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Abstract Our study concentrated on the expression of miRNA-375 in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of female Hu sheep. The investigation involved cloning the precursor sequence of miR-NA-375, followed by comparison with database entries and subsequent Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. In our approach, we obtained ovaries, thalamus, cerebellum, brain, uterus, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and pineal gland from fertile but nonpregnant Hu ewes. MiRNA extraction kit was used to extract miRNA from the above eight tissues. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the role of miR-375 in the hy-pothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The results of miR-375 precursor sequence cloning were compared with those of Anopheles gambiae, Apis mellifera, Bos taurus, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio, Fugu rubripes, Gallus gallus, Homo sapiens, Monodelphis domestica, Macaca mulatta, Mus musculus, Pan troglodytes, Rattus norvegicus, Tetraodon nigroviridis, Xenopus tropicalis miR-375 in miRBase database. It was found that oar-miR-375 was highly conserved. Notably, miR-375 expression in the pineal gland was significantly higher (p

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effect of nano-selenium (nano-Se) in protecting laying hens from mercury (Hg)-induced prehierarchical follicular atresia. Furthermore, the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) was explored to reveal the molecular mechanism. In vivo, 720 Hyline-Brown laying hens were treated with Hg and nano-Se alone or in combination. In vitro, the prehierarchical follicles were treated with Hg, nano-Se and 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) alone or in combination (Control, 25 μM Hg group, 10 μM nano-Se group, 20 μM nano-Se group, 25 μM Hg + 10 μM nano-Se group, 25 μM Hg + 20 μM nano-Se group, 25 μM Hg + 4-PBA group, and 25 μM Hg + 20 μM nano-Se + 4-PBA group). The GCs were treated with Hg and nano-Se alone or in combination (Control, 15 μM Hg group, 6 μM nano-Se group, 12 μM nano-Se group, 15 μM Hg + 6 μM nano-Se group, 15 μM Hg + 12 μM nano-Se group). The results revealed that dietary Hg significantly reduced laying performance (P < 0.05) and egg quality (P < 0.05), whereas nano-Se addition prevented these reductions (P < 0.05). Hg exposure significantly induced the accumulation of Hg in PHFs (P < 0.05), prehierarchical follicular atresia (P < 0.05) and apoptosis in PHFs, whereas nano-Se addition significantly prevented these effects (P < 0.05). The levels of sex hormones (P < 0.05) were significantly decreased after Hg exposure in vivo and in vitro, while nano-Se addition prevented the reductions. Furthermore, the RNA-Seq results showed that the key factors of the ERS presented differential expression, including C/EBP homologous protein, protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) in GCs. Hg exposure significantly increased the key gene expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress in GCs, whereas nano-Se addition prevented the induction of expression of these genes. In addition, the protein levels of PERK, inositol requiring protein 1α (IRE1α) and ATF6 were significantly increased, whereas nano-Se addition prevented the enhancements of protein expression in GCs. In conclusion, this study shows that Hg exposure can reduce induce prehierarchical follicular atresia, whereas nano-Se can prevent these effects. Our results also elucidate a key role of ERS in these protective effects of nano-Se in laying hens.

Weaning is an important period that affects the performance of piglets. However, the regulation of dietary amino acid levels is considered to be an effective way to alleviate the weaning stress of piglets. N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) plays an important role in improving the growth performance and antioxidant capacity of animals. A total of 36 weaned piglets were randomly assigned to two treatment groups, a control group (CON) and a 500 mg/kg NCG group (NCG), and the experiment lasted for 28 days. The results show that the NCG treatment group showed an increased 0–28 days average weight gain and average daily feed intake, and also increased contents of GLU and HDL, and lower SUN in serum, and an upregulation of the expression of the amino acid transporters SNAT2, EAAC1, SLC3A1, and SLC3A2 mRNA in the jejunum (p < 0.05), as well as an increased villus length and VH:CD ratio, and claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 mRNA expression in the jejunum (p < 0.05). The NCG treatment group showed an increased content of GSH-Px in serum and T-AOC and SOD in the jejunum, and a lower content of MDA (p < 0.05); and the upregulation of the mRNA expression related to antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD1, Gpx4, GCLC, GCLM and Nrf2, AhR, CYP1A1) in the jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). In addition, compared with the control group, the NCG treatment group saw an upregulation in the mRNA expression of IL-10 and a decrease in the expression of IL-1β and IL-4 in the jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). In summary, the results of this study suggest that NCG improved growth performance and jejunal morphology, improved the jejunal transport of amino acids related to the ornithine cycle, and improved the antioxidant capacity in weaned pigs.

This study investigated the effects of dietary arsenic supplementation on laying performance, egg quality, hepatic and renal histopathology, and oxidative stress in the livers and kidneys of laying hens. Furthermore, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) pathway was explored to reveal the molecular mechanism of the stress. Five hundred and twelve 40-week-old Hyline White laying hens were randomly allocated to 4 groups with 8 pens per group and 16 hens per pen. The doses of arsenic administered to the 4 groups were 0.95, 20.78, 40.67, and 60.25 mg/kg. The results revealed that dietary arsenic supplementation significantly reduced hen-day egg production (P

Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) is a serious environmental toxicant. So far, the toxicity mechanism of HgCl2 in chicken embryonic kidney (CEK) cells is not still fully understood. In this study, the possible molecular mechanisms of HgCl2 on apoptosis of CEK cells were investigated. Results showed that the cell morphology changed, and cell viability was significantly decreased (P

The present experiment aimed to research the effects of glutamine (Gln) on the digestive and barrier function of the ruminal epithelium in Hu lambs fed a high-concentrate finishing diet containing some soybean meal and cottonseed meal. Thirty healthy 3-month-old male Hu lambs were randomly divided into three treatments. Lambs were fed a high-concentrate diet and supplemented with 0, 0.5, and 1% Gln on diet for 60 days. The experimental results show that the Gln treatment group had lower pepsin and cellulase enzyme activity, propionate acid concentration, and IL-6, TNF-α, claudin-1, and ZO-1 mRNA expression in the ruminal epithelium (p < 0.05); as well as increases in lipase enzyme activity, the ratio of propionic acid to acetic acid, the IL-10 content in the plasma, and the mRNA expression of IL-2 and IL-10 in the ruminal epithelium, in contrast to the CON (control group) treatment (p < 0.05). Taken together, the findings of this present study support the addition of Gln to improve digestive enzyme activity, the ruminal epithelium’s barrier, and fermentation and immune function by supplying energy to the mononuclear cells, improving the ruminal epithelium’s morphology and integrity, and mediating the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins (TJs) and cytokines.

This study evaluated the effect of arginine (Arg) on ovarian antioxidant capability during the luteal phase in ewes. A total of 108 multiparous Hu sheep at two years of age were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group (CG), a restriction group (RG), and an Arg group (AG), with six replicates per group and six ewes per replicate. Our results showed that the end body weight was significantly decreased in the RG group (p < 0.05), while the Arg addition reversed this reduction. The estrous cycle days were significantly increased in the RG group (p < 0.05), while Arg addition reversed this time extension. Compared with the control group, restricting feeding could significantly enhance the number of small follicles (SF), total follicles (TF), large corpora lutea, and the SF/TF (p < 0.05), while Arg addition reduced the number of SF and TF. However, the large follicles/TF were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while Arg addition reversed this reduction. In addition, nutrition restriction significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level (p < 0.05), while significantly decreased the glutathione/glutathione disulfide and the activities of superoxidative dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the ovaries (p < 0.05). However, Arg addition reversed this enhancement of the MDA level and the reductions in these antioxidant enzymes activities. In addition, positive relationships occurred between antioxidant enzyme activities and the enzyme mRNA expressions. Meanwhile, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA expression was positively connected with antioxidant mRNA expressions and negatively related to the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) mRNA expression. The Nrf2 protein expression was negatively related to the Keap1 protein expression. In conclusion, nutrition restriction reduced the ovarian antioxidant capability in ewes, while this was significantly improved by Arg supplementation, which was associated with the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway.

The effects of glutamine (Gln) on immunity and intestinal barrier gene expression levels in broilers challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis were evaluated. A total of 400 1-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to four groups, 10 repetition treatments per group with 10 broiler chickens for a 21-day feeding trial. The groups were the normal control group (CON, no infected group, fed with a basal diet); the S. Enteritidis-infected control group (SCC, infected with 2.0 × 104 CFU/mL of S. Enteritidis, fed a basal diet); and the Gln 1 and 2 groups, who were challenged with S. Enteritidis and fed a basal diet plus Gln at 0.5% and 1.0%, respectively. The results show that S. Enteritidis had adverse effects on the average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and the feed conversion ratio of infected broilers compared with those of CON broilers on d 7 (p < 0.05); decreased serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations, and intestinal mucosa Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels (p < 0.05); increased the Lysozyme (LZM, only serum), NO, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) (except at 4 d), and total nitric oxide synthase (TNOS) (except at 4 d) activities in serum and the intestinal mucosa; and increased intestinal mucosa polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) (except at 21 d), Avian beta-defensin 5 (AvBD5), AvBD14, Bax, and Bak mRNA expression levels during the experimental period (p < 0.05). Supplementation with Gln improved growth performance; increased serum IgA, IgG, and IgM concentrations and intestinal mucosa Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels (p < 0.05); decreased the LZM (only serum), NO, iNOS (except at 4 d), and TNOS (except at 4 d) activities in serum and the intestinal mucosa; and decreased intestinal mucosa pIgR (except at 21 d), AvBD5, AvBD14, Bax, and Bak mRNA expression levels during the experimental period (p < 0.05). These results suggest that Gln might lessen the inflammatory reaction of the small intestine and enlarge the small bowel mucosa immune and barrier function in broiler chickens challenged with S. Enteritidis.

Adsorption of Escherichia coli K 88 on natural and acid-modified clinoptilolite was studied under ambient conditions. The materials under study were characterized in terms of surface area and cation-exchange capacity (CEC). Our study results indicate that treatment with formic acid can increase the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, CEC and adsorption capacity of clinoptilolite. The maximum adsorption on these non-metallic minerals was 25 mg/ml, beyond which the adsorption decreased as the amount of adsorptive increased. Time-dependent studies showed that the adsorption process reached equilibrium after 2 hours. The adsorption on E. coli K 88 increased with increasing concentration of the adsorption agent as well as with increasing concentration of the bacteria in suspension. The desorption of H + was studied by washing with a sterile physiological saline solution for 2 hours. The adsorption–desorption hysteresis suggests that the desorption rate of acid-modified clinoptilolite was much lower than that of natural clinoptilolite (P < 0.05). Acid modification of clinoptilolite increased the amount of bacterial adsorption due to the attractive interactions between the clinoptilolite and the bacteria. This increase may also involve the BET surface area and the surface characteristics of clinoptilolite.

This study was conducted to analyze the regulation mechanisms of TAC1, TACR1, TACR2 and TACR3 genes on reproduction of goat under different photoperiods. The expression conditions of TAC1, TACR1, TACR2 and TACR3 genes in 12 tissues (oviduct, ovary, uterus, gluteus, mesenteric fat, brain, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, hart, lung, liver, kidney) of adult Henan Huai goat under different photoperiods (short day light, Light 8 h:dark 16 h, and long day light, light 16 h dark 8 h) were analyzed by q-PCR method. TTC1, TACR1, TACR2 and TACR3 genes were expressed in all the 12 tissues of goats, with different expression characteristics; and the expression levels of all the genes were affected by photoperiod and changing of light signal between light and dark under short photoperiod. Shifting of light signal from dark to light was more conductive to the expression of these genes in all tissues than that of light signal from light to dark. There were significant differences in the expression levels of genes between light shifting from light to dark and from dark to light when the genes were expressed at a higher level in some tissues. TTC1 and TACR2 genes were expressed at a higher level than TACR1 and TACR3 genes in the various tissues, which implied that TACR2 is a receptor given priority to combine with TAC1 when TAC1 is functional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]