A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Impact of Bovine Milk Containing Different Beta-Casein Profiles on Gut Health of Ageing Mice.

Ageing is often characterised by nutritional deficiencies and functional alterations of the digestive and immune system. The aim of the present study was to analyse the impact of consumption of conventional milk with A1/A2 beta-casein, compared to milk containing only the A2 beta-casein variant, characterised by a protein profile favouring gut health. Twenty-four ageing Balb-c mice (20 months old) were fed for 4 weeks, with either a control diet (CTRL), a diet supplemented with bovine milk containing A1/A2 beta-casein (A1A2) or a diet containing A2/A2 beta-casein (A2A2). Lymphocyte subpopulations, enzymatic activities, cytokine secretion, gut morphology and histopathological alterations were measured in different gut segments, while short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content and microbiota composition were evaluated in faecal samples. The A2A2 group showed higher content of faecal SCFAs (in particular, isobutyrate) of intestinal CD4+ and CD19+ lymphocytes in the intraepithelial compartment and improved villi tropism. The A1A2 group showed higher percentages of intestinal TCRγδ+ lymphocytes. Faecal microbiota identified Deferribacteriaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae as the most discriminant families for the A2A2 group, while Ruminococcaceae were associated to the A1A2 group. Taken together, these results suggest a positive role of milk, in particular when containing exclusively A2 beta-casein, on gut immunology and morphology of an ageing mice model.

Black soldier fly and gut health in broiler chickens: insights into the relationship between cecal microbiota and intestinal mucin composition.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between diet and intestinal microbiota and mucin composition appears to be fundamental for poultry gut health. The effects of insect meal (whose role as alternative feed ingredient is now well recognized) on gut microbiota and mucin composition have recently been reported in Tenebrio molitor-fed free-range and broiler chickens, but no data are currently available for Hermetia illucens (HI)-fed broilers. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary HI meal inclusion on cecal microbiota and intestinal mucin composition of broiler chickens. RESULTS: A total of 256 male broiler chickens were allotted to 4 dietary treatments (control diet [C] and 5%, 10% and 15% HI meal inclusion, with 8 replicate pens/treatment and 8 birds/pen) and slaughtered at 35 d of age (2 animals/pen, 16 birds/diet). The cecal microbiota assessment by 16S rRNA amplicon based sequencing showed lower alpha diversity in HI15 chickens (Shannon, P < 0.05) and higher beta diversity (Adonis and ANOSIM, P < 0.001) in birds fed HI diets than C. Furthermore, HI15 birds displayed significant increase of the relative abundance of Proteobacteria phylum (False Discovery Rate [FDR] <  0.05) when compared to HI10. L-Ruminococcus (Ruminococcus from Lachnospiraceae family), Faecalibacterium, Blautia and Clostridium genera were found to be characteristic of HI5 cecal microbiota (FDR < 0.05), while broiler chickens fed HI10 and HI15 diets were characterized (FDR < 0.05) by Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus (HI10) and Bacteroides, Roseburia and Helicobacter genera (HI15). Periodic-acid Schiff, Alcian Blue pH 2.5 and high iron diamine staining on small and large intestine also demonstrated lower mucin staining intensity in the intestinal villi of HI10 and HI15 birds than C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary HI meal utilization at low inclusion levels (i.e., 5%) positively influenced either the cecal microbiota or the gut mucin dynamics in terms of selection of potentially beneficial bacteria and increase in villi mucins. However, high inclusion levels (in particular the 15%) may have a negative influence in terms of partial reduction of microbial complexity, reduction of potentially beneficial bacteria, selection of bacteria with mucolytic activity and decrease in villi mucins.

Potential role of Anitschkow cells in cardiovascular disease in human and veterinary medicine: A review of the literature.

Anitschkow cells (AC) are a peculiar type of stromal cells observed in myocardium, cardiac valves and coronary vessels wall whose origin, characterization and role remain controversial. In human heart, they represent a histological hallmark of Aschoff nodules in rheumatic fever, but they have also been observed in other myocardial pathologies. Firstly, they have been considered a myocyte-derived cells, but light microscopy, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies pointed out that a macrophagic/histiocytic origin cannot be excluded. Many authors also reported extracardiac AC or an Anitschkow nuclear pattern, thus suggesting that these cells may represent a chromatin pattern rather than a specific cell type. In veterinary medicine, AC were described in myocarditis, myocardial necrosis, degenerative and inflammatory endocardial diseases of several species. Recently, AC have been observed in intramural coronary arteries of different animals (including cattle and fish) affected by arteriosclerotic processes. Stress related to the intensive livestock farming could represent a mechanotransduction promoting factor of arteriosclerotic changes allowing the development of Anitschkow chromatin pattern. Further studies both in human and veterinary medicine are needed to confirm the origin and role of these peculiar cells.

Left subclavian artery dissection associated with connective tissue abnormalities resembling Marfan-like syndrome in an English bulldog.

The unexpected demise of a 12-year-old male neutered English bulldog solicited a gross examination, which revealed a blood-filled space occurring in the proximal left subclavian artery (LSA). It originated about 1 cm from the branching point of the vessel and progressively dilated for 3 cm distal to this origin. Histopathological investigation showed that the tunica media of the LSA was more than 50% split, with the blood-filled space dissecting through the arterial wall. In the tunica media of the LSA, severe multifocal fragmentation and/or loss of the elastic fibers was observed. The retained disorganized elastic fibers were separated and disoriented due to accumulations of acid mucopolysaccharide. Marked, diffuse medial, and adventitial fibrous tissue deposition was also identified. The cause of death was attributed to acute hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis with pulmonary edema, suggesting that LSA dissection was an incidental finding. Subclavian artery dissection is extremely rare in humans, where the involvement of the LSA in cases of aortic dissection both with or without Marfan syndrome has been reported. Aortic and pulmonary artery dissection in bovines and aortic aneurysm and dissection in dogs have been reported to be associated with Marfan and Marfan-like syndromes, respectively. Histopathological findings suggestive of underlying connective tissue abnormalities resembling Marfan-like syndrome (i.e., the appearance of the elastic tissue and the degenerative changes of the tunica media) were detected in the first case of LSA dissection in dogs and veterinary medicine, herein described.