Genome-wide detection of selective signals for fecundity traits in goats (Capra hircus).

Fecundity in livestock is an economically important complex quantitative trait that is influenced by both genetics and the environment. However, the underlying genetic mechanism of reproductive performance in goats has not been well investigated. To investigate the genomic basis of fecundity in goats, genomic sequencing data of the Jining grey goat (a high prolificacy breed in China) were collected, as well as data for other commonly available goat breeds, and a mass of genomic variants were generated after variation calling. We screened the Jining grey goat (20 individuals) using a selective sweep with the Asian wild goat population (5 individuals), and potential candidate genes were proposed, such as STIM1, ESR1, LRRC14B and SLC9A3. Among, STIM1 is a most promising one associated with high reproductive capacity. When compared to Chinese domestic goats with low fecundity (17 individuals), the genes including MLLT10, SPIRE2, TCF25, ZNF276 and FANCA were screened, and the SPIRE2 gene was thought to be associated with fecundity traits. Meanwhile, the functional enrichment of these candidate genes revealed that they were involved in biological processes of mammary gland morphogenesis, uterus development, gastrulation, mesoderm morphogenesis and formation, and blood vessel development, which might undergo natural or artificial selection during reproductive trait formation in goats. Thus, our findings could enrich the genetic basis of reproductive trait selection during goat domestication, which may serve to improve goat breeding practices.

[Treatment of thalassemia major with unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: Allogeneic marrow transplantation is a curative therapy for thalassemia, but no more than 30% of patients have HLA-indentical sibling marrow donor. The selection of alternative donors of unrelative marrow and the study on the probability of treating thalassemia major with unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation are of importance. METHODS: Nine children with thalassemia were included in the study, and their gene mutational type were homozygote of thalassemia and double heterozygote, respectively. All of them were finally diagnosed of thalassemia major, and treated with unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation. To high-resolution HLA typing, two patients were matched, five had one unmatched isoform and two had two unmatched isoforms. The erythrocyte blood type was not matched in six patients. The preparative regimen included busulfan (oral use, 16 mg/kg, divided for 4 days), cyclophosphamide (intravenous use, 200 mg/kg, divided for 4 days), antithymocyte immunoglobulin (intravenous use, 30 mg/kg, divided for 3 days), and fludarabine (intravenous use, 125 mg/m(2), divided for 3 days). Ciclosporin A and methotrexate were used for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. RESULTS: All patients had allergen reactions. One had hypotension. Five patients experienced I degrees approximately III degrees acute GVHD in the skin, while one had II degrees acute GVHD in liver. One patient had III degrees GVHD of intestines and gradually developed chronic GVHD in the skin, lungs and brain. One patient died of pulmonary hemorrhage. The duration when peripheral blood neutrophil count exceeded 0.5 x 10(9)/L was 12 - 26 days. The recovery time of WBC was as long as 23 - 110 days. Thrombocytes exceeded 50 x 10(9) within 61 approximately 142 days. The time when hemoglobin reached 100 g/L varied from 23 to 116 days. The last blood transfusion was on 13 - 62 days. Eight patients were fully grafted, while one was not grafted. During the 6 - 24 months of follow-up, seven patients' genotype of thalassemia major became normal. The erythrocyte blood type of five patients also changed into the same as that of donor. The hemoglobin was kept over 110 g/L without blood transfusion. CONCLUSION: The transplantation of unrelated donor bone marrow for thalassemia major was successful. Unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation could cure thalassemia major, which expanded the marrow donor source for the transplantation of thalassemia major.

Unrelated bone marrow transplantation for beta-thalassemia major: report of the first 2 successful cases in Asia.

We report our experience in successful unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation in 2 cases of beta-thalassemia major, which are approved to be the first 2 cases in Asia. The 2 children receiving transplantation of the bone marrow from unrelated donors were diagnosed as having beta-thalassemia major, whose gene mutation type was homozygous and double heterozygote. High-resolution HLA typing found a mismatch with 1 sub-locus in both cases, and red blood cell type was mismatched in 1 case. Pretransplant conditioning protocol contained busulfan (BU, 16 mg/kg x b.w.), cyclosphamide (CY, 200 mg/kg x b.w.), anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG, 90 mg/kg x b.w.) and fludarabine (25 mg x d-1 x m-2). To prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) episodes, cyclosporine-A (Cs-A) and methotrexate (MTX) were administered. The 2 cases experienced condition resembling serum sickness during pretransplant conditioning. After bone marrow transplantation, 1 case had grade acute GVHD in the skin, another developed grade acute GVHD in both the skin and intestinal tract, but the condition was brought under control in both cases after proper treatment. The time for peripheral neutrophil granulocyte recovery to above 0.5 x 10(9)/L was 19 and 16 days postoperatively, respectively, and the time of WBC recovery to normal was 54 and 80 days postoperatively. Platelet recovery to over 50 x 10(9)/L occurred on postoperative days 61 and 90, and Hb recovered to above 100 g/L in both case on days 110 and 83 respectively. The time of final blood transfusion was 53 and 62 days postoperatively for the 2 patients. Gene mutation type in the 2 cases was switched to normal of the donors. After retrieval of relative literature, the 2 cases were approved as the first 2 successful unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation cases in Asia. This will provide a new possibility of donor supply for hematopoietic stem cells transplantation in thalassemia.