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Ever since its discovery, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has remained a significant public health concern. The number of HIV-1 seropositive individuals currently stands at 40.1 million, yet definitive treatment for the virus is still unavailable on the market. Vaccination has proven to be a potent tool in combating infectious diseases, as evidenced by its success against other pathogens. However, despite ongoing efforts and research, the unique viral characteristics have prevented the development of an effective anti-HIV-1 vaccine. In this review, we aim to provide an historical overview of the various approaches attempted to create an effective anti-HIV-1 vaccine. Our objective is to explore the reasons why specific methods have failed to induce a protective immune response and to analyze the different modalities of immunogen presentation. This trial is registered with NCT05414786, NCT05471076, NCT04224701, and NCT01937455. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an emergent zoonotic agent associated with multidrug resistance (MDR). This work aimed to describe the antibacterial activity of four essential oils (EOs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against 15 S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from pyoderma. The four EOs, namely Rosmarinus officinalis (RO), Juniperus communis (GI), Citrus sinensis (AR), and Abies alba (AB), and AgNPs were used alone and in combination to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). All strains were MDR and methicillin-resistant. Among the antibiotic cohort, only rifampicin, doxycycline, and amikacin were effective. EOs' chemical analysis revealed 124 compounds belonging to various chemical classes. Of them, 35 were found in AR, 75 in AB, 77 in GI, and 57 in RO. The monoterpenic fraction prevailed over the sesquiterpenic in all EOs. When EOs were tested alone, AB showed the lowest MIC followed by GI, AR, and RO (with values ranging from 1:128 to 1:2048). MBC increased in the following order: AB, AR, GI, and RO (with values ranging from 1:512 to 1:2048). MIC and MBC values for AgNPs were 10.74 mg/L ± 4.23 and 261.05 mg/L ± 172.74. In conclusion, EOs and AgNPs could limit the use of antibiotics or improve the efficacy of conventional therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus are commensal bacteria that are found in food, water, and a variety of settings in addition to being present on the skin and mucosae of both humans and animals. They are regarded as a significant pathogen as well, with a high morbidity that can cause a variety of illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed them among the most virulent and resistant to antibiotics bacterial pathogens, along with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium. Additionally, S. aureus is a part of the global threat posed by the existence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Using 26,430 S. aureus isolates from a global public database (NPDIB; NCBI Pathogen Detection Isolate Browser), epidemiological research was conducted. The results corroborate the evidence of notable variations in isolate distribution and ARG (Antimicrobial Resistance Gene) clusters between isolate sources and geographic origins. Furthermore, a link between the isolates from human and animal populations is suggested by the ARG cluster patterns. This result and the widespread dissemination of the pathogens among animal and human populations highlight how crucial it is to learn more about the epidemiology of these antibiotic-resistance-related infections using a One Health approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the most widespread bacterial pathogens for both animals and humans, being the causative agent of various diseases like food poisoning, respiratory tract infections, nosocomial bacteremia, and surgical site and cardiovascular infections in humans, as well as clinical and subclinical mastitis, dermatitis, and suppurative infections in animals. Thanks to their genetic flexibility, several virulent and drug-resistant strains have evolved mainly due to horizontal gene transfer and insurgence of point mutations. Infections caused by the colonization of such strains are particularly problematic due to frequently occurring antibiotic resistance, particulary methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and are characterized by increased mortality, morbidity, and hospitalization rates compared to those caused by methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). S. aureus infections in humans and animals are a prime example of a disease that may be managed by a One Health strategy. In fact, S. aureus is a significant target for control efforts due to its zoonotic potential, the frequency of its illnesses in both humans and animals, and the threat posed by S. aureus antibiotic resistance globally. The results of an epidemiological analysis on a worldwide public database (NCBI Pathogen Detection Isolate Browser; NPDIB) of 35,026 S. aureus isolates were described. We considered the diffusion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), in both human and animal setting, and the results may be considered alarming. The result of this study allowed us to identify the presence of clusters with specific ARG patterns, and that these clusters are associated with different sources of isolation (e.g., human, non-human). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goat cheese is an important element of the Mediterranean diet, appreciated for its health-promoting features and unique taste. A pivotal role in the development of these characteristics is attributed to the microbiota and its continuous remodeling over space and time. Nevertheless, no thorough study of the cheese-associated microbiota using two metaomics approaches has previously been conducted. Here, we employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metaproteomics to explore the microbiota of a typical raw goat milk cheese at various ripening timepoints and depths of the cheese wheel. The 16S rRNA gene-sequencing and metaproteomics results described a stable microbiota ecology across the selected ripening timepoints, providing evidence for the microbiologically driven fermentation of goat milk products. The important features of the microbiota harbored on the surface and in the core of the cheese mass were highlighted in both compositional and functional terms. We observed the rind microbiota struggling to maintain the biosafety of the cheese through competition mechanisms and/or by preventing the colonization of the cheese by pathobionts of animal or environmental origin. The core microbiota was focused on other biochemical processes, supporting its role in the development of both the health benefits and the pleasant gustatory nuances of goat cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet with its excellent balance of fats and antioxidant bioactive compounds. Both the phenolic and lipid fractions of EVOO contain a variety of antioxidant and anticancer substances which might protect from the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The function of the intestinal microbiome is essential for the integrity of the intestinal epithelium, being protective against pathogens and maintaining immunity. Indeed, dysbiosis of the microbiota alters the physiological functions of the organ, leading to the onset of different diseases including CRC. It is known that some factors, including diet, could deeply influence and modulate the colon microenvironment. Although coming from animal models, there is increasing evidence that a diet rich in EVOO is linked to a significant reduction in the diversity of gut microbiome (GM), causing a switch from predominant bacteria to a more protective group of bacteria. The potential beneficial effect of the EVOO compounds in the carcinogenesis of CRC is only partially known and further trials are needed in order to clarify this issue. With this narrative review, we aim at discussing the available evidence on the effect of olive oil consumption on GM in the prevention of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus agalactiae is a well-known pathogen in humans and food-producing animals. Therefore, this bacterium is a paradigmatic example of a pathogen to be controlled by a One Health approach. Indeed, the zoonotic and reverse-zoonotic potential of the bacteria, the prevalence of Group B Streptococci (GBS) diseases in both human and animal domains, and the threatening global situation on GBS antibiotic resistance make these bacteria an important target for control programs. An epidemiological analysis using a public database containing sequences of S. agalactiae from all over the world was conducted to evaluate the frequency and evolution of antibiotic resistance genes in those isolates. The database we considered (NCBI pathogen detection isolate browser—NPDIB) is maintained on a voluntary basis. Therefore, it does not follow strict epidemiological criteria. However, it may be considered representative of the bacterial population related to human diseases. The results showed that the number of reported sequences increased largely in the last four years, and about 50% are of European origin. The frequency data and the cluster analysis showed that the AMR genes increased in frequency in recent years and suggest the importance of verifying the application of prudent protocols for antimicrobials in areas with an increasing frequency of GBS infections both in human and veterinary medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: The lack of specific parathyroid carcinoma (PC) biomarkers in clinical practice points out the importance of analyzing the proteomic signature of this cancer. We performed a comparative proteomic analysis of PC and parathyroid adenoma (PA) co-existing in the same patient. Patients and Methods: PC and PA were taken from a 63-year-old patient. Using two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled to mass spectrometry we examined the differences between PC and PA proteins. For validation, additional PC and PA samples were obtained from 10 patients. Western blot analysis was used to validate the difference of expression observed with 2D-DIGE analysis. Bioinfomatic analysis was performed using QIAGEN's Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) to determine the predominant canonical pathways and interaction networks involved. Results: Thirty-three differentially expressed proteins were identified in PC compared to PA. Among these, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) was highly overexpressed in PC. The result was confirmed by Western Blot analysis in additional PC samples. Conclusion: Our comparative proteomic analysis of co-existing neoplasms allowed detecting specific and peculiar differences between PC and PA overcoming population biological variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce models for viscoelastic materials, both solids and fluids, based on logarithmic stresses to capture the elastic contribution to the material response. The matrix logarithm allows to link the measures of strain, that naturally belong to a multiplicative group of linear transformations, to stresses, that are additive elements of a linear space of tensors. As regards the viscous stresses, we simply assume a Newtonian constitutive law, but the presence of elasticity and plastic relaxation makes the materials non‐Newtonian. Our aim is to discuss the existence of weak solutions for the corresponding systems of partial differential equations in the nonlinear large‐deformation regime. The main difficulties arise in the analysis of the transport equations necessary to describe the evolution of tensorial measures of strain. For the solid model, we only need to consider the equation for the left Cauchy–Green tensor, while for the fluid model, we add an evolution equation for the elastically‐relaxed strain. Due to the tensorial nature of the fields, available techniques cannot be applied to the analysis of such transport equations. To cope with this, we introduce the notion of charted weak solution, based on non‐standard a priori estimates, that lead to a global‐in‐time existence of solutions for the viscoelastic models in the natural functional setting associated with the energy inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outside the Hubei province, China, the mild form of infection and the progressive recover of the COVID-19 patients suggest the intervention of "unconventional" biological mechanisms worthy of attention. Based on the high-homology between the Spike protein epitopes of taxonomically-related coronaviruses, we hypothesized that past contact with infected dogs shield humans against the circulating SARS-CoV-2. Elseways, the recurrent virus exposure over a short time-lapse might result in the Antibody Dependent Enhancement, triggering the violent immune reaction responsible for the severe clinical outcomes observed in the Hubei province. Nevertheless, further experimental studies are desired for a confidential evaluation of the postulated hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MVD) is the most common acquired heart disease in dogs, and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) is the most studied breed because of the high prevalence, early onset and hereditary component evidenced in the breed. MVD has different severity levels, and there are many practical limitations in identifying its asymptomatic stages. Proteomic techniques are valuable for studying the proteins and peptides involved in cardiovascular diseases, including the period prior to the clinical onset of the disease. The aim of this study was to identify the serum proteins that were differentially expressed in healthy CKCS and those affected by MVD in mild to severe stages. Proteomics analysis was performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis separation and a bioinformatics analysis for the detection of differentially expressed spots. In a comparative analysis, protein spots with a p < 0.05 (ANOVA) were considered statistically significant and were excised from the gels for analysis by MALDI-TOF-MS for protein identification. Results: Eight proteins resulted differentially expressed among the groups and significantly related to the progression of the disease. In mild affected group versus healthy dogs complement factor H isoform 2, inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase, hemopexin, dystrobrevin beta isoform X7 and CD5 molecule-like resulted to be down-regulated, whereas fibronectin type-III domain-containing protein 3A isoform X4 was up-regulated. In severe affected dogs versus healthy group complement factor H isoform 2, calpain-3 isoform X2, dystrobrevin beta isoform X7, CD5 molecule-like and l-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase resulted to be down-regulated. Complement factor H isoform 2, calpain-3 isoform X2, dystrobrevin beta isoform X7, CD5 molecule-like and hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase were found to be down-regulated in mild affected group versus healthy dogs. All of these proteins except complement factor H followed a decreasing trend according to the progression of the pathology. Conclusion: The differential expression of serum proteins demonstrates the possibility these might be valuable for the detection and monitoring of the disease. Further longitudinal studies are required to determine whether differential protein expression occurs sufficiently early in the progression of the disease and with sufficient predictive value to allow proteomics analysis to be used as an early detection and on-line diagnostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An altered polyamine system has been suggested to play a key role in mood disorders and suicide, a hypothesis corroborated by the evidence that lithium inhibits the polyamine mediated stress response in the rat brain. Recent post-mortem studies have shown that spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1), the key regulator of cellular polyamine content, is under-expressed in brains from suicide victims compared to controls. In our study we tested the effect of in vitro lithium treatment on SAT1 gene and protein expression in B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCLs) from bipolar disorder (BD) patients who committed suicide (and for which BLCLs were collected prior to their death), BD patients with high and low risk of suicide and a sample of non-psychiatric controls. Baseline mRNA levels were similar in the four groups of subjects (p > 0.05). Lithium had no effect in suicide completers (p > 0.05) while it significantly increased SAT1 expression in the high risk (p < 0.001) and low risk (p < 0.01) groups as well as in controls (p < 0.001). Protein and mRNA levels were not correlated; lithium significantly reduced protein levels only in the control sample (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that SAT1 transcription is influenced by lithium and that this effect is altered in BD patients who completed suicide, further supporting a role for polyamines in suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Converging evidence shows that monoamine oxidase A (MAO A), the key enzyme catalyzing serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) degradation, is a primary factor in the pathophysiology of antisocial and aggressive behavior. Accordingly, male MAOA-deficient humans and mice exhibit an extreme predisposition to aggressive outbursts in response to stress. As NMDARs regulate the emotional reactivity to social and environmental stimuli, we hypothesized their involvement in the modulation of aggression mediated by MAO A. In comparison with WT male mice, MAO A KO counterparts exhibited increases in 5-HT and NE levels across all brain regions, but no difference in glutamate concentrations and NMDAR binding. Notably, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of MAO A KO mice exhibited higher expression of NR2A and NR2B, as well as lower levels of glycosylated NR1 subunits. In line with these changes, the current amplitude and decay time of NMDARs in PFC was significantly reduced. Furthermore, the currents of these receptors were hypersensitive to the action of the antagonists of the NMDAR complex (dizocilpine), as well as NR2A (PEAQX) and NR2B (Ro 25-6981) subunits. Notably, systemic administration of these agents selectively countered the enhanced aggression in MAO A KO mice, at doses that did not inherently affect motor activity. Our findings suggest that the role of MAO A in pathological aggression may be mediated by changes in NMDAR subunit composition in the PFC, and point to a critical function of this receptor in the molecular bases of antisocial personality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typical high-abundant proteins, including albumin, IgG, IgA and others, are the target of depletion methods usually applied to two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) of human biological fluids like serum and plasma. Detection of low-abundant proteins is of interest with regard to biomarkers for disease when being studied by 2DE or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). After depletion of very abundant proteins, serum samples consist of an enriched pool of low-abundant proteins that can be further studied without significant interferences, thus allowing for a full identification of the low abundant proteins, whose spots become now more visible. We have employed wavelet-based techniques and their derived denoisers to explore 2DE from disease-control human samples. We have pursued the goal of mimicking in silico the spot detection performance experimentally obtained by depletion methods, thus hoping to read through the critical high-abundant protein regions. Our results suggest that an efficient and effective computational tool has been added to other ones performing 2DE image analysis, such as decomposition and segmentation, but with the advantage of being specifically targeted to the depletion task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The One Health approach emphasizes the importance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a major concern both in public health and in food animal production systems. As a general classification, E. coli can be distinguished based on the ability to cause infection of the gastrointestinal system (IPEC) or outside of it (ExPEC). Among the different pathogens, E. coli are becoming of great importance, and it has been suggested that ExPEC may harbor resistance genes that may be transferred to pathogenic or opportunistic bacteria. ExPEC strains are versatile bacteria that can cause urinary tract, bloodstream, prostate, and other infections at non-intestinal sites. In this context of rapidly increasing multidrug-resistance worldwide and a diminishingly effective antimicrobial arsenal to tackle resistant strains. ExPEC infections are now a serious public health threat worldwide. However, the clinical and economic impact of these infections and their optimal management are challenging, and consequently, there is an increasing awareness of the importance of ExPECs amongst healthcare professionals and the general public alike. This review aims to describe pathotype characteristics of ExPEC to increase our knowledge of these bacteria and, consequently, to increase our chances to control them and reduce the risk for AMR, following a One Health approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study shows for the first time the variation of the salivary proteome in horses with acute abdominal disease (AAD) compared with healthy horses through a high-throughput proteomic approach. A total of 118 proteins were identified, and 17 showed significant changes between the two groups. The changes observed in proteins were closely related to an impaired primary immune defense and antimicrobial capacity in the mucosa, and one salivary protein (lactoferrin) was successfully verified. These results may increase the background and knowledge of saliva composition in horses with AAD and further understanding of the physiopathological changes occurring in the organism in this disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the salivary proteome in horses with acute abdominal disease (AAD) using a tandem mass tags (TMT)-based proteomic approach. The saliva samples from eight horses with AAD were compared with six healthy horses in the proteomic study. Additionally, saliva samples from eight horses with AAD and eight controls were used to validate lactoferrin (LF) in saliva. The TMT analysis quantified 118 proteins. Of these, 17 differed significantly between horses with AAD and the healthy controls, 11 being downregulated and 6 upregulated. Our results showed the downregulation of gamma-enteric smooth muscle actin (ACTA2), latherin isoform X1, and LF. These proteins could be closely related to an impaired primary immune defense and antimicrobial capacity in the mucosa. In addition, there was an upregulation of mucin 19 (MUC19) and the serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 5 (SPINK5) associated with a protective effect during inflammation. The proteins identified in our study could have the potential to be novel biomarkers for diagnosis or monitoring the physiopathology of the disease, especially LF, which decreased in the saliva of horses with AAD and was successfully measured using a commercially available immunoassay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virus responsible for the pandemic that has affected 152 countries worldwide is a new strain of coronavirus (CoV), which belongs to a family of viruses widespread in many animal species, including birds, and mammals including humans. Indeed, CoVs are known in veterinary medicine affecting several species, and causing respiratory and/or enteric, systemic diseases and reproductive disease in poultry. Animal diseases caused by CoV may be considered from the following different perspectives: livestock and poultry CoVs cause mainly "population disease"; while in companion animals they are a source of mainly "individual/single subject disease". Therefore, respiratory CoV diseases in high-density, large populations of livestock or poultry may be a suitable example for the current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. In this review we describe some strategies applied in veterinary medicine to control CoV and discuss if they may help to develop practical and useful strategies to control the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Biofilm formation represents one of the most effective forms of bacterial persistence in surfaces where nutrients are available or in the tissues of living hosts as humans or animals. Such persistence is due to the high rate of antimicrobial resistance of this shell conformation. It often represents a burden when the pathogen colonizes niches from where it is not removable such as food facilities, farm facilities or parts of living organisms. In this study, we investigated biofilm formation mechanisms and enhanced antimicrobial resistance of 6 different S. aureus strains. The detected mechanisms were primarily related to the control of catabolites, the production of proteins with moonlighting activities and the detoxification of compounds with antimicrobial activities (i.e., alcohol). Glycolysis and aerobic metabolisms were found to be less active in the biofilm conformation. Consequently, less H2O2 production from aerobic metabolism was translated into a measurable under-representation of catalase protein. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most critical challenges that humanity will face in the following years. In this context, a "One Health" approach with an integrated multidisciplinary effort involving humans, animals and their surrounding environment is needed to tackle the spread of AMR. One of the most common ways for bacteria to live is to adhere to surfaces and form biofilms. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) can form biofilm on most surfaces and in a wide heterogeneity of environmental conditions. The biofilm guarantees the survival of the S. aureus in harsh environmental conditions and represents an issue for the food industry and animal production. The identification and characterization of biofilm-related proteins may provide interesting insights into biofilm formation mechanisms in S. aureus. In this regard, the aims of this study were: (i) to use proteomics to compare proteomes of S. aureus growing in planktonic and biofilm forms in order to investigate the common features of biofilm formation properties of different strains; (ii) to identify specific biofilm mechanisms that may be involved in AMR. The proteomic analysis showed 14 differentially expressed proteins among biofilm and planktonic forms of S. aureus. Moreover, three proteins, such as alcohol dehydrogenase, ATP-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase, and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, were only differentially expressed in strains classified as high biofilm producers. Differentially regulated catabolites metabolisms and the switch to lower oxygen-related metabolisms were related to the sessile conformation analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The enormous advances in stem cell research have generated high expectations in the development of new therapies to repair or regenerate damaged tissues. For this reason, laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about cells' essential properties. Specifically, in recent years, therapies based on mesenchymal stem cells have become an interesting alternative for the treatment of different complex pathologies in veterinary medicine. Mesenchymal stem cells secrete a wide variety of therapeutic elements such as bioactive molecules and extracellular vesicles (e.g., exosomes). Thus, it is essential to characterize them before future use as biotechnological products. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine and compare their protein profile to understand better the mechanisms of action of these components and facilitate their possible use in future therapies. The data demonstrate the existence of different proteins responsible for the biological effects of cells. In addition, these approaches and techniques can contribute to the better prediction of clinical outcomes of mesenchymal stem cell treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to have therapeutic efficacy in different complex pathologies in feline species. This effect is attributed to the secretion of a wide variety of bioactive molecules and extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, with significant paracrine activity, encompassed under the concept of the secretome. However, at present, the exosomes from feline MSCs have not yet been studied in detail. The objective of this study is to analyze and compare the protein profiles of the secretome as a whole and its exosomal fraction from feline adipose-derived MSCs (fAd-MSCs). For this, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Protein–Protein Interaction Networks Functional Enrichment Analysis (STRING) were utilized. A total of 239 proteins were identified in the secretome, and 228 proteins specific to exosomes were identified, with a total of 133 common proteins. The proteins identified in the secretome were located in the extracellular regions and in the cytoplasm, while the exosomal proteins were located mainly in the membrane, cytoplasm and cytosol. Regarding function, in the secretome, proteins involved in different metabolic pathways, in pathways related to the immune system and the endocrine system and in the processing of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum predominated. In contrast, proteins specific to exosomes were predominantly associated with endocytosis, cell junctions, platelet activation and other cell signaling pathways. The possible future use of the secretome, or some of its components, such as exosomes, would provide a non-cell-based therapeutic strategy for the treatment of different diseases that would avoid the drawbacks of cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Antimicrobials represent useful tools to fight bacterial infections that could harm human and animal health. Antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally or can be induced by the misuse of antibiotics. Its occurrence limits the efficiency of antibiotics and therefore the possibility to treat infections effectively. This can lead to an increasing severity of infectious diseases in humans and animals. Here, we describe the development of a workflow that provides a qualitative representation of the antimicrobial genes that are translated into proteins. Since proteins are ultimately the real effectors, the method herein described demonstrates that those genes are effectively enhancing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The presented method is independent of any amplification step and provides useful information on the dynamics of the biochemical functions accomplished by the raw milk bacterial consortium. The environment, including animals and animal products, is colonized by bacterial species that are typical and specific of every different ecological niche. Natural and human-related ecological pressure promotes the selection and expression of genes related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These genes might be present in a bacterial consortium but might not necessarily be expressed. Their expression could be induced by the presence of antimicrobial compounds that could originate from a given ecological niche or from human activity. In this work, we applied (meta)proteomics analysis of bacterial compartment of raw milk in order to obtain a method that provides a measurement of circulating AMR involved proteins and gathers information about the whole bacterial composition. Results from milk analysis revealed the presence of 29 proteins/proteoforms linked to AMR. The detection of mainly β-lactamases suggests the possibility of using the milk microbiome as a bioindicator for the investigation of AMR. Moreover, it was possible to achieve a culture-free qualitative and functional analysis of raw milk bacterial consortia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paratuberculosis is an infectious disease of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). MAP is an intracellular pathogen with a possible zoonotic potential since it has been successfully isolated from the intestine and blood of Crohn's disease patients.Since no cure is available, after the detection of the disease, animal culling is the sole applicable containment strategy. However, the difficult detection of the disease in its subclinical form, facilitates its spread raising the need for the development of effective diagnosis and vaccination strategies. The prompt identification and isolation of the infected animals in the subclinical stage would prevent the spread of the infection.In the present study, an immunoinformatic approach has been used to investigate the immunogenic properties of 10 MAP proteins. These proteins were chosen according to a previously published immunoproteomics approach. For each previously-described immunoreactive protein, we predicted the epitopes capable of eliciting an immune response by binding both B-cells and/or class I MHC antigens. The retrieved peptide sequences were analyzed for their specificity and cross-reactivity. The final aim is to employ the discovered peptides sequences as a filtered library useful for early-stage diagnosis and/or to be used in novel multi-subunit or recombinant vaccine formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in the field of meta-omics sciences and related bioinformatics tools have allowed a comprehensive investigation of human-associated microbiota and its contribution to achieving and maintaining the homeostatic balance. Bioactive compounds from the microbial community harboring the human gut are involved in a finely tuned network of interconnections with the host, orchestrating a wide variety of physiological processes. These includes the bi-directional crosstalk between the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract (i.e., gut–brain axis). The increasing accumulation of evidence suggest a pivotal role of the composition and activity of the gut microbiota in neurodegeneration. In the present review we aim to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art of meta-omics sciences including metagenomics for the study of microbial genomes and taxa strains, metatranscriptomics for gene expression, metaproteomics and metabolomics to identify and/or quantify microbial proteins and metabolites, respectively. The potential and limitations of each discipline were highlighted, as well as the advantages of an integrated approach (multi-omics) to predict microbial functions and molecular mechanisms related to human diseases. Particular emphasis is given to the latest results obtained with these approaches in an attempt to elucidate the link between the gut microbiota and the most common neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Male gametes can be stored for a long period of time for the purpose of preserving genetic material. Cryopreservation and liquid preservation are two main storage procedures commonly used for boar semen. There is evidence in the literature suggesting that cryopreservation changes the profile of proteins that are linked to the motility and function of spermatozoa. It was postulated that they can affect motility, capacitation, oocyte binding ability, and the acrosome reaction of spermatozoa. On the other hand, little is known about changes in protein levels in sperm that occur during liquid storage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether liquid storage also causes an alteration in the proteomic profile of stored spermatozoa. A comparative proteomic approach was used to analyze protein samples from fresh spermatozoa and spermatozoa stored for three days at 15–17 °C. Results obtained show that liquid preservation causes quantitative changes in the boar sperm proteome with the over-expression of three out of four proteins in the liquid-stored sperm. Our findings can help elucidate the events involved in liquid preservation. In this study comparative proteomics was used to define changes in the expression of the spermatozoa proteins during liquid storage. Semen from eight boars was analyzed on the day of collection and after liquid preservation at 15–17 °C for three days. Sperm parameters (concentration, motility, morphology, vitality) and percentage of non-capacitated and acrosomal-reacted spermatozoa were determined. Sperm proteins were extracted and separated by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and proteomic profiles were computationally compared to highlight differentially expressed protein spots that were, in turn, identified by mass spectrometry. The intensities of four spots were significantly different between fresh and liquid stored sperm. Namely: ATP citrate lyase, chaperonin containing T-complex polypeptide 1 (TCP1) subunit ε and probable phospholipid-transporting ATP-ase were over-expressed in liquid stored sperm, whereas cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase was over-expressed in fresh sperm. These differentially expressed proteins could be used as plausible biomarkers for the evaluation of boar semen quality and spermatozoa survival after liquid storage and could help to address problems associated with sperm preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This work described the analysis of differential protein expression of subcutaneous adipose tissue of cows that went under negative energy balance during peripartum. In particular, to the best of our knowledge, it represented an original proteomics study that was able to discriminate cows in negative energy balance up to one month before calving. We believed that our findings would open new perspectives to improve animal welfare during peripartum. To know in advance, the metabolic status of cows would permit to correct the status with appropriate measures, like diet or management. Fat mobilization in high-yielding dairy cows during early lactation occurs to overcome negative energy balance (NEB), caused by insufficient feed intake and the concomitant increased nutritional requirements. For this reason, adipose tissue represents an essential organ for healthy and performant lactation. However, only a few data are known about adipose tissue proteome and its metabolic status during peripartum. The aim of this study was to analyze the differential proteomics profiles of subcutaneous adipose tissue belonging to cows with different NEB scores (low NEB and severe NEB). Both groups were analyzed at three different time points (one month before calving, one and sixteen weeks after calving) that were related to different levels and rates of adipose tissue mobilization. The dataset highlighted the differential expression of the same four key proteins (annexin A2, actin-related protein 10, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and fatty acid-binding protein) involved in lipid metabolism during all time points and of other 22 proteins typical of the other comparisons among remaining time points. The obtained dataset suggested that the individual variability in adipose tissue metabolism/mobilization/energy availability could be linked to the different outcomes in levels of energy balance and related physical complications among dairy cows during peripartum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus epidermidis GOI1153754-03-14 is able to colonize orthopedic implants and to cause septic non-unions, as validated in a recent in vivo study (Lovati et al., 2016). To the mechanisms leading to the biofilm formation on metallic implants, we carried out the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of the clinical isolate S. epidermidis GOI1153754-03-14. The antimicrobial susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the strain were evaluated through the Vitek2 System (Biomerieux), as well as its ability to form biofilm in vitro through a spectrophotometric assay (Stepanovich et al., 2000). The genomic DNA was extracted by Bacterial Genomic DNA Isolation Kit (Norgen Biotek Corp.). Libraries were prepared with the ThruPLEX DNA-seq (Rubicon Genomics) and then sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform through the MiSeq Reagent Kit v3 (600-cycles) to produce 300 bp paired-end reads (Illumina Inc.). Reads were quality-trimmed and gene annotated thanks to the RAST software (Aziz et al., 2008). The antimicrobial susceptibility along with the MIC values are reported in Table 1. The outputs resulted in 51 contigs (Average = 50,720.6 Mb) with 396X fold average coverage. The total genome is 2,586,753 bp long with a GC content of 31.84% and an N50 value of 7 bp. The whole genome is composed by 2,467 protein-encoding genes and 64 RNAs (55 tRNAs and 9 rRNAs). The entire genome sequence has been deposited in the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) under the accession no. FWCG01000000 (Bottagisio et al., 2017). The genotypic and phenotypic characterization of the S. epidermidis GOI1153754-03-14 will enable a better comprehension of the mechanisms involved in the biofilm formation on orthopedic implants, paving the way for innovative preventative and therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the sequence of this clinical strain is mandatory to develop dedicated proteomics analysis in order to highlight functional mechanism of biofilm formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Isolation rearing (IR), a well-established rat model of early chronic psychosocial stress, engenders marked behavioral alterations related to changes of dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in cortical and subcortical brain regions. Stress-induced shifts in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic signaling have been implicated in the dysregulation of DA release. The neurosteroid 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone/AP), synthesized from progesterone by the action of the rate-limiting enzyme 5α-reductase (5AR), is a potent positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptor function. Thus, alterations of 5AR activity/expression may impact upon DA neurotransmission. We studied the effects of IR on the 5AR expression/function and extracellular concentrations of DA and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Immediately after weaning, male rats were subjected to either IR or social rearing (SR) conditions for 5–8 weeks. Compared to SR, IR rats exhibited significantly lower protein expression of 5AR isoforms (1 and 2) in both brain regions and reduced brain, but not plasma, content of AP and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, the 5α-reduced metabolite of deoxycorticosterone. IR-exposed rats also exhibited higher levels of DA and DOPAC in the NAcc shell, but not in mPFC, when compared to SR rats. The 5AR inhibitor finasteride (FIN, 100mg/kg, i.p.) enhanced DA and DOPAC content in the NAcc shell of SR, but not IR rats. FIN, however, elicited equivalent increases in DA and DOPAC levels in the mPFC of both groups. These results show that IR induces changes in expression/activity of brain 5AR which, in a brain-region specific manner, may partially underlie the alterations in DA signaling induced by this manipulation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Trends in Neuropharmacology: In Memory of Erminio Costa’. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strain SE86 has been associated with several foodborne diseases occurring in Southern Brazil, becoming and important causative agent of human salmonellosis. In this work, the complete genome of the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. An in silico analysis of the SE86 genome was performed in order to compare it with different Salmonella strains as well as to investigate the presence of stress-resistance and virulence genes. This strain showed a variety of genes that can be involved in antimicrobial and biocide resistance, acid and thermal resistance as well as virulence and adhesion. These genetic features could explain its increased resistance and the prevalence of this strain in foodborne outbreaks in Southern Brazil. • Complete genome sequence of foodborne associated Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 • Detection of several genes associated with antimicrobial, pH and thermal resistance • Virulence and adhesion genes are present in the SE86 genome. • Genetic features could explain the prevalence of SE86 in foodborne outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]