Distinct cell proliferation, myogenic differentiation, and gene expression in skeletal muscle myoblasts of layer and broiler chickens

Myoblasts play a central role during skeletal muscle formation and growth. Precise understanding of myoblast properties is thus indispensable for meat production. Herein, we report the cellular characteristics and gene expression profiles of primary-cultured myoblasts of layer and broiler chickens. Broiler myoblasts actively proliferated and promptly differentiated into myotubes compared to layer myoblasts, which corresponds well with the muscle phenotype of broilers. Transcriptomes of layer and broiler myoblasts during differentiation were quantified by RNA sequencing. Ontology analyses of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) provided a series of extracellular proteins as putative markers for characterization of chicken myogenic cells. Another ontology analyses demonstrated that broiler myogenic cells are rich in cell cycle factors and muscle components. Independent of these semantic studies, principal component analysis (PCA) statistically defined two gene sets: one governing myogenic differentiation and the other segregating layers and broilers. Thirteen candidate genes were identified with a combined study of the DEGs and PCA that potentially contribute to proliferation or differentiation of chicken myoblasts. We experimentally proved that one of the candidates, enkephalin, an opioid peptide, suppresses myoblast growth. Our results present a new perspective that the opioids present in feeds may influence muscle development of domestic animals.Articlejournal articl

First molecular data of the Borneo Banteng Bos Javanicus lowi from Sabah, Borneo

Phylogenetic relationships among three subspecies of banteng, Burma banteng Bos javanicus birmanicus in mainland Southeast Asia, Javan banteng Bos javanicus javanicus in Java, and Bornean banteng Bos javanicus lowi in Borneo, and the presence/absence of interbreeding between wild Bornean banteng and domestic cattle in Sabah, Malaysia, were investigated by partial sequences of cytochrome b and D-loop of mitochondrial DNA. The results show that genetic distance of the Bornean banteng are relatively close to the gaur Bos gaurus/gayal Bos frontalis (the cytochrome b, 0.004–0.025; the D-loop, 0.012–0.021) followed by Burma banteng (the cytochrome b, 0.027–0.035; the D-loop, 0.040–0.045), and kouprey Bos sauveli (the cytochrome b, 0.031–0.035; the D-loop, 0.037–0.042). There are much greater distances between Bornean banteng and domestic cattle, Bos taurus and Bos indicus (the cytochrome b, 0.059–0.076; the D-loop, 0.081–0.090). These results suggest that the Bornean banteng diverged genetically from other banteng subspecies and that the wild Bornean banteng from this study are pure strain and have high conservation value

Gross Appearance and Curability Are Predictive Factors of a Better Prognosis After Gastrectomy in Gastric Cancer Patients with Metastasis to the Adjacent Peritoneum of the Stomach

[Background] Gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis have an extremely poor prognosis. The aim of the current study was to clarify the predictive factors of a better outcome in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis. [Methods] We analyzed the records of 2262 gastric adenocarcinoma patients who underwent gastrectomies at our institution between January 1980 and December 2010. [Results] The 5-year survival rates for advanced gastric cancer patients with P1 (n = 43), P2 (n = 56), and P3 (n = 36) metastasis were 16.3%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. The prognosis of P1 gastric cancer patients was significantly better than that of either P2 (P = 0.0003) or P3 patients (P < 0.0001). A multivariate analysis identified gross appearance and curability as independent prognostic indicators in P1 gastric cancer patients. In fact, the prognosis was good for patients in whom an R0/1 resection had been performed and with tumors having a gross appearance of other than type 4, with a 40% 5-year survival rate and a 29-month median survival time. [Conclusion] Our data indicated a good prognosis for P1 patients in whom an R0/1 resection could be performed and with tumors having a gross appearance of other than type 4. Therefore, radical surgery and adequate adjuvant chemotherapy should be performed in these patients