of 90.0%, which was the optimal period for domestication and transplanting of regenerated seedlings. This study laid a solid foundation for high-efficiency utilization of heterosis of C. pepo L.

Use of Cucurbita pepo Oil to Fight against the UV Action on the Skin

Skin aging is a process most often attributed to UV [1] and also to the use of creams and other cosmetic products low in antioxidant compounds [2]. Photochemically stable pepo Cucurbita oil can be used as an exogenous cosmetic supplement due to its high antioxidant content. Incorporated in an agar, media containing a synthetic melanin solution with added pumpkin oil are subjected to UV light, the aging thus modeled is followed by the measurement of photoresistance values correlated with chemical and spectrophotometric analyses. This study confirms that pumpkin oil is highly effective in protecting the skin, especially the most sensitive skins such as babies’ skin [3] by reinforcing the action of melanin and also that of albinos without melanin. Indeed its SPF (Significant Sun Protection Factor) index estimated during this work is very consistent, i.e. more than 22% of UVB (280 - 315 nm) radiations are suppressed.

Crystallization and Preliminary Crystallographic Studies of Cucurmosin 2,a Ribosome-inactivating Protein from the Sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata

Cucurmosin 2, a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） isolated from sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata, has been crystallized by the vapor-diffusion method using PEG6000 as the precipitant. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit cell parameters a = 55.853, b = 65.507, c = 91.754 А, and have one molecule per asymmetric unit. X-ray data have been collected to 1.8А, using a synchrotron source.

Trapping Effects of Different Treatments on Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera cucurbitae

Five different trapping treatments, spraying attractant on bottle surface and spraying attractant inside the bottles with 0, 50,100 and 200 mL water, were set to trap Bactrocera dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in guava （Psidium guajava） park. The results showed that when the usage of attractant was 1 g, both Haonian and Wende had trapping effect on B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae. The trapping effect of Haonian on B. dorsalis was better than that of Wende, while their trapping effects on B. cucurbitae was just the opposite. The trapping effects of different treatments had great difference. The trapping effect of Haonian on two species of fruit flies enhanced with the increasing volume of water, and reached the ma^mum value as the water volume was 200 mL. With the increasing volume of water, the trap- ping effect of Wende on two species of fruit flies first increased, and then decreased, which reached the maximum value as the water volume was 50 mL. Different treatments with attractants spraying inside bottles had better trapping effects on two species of fruit flies than that spraying on bottle surface.

A Simple SSR-based Method for Purity Identification of Cucurbita moschata Hybrids

Aiming at solving the existing issues in purity identification of Cucurbita moschata hybrids by SSR, such as complex operation and difficult application in production practice, in this study, a simple SSR-based method was established for purity identification of Cucurbita moschata hybrids. By using the established simple method, without grinding, freezing, centrifugation and drying, the genomic DNA extraction process is shorter than 3 min. Compared with the conventional method, PCR detection system and silver staining in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the established method are more time-saving and cost-saving. The whole detection process is shorter than 4 h, and 480 samples can be detected with this method by one person in one day. In addition, the detection result exhibits a coincidence rate of 99% with field identification. The simple SSR-based method established in this study can provide basis for large-scale rapid purity identification of Cucurbita moschata hybrids.

Study the Effect of Different Levels of Zucchini (<i>Cucurbita pepo</i>L.) on the Biological Indicators for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Rats Fed High-Fat Diets

The effects of fresh zucchini on nutritional status, and biological indicators for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in rats fed high-fat diets investigated in this study. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two main groups the first, negative control group Co (-) (n = 6), fed basal diet, The second group (n = 24) fed high-fat diet (containing basal diet + 5% tallow + 1% cholesterol + 0.02% bile salt). This group was divided into four subgroups each group 6 rats: group positive control co (+) fed high-fat diet only, group 1 (G (1)) fed high-fat diet plus 10% zucchini, group 2 (G (2) fed high-fat diet plus 15% zucchini and group 3 (G (3)) fed high-fat diet plus 20% zucchini. The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured after eight wk. of experimental treatment. The pathologic changes of the heart, spleen and kidney were evaluated. SPSS, one way ANOVA was used to analyze the results. The results indicated that the mean values of body weight gain (BWG) and feed efficiency ratio (FIR) in G (2) and G (3) showed significant decrease compared to co (-), co (+) and G 1. The results showed that in groups (G1, G2 and G3) the relative weight of heart had significant increase when compared with control negative group. But liver and spleen weight had no significant difference when compared with control negative and positive group, the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly increased in co (+) (P < 0.05) Compared to co (-), all groups fed on high fat diet containing different levels of zucchini (10%, 15% and 20%) had significant decrease in TC and LDL-C compared with co (+), also G2 and G3 had improve significant in HDL-C when compared with co. (+). The groups fed on zucchini give results similar to group co. (-). The best treatment was zucchini (15% and 20%) which had lowest values of total lipid cholesterol and LDL-C, and the best values of HDL-C, HDL-C/TC % for all groups fed on high fat diet and zucchini increased non significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the HDL-C/TC % index compared to group co. (+). while, G2 and G3 gave significant decrease in LDL-C/HDL-C ratio compared to group co. (+). Morphologic changes of heart, spleen and kidney revealed that groups G2 and G3 had a similar preventive effect against CHD in this experimental model. In conclusion, results showed that zucchini had similar potential to attenuate CHD-related parameters in a mild oxidative stress induced by high-fat diet in rats.