ABSTRACT
<b>Objective::To investigate the effect of Houpu Mahuangtang on airway inflammation and expressions of gene and proteins of Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, vanilloid 1 (TRPA1, TRPV1) in asthmatic mice. <b>Method::Sixty female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into six groups: control group, model group, low, medium and high-dose Houpu Mahuangtang groups (7, 14, 28 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>) and dexamethasone group (0.002 4 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>), with 10 mice in each group. A mouse model of asthma was replicated by sensitizing and challenging with ovalbumin. The changes of enhanced pause (Penh) following acetylcholine chloride (ACh) inhalation were detected. The pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed. The number of eosinophils (EOS) in peripheral blood and the percentage of EOS in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected. Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, prostaglandin D<sub>2</sub> (PGD<sub>2</sub>) and substance P (SP) were detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of TRPA1 and TRPV1 gene and protein in lung tissues were detected by Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot. <b>Result::Compared with control group, mice of model group showed significantly increased in Penh following ACh inhalation (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01), EOS in blood and the percentage of EOS in BALF (<italic>P</italic><0.01). Histopathological changes in lungs showed inflammatory cell infiltration and bronchial mucosa damage. The levels of IL-4, IL-13, PGD<sub>2</sub> and SP in BALF and the expressions of TRPA1, TRPV1 mRNA and protein in lung tissues significantly increased (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01). Compared with model group, treatment groups had significant effects in decreasing Penh, relieving lung injury, reducing EOS count in blood and the percentage of EOS in BALF (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01), reducing IL-4, IL-13, PGD<sub>2</sub> and SP levels in BALF (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01), as well as down-regulating TRPA1 and TRPV1 mRNA and protein expressions in lung tissues (<italic>P</italic><0.05, <italic>P</italic><0.01). <b>Conclusion::Houpu Mahuangtang could reduce airway inflammation, airway responsiveness. In addition to the reduction of levels of Th2 related cytokines, the mechanism of Houpu Mahuangtang might be related to the regulation of TRPA1, TRPV1 mRNA and protein expressions, and the decrease of associated neurofactor levels.
ABSTRACT
Follistatin (FST) is involved in hair follicle morphogenesis. However, its effects on hair traits are not clear. This study was designed to investigate the effects of FST gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on wool quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). We performed gene expression analysis, SNP detection, and association analysis of FST gene with sheep wool quality traits. The real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that FST gene was differentially expressed in adult skin between Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type) and Suffolk sheep. Immunostaining showed that FST was localized in inner root sheath (IRS) and matrix of hair follicle (HF) in both SF and Suffolk sheep. Sequencing analysis identified a total of seven SNPs (termed SNPs 1-7) in the FST gene in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). Association analysis showed that SNP2 (Chr 16. 25,633,662 G>A) was significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). SNP4 (Chr 16. 25,633,569 C>T) was significantly associated with wool fineness SD and CV of fiber diameter (P < 0.05). Similarly, the haplotypes derived from these seven identified SNPs were also significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, CV of fiber diameter, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that FST influences wool quality traits and its SNPs 2 and 4 might be useful markers for marker-assisted selection and sheep breeding.
