Role of neuromedin B and its receptor in the innate immune responses against influenza A virus infection in vitro and in vivo

International audienceAbstractThe peptide neuromedin B (NMB) and its receptor (NMBR) represent a system (NMB/NMBR) of neuromodulation. Here, it was demonstrated that the expression of NMBR in cells or murine lung tissues was clearly upregulated in response to H1N1/PR8 influenza A virus infection. Furthermore, the in vitro and in vivo activities of NMB/NMBR during PR8 infection were investigated. It was observed that A549 cells lacking endogenous NMBR were more susceptible to virus infection than control cells, as evidenced by the increased virus production in the cells. Interestingly, a significant decrease in IFN-α and increased IL-6 expression were observed in these cells. The role of this system in innate immunity against PR8 infection was probed by treating mice with NMB. The NMB-treated mice were less susceptible to virus challenge, as evidenced by increased survival, increased body weight, and decreased viral NP expression compared with the control animals. Additionally, the results showed that exogenous NMB not only enhanced IFN-α expression but also appeared to inhibit the expression of NP and IL-6 in PR8-infected cells and animals. As expected, opposing effects were observed in the NMBR antagonist-treated cells and mice, which further confirmed the effects of NMB. Together, these data suggest that NMB/NMBR may be an important component of the host defence against influenza A virus infection. Thus, these proteins may serve as promising candidates for the development of novel antiviral drugs

Effects of Dual/Threefold Rootstock Grafting on the Plant Growth, Yield and Quality of Watermelon

To test the feasibility of multi-rootstock grafting, bottle gourd and pumpkin were used as rootstocks in a comparative analysis of the effects of single, dual, and threefold rootstock grafting on the plant growth, fruit yield, and quality of watermelon. Results showed that different grafts have significant effects on the abovementioned properties. The appropriate dual/threefold rootstock grafting allowed for higher survival rates. The combined rootstock of bottle gourd and pumpkin can enhance the plant growth potential and lower the incidence of wilt. The single fruit weight of the grafted plants with a combined rootstock from bottle gourd and pumpkin was the median of the weights obtained with the pumpkin rootstock and the bottle gourd rootstock. The plot yield of grafted plants with a pumpkin rootstock was higher than that of the plants with a bottle gourd rootstock. The low soluble solids content of the fruit grafted with a pumpkin rootstock had relatively high acidity, which could be improved by adding bottle gourd to the rootstock. The vitamin C content of the grafted fruit from the combined bottle gourd and pumpkin rootstock was higher than that of plants grafted with either bottle gourd or pumpkin alone. The subsequent analysis showed that the combined rootstock of bottle gourd and pumpkin has significant or extremely significant interaction effects on the stem diameter, number of leaves, single fruit weight, plot yield, and fruit vitamin C content of the grafted watermelon plants, which probably led to the higher related index values of some of grafting combinations

Identification and Characterization of a Differentially Expressed Gene (07E12) in the Infective Larvae of the Parasitic Nematode Ascaris suum

Background: Parasitic nematodes cause animal and human diseases of major socio-economic importance worldwide. The suppression of parasite development at particular developmental stages could provide an alternative approach for nema-tode control. In this study, Ascaris suum was used as a model system in the study of the differentially expressed genes in the infective L3 stage. Methods: The gene (07E12) was screened and identified from the subtractive cDNA library for the infective larvae of Ascaris suum using real-time quantitative PCR. Then, the full-length cDNA of 07E12 was characterized by 3′ and 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The characteristics of the gene were further analyzed using bioinformatic analyses. Results: The results showed that the gene 07E12 was differentially expressed in the third-stage larvae of A. suum and its expression level in the infective larvae was much higher than in other stages. It was shown that the gene 07E12 had 99% iden-tity with the corresponding sequences of the A. suum whole genome shotgun se-quence containing the homologous sequences with conserved sequences of Neu-ropeptide-Like Protein family member. Likewise, by performing BLASTN and BLASTP searches in the GenBank™, it was shown that this gene had 99 % identity with A. suum cre-nlp-2 protein. Conclusion: This gene 07E12 which is differentially expressed in the third-stage larvae of A. suum may encode a neuropeptide-like protein family member, a very important molecule in the process of infecting a host

Effects of Dietary Lipid Levels on Growth Performance and Muscle Quality of Juvenile Procambarus clarkii

Procambarus clarkii Girard is an economically important cultured shrimp in China, and lipids are an important component of its raw feed materials. Studies have shown that adequate lipid content in feed can promote the health of aquatic animals, improve the utilization efficiency of feed protein, save protein, reduce feed costs, and reduce nitrogen emissions. Insufficient lipid content in feed leads to metabolic disorders in breeding animals, reduces the utilization rate of feed protein, and is accompanied by a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. However, a high fat content inhibits feeding and growth and leads to excessive fat deposition in the fish body, which decreases disease resistance and is not conducive to feed processing and storage. At present, studies on the dietary lipid content of P. clarkii have mainly focused on growth performance, biochemical indices, and conventional nutritional components of muscle; however, studies on muscle quality, amino acid composition, and content have not yet been reported. This study investigated the growth performance, muscle texture indices, nutritional components, and food flavor of P. clarkii by determining the effect of dietary lipid content on the growth performance and muscle quality of juveniles. The aim of this study was to provide a reference for the development of compound feed for juvenile P. clarkii and to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for rationally evaluating the effects of fat on the muscle quality of the species.Five experimental diets with lipid levels of 2.86%, 5.11%, 7.67%, 10.19%, and 13.02% were prepared using fishmeal, soybean meal, and rapeseed meal as the main protein sources, and a mixture of fish oil and soybean oil in a ratio of 1:1 as the lipid source. A total of 600 juvenile P. clarkii with an initial body weight of (4.00±1.00) g was randomly divided into five groups (L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 groups) with three replicates per group and 40 shrimps per replicate. They were fed five groups of experimental diets at 6:00 and 19:30 each day and cultured for 60 days. The experiment was carried out in an aquaculture pond (square, 1.0 m × 1.0 m × 0.6 m) at the Guangxi University.The results showed that as the dietary lipid level increased, the specific growth rate (SGR) and survival rate (SR) of juvenile P. clarkii first increased and then decreased and were the highest when the dietary lipid level was 7.67%. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) at first decreased before increasing again and that of the L3 group was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P 0.05). With the increase in dietary lipid levels, the cooking loss (CL) and crude lipid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (∑PUFA), and total amino acid (∑TAA) contents of the muscle showed an increasing trend. The content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the L5 group was significantly higher than that in the other groups, and the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content in the L5 group was significantly higher than that in the L1 and L2 groups (P 0.05), whereas dietary lipid levels showed no significant difference in muscle saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents (P > 0.05). The contents of umami amino acids (∑FAA), alanine (Ala), and aspartate (Asp) in the L5 group were significantly lower than those in the L1 group (P < 0.05).Under the conditions of this study, within a suitable range of fat content, growth performance increased with increased fat content; however, the addition of excessive fat cannot promote growth. According to the broken-line regression analysis of the specific growth rate, the optimal dietary lipid level was 6.82%. When the dietary lipid level was higher than 10.19%, the deposition and efficiency of muscle fat, muscle fat content, and nutrient loss increased, and the muscle texture index and Asp and Ala contents significantly decreased. The nutritional value, taste, delicious degree, and flavor of the muscle of P. clarkii were significantly decreased. As it does not affect the muscle quality of the shrimp, the dietary lipid content should not exceed 10.19%.Based on the analysis of various factors, the optimal dietary lipid content is beneficial to the healthy growth of juvenile P. clarkii and improves nutritional value and muscle quality. It is suggested that the dietary lipid supplemental level of juvenile shrimp should be 6.82%~10.19%. This study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific optimization of feed preparation for P. clarkii juvenile

Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Zoo Wildlife and Pet Birds in Fujian, China

Background: Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease, is caused by Toxo­plasma gondii. The distribution of genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild animals is of great importance to understand the transmission of the parasite in the environ­ment. However, little is known about T. gondii prevalence in wild animals and birds in China. Methods: We conducted the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolated from Zoo Wild Animals and Pet Birds in Fujian Province, Southeastern China. Heart tissues were collected from 45 zoo animals and 140 pet birds. After identified using B1 gene, the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates were typed at 11 genetic markers, including SAG1,5’ and3’-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Results: Seven of 45 zoo animals and 3 of 140 pet birds were positive by PCR amplifi­cation using T. gondii B1 gene specific primers. Of these positive isolates, 3 isolates from Black-capped (Cebus apella), Peacock (Peafowl) and Budgerigar (Melopsitta­cus undulatus) were successfully genotyped at 11 genetic loci, and grouped to three distinct genotypes: ToxoDB Genotype #9, #2 and #10, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first genotyping of T. gondii isolated from zoo wild animals and pet birds in Fujian, China. There is a potential risk for the transmission of this parasite through zoo wild animals and pet birds in this region

Protective effects of Liupao tea against high-fat diet/cold exposure-induced irritable bowel syndrome in rats

Liupao tea as a type of dark tea can relieve irritable bowel syndrome by regulating gut microbiota, but the mechanism has not been fully explained. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography along with quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the phytochemicals in Liupao tea. Then, we explored the effects of Liupao tea against IBS. From the results of chemical analysis, we identified catechins, polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine, polysaccharides and other components in Liupao tea. The open-field test, gastrointestinal function-related indexes, histochemical assays, measurements of cytokine and aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and determination of serum metabolites were utilized to monitor the physiological consequences of Liupao tea administration in rats with irritable bowel syndrome. The results showed that Liupao tea had a significant protective effect on irritable bowel syndrome. Liupao tea increased locomotive velocity while reducing interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels, as well as gastrointestinal injury. Moreover, Liupao tea increased the AQP3 levels of renal tissues but reduced the AQP3 levels of gastrointestinal tissues. Liupao tea reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio and significantly reconstructed the microbial pattern. Liupao tea relieved irritable bowel syndrome by repairing gastrointestinal dysfunction, regulating the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulating water metabolism, and restoring microbial homeostasis

Effects of Dual/Threefold Rootstock Grafting on the Plant Growth, Yield and Quality of Watermelon

To test the feasibility of multi-rootstock grafting, bottle gourd and pumpkin were used as rootstocks in a comparative analysis of the effects of single, dual, and threefold rootstock grafting on the plant growth, fruit yield, and quality of watermelon. Results showed that different grafts have significant effects on the abovementioned properties. The appropriate dual/threefold rootstock grafting allowed for higher survival rates. The combined rootstock of bottle gourd and pumpkin can enhance the plant growth potential and lower the incidence of wilt. The single fruit weight of the grafted plants with a combined rootstock from bottle gourd and pumpkin was the median of the weights obtained with the pumpkin rootstock and the bottle gourd rootstock. The plot yield of grafted plants with a pumpkin rootstock was higher than that of the plants with a bottle gourd rootstock. The low soluble solids content of the fruit grafted with a pumpkin rootstock had relatively high acidity, which could be improved by adding bottle gourd to the rootstock. The vitamin C content of the grafted fruit from the combined bottle gourd and pumpkin rootstock was higher than that of plants grafted with either bottle gourd or pumpkin alone. The subsequent analysis showed that the combined rootstock of bottle gourd and pumpkin has significant or extremely significant interaction effects on the stem diameter, number of leaves, single fruit weight, plot yield, and fruit vitamin C content of the grafted watermelon plants, which probably led to the higher related index values of some of grafting combinations.</p

Salivary microRNAs as promising biomarkers for detection of esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tissue microRNAs (miRNAs) can detect cancers and predict prognosis. Several recent studies reported that tissue, plasma, and saliva miRNAs share similar expression profiles. In this study, we investigated the discriminatory power of salivary miRNAs (including whole saliva and saliva supernatant) for detection of esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By Agilent microarray, six deregulated miRNAs from whole saliva samples from seven patients with esophageal cancer and three healthy controls were selected. The six selected miRNAs were subjected to validation of their expression levels by RT-qPCR using both whole saliva and saliva supernatant samples from an independent set of 39 patients with esophageal cancer and 19 healthy controls. RESULTS: Six miRNAs (miR-10b*, miR-144, miR-21, miR-451, miR-486-5p, and miR-634) were identified as targets by Agilent microarray. After validation by RT-qPCR, miR-10b*, miR-144, and miR-451 in whole saliva and miR-10b*, miR-144, miR-21, and miR-451 in saliva supernatant were significantly upregulated in patients, with sensitivities of 89.7, 92.3, 84.6, 79.5, 43.6, 89.7, and 51.3% and specificities of 57.9, 47.4, 57.9%, 57.9, 89.5, 47.4, and 84.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found distinctive miRNAs for esophageal cancer in both whole saliva and saliva supernatant. These miRNAs possess discriminatory power for detection of esophageal cancer. Because saliva collection is noninvasive and convenient, salivary miRNAs show great promise as biomarkers for detection of esophageal cancer in areas at high risk