Fish decay-accelerating factor (DAF) regulates intestinal complement pathway and immune response to bacterial challenge.

Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is an essential member of the complement regulatory protein family that plays an important role in immune response and host homeostasis in mammals. However, the immune function of DAF has not been well characterized in bony fish. In this study, a complement regulatory protein named CiDAF was firstly characterized from Ctenopharyngodon idella and its potential roles were investigated in intestine following bacterial infection. Similar to mammalian DAFs, CiDAF has multiple complement control protein (CCP) functional domains, suggesting the evolutionary conservation of DAFs. CiDAF was broadly expressed in all tested tissues, with a relatively high expression level detected in the spleen and kidney. In vivo immune challenge experiments revealed that CiDAF strongly responded to bacterial pathogens (Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas veronii) and PAMPs (lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or muramyl dipeptide (MDP)) challenges. In vitro RNAi experiments indicated that knockdown of CiDAF could upregulate the expression of complement genes (C4b, C5 and C7) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8). Moreover, 2000 ng/mL of CiDAF agonist progesterone effectively alleviated LPS- or MDP-induced intestinal inflammation by regulating expression of complement factors, TLR/PepT1 pathway genes and inflammatory cytokines. Overall, these findings revealed that CiDAF may act as a negative regulator of intestinal complement pathway and immune response to bacterial challenge in grass carp.

Metal exsolution from perovskite-based anodes in solid oxide fuel cells.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are highly efficient and environmentally friendly devices for converting fuel into electrical energy. In this regard, metal nanoparticles (NPs) loaded onto the anode oxide play a crucial role due to their exceptional catalytic activity. NPs synthesized through exsolution exhibit excellent dispersion and stability, garnering significant attention for comprehending the exsolution process mechanism and consequently improving synthesis effectiveness. This review presents recent advancements in the exsolution process, focusing on the influence of oxygen vacancies, A-site defects, lattice strain, and phase transformation on the variation of the octahedral crystal field in perovskites. Moreover, we offer insights into future research directions to further enhance our understanding of the mechanism and achieve significant exsolution of NPs on perovskites.

Effects of M. oleifera leaf extract on the growth, physiological response and related immune gene expression of crucian carp fingerlings under Aeromonas hydrophila infection.

We evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with Moringa oleifera leaf extract on the resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila infection in crucian carp. The fish were randomly divided into five groups: the basal diet, the basal diet supplied with 0.25% (0.25 M), 0.5% (0.5 M), 0.75% (0.75 M) and 1.0% M. oleifera leaf extract (1.0 M) for 8 weeks. The growth, antioxidant capabilities, related immune genes as well as resistance to A. hydrophila infection were determined. The results showed that compared with the control group, the weight gain, specific growth rate in the group of 0.5% M. oleifera leaf extract, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), albumin (ALB) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), the gene expression of hepatopancreas BTB and CNC homolog 1 (Bach1), NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxidases (PRX) and NADPH oxidase (NOX) in the group of 0.5%-1.0% M. oleifera leaf extract increased, while feed conversion ratio, serum cortisol, red blood cell (RBC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malonaldehyde (MDA) decreased in the group of 0.5%-1.0% M. oleifera leaf extract before the stress. After the infection, the group of 0.5% or 0.75% M. oleifera leaf extract also could improve the serum ALB, hepatopancreas Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), Bach1, Nrf2, TOR, PRX and NOX and reduce cortisol compared with the control group. In summary, this study suggested that 0.5% M. oleifera leaf extract inclusion increased the growth performance, even had positive effects on physiological and immune function, and enhanced resistance against pathogenic infections in crucian carp. The optimum level of M. oleifera leaf extract for crucian carp was estimated to be 0.35%-0.48% based on polynomial comparison with FCR and SGR.

Distribution and Developmental Changes of Neuropeptide Y and Its Y1 Receptor-like Immunoreactive Cells in the Duck Thymus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and developmental changes of Neuropeptide-Y (NPY) and its Y1 receptor (NPYY1)-like immunoreactivity cells in the duck thymus using immunohistochemistry associated with morphological analysis. STUDY DESIGN: Studies were carried out on Tianfu ducks on days 14, 18, 22, and 26 of embryogenesis (E14, E18, E22, and E26) as well as at 0 (neonatal stage), 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 26, 29, and 32 weeks of postnatal development (P0, P1, P3, P5, P8, P11, P14, P17, P20, P26, P29, and P32). RESULTS: NPY-like immunoreactivity (NPY-ir) was detected mainly in the epithelial reticular cells and vascular smooth muscles, slightly in the lymphocytes from E26 onwards. On E26, NPY-ir was restricted to the epithelial reticular cells of diffuse forms of Hassall's corpuscle (DHC). The integral optical density (IOD) values of NPY-ir cells in the cortex and medulla did not significantly change from P0 to P17, but then dramatically rose from P20 to P32. NPYY1-like immunoreactivity (NPYY1-ir) was observed mainly in the lymphocytes, slightly in the epithelial reticular cells of DHC and the vascular smooth muscles from E18 onwards. The IOD values of NPYY1-ir cells significantly increased from E18 to E22, then kept unchanged until P0, greatly increased on P3, and then remained stable until P17 but dramatically increased from P20 to P32. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the possible interaction between NPY and NPYY1 may take place within the duck thymus chiefly during postembryonic development, which might be of great importance for the function of thymocytes, as well as duck thymus involution.

The molecular mechanism of G2M cell cycle arrest induced by AFB1 in the jejunum.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has potent hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, genotoxic, immunotoxic and other adverse effects in human and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of G2/M cell cycle arrest induced by AFB1 in the jejunum of broilers. Broilers, as experimental animals, were fed 0.6 mg/kg AFB1 diet for 3 weeks. Our results showed that AFB1 reduced the jejunal villus height, villus height/crypt ratio and caused G2/M cell cycle arrest. The G2/M cell cycle was accompanied by the increase of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), p53, Chk2, p21 protein and mRNA expression, and the decrease of Mdm2, cdc25C, cdc2, cyclin B and proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein and mRNA expression. In conclusion, AFB1 blocked G2/M cell cycle by ATM pathway in the jejunum of broilers.