Effect of miR-29b-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway on progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats

AIM: To investigate the role of microRNA-29b (miR-29b)-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and its effect on the progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats.METHODS: Hepatic liver fibrosis rat model was established, and its HSC were isolated. Normal rat HSC were also obtained and identified in vitro. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the alterations of miR-29b, TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins and liver fibrosis marker proteins in the acquired cells. Finally, the direct targeting binding of miR-29b to TGF-β1 was identified by dual-luciferase reporter assay system.RESULTS: With the activation of HSC, the expression of miR-29b gradually decreased (P<0.01), while the expression of collagen type I and α-smooth muscle actin gradually increased (P<0.01). At the same time, the expression of Smad2/3/4 was significantly increased, and the expression of Smad7 was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-29b bound directly to "UCUCUCCGU" in the 3'UTR of TGF-β1, indicating that TGF-β1 was a downstream target gene of miR-29b.CONCLUSION: miR-29b may be involved in the inhibition of HSC activation and migration, thereby inhibiting the process of liver fibrosis. The biological function of miR-29b may be through the direct targeting of TGF-β1, thus regulating and inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.     

Role of ghrelin in cell protection by up-regulating HSP70 through ERK1/2 signaling pathway in PC12 cells

AIM:To study the role of ghrelin in cell protection by up-regulating heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and inhibiting apoptosis induced by oxidative stress through extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway in the PC12 cells. METHODS:Sodium nitoprusside (SNP) was used to induce oxidative stress injury in the PC12 cells. The cultured PC12 cells were divided into SNP-injured group (incubated with SNP at 0.5 mmol/L for 6, 12, 18 and 24 h), ghrelin pretreatment group (ghrelin at 100 nmol/L was given 30 min before adding SNP); HSP70 inhibitor group (quercetin at 10 μmol/L was added 60 min before ghrelin treatment), ERK inhibitor group (ERK 1/2 inhibitor PD98059 was added 60 min before ghrelin treatment) and control group (added same amount of culture medium only). The apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry. The protein expression was determined by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS:Compared with control group, the apoptotic rate of PC12 cells in SNP-injured group was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with SNP-injured group, ghrelin (100 nmol/L) pretreatment significantly inhibited SNP-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells (P<0.05), and significantly up-regulated the protein expression of HSP70 (P<0.05). Time-effect analysis showed that ghrelin had the most significant effect at 18 h after SNP injury. Quercetin, an inhibitor of HSP 70, significantly reduced the anti-apoptotic effect of ghrelin (P<0.05). Ghrelin pretreatment promoted the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 significantly inhibited the effects of ghrelin on up-regulation of HSP70 expression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Ghrelin upregulates the expression of HSP70 and inhibits the apoptosis in the PC12 cells induced by oxidative stress by promoting the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.     

Orange peel fragment improves antioxidant capacity and haematological profile of Nile tilapia subjected to heat/dissolved oxygen‐induced stress

This study evaluated the ability of orange peel fragment (OPF) to act as a functional feedstuff, influencing growth, haematological profile, and antioxidant enzyme activity of Nile tilapia subjected heat/dissolved oxygen‐induced stress (HDOIS). A group of 440 male Nile tilapia (31.7 g ± 0.34) was randomly distributed in 40 250‐L aquaria (11 fish/tank) and fed five practical diets with graded levels of OPF at 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8% for 70 days. The diets were formulated to contain 30% crude protein and 18 MJ/kg crude energy. After the feeding period, growth performance was evaluated and six fish per treatment were sampled for haematological profile and antioxidant enzyme activity, before and after HDOIS. Then, fish were subjected to HDOIS (32°C/2.3 mg/L dissolved oxygen) for three days and the same haematological profile and antioxidant enzyme activity were determined. There was no effect of OPF on the haematological profile, either before or after HDOIS. The polynomial regression model was used to express the relationship between antioxidant enzymes activity and OPF supplementation level. The maximum activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase was reached at 0.66%, 0.63%, and 0.68% of OPF respectively. Results of the present study suggest that a dietary supplementation level of 0.63%–0.68% of orange peel fragment was appropriate to maintain Nile tilapia haematological profile and improve its antioxidant capacity under HDOIS.     

豫北山区“粮—草—羊”高效平衡养羊模式现状

从粮食作物、经济作物及饲草的种植,饲草料的加工调制与利用,全舍饲肉羊的养殖及杂交繁育,以及羊粪尿的资源化利用等方面介绍了豫北山区“粮—草—羊”高效平衡养羊模式发展现状,以期为促进豫北山区资源可持续利用、山区生态环境良性循环和社会经济可持续发展提供思路。     

围产期饲喂过瘤胃胆碱对奶牛生产性能及血液生化指标的影响

本试验旨在研究围产期奶牛饲喂过瘤胃胆碱(RPC)对泌乳性能、血液生化指标及繁殖性能的影响。试验采用单因素试验设计,选用60头年龄、胎次、预产期、上一胎次产奶量相近的健康围产期奶牛,随机分为3组,每组20头。Ⅰ组饲喂基础日粮,Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组在基础日粮上分别添加25 g/d和50 g/d RPC,饲喂期从产前3周至产后3周,共42 d。结果表明:Ⅱ组产奶量在产后1~8周显著高于Ⅰ组和Ⅲ组(P0.05);在产后第2周,Ⅲ组的乳脂率、乳蛋白率显著高于Ⅰ组(P0.05);在整个试验期,Ⅱ组的谷丙转氨酶含量显著低于Ⅰ组(P0.05),Ⅲ组的天门冬氨酸转氨酶显著含量低于Ⅰ组(P0.05);产后第1周和第2周,Ⅱ组的β-羟丁酸、非酯化脂肪酸含量显著低于Ⅰ组(P0.05);Ⅱ组的甘油三酯含量显著高于Ⅰ组和Ⅲ组(P0.05),Ⅲ组的总胆固醇含量显著高于Ⅰ组(P0.05);日粮中添加RPC可以显著提高情期受胎率(P0.05),显著缩减奶牛空怀天数(P0.05),也对产后初次配种时间的缩短和配种次数的降低有影响。日粮中添加RPC可提高围产期奶牛生产性能,对血液生化指标和繁殖性能产生有利影响,本试验条件下RPC最佳添加剂量为每头牛25 g/d。     

2个与HSP70基因连锁的微卫星座位与牛运输应激性状的关联分析

试验探讨了2个与HSP70基因连锁的微卫星座位与牛运输应激性状的关联分析。选择120头12月龄、体重250 kg左右的健康西门塔尔杂种肉牛进行运输应激试验，并根据牛基因组遗传图谱，选择23号染色体上与HSP70基因连锁的微卫星座位BMS468和BM1258检测其在西门塔尔杂种肉牛样本群体中的多态性，采用最小二乘拟合一般线性模型分析微卫星座位与运输应激性状部分指标之间的关联效应。结果显示：微卫星座位BMS468共检测到5个等位基因（128、134、140、146、154 bp），优势等位基因为128和134 bp，有效等位基因数（Ne）、多态信息含量（PIC）和遗传杂合度（He）分别为3.66、0.68和0.73，遗传多态性较高，关联分析显示与运输后7 d平均日增重和发病率显著相关，其中128/128 bp基因型个体的运输后7 d平均日增重最大（P < 0.05），134/128 bp基因型个体的发病率最低（P < 0.05）；微卫星座位BM1258座位共检测到6个等位基因（99、101、103、113、117、119 bp），优势基因为101 bp，Ne、PIC和He分别为4.30、0.73和0.77，遗传多态性较丰富，关联分析显示，其与发病率显著相关，其中99/99 bp基因型个体的发病率最低（P < 0.05）。综上所述，2个微卫星座位可作为牛运输应激性状的潜在遗传标记，为开展牛抗运输应激性状的标记辅助选择提供科学依据。     

围产期奶牛血钙影响因素及其与生产性能关系分析

本试验旨在探究围产期奶牛血钙浓度影响因素及其与生产性能的关系。于2018年7月20日—8月15日对北京地区36头围产期健康荷斯坦牛的血钙浓度进行测定,收集该牛场奶牛生产性能测定(DHI)报告,利用固定效应模型分析不同胎次、体况评分(BCS)、健康状况及血钙浓度变异度对血钙浓度的影响。结果表明:血钙浓度与产后天数存在显著的正向相关关系;经产牛的血钙浓度(1.40 mmol/L)极显著高于初产牛(1.31 mmol/L);不同BCS分组奶牛血钙浓度差异不显著;健康组的血钙浓度(1.41 mmol/L)显著高于患病组(1.30 mmol/L);血钙浓度变异度的大小影响奶牛的产奶量,初产奶牛低变异度组的产奶量(16.70 kg/d)显著高于中变异度组(9.75 kg/d)和高变异度组(5.63 kg/d)。本研究进一步揭示了围产期荷斯坦牛血钙浓度的变化规律以及其影响因素,为预防奶牛产后低血钙症的发生以及制定提高奶牛生产性能的饲养管理策略提供参考。     

我国蔬菜作物耐低温性研究进展

低温胁迫是蔬菜生产过程中的主要逆境因子，对蔬菜作物的生长发育、商品产量形成影响极大。本文综述了蔬菜作物耐低温性的遗传模型、生理调节和分子机制，展望了蔬菜作物耐低温性的研究前景。     

盐碱交互胁迫对生姜产量和品质的影响及其数学模型的建立

采用二次饱和D- 最优设计，研究营养液pH 与盐交互胁迫对生姜产量和品质的影响，建立了以pH、盐水平为变量因子，生姜产量和品质为目标函数的二元二次数学模型。模型解析表明，pH 与盐水平对生姜的产量和品质存在显著的交互效应，盐水平为产量的主效应因子，pH 为品质的主效应因子。较低水平的pH 变化对生姜产量无显著影响，当pH 升至7.70时，生姜产量随pH 升高呈快速下降趋势；随盐含量的升高，生姜产量持续降低。随pH 的升高，生姜品质呈缓慢降低的趋势；盐含量在低于77.91 mmol · L^-1 时，生姜品质随盐含量的增加而升高，之后则随盐含量的增加而降低。