Effects of flaxseed and spirulina biomass in layer diet on lipid profile and quality characteristics of egg yolk

The single comb `White Leghorn' layers, aged 32 weeks were fed with diets containing normal diet (control, D(1)) 20% (w/w) flaxseed (D(2)) and 20% (w/w) flaxseed + 5% (w/w) spirulina (D(3)). The inclusion of flaxseed into the layers' diet had no effect on egg and yolk weight (p>0.05). D(2) and D(3) diets increased linoleic and linolenic acids content by 11.6, 13.6% and 6.6, 8.0%, respectively. The ratios of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids were 1.6, 1.6 and 22.7 in the egg yolk of birds fed with D(3), D(2), and D(1) diet. There was appreciable reduction in cholesterol content of egg yolks (176.0 mg/egg in D(3) when compared to 190.4 mg/egg in D(1)). Albumen index, Haugh units score and United States Department of Agriculture grade were better in birds fed D(3) than D(2) or D(1) diet. The secoisolariciresinol diglucoside content in flax seed was 2.1% (w/w) and pigments such as beta-carotene (40%), astaxanthin (14%), lutein (25%) and zeaxanthin (4%) in spirulina biomass were also quantified by HPLC method. Feeding layer birds with flaxseed and spirulina, reduced cholesterol levels and omega-6:omega-3 ratio and increased fatty acid profile, Haugh units score and albumen index. Enhancement of polyunsaturated fatty acid content in poultry eggs was achieved by feeding the birds with flaxseed and spirulina based diets

Development and validation of H11B2C2 monoclonal antibody-reactive hyaluronic acid binding protein: Overexpression of HABP during human tumor progression

Informative biomarkers of tumor progression have been elusive. The interaction between hyaluronic acid (HA) and its binding proteins (HABP) plays a pivotal role during malignancy. In the present study, we have developed a monoclonal antibody (mAb, termed as H11B2C2 mAb) and showed that this mAb specifically reacts with overexpressed HABP from a wide variety of malignant tumors as compared with benign tumors. In Western blot analysis, H11B2C2 mAb detected a major 80-kDa protein from human cancer cell lines, and the overexpression of 55-57- and 30-kDa proteins in malignant tumors compared with benign tumors. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of different types of benign and malignant tumors with different grades showed higher expression of HABP in all the malignant tumors when compared with the benign tumors. HABP overexpression was specific to tumor cells when compared with the surrounding stroma and localized on the cell surface as well as in the intracellular region. The competitive inhibition experiments using HA polymer and its oligosaccharides in the Western blot and immunohistopathology experiments suggested that the H11B2C2 mAb-reactive protein is HABP. Altogether, the present study showed overexpression of the H11B2C2 mAb-reactive HABP in various malignant tumors as compared with benign tumors. Thus, H11B2C2 mAb-reactive HABP can be used as a potential biomarker during tumor progression. © 2012 International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM)