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Introduction: COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented psychological affection that might impact the nationwide vaccination program in China. This study was to explore the association between COVID-19 vaccination and psychological disorders among healthcare workers.Methods: The study included 1571 healthcare workers from an anonymous online survey. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics, uptake data for the COVID-19 vaccine, and scores of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were collected. Nonparametric tests were conducted to compare the mean scores of DASS-21 between different subgroups. The potential factors related to psychological disorders of healthcare workers were analyzed using logistic regression.Results: The vaccination rate was 69.6 %, the incidence of vaccine-related adverse events was 35.13 %, and the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress were 24.8 %, 32 %, and 33.4 % in this study, respectively. Compared to vaccinated participants (single-dose and double-dose vaccines), unvaccinated participants got significantly higher mean scores of DASS-21 (p < 0.05 for all). Vaccinated participants who suffered no adverse events scored significantly lower than those who suffered 1-2 or ≥3 adverse events (p < 0.05 for all). Vaccination was negatively associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress, however, the number of vaccine-related adverse events was positively associated with them.Limitations: As this is a cross-sectional study, we could only speculate on the causality.Conclusions: An obvious impact of the psychological disorders on the COVID-19 vaccine coverage and related adverse events was detected in this study. Public health agencies should attach great importance to the psychological states of our citizens before getting vaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Zinc finger proteins are a class of transcription factors with finger-like domains and have diverse uses in biological processes, including development, differentiation, and metabolism. In this study, we identified the absence of the 24 bp sequence in the third exon of the zinc finger protein 764-like (ZNF764L) gene that lead to the production of two new transcripts, ZNF764L-SV1 and ZNF764L-SV2 , and the sum of the expression levels of the two transcripts is approximately equal the total RNA expression level. Temporal and spatial expression showed that ZNF764L had higher expression during the embryonic stage. Moreover, the research study revealed a 22-bp indel mutation in the first exon region of ZNF764L gene. Statistically significant results (P < 0.05) were encountered for this indel for chicken growth and carcass traits, which include birth weight, chest breadth and body slanting length at 4 weeks of age and subcutaneous fat weight and others. Genetic parameter analysis showed that D is the predominant allele in the commercial chicken population. Gene expression for each genotype showed that birds carrying the II allele had a higher expression level than the other genotypes. These findings enrich the understanding of ZNF764L gene function and enhance reproduction in the chicken industry. Highlights • The absence of the third exon of the ZNF764L gene led to two new transcripts. • The ZNF764L have higher expression during embryonic stage. • A new 22-bp insertion variant sequence on the first exon of the ZNF764L gene contains a stop codon (TAG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A number of trials have shown that remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) could reduce lung injury of patients suffering cardiovascular surgery, pulmonary transplantation surgery and thoracic surgery with one-lung ventilation. However, there is still a controversy over the lung protection of RIPC in patients who suffers different types of surgery. We undertook meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of remote ischemic preconditioning on clinical outcomes of patients with lung injury.Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Setting: Perioperative care areas.Patients: Adults and infants suffering cardiovascular surgery with lung injury.Intervention: Remote ischemic preconditioning.Measurements: The literatures were selected complying with the inclusive and exclusive criteria from the following databases as PubMed, Embase, Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature and Journal Databases, Chinese Academic and VIP journal full-text Databases. Inclusion criteria includes: (1) Human clinical randomized and controlled trial; (2) the article we included is a clinical randomized controlled study; (3) the article discusses the effect of RIPC on lung injury of patients; (4) the primary evaluation indicators of the inclusive studies included postoperative intensive care unit stay time and mechanical ventilation time; (5) published in the form of full text, any language; (6) the type of operation is cardiovascular surgery; (7) there is no serious COPD, ARDS, respiratory failure and other lung diseases. Articles were excluded if they reported none of the outcomes as follows: postoperative intensive care unit stay time and mechanical ventilation time, human clinical controlled trails, pulmonary protection of RIPC, prospective clinical controlled trials. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and titles, and selected records following full-text review. Software RevMan5.3 and STATA 12.0 were adopted to perform Meta-analysis.Result: The search finally includes10 studies of 708 patients, 352 patients in RIPC group and 356 patients in control group. The baseline characteristics of patients are no differences in two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with control group, RIPC significantly reduced the duration of ICU (P < 0.05) and mechanical ventilation time (P < 0.05) in RIPC group. In addition, the serum TNF-α and MDA concentration 24 h after operation in RIPC group are significantly lower than control group (P < 0.05). However, there are no significant differences between RIPC group and control group in terms of serum IL-6, IL-8 concentrations, A-aDO2, PaO2/FiO2 and respiratory index 24 h after operation.Conclusion: RIPC can decrease pulmonary inflammatory responses, reduce the duration of ICU and mechanical ventilation time, and improve the clinical outcomes of patients with lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined whether electroacupuncture (EA) ameliorated brain injury following asphyxial cardiac arrest (CA) and evaluated the role of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR)-mediated anti-inflammatory pathway. In CA-induced rats, EA reduced brain injury and promoted behavioral recovery. Morris water maze escape latency time reduced after Baihui (GV20) and Shuigou (DU26) stimulation. EA reduced α7nAChR downregulation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), reducing tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 expression and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 production. The α7nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine reversed EA effect. EA stimulation of acupuncture points alleviated brain damage after CPR and reduced the inflammatory response via α7nAChR activation. • Electroacupuncture attenuated cardiac arrest-induced neurological damage • Brain injury improvement may be related to neuroinflammation inhibition • Electroacupuncture reduced microglia/macrophage activation by activating α7nAChR [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valgus-varus deformity (VVD) is a common long bone deformity in broilers. Imbalance in cartilage homeostasis is the main feature of leg disease. Exosomes act as an important intercellular communication vector that regulates chondrogenesis by encapsulating specific nucleic acids and proteins. However, the exact mechanism of how plasma exosomal miRNAs regulate cartilage homeostasis in VVD broilers remains unclear. This study first demonstrated the structural disorder, growth retardation, and reduced proliferative capacity of VVD cartilage in vitro and in vivo. Subsequently, VVD and Normal broiler plasma exosomes were collected for miRNA sequencing. Cartilage-specific miR-455-5p was extraordinarily emphasized by performing bioinformatics analysis on differential miRNA target genes and further validated by tissue expression profiling. PKH67 fluorescently labeled plasma exosomes were shown to be taken up by chondrocytes, deliver miR-455-5p, inhibit chondrocyte proliferation, and disrupt their homeostasis, and these effects could be inhibited by the miR-inhibitors. Mechanistically, MiR-455-5p targets Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinase B1 (RPS6KB1) to inhibit RPS6 phosphorylation and reduce the synthesis of key proteins for cartilage proliferation, which in turn inhibits cartilage proliferation and disrupts its homeostasis. In conclusion, the present study identified abnormalities in VVD cartilage tissue and clarified the specific mechanism by which plasma exosome-derived miR-455-5p regulates cartilage homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During myogenesis and regeneration, the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts play key regulatory roles and may be regulated by many genes. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptomic data of chicken primary myoblasts at different periods of proliferation and differentiation with protein‒protein interaction network, and the results indicated that there was an interaction between cyclin-dependent kinase 1 ( CDK1 ) and ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 ( RRM2 ). Previous studies in mammals have a role for RRM2 in skeletal muscle development as well as cell growth, but the role of RRM2 in chicken is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of RRM2 on skeletal muscle development and regeneration in chickens in vitro and in vivo. The interaction between RRM2 and CDK1 was initially identified by co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry. Through a dual luciferase reporter assay and quantitative real-time PCR, we identified the core promoter region of RRM2 , which is regulated by the SP1 transcription factor. In this study, through cell counting kit-8 assays, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation assays, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blot analysis, we demonstrated that RRM2 promoted the proliferation and inhibited the differentiation of myoblasts. In vivo studies showed that RRM2 reduced the diameter of muscle fibers and slowed skeletal muscle regeneration. In conclusion, these data provide preliminary insights into the biological functions of RRM2 in chicken muscle development and skeletal muscle regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, increasing interest has focused on natural components extracted from plants, among which plant polysaccharides as natural immunomodulators that can promote animal immunity. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of feed supplement Pseudostellaria Heterophylla Polysaccharide (PHP) on serum Immunoglobulins, T lymphocyte subpopulations, Cytokines and Lysozyme (LZM) activity in chicks. In addition, the influence of PHP on splenic gene expression was investigated by transcriptome sequencing. Four hundred 7-day-old Gushi cocks were randomly divided into four groups in a completely randomized design. The chicks were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0 (CON-A), 100 (PHP-L), 200 (PHP-M) and 400 (PHP–H) mg/kg PHP. Blood and spleen samples were collected from 6 randomly selected chicks in each group at 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of age. The results showed that compared to the CON-A group, the PHP-M group exhibited significant increases in the levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3, and LZM in the serum at 14, 21, 28, and 35 days (P < 0.05), and at 28 d, there was a significant quadratic relationship between the levels of dietary PHP and the levels of IgG, IgM, IFN-γ, IL-2, CD3, and LZM. Furthermore, a total of 470 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in spleen from PHP-M and CON-A at 28 d. These DEGs were significantly enriched in the Phagosome, Intestinal immune network for IgA production and Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. The present investigation highlights the ameliorating effect of dietary PHP on immunological variables and spleen of chicks, the study suggests that PHP supplementation can enhance immunity and positively impact spleen mRNA expression in chicks. • Pseudostellaria Heterophylla Polysaccharide exerts immuno enhancement effect for the chicks. • The optimal dietary level of Pseudostellaria Heterophylla Polysaccharide for chicks was 200 mg/kg. • The expression of immune-related genes in the spleen could be regulated by Pseudostellaria Heterophylla Polysaccharide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 7-day-old Gushi cocks stress model was successfully constructed by adding corticosterone (CORT) 30 mg/kg basic diet for 7 days. • A total of 269 CORT-induced spleen significantly differentially expressed genes were obtained by RNA-seq. • HSPA8, HSPA2 and IL8L1 may play important roles in the regulation of CORT-induced stress effects on immune function. Stress is a physiological manifestation of the body's defense against adverse effects of external environment, but the molecular regulatory mechanism of stress effects on immune function of poultry has not been fully clarified. In this study, 7-day-old Chinese local breed Gushi cocks were used as model animal, and the stress model was successfully constructed by adding corticosterone (CORT) 30 mg/kg basic diet for 7 days. The spleen transcriptomes of the control group (B_S group) and the stress model group (C_S group) was determined by high-throughput mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology, and a total of 269 significantly differentially expressed genes (SDEGs) were obtained (P adj < 0.05, |FC| ≥ 2 and FPKM > 1). Compared with B_S group, there were 140 significantly up-regulated genes and 129 significantly down-regulated genes in C_S group. The immune/stress-related Gene Ontology (GO) terms included positive regulation of T cell mediated immunity, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway, T cell mediated immunity and so on. The SDEGs such as IL8L1 , HSPA8 , HSPA2 , RSAD2 , CCR8L and DMB1 were involved in these GO terms. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that the SDEGs participated in many immune-related signaling pathways. The immune-related genes HSPA2 , HSPA8 , HSP90AA1 , HSPH1 and HERPUD1 were enriched in Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway, IL8L1 , CXCL13L2 , CCR6 , LEPR , CCR9 and CCR8L were enriched in Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway. The protein-protein interactions (PPI) analysis showed HSPA8 , HSPA2 and IL8L1 as key core nodes had 7 interactions and may play important roles in the regulation of CORT-induced stress effects on immune function. The data onto this study enriched the genomic study of stress effects on immune function, and provided unique insights into the molecular mechanism of stress effects on immune function, and the genes identified in this study can be candidates for future research on stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large economic losses caused by leg disorders have raised concerns in the broiler industry. Several types of leg disorders in broilers have been identified, such as tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), femoral head necrosis (FHN), and valgus-varus deformity (VVD). In this study, phenotypic changes associated with VVD were examined using clinical diagnosis, anatomical examination, measured growth performance, bone traits, and serum indicators. The incidence of VVD among the chicken population at a commercial facility in Tangshan China was 1.75% (n = 52,000), distributed about 1:1 (n = 122), between females and males. A majority of chickens were characterized by a unilaterally abnormality, while appropriately 17.6% by bilateral abnormality. Approximately 97.9% of affected broilers were classified as the "valgus" type. Growth traits, including body weight, shank length, and shank girth, were significantly lower in chickens with VVD, while tibia and metatarsal bone indexes were about 1.3-fold higher in the affected birds than in the normal birds. Bone mineral density, bone breaking strength, and several serum indicators were significantly different between affected and normal broilers. Sparse and disarranged bony trabecular was observed in abnormal broilers by histological analysis. Generally, leg disorders are associated with compromised growth, bone quality, bone structure, and lipid metabolism. This study provides a reference for clinical diagnosis of VVD and lays a foundation for exploring its underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Intramuscular fat (IMF) has significant effects on the tenderness, juiciness, and flavor of chicken, which are important determinants of poultry meat quality. Although many studies have focused on microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in adipogenesis, little is known about miRNAs associated with poultry IMF deposition or intramuscular adipocyte differentiation. Bioinformatic analysis identified mitochondrial glycerol‑3‑phosphate acyltransferase (GPAM) as a putative target of miR-223. To explore the role of miR-223 in the process of chicken IMF deposition, loss and gain of function experiments were performed in primary intramuscular preadipocytes using miR-223 mimics, miR-223 inhibitor, and si-GPAM. Our results showed that miR-223 is significantly down-regulated in the breast muscle tissues of Gushi hens at the later-laying period in comparison with hens at the pre-laying period. Using qRT-PCR, we found that miR-223 expression in chicken tissues and intramuscular adipocytes correlates negatively with GPAM expression. Cell transfection experiments suggest that miR-223 inhibits intramuscular adipocyte differentiation via targeting GPAM. Experiments using a dual luciferase reporter system show that GPAM is a direct target of miR-223. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that miR-223 regulates intramuscular fat deposition in chickens. Highlights • Intramuscular fat (IMF) is one of the important factors affecting poultry meat quality. • miRNAs associated with poultry IMF deposition or intramuscular adipocyte differentiation. • Bioinformatic analysis identified mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAM) as a putative target of miR-223. • Our results support the hypothesis that miR-223 regulates intramuscular fat deposition in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have reported that cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 (CDKN3) is involved in the cell cycle. However, the function of CDKN3 has not been well elucidated in organisms. In this study, a multiallelic indel caused by a 19-bp fragment and a 2 × 19 bp fragment was shown for the first time to be inserted into the promoter of the CDKN3 gene in 1994 chickens from 9 different breeds. In addition, 6 genotypes (C5C5, C4C4, C3C3, C4C5, C3C4, and C3C5) were observed (C3C3, C4C4, C5C5 have 3 × 19 bp, 4 × 19 bp, and 5 × 19 bp, respectively). Among these genotypes, the C4C4 genotype was the most dominant genotype in 9 breeds. The results of χ2 analysis of CDKN3 gene in different breeds showed that there were significant differences in the distribution of genotypes among different cultivars (P < 0.01). In addition, association study with F2 chicken resource population which produced by Anka and Gushi chickens showed that the C3C4 genotypes had the greatest semi-evisceration weight (SEW, 1163.94 ± 46.84), evisceration weight (EW, 964.15 ± 41.16), head weight (HW, 45.55 ± 1.43), claw weight (CW, 63.42±2.86), wing weight (WW, 129.15±5.48), liver weight (LW, 29.96±1.27), carcass weight (cW, 1286.96±49.53), weight at 10 (1190.68±45.68) and 12 (1430.65±54.45) wk, followed by C3C3, C4C4, C5C5, C4C5, whereas C3C5 genotypes having the lowest SEW (989.21±47.71), EW (841.38±40.55), HW (41.03±1.46), CW (54.36±2.81), WW (116.31±5.39), LW (27.31±1.25), cW (1093.29±49.99), weight at 10 (1036.10±44.99) and 12 (1246.28±53.59) wk. Expression levels of CDKN3 in breast muscle of chickens with C4C4 (0.72±0.02), C3C3 (0.95±0.41), and C4C5 (0.74±0.13) genotypes were significantly lower than those with C5C5 (1.80±0.01) and C3C5 (2.14±0.17) genotypes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we investigated the effect of a multiallelic indel in the CDKN3 gene on the economic traits of chickens, and this indel was significantly associated with growth and carcass traits in chickens. Collectively, our findings provide useful information about the repeat sequence indel in the promoter region of the CDKN3 gene as a potential molecular marker for chicken breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive performance of breeder roosters has significant economic importance in the poultry industry. Breeder roosters have severely reduced semen quality with age and will be at risk of culling in the following years. In order to extend the use of breeder roosters, we drew on the induced molting model of hens and selected 35 Houdan roosters aged 50 wk for induced molting. By comparing the body weight, testicular weight, semen quality, and reproductive performance before and after induced molting, we found that induced molting could restore the body weight and testicular weight to the levels before molting (P > 0.05). At the same time, it significantly improved sperm motility (P < 0.05) and also improved reproductive performance such as fertilization rate and hatching rate. To further reveal the mechanism underlying the effects of induced molting on semen quality and reproductive performance in aged Houdan roosters, we collected testes from 3 periods: 1 d before fasting (F0), 15 d after fasting (F15), and 32 d after recovery feeding (R32) for transcriptome sequencing analysis. A total of 5,671 genes were detected in F0, F15, and R32, and trend analysis of the 5,671 differential genes showed 2 significant trends (profile 5 and profile 2). KEGG enrichment analysis of the genes in the 2 profiles, revealed significantly enriched pathway regulation of actin cytoskeleton. In the regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathway, we found a protein kinase gene ( SRC ) and a senescence gene ( ROCK2 ). SRC was highly expressed at F15, leading to the phosphorylation of key substrates, which in turn disrupted the Sertoli cell spermatid connection and the spermiogenesis process, resulting in no mature spermatozoa produced from F15, SRC expression was inhibited at R32, the expression level was reduced, and mature spermatozoa reappeared. The senescence gene ROCK2 was highly expressed at F15 compared to F0 and R32, which may have been responsible for inducing senescence atrophy in the testes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induced molting (IM) can restore the laying rate of aged laying hens to the peak level of laying and rejuvenate ovarian function for the second laying cycle. To explore the mechanism of ovarian function remodeling during IM in laying hens, in this study, ninety 71-wk-old laying lady hens with 60% laying rate and uniform weight were selected for molting induction by fasting. Samples (serum and fresh ovarian tissue) were collected on the day before fasting (F0), the 3rd and 16th days of fasting (F3, F16), and the 6th, 15th, 32nd days of refeeding (R6, R15 , and R32), and the number of follicles in each period was counted. Then, the reproductive hormone levels in serum and antioxidant levels in ovarian tissues were detected at different stages, and the gene expression of the KIT-PI3K-PTEN-AKT pathway and GDF-9 in ovaries was measured by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the laying rate increased rapidly after refeeding and returned to the prefasting level by R32. At F16 and R6, the number of mature follicles significantly decreased; the number of primary and secondary follicles significantly increased; the contents of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) in serum decreased; the relative expression of KIT, PI3K, AKT , and GDF-9 significantly increased; and that of PTEN significantly decreased. At R15 and R32, except for GDF-9 , which maintained a high expression state, other indicators showed opposing trends to those observed at F16 and R6. In conclusion, IM activated the KIT-PI3K-PTEN-AKT signaling pathway and promoted the activation of primordial follicles during the fasting period and early resumption of feeding; gonadotropin secretion increased gradually, which promoted the rapid development of primary and secondary follicles to mature follicles and ovulation. This study explained the mechanism of ovarian function remodeling in the process of IM and provided a theoretical basis for improving the ovarian function of laying hens and optimizing the IM program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valgus-varus deformity (VVD) is a common leg disease in commercial broilers, which seriously affects animal welfare and causes economic losses. Up to now, most of the studies on VVD have been on skeleton, whereas there are fewer studies on VVD muscle. In this study, carcass composition and meat quality of 35-day-old normal and VVD Cobb broilers assess the effect of VVD on broiler growth. Molecular biology, morphology, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were used to study the difference between normal and VVD gastrocnemius muscle. In comparison with the normal broilers, the breast muscle and leg muscle of the VVD broilers had lower shear force, notably lower crude protein, lower water content, cooking loss, and deeper meat color (P < 0.05). The morphological results showed that the weight of skeletal muscle was significantly higher in the normal broilers than that in the VVD broilers (P < 0.01), the diameter and area of myofibrils in the affected VVD were smaller than in the normal broilers (P < 0.01). Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) of gastrocnemius muscle revealed that the expression of myasthenic marker genes, fast myofiber marker genes, and apoptosis-related factors were significantly higher in the VVD broilers than in the normal broilers (P < 0.01). In total, 736 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified firstly in the normal and VVD leg muscle by RNA-seq. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment indicated that these DEGs were mainly involved in the multicellular organismal process and anatomical structure development. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that DEGs are significantly enriched in proteasome. Protein interaction analysis obtained that DEGs with high interaction were proteasome-related coding genes and ubiquitin-related genes, these DEGs were closely associated with muscle atrophy. These show that VVD has an adverse effect on growth characteristics, slaughter characteristics, and meat quality in broilers, which may cause leg muscle atrophy. This study provides some reference values and basis for studying the pathogenesis of VVD in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Columbian coloration patterns in plumage are widespread phenomena in several standard breeds of poultry, such as the Columbian Plymouth Rock chicken. H line chicken plumage is generally a pure white except in the hackle, wing, and tail plumage, which coloration is very similar to the Columbian plumage pattern, but with the barring substituting for the black vertical striping. Thus, we refer to this plumage coloration as "sub-Columbian" pattern. However, the genetic basis of this phenotype remains unknown. Here, a F3 cross population between yellow plumage roosters and sub-Columbian plumage hens was constructed, for verifying sub-Columbian plumage was sex-linked dominant inheritance. To identify the candidate regions, F2 generation sub-Columbian plumage hens and yellow plumage hens with their parental lines were used for BSA-seq, and sub-Columbian plumage genes were mapped to a 10.46 Mb interval on chromosome Z. Remarkably, by transcriptome analysis of the neck and wing tip follicle tissues of the 2 plumage colors, we demonstrated that within the interval, only 1 gene, SLC45A2 expressed significant differently (P < 0.05). Through KASP, we identified L347M and A10331272T in solute carrier family 45 member 2 ( SLC45A2 ), and B2 haplotype of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A ( CDKN2A ), showed near complete association with the phenotype. Eventually, we designed a hybridization experiment for verifying the locus of sub-Columbian plumage, which is inherited through Z-linked dominant inheritance and is controlled by SLC45A2 and CDKN2A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HSPA8 (Heat shock 70 kDa protein 8) is a molecular chaperone involved in a variety of cellular processes. This gene may affect the proliferation, apoptosis and immune function of chicken macrophages, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the HSPA8 gene on the proliferation, apoptosis and immune function of chicken macrophages. In this study, a chicken HSPA8 overexpression plasmid, interference fragment and corresponding controls were transfected into HD11 cells, and then the expression of the HSPA8 gene, cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis rate and immune function of each group were detected. The results showed that transfection of the HSPA8 overexpression plasmid significantly upregulated the level of HSPA8 expression in HD11 cells compared with the control; significantly promoted the proliferation of HD11 cells and the expression of PCNA , CCND1 and CCNB3 ; decreased the number of cells in the G1 phase and increased the number of cells in the S phase; decreased the rate of apoptosis and upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 ; and promoted the expression of the LPS-induced cytokines IL-1β , IL-6 and TNF-α. Transfection of the HSPA8 interference fragment significantly downregulated the level of HSPA8 expression in HD11 cells; significantly inhibited the proliferation of HD11 cells and the expression of PCNA , CCND1 and CDK1; increased the number of cells in the G1 phase and decreased the number of cells in the S phase; increased the rate of apoptosis, downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and upregulated the expression levels of Fas and FasL ; and inhibited the expression of the LPS-induced cytokines IL-1β and NF-κB. The results suggested that HSPA8 promotes the proliferation of and inhibits the apoptosis of HD11 cells and has a proinflammatory effect. • HSPA8 can promote the proliferation of HD11 cells. • HSPA8 can inhibit the apoptosis of HD11 cells. • HSPA8 is involved in regulating the immune response of HD11 cells. • HSPA8 promotes inflammation by promoting the expression of LPS-induced inflammatory factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visfatin is a newly identified adipocytokine that plays an important role in the determination of fat traits. In this study, we investigated the characterization of visfatin and the relationship between gene expression and chicken development to provide a theoretical basis for studying visfatin functions. The main results are summarized as follows: The 1482-bp full coding sequence of the visfatin gene of silky fowl was obtained and found to encode 493 amino acids. This gene contains 26 phosphorylation sites and a conserved domain of the NAPRTase family but no signal peptide sequence. It exhibits six functional motifs, including an amidation site. In chickens, visfatin is a highly conserved protein. The highest expression of visfatin was found in breast muscle and the lowest in bone marrow. There was no difference in expression between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. However, the expression of visfatin in the bone marrow, liver, kidneys, and subcutaneous and visceral fat of broiler chickens was significantly higher than that in silky fowl ( P < 0.05). Visfatin mRNA levels in the bone marrow decreased with development ( P < 0.05) but increased in the liver and leg muscle. Visfatin gene expression in the liver, heart and bone marrow did not differ in silky fowl according to sex. A visfatin fusion protein caused a significant increase in the expression of adipocyte differentiation markers (PPARγ, aP2, C/EBPα, and FAS) compared with the control group and a decrease compared with the insulin group. Taken together, the results of the present study contribute to a better understanding of the expression and role of the visfatin gene in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variations in microRNAs (miRNAs) including primary miRNAs, precursor miRNAs and mature miRNAs can lead to phenotypic variation by altering the biogenesis of miRNAs and/or their binding to target mRNAs. Increasing functional studies suggest that polymorphisms occurring in miRNAs can lead to phenotypic variation in farm animal. Here, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the precursor of chicken miRNA-1606 gene. The association study on body indexes, body weight at different growth stages, and carcass traits was performed in a Gushi–Anka F 2 population resource. The SNP was not only significantly associated with body weight at 10 and 12 weeks, respectively, but also with chicken shank length, chest depth and body slanting length at 8 weeks; shank length, pectoral angle, body slanting length and pelvis breadth at 12 weeks, respectively. And the polymorphism was also significantly associated with carcass traits including semi-evisceration weight, evisceration weight, breast muscle weight, leg weight and carcass weight as well. The observed values of individuals with CA genotype were significantly higher than CC genotype both in body weight at different stages and carcass traits. This SNP altered the predicted second structure of pre-mir-1606, with the altering of the free energy values. And the relative expression level of mature miRNA between CA and AA was significantly changed in leg muscle. Our data suggested that miRNA-1606 may be a candidate gene associated with chicken growth traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Here we cloned chicken Lpin1-β, conducted the temporal and spatial expression pattern analysis of chicken Lpin1 isoforms by real-time PCR, and studied the 5′ flanking region variation and the potential effect. It was found that chicken Lpin1-α and Lpin1-β exhibited distinct tissue expression profiling, with prominent expression in the ovary and muscle tissues respectively. Chicken Lpin1 presented a tissue-specific temporal expression pattern in postnatal development (0–16weeks). Energy restriction significantly elevated the mRNA level of total Lpin1 by increasing the expression of Lpin1-α and Lpin1-β in a nearly same magnitude. Eight variants/four haplotypes among six breeds were detected from the 5′ flanking region of chicken Lpin1, one multiple-nucleotide length polymorphism (g.258M > N) was found and predicted causing the change of 31 transcription factor binding sites including MyoD et al. Both g.258M > N and g. 65C > T variants showed significant association with muscle fiber traits, which suggested one novel role of Lpin1 on muscle fiber development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A 31-bp indel located in LDB2 gene was detected in chicken for the first time. • The indel cause significant differences in growth and carcass traits of F2. • The expression of LDB2 gene in breast muscle was higher than that in other tissues. • In the breast muscle, it reached the highest at the age of 6 weeks. • The 31-bp indel can be used as a genetic marker in chicken molecular breeding. Many studies have shown that the LDB2 gene plays a regulatory role in retinal development and the cell cycle, but its biological role remains unclear. In this study, a 31-bp indel in the LDB2 gene was found for the first time on the basis of 2797 individuals from 10 different breeds, which led to different genotypes among individuals (II, ID and DD). Among these genotypes, DD was the most dominant. Association analysis of an F 2 resource population crossed with the Gushi (GS) chicken and Anka chicken showed that the DD genotype conferred a significantly greater semi-evisceration weight (SEW, 1108.665 g ± 6.263), evisceration weight (EW, 927.455 g ± 5.424), carcass weight (CW, 1197.306 g ± 6.443), breast muscle weight (BMW, 71.05 g ± 0.574), and leg muscle weight (LMW, 100.303 g ± 0.677) than the ID genotype (SEW, 1059.079 g ± 16.86; EW, 879.459 g ± 14.446; CW, 1141.821 g ± 17.176; BMW, 67.164 g ± 1.523; and LMW, 96.163 g ± 1.823). In addition, LDB2 gene expression in different breeds was significantly higher in the breast muscles and leg muscles than in other tissues. The expression level in the breast muscle differed significantly among stages of GS chicken development, with the highest expression observed at 6 weeks. The expression levels in the pectoral muscles differed significantly among Ross 308 genotypes. In summary, we studied the relationships between a 31-bp indel in the LDB2 gene and economic traits in chickens. The indel was significantly correlated with multiple growth and carcass traits in the F 2 resource population and affected the expression of the LDB2 gene in muscle tissue. In short, our study revealed that the LDB2 gene 31-bp indel can be used as a potential genetic marker for molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Some signaling pathways related with bone development were obtain. • FGF10 and FGF12 were identified by the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. Valgus-varus Deformity (VVD) is an outward or inward deviation of the tibiotarsus or tarsometatarsus, which results in physical distress of chickens and economic loss in poultry industry. While the etiology and pathogenesis of VVD at the molecular level are still not fully understood so far. Here, based on a case/control design with VVD birds and normal birds, we identified genes and lncRNAs which associated with VVD using RNA sequencing. Transcriptome analysis revealed 231 differentially expressed mRNAs and 23 differentially expressed lncRNAs between case and control of leg cartilage. We identified the cis - and trans -regulatory targets of the differentially expressed lncRNAs, and we constructed a functional lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. Analysis of the network showed that the differentially expressed mRNAs and the target genes of the differentially expressed lncRNAs were enriched in the signaling pathways associated with bone development, including p53, MAPK, Toll-like receptor, Jak-STAT, Hedgehog, and PPAR. The expression levels of DENND4A , FGF10 , FGF12 and BMP3 were also determined in cartilage and other six tissues. Overall, our study predicted the mRNAs and lncRNAs related with leg diseases by transcriptome analyses, which might contribute to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of VVD. It established the foundation for the further research on the function of -mRNAs and lncRNAs in skeleton development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]