Transcriptome analysis of porcine oocytes during postovulatory aging.

Decreased oocyte quality is a significant contributor to the decline in female fertility that accompanies aging in mammals. Oocytes rely on mRNA stores to support their survival and integrity during the protracted period of transcriptional dormancy as they await ovulation. However, the changes in mRNA levels and interactions that occur during porcine oocyte maturation and aging remain unclear. In this study, the mRNA expression profiles of porcine oocytes during the GV, MII, and aging (24 h after the MII stage) stages were explored by transcriptome sequencing to identify the key genes and pathways that affect oocyte maturation and postovulatory aging. The results showed that 10,929 genes were coexpressed in porcine oocytes during the GV stage, MII stage, and aging stage. In addition, 3037 genes were expressed only in the GV stage, 535 genes were expressed only in the MII stage, and 120 genes were expressed only in the aging stage. The correlation index between the GV and MII stages (0.535) was markedly lower than that between the MII and aging stages (0.942). A total of 3237 genes, which included 1408 upregulated and 1829 downregulated genes, were differentially expressed during porcine oocyte postovulatory aging (aging stage vs. MII stage). Key functional genes, including ATP2A1, ATP2A3, ATP2B2, NDUFS1, NDUFA2, NDUFAF3, SREBF1, CYP11A1, CYP3A29, GPx4, CCP110, STMN1, SPC25, Sirt2, SYCP3, Fascin1/2, PFN1, Cofilin, Tmod3, FLNA, LRKK2, CHEK1/2, DDB1/2, DDIT4L, and TONSL, and key molecular pathways, such as the calcium signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, TGF-ß signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, gap junctions, and thermogenesis, were found in abundance during porcine postovulatory aging. These genes are mainly involved in the regulation of many biological processes, such as oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and lipid peroxidation, during porcine oocyte postovulatory aging. These results contribute to a more in-depth understanding of the biological changes, key regulatory genes and related biological pathways that are involved in oocyte aging and provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficiency of porcine embryo production in vitro and in vivo.

Changes in bacterial community composition in the uterus of Holstein cow with endometritis before and after treatment with oxytetracycline.

It is important to study the bacteria that cause endometritis to identify effective therapeutic drugs for dairy cows. In this study, 20% oxytetracycline was used to treat Holstein cows (n = 6) with severe endometritis. Additional 10 Holstein cows (5 for healthy cows, 5 for cows with mild endometritis) were also selected. At the same time, changes in bacterial communities were monitored by high-throughput sequencing. The results show that Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other common pathogenic bacteria could be detected by traditional methods in cows both with and without endometritis. However, 16S sequencing results show that changes in the abundance of these bacteria were not significant. Endometritis is often caused by mixed infections in the uterus. Oxytetracycline did not completely remove existing bacteria. However, oxytetracycline could effectively inhibit endometritis and had a significant inhibitory effect on the genera Bacteroides, Trueperella, Peptoniphilus, Parvimonas, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium but had no significant inhibitory effect on the bacterial genera Marinospirillum, Erysipelothrix, and Enteractinococcus. During oxytetracycline treatment, the cell motility, endocrine system, exogenous system, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, metabolism of terpenoids, polyketides, cofactors and vitamins, signal transduction, and transport and catabolism pathways were affected.

Colitis-Mediated Dysbiosis of the Intestinal Flora and Impaired Vitamin A Absorption Reduce Ovarian Function in Mice.

Changes in the composition and ratio of the flora during colitis have been found to potentially affect ovarian function through nutrient absorption. However, the mechanisms have not been fully explored. To investigate whether colitis-induced dysbacteriosis of the intestinal flora affects ovarian function, mice were given dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) through drinking water. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to clarify the composition and proportion of bacterial flora as well as gene expression changes in the colon. Changes in follicle type, number, and hormone secretion in the ovary were detected. The results showed that 2.5% DSS could induce severe colitis symptoms, including increased inflammatory cell infiltration, severe damage to the crypt, and high expression of inflammatory factors. Moreover, vitamin A synthesis metabolism-related genes Rdh10, Aldh1a1, Cyp26a1, Cyp26b1, and Rarß were significantly decreased, as well as the levels of the steroid hormone synthase-related proteins STAR and CYP11A1. The levels of estradiol, progesterone, and Anti-Mullerian hormone as well as the quality of oocytes decreased significantly. The significantly changed abundances of Alistipes, Helicobacter, Bacteroides, and some other flora had potentially important roles. DSS-induced colitis and impaired vitamin A absorption reduced ovarian function.

S-Scheme Porphyrin Covalent Organic Framework Heterojunction for Boosted Photoelectrochemical Immunoassays in Myocardial Infarction Diagnosis.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is an extremely sensitive biomarker for early indication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it still remains a tough challenge for many newly developed cTnI biosensors to achieve superior sensing performance including high sensitivity, rapid detection, and resistance to interference in clinical serum samples. Herein, a novel photocathodic immunosensor toward cTnI sensing has been successfully developed by designing a unique S-scheme heterojunction based on the porphyrin-based covalent organic frameworks (p-COFs) and p-type silicon nanowire arrays (p-SiNWs). In the novel heterojunction, the p-SiNWs are employed as the photocathode platform to acquire a strong photocurrent response. The in situ-grown p-COFs can accelerate the spatial migration rate of charge carriers by forming proper band alignment with the p-SiNWs. The crystalline π-conjugated network of p-COFs with abundant amino groups also promotes the electron transfer and anti-cTnI immobilizing process. The developed photocathodic immunosensor demonstrates a broad detection range of 5 pg/mL-10 ng/mL and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.36 pg/mL in clinical serum samples. Besides, the PEC sensor owns several advantages including good stability and superior anti-interference ability. By comparing our results with that of the commercial ELISA method, the relative deviations range from 0.06 to 0.18% (n = 3), and the recovery rates range from 95.4 to 109.5%. This work displays a novel strategy to design efficient and stable PEC sensing platforms for cTnI detection in real-life serums and provides guidance in future clinical diagnosis.

Puerarin Alleviates H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress and Blood-Milk Barrier Impairment in Dairy Cows.

During the perinatal period, the bovine mammary epithelial cells of dairy cows exhibit vigorous metabolism and produce large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The resulting redox balance disruption leads to oxidative stress, one of the main causes of mastitis. Puerarin (PUE) is a natural flavonoid in the root of PUE that has attracted extensive attention as a potential antioxidant. This study first investigated whether PUE could reduce oxidative damage and mastitis induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro and elucidated the molecular mechanism. In vitro, BMECs (Bovine mammary epithelial cells) were divided into four treatment groups: Control group (no treatment), H2O2 group (H2O2 stimulation), PUE + H2O2 group (H2O2 stimulation before PUE rescue) and PUE group (positive control). The growth of BMECs in each group was observed, and oxidative stress-related indices were detected. Fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of tightly linked genes, antioxidant genes, and inflammatory factors. The expression of p65 protein was detected by Western blot. In vivo, twenty cows with an average age of 5 years having given birth three times were divided into the normal dairy cow group, normal dairy cow group fed PUE, mastitis dairy cow group fed PUE, and mastitis dairy cow group fed PUE (n = 5). The contents of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in milk and serum were detected. In BMECs, the results showed that the PUE treatment increased the activities of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC); ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were reduced. Thus, PUE alleviated H2O2-induced oxidative stress in vitro. In addition, the PUE treatment eliminated the inhibition of H2O2 on the expression of oxidation genes and tight junction genes, and the enrichment degree of NRF-2, HO-1, xCT, and tight junctions (claudin4, occludin, ZO-1 and symplekin) increased. The PUE treatment also inhibited the expression of NF-κB-associated inflammatory factors (IL-6 and IL-8) and the chemokine CCL5 in H2O2-induced BMECs. In vivo experiments also confirmed that feeding PUE can reduce the expression of inflammatory factors in the milk and serum of lactating dairy cows. In conclusion, PUE can effectively reduce the oxidative stress of bovine mammary epithelial cells, enhance the tight junctions between cells, and play an anti-inflammatory role. This study provides a theoretical basis for PUE prevention and treatment of mastitis and oxidative stress. The use of PUE should be considered as a feed additive in future dairy farming.

Assessing Genomic Diversity and Signatures of Selection in Chinese Red Steppe Cattle Using High-Density SNP Array.

Chinese Red Steppe Cattle (CRS), a composite cattle breed, is well known for its milk production, high slaughter rate, carcass traits, and meat quality. Nowadays, it is widely bred in Jilin and Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous region. However, the population structure and the genetic basis of prominent characteristics of CRS are still unknown. In this study, we systematically describe their population structure, genetic diversity, and selection signature based on genotyping data from 61 CRS individuals with GGP Bovine 100 K chip. The results showed that CRS cattle had low inbreeding levels and had formed a unique genetic structure feature. Using two complementary methods (including comprehensive haplotype score and complex likelihood ratio), we identified 1291 and 1285 potentially selected genes, respectively. There were 141 genes annotated in common 106 overlapping genomic regions covered 5.62 Mb, including PLAG1, PRKG2, DGAT1, PARP10, TONSL, ADCK5, and BMP3, most of which were enriched in pathways related to muscle growth and differentiation, milk production, and lipid metabolism. This study will contribute to understanding the genetic mechanism behind artificial selection and give an extensive reference for subsequent breeding.

6-Gingerol Improves In Vitro Porcine Embryo Development by Reducing Oxidative Stress.

6-Gingerol, the main active ingredient in ginger, exhibits a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, and can affect cell development. However, the effects of 6-gingerol on mammalian reproductive processes, especially early embryonic development, are unclear. This study explored whether 6-gingerol can be used to improve the quality of in vitro-cultured porcine embryos. The results showed that 5 µM 6-gingerol significantly increased the blastocyst formation rates of porcine early embryos. 6-Gingerol attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation and autophagy, increased intracellular glutathione levels, and increased mitochondrial activity. In addition, 6-gingerol upregulated NANOG, SRY-box transcription factor 2, cytochrome c oxidase subunit II, mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase, and RPTOR independent companion of MTOR complex 2 while downregulating Caspase 3, baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5, autophagy related 12, and Beclin 1. Most importantly, 6-gingerol significantly increased the levels of p-extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 while reducing the levels of p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2/3 and p-p38. These results indicate that 6-gingerol can promote the development of porcine early embryos in vitro.

TBX2 affects proliferation, apoptosis and cholesterol generation by regulating mitochondrial function and autophagy in bovine cumulus cell.

BACKGROUND: T-box transcription factor 2 (TBX2) is a member of T-box gene family whose members are highly conserved in evolution and encoding genes and are involved in the regulation of developmental processes. The encoding genes play an important role in growth and development. Although TBX2 has been widely studied in cancer cell growth and development, its biological functions in bovine cumulus cells remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of TBX2 in bovine cumulus cells. METHODS: TBX2 gene was knockdown with siRNA to clarify the function in cellular physiological processes. Cell proliferation and cycle changes were determined by xCELLigence cell function analyzer and flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential and autophagy were detected by fluorescent dye staining and immunofluorescence techniques. Western blot and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to detect the expression changes of proliferation and autophagy-related proteins. Aadenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, glucose metabolism, and cholesterol synthesis of cumulus cells were measured by optical density and chemiluminescence analysis. RESULTS: After inhibition of TBX2, the cell cycle was disrupted. The levels of apoptosis, ratio of light chain 3 beta II/I, and reactive oxygen species were increased. The proliferation, expansion ability, ATP production, and the amount of cholesterol secreted by cumulus cells were significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: TBX2 plays important roles in regulating the cells' proliferation, expansion, apoptosis, and autophagy; maintaining the mitochondrial function and cholesterol generation of bovine cumulus cells.

KRAS Affects the Lipid Composition by Regulating Mitochondrial Functions and MAPK Activation in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), or guanosine triphosphatase KRAS, is a proto-oncogene that encodes the small guanosine triphosphatase transductor protein. Previous studies have found that KRAS can promote cytokine secretion, cell chemotaxis, and survival. However, its effects on milk fat synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells are unclear. In this study, the effects of KRAS inhibition on cell metabolism, autophagy, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial function, and lipid composition as well as the potential mechanisms were detected in an immortalized dairy cow mammary epithelial cell line (MAC-T). The results showed that inhibition of KRAS changed the lipid composition (especially the triglyceride level), mitochondrial functions, autophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in cells. Moreover, KRAS inhibition regulated the levels of the mammalian target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular regulated protein kinases, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, p38) activation. These results indicated that regulation of KRAS would affect the synthesis and composition of milk fat. These results are also helpful for exploring the synthesis and secretion of milk fat at the molecular level and provide a theoretical basis for improving the percentage of fat in milk and the yield of milk from cows.

Au aerogel for selective CO2electroreduction to CO: ultrafast preparation with high performance.

Noble metal aerogels (NMAs) have been used in a variety of (photo-)electrocatalytic reactions, but pure Au aerogel (AG) has not been used in CO2electroreduction to date. To explore the potential application in this direction, AG was prepared to be used as the cathode in CO2electroreduction to CO. However, the gelation time of NMAs is usually very long, up to several weeks. Here, an excess NaBH4and turbulence mixing-promoted gelation approach was developed by introducing magnetic stirring as an external force field, which therefore greatly shortened the formation time of Au gels to several seconds. The AG-3 (AG with Au loading of 0.003 g) exhibited a high CO Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 95.6% at an extremely low overpotential of 0.39 V, and over 91% of CO FE was reached in a wide window of -0.4 to -0.7 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Partial current density in CO was measured to be -19.35 mA cm-2at -0.8 V versus RHE under 1 atm of CO2. The excellent performance should be ascribed to its porous structure, abundant active sites, and large electrochemical active surface area. It provides a new method for preparation of AG with ultrafast gelation time and large production at room temperature, and the resulting pure AG was for the first time used in the field of CO2electroreduction.

KRAS Affects Adipogenic Differentiation by Regulating Autophagy and MAPK Activation in 3T3-L1 and C2C12 Cells.

Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog (Kras) is a proto-oncogene that encodes the small GTPase transductor protein KRAS, which has previously been found to promote cytokine secretion, cell survival, and chemotaxis. However, its effects on preadipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation are unclear. In this study, the effects of KRAS inhibition on proliferation, autophagy, and adipogenic differentiation as well as its potential mechanisms were analyzed in the 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cell lines. The results showed that KRAS was localized mainly in the nuclei of 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells. Inhibition of KRAS altered mammalian target of rapamycin (Mtor), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Pcna), Myc, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/ebp-ß), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (Dgat1), and stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1) expression, thereby reducing cell proliferation capacity while inducing autophagy, enhancing differentiation of 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells into mature adipocytes, and increasing adipogenesis and the capacity to store lipids. Moreover, during differentiation, KRAS inhibition reduced the levels of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) activation. These results show that KRAS has unique regulatory effects on cell proliferation, autophagy, adipogenic differentiation, and lipid accumulation.

Regulation of FSH Synthesis by Differentially Expressed miR-488 in Anterior Adenohypophyseal Cells.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which is synthesized and released by the hypothalamus, promotes the synthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thereby regulating the growth and reproduction of animals. GnRH analogues have been widely used in livestock production. MiRNAs, which are endogenous non-coding RNAs, have been found to play important roles in hormone regulation and other physiological processes in recent years. However, the roles of miRNAs in GnRH-mediated regulation of FSH secretion have rarely been studied. Herein, we treated bovine anterior adenohypophyseal cells with an exogenous GnRH analogue and found that miR-488 was differentially expressed. Through a combination of TargetScan prediction and dual luciferase reporter analysis, miR-488 was confirmed to be able to target the FSHB gene. Based on this finding, we verified the expression of Fshß and Lhß mRNA in the rat adenohypophysis before and after exogenous GnRH treatment in vivo and in vitro. Experiments on rat anterior adenohypophyseal cells showed that overexpression of miR-488 significantly inhibited Fshß expression and FSH synthesis, while knockdown of miR-488 had the opposite effects. Our results demonstrate that GnRH relies on miR-488 to regulate FSH synthesis, providing additional useful evidence for the significance of miRNAs in the regulation of animal reproduction.

Schisanhenol improves early porcine embryo development by regulating the phosphorylation level of MAPK.

Schisanhenol (SAL), a biphenyl cyclooctene-type lignin compound which can be extracted and isolated from many plants of the Schisandra family, exhibits a variety of biological activities including anti chronic cough, night sweating, thirst, diabetes, and obesity. However, its effects on the female reproductive system are unclear. Previous studies showed that SAL had potential antioxidant activity in heart, liver, and brain. Therefore, we hypothesized that SAL could improve porcine early development by reducing oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of SAL on preimplantation porcine embryos and the potential mechanisms. In this study, we analyzed the effects of SAL on embryo quality, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, mitochondrial function, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and the activation of MAPK pathway. The results showed that 10 µM SAL significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate, proliferation ability, and mitochondrial activity while reducing ROS accumulation and apoptosis level. During this process, the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK1/2/3, and p38 were decreased. In summary, 10 µM SAL improves porcine preimplantation embryo development by reducing ROS accumulation.

High-density Ag nanosheets for selective electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO.

To increase the specific surface area, high-density (i.e. number per unit area) Ag nanosheets (ANS) with large electrochemically active surface area and rich edge active sites over Ag plates were synthesized via a facile electrodeposition approach in a double electrode system at a constant current of -1 mA for 1800 s. By adjusting the concentration of H3BO3 (0.5 M, 0.1 M and 0.05 M), which is used to control the growth direction of ANS, ANS-20, -50, -350 were obtained with varying thickness of 20 nm, 50 nm, and 350 nm, respectively. Notably, ANS-20 showed a remarkable current density of -6.48 mA cm-2 at -0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is almost 1.6 and 2.4 times as high as those of ANS-50 and -350, respectively. Furthermore, ANS-20 exhibits the best CO selectivity of 91.2% at -0.8 V versus RHE, while the other two give 84.6% and 77.9% at the same potential. The excellent performance of ANS-20 is attributed to its rich edge active sites and large electrochemically active surface area (ECSA).

Carnosic acid improves porcine early embryonic development by inhibiting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species.

Carnosic acid (CA), a natural catechol rosin diterpene, is used as an additive in animal feeds and human foods. However, the effects of CA on mammalian reproductive processes, especially early embryonic development, are unclear. In this study, we added CA to parthenogenetically activated porcine embryos in an in vitro culture medium to explore the influence of CA on apoptosis, proliferation, blastocyst formation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, glutathione (GSH) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and embryonic development-related gene expression. The results showed that supplementation with 10 µM CA during in vitro culture significantly improved the cleavage rates, blastocyst formation rates, hatching rates, and total numbers of cells of parthenogenetically activated porcine embryos compared with no supplementation. More importantly, supplementation with CA also improved GSH levels and mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced natural ROS levels in blastomeres, upregulated Nanog, Sox2, Gata4, Cox2, Itga5, and Rictor expression, and downregulated Birc5 and Caspase3 expression. These results suggest that CA can improve early porcine embryonic development by regulating oxidative stress. This study elucidates the effects of CA on early embryonic development and their potential mechanisms, and provides new applications for improving the quality of in vitro-developed embryos.

CPEB3 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of bovine cumulus cells.

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 3 (CPEB3) is a member of the Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding family, which has been found to regulate the translation of dormant and masked mRNA in Xenopus oocytes and plays potential roles in regulating biological functions in cells and tissues. However, its role in cumulus cells is not clear. In this study, the mRNA expression of CPEB3 in bovine cumulus cells was inhibited with small interfering RNA. Cell cycle progression, proliferation, and apoptosis were measured after inhibition of CPEB3. Subsequently, changes in intracellular Reactive oxygen species content, mitochondrial membrane potential and expansion-related gene expression were examined. The results showed that after CPEB3 inhibition, cumulus cells had an abnormal cell cycle, the numbers of cells in the S and G2/M phases were significantly increased, cell proliferation was increased and apoptosis rates were decreased. These effects were likely due CPEB3 inhibition-induced decreases in intracellular Reactive oxygen species levels; increases in mitochondrial membrane potential; decreases in apoptosis; downregulation of CCNA, CCND, CCNE, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, p21, and p27 mRNA expression; and upregulation of CCNB, CDK1, HAS2, PTGS2, PTX3, and CEBPB mRNA expression. Therefore, CPEB3 plays potential roles in regulating the biological and physiological functions of bovine cumulus cell.

L-Arginine and N-carbamoylglutamic acid supplementation enhance young rabbit growth and immunity by regulating intestinal microbial community.

OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of L-arginine (L-Arg) and N-carbamoylglutamic acid (NCG) on the growth, metabolism, immunity and community of cecal bacterial flora of weanling and young rabbits. METHODS: Eighteen normal-grade male weanling Japanese White Rabbits (JWR) were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups with or without L-Arg and NCG supplementation. The whole feeding process was divided into weanling stage (Day 37 to 65) and young stage (Day 66 to 85). The effects of L-Arg and NCG on the growth, metabolism, immunity and development of the ileum and jejunum were compared via nutrient metabolism experiments and histological assessment. The different communities of cecal bacterial flora affected by L-Arg and NCG were assessed using high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: The addition of L-Arg and NCG were able to enhance the growth of weanling and young rabbit by increasing the nitrogen metabolism, protein efficiency ratio, and biological value, as well as feed intake, daily weight gain. Both L-Arg and NCG were able to increase the concentration of IgA, IgM, and IgG. NCG was superior to L-Arg in promoting intestinal villus development by increasing villus height and V/C index, reducing the crypt depth. The effects of L-Arg and NCG on the cecal bacterial flora were mainly concentrated in different genera, including Parabacteroides, Roseburia, dgA-11_gut_group, Alistipes, Bacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005. These bacteria function mainly in amino acid transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, lipid transport and metabolism, recombination and repair, cell cycle control, cell division, and cell motility. CONCLUSION: L-Arg and NCG have promotional ability on the growth and immunity of weanling and young Japanese White Rabbits, as well as their effects on the jejunum and ileum villi. L-Arg and NCG have different effects in the promotion of nutrient utilization, relieving inflammation and enhancing adaptability through regulating microbial community.

Imperatorin improves in vitro porcine embryo development by reducing oxidative stress and autophagy.

Imperatorin (IMP), a furanocoumarin derivative with many biological properties and pharmacological activities, is widely used as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer, cardiovascular and neuroprotective agent. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of IMP on early embryo development in pigs as well as the potential mechanisms. Our results showed that IMP can enhance the developmental competence of porcine early embryos. Supplementation of in vitro culture medium with 40 µM IMP significantly increased the blastocyst rate and total cell number. At the same time, apoptosis of blastocysts was also significantly decreased in the supplemented group compared with the control group, in accordance with the subsequent results of FAS and CASP3 gene expression analysis. Furthermore, IMP attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, increased fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Importantly, IMP not only improved the activity of mitochondria but also inhibited the occurrence of autophagy. In addition, pluripotency-related genes (OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2) and a growth and metabolism regulatory gene (mTOR) were upregulated after IMP supplementation on Day 7. These results demonstrate that IMP exerts a beneficial effect on preimplantation embryo development by reducing oxidative stress and autophagy.

Preparation of a new type 2 diabetic miniature pig model via the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Diabetes has become one of the major noninfectious diseases that seriously endanger public health. The formation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) affects the normal physiological functions of the body, such as glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. The mature human IAPP protein (hIAPP) has a strong tendency to misfold and is considered to be one of the major causes of amyloid changes in islets. Deposition of hIAPP is considered to be one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Miniature pigs are experimental animal models that are well suited for research on gene function and human diabetes. In our study, we obtained IAPP gene-humanized miniature pigs via the CRISPR/Cas9 system and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology. The hIAPP pigs can be used to further study the pathogenesis and related complications of T2DM and to lay a solid foundation for the prevention and treatment of T2DM.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 1 regulates cell cycle progression and apoptosis in cumulus cells by affecting mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and autophagy.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) is differentially expressed in cumulus cells of different physiological states, but its specific function and mechanism of action remain unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of DUSP1 expression inhibition on cell cycle progression, proliferation, apoptosis, and lactate and cholesterol levels in cumulus cells and examined reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial function, autophagy, and the expression of key cytokine genes. The results showed that inhibition of DUSP1 in cumulus cells caused abnormal cell cycle progression, increased cell proliferation, decreased apoptosis rates, increased cholesterol synthesis and lactic acid content, and increased cell expansion. The main reason for these effects was that inhibition of DUSP1 reduced ROS accumulation, increased glutathione level and mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced autophagy levels in cells. These results indicate that DUSP1 limits the biological function of bovine cumulus cells under normal physiological conditions and will greatly contribute to further explorations of the physiological functions of cumulus cells and the interactions of the cumulus-oocyte complex.