Cell-free extract from porcine induced pluripotent stem cells can affect porcine somatic cell nuclear reprogramming

Pretreatment of somatic cells with undifferentiated cell extracts, such as embryonic stem cells and mammalian oocytes, is an attractive alternative method for reprogramming control. The properties of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are similar to those of embryonic stem cells; however, no studies have reported somatic cell nuclear reprogramming using iPSC extracts. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of porcine iPSC extracts treatment on porcine ear fibroblasts and early development of porcine cloned embryos produced from porcine ear skin fibroblasts pretreated with the porcine iPSC extracts. The Chariot^TM reagent system was used to deliver the iPSC extracts into cultured porcine ear skin fibroblasts. The iPSC extracts-treated cells (iPSC-treated cells) were cultured for 3 days and used for analyzing histone modification and somatic cell nuclear transfer. Compared to the results for nontreated cells, the trimethylation status of histone H3 lysine residue 9 (H3K9) in the iPSC-treated cells significantly decreased. The expression of Jmjd2b, the H3K9 trimethylation-specific demethylase gene, significantly increased in the iPSC-treated cells; conversely, the expression of the proapoptotic genes, Bax and p53, significantly decreased. When the iPSC-treated cells were transferred into enucleated porcine oocytes, no differences were observed in blastocyst development and total cell number in blastocysts compared with the results for control cells. However, H3K9 trimethylation of pronuclear-stage-cloned embryos significantly decreased in the iPSC-treated cells. Additionally, Bax and p53 gene expression in the blastocysts was significantly lower in iPSC-treated cells than in control cells. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that an extracts of porcine iPSCs can affect histone modification and gene expression in porcine ear skin fibroblasts and cloned embryos.     

Expression of matrix metalloproteinases in bovine luteal cells induced by prostaglandin F2α, interferon γ and tumor necrosis factor α

We recently demonstrated that luteal cells flow out from the ovary via lymphatic vessels during luteolysis. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the outflow of luteal cells are not known. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) can degrade the extracellular matrix and basal membrane, and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) inhibit the activity of MMPs. To test the hypothesis that MMP expression in luteal cells is regulated by luteolytic factors, we investigated the effects of prostaglandin F2α (PGF), interferon γ (IFNG) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) on the mRNA expression of MMPs and TIMPs in cultured luteal cells. Luteal cells obtained from the CL at the mid-luteal stage (days 8–12 after ovulation) were cultured with PGF (0.01, 0.1, 1 μM), IFNG (0.05, 0.5, 5 nM) and TNF (0.05, 0.5, 0.5 nM) alone or in combination for 24 h. PGF and IFNG significantly increased the expression of MMP-1 mRNA. In addition, 1 μM PGF in combination with 5 nM IFNG stimulated MMP-1 and MMP-9 mRNA expression significantly more than either treatment alone. In contrast, IFNG significantly decreased the level of MMP-14 mRNA. The mRNA expression of TIMP-1, which preferentially inhibits MMP-1, was suppressed by 5 nM INFG. One μM PGF and 5 nM IFNG suppressed TIMP-2 mRNA expression. These results suggest a new role of MMPs: luteal MMPs stimulated by PGF and IFNG break down the extracellular matrix surrounding luteal cells, which accelerates detachment from the CL during luteolysis, providing an essential prerequisite for outflow of luteal cells from the CL to lymphatic vessels.     

Mdivi-1, mitochondrial fission inhibitor,impairs developmental competence and mitochondrial function of embryos and cells in pigs

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo constant fusion/fission as well as activities orchestrated by large dynamin-related GTPases. These dynamic mitochondrial processes influence mitochondrial morphology, size and function. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of mitochondrial fission inhibitor, mdivi-1, on developmental competence and mitochondrial function of porcine embryos and primary cells. Presumptive porcine embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with mdivi-1 (0, 10 and 50 μM) for 6 days. Porcine fibroblast cells were cultured in growth medium with mdivi-1 (0 and 50 μM) for 2 days. Our results showed that the rate of blastocyst production and cell growth in the mdivi-1 (50 μM) treated group was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in the mdivi-1 (50 μM) treated group was increased relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Subsequent evaluation revealed that the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the apoptotic index were increased by mdivi-1 (50 μM) treatment (P < 0.05). Finally, the expression of mitochondrial fission-related protein (Drp 1) was lower in the embryos and cells in the mdivi-1-treated group than the control group. Taken together, these results indicate that mdivi-1 treatment may inhibit developmental competence and mitochondrial function in porcine embryos and primary cells.     

RNAi-mediated knockdown of INHBB increases apoptosis and inhibits steroidogenesis in mouse granulosa cells

Inhibins are members of the TGFβ superfamily and act as suppressors of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion from pituitary glands via a negative feedback mechanism to regulate folliculogenesis. In this study, the INHBB gene was knocked down by three RNAi-Ready pSIREN-RetroQ-ZsGreen vector- mediated recombinant plasmids to explore the effects of INHBB silencing on granulosa cell (GC) cell cycle, apoptosis and steroid production in vitro. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, flow cytometry and ELISA were performed to evaluate the role of INHBB in the mouse GC cell cycle, apoptosis and steroid production in vitro. The results showed that the relative mRNA and protein expression of INHBB in mouse GCs can be significantly reduced by RNAi with pshRNA-B1, pshRNA-B2 and pshRNA-B3 plasmids, with pshRNA-B3 having the best knockdown efficiency. Downregulation of the expression of INHBB significantly arrests cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and increases the apoptosis rate in GCs. This was further confirmed by downregulation of the protein expressions of Cyclin D1, Cyclin E and Bcl2, while the protein expression of Bax was upregulated. In addition, specific downregulation of INHBB markedly decreased the concentration of estradiol and progesterone, which was further validated by the decrease in the mRNA levels of CYP19A1and CYP11A1. These findings suggest that inhibin βB is important in the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle progression in granulosa cells. Furthermore, the inhibin βB subunit has a role in the regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis. Evidence is accumulating to support the concept that inhibin βB is physiologically essential for early folliculogenesis in the mouse.     

The interaction between maternal and post‐hatch n‐3 fatty acid supplementation in broiler diets

This study investigated whether offspring from n‐3‐supplemented breeders have an enhanced performance and immune organ weight when fed a post‐hatch n‐3‐enriched diet in comparison with their control‐fed counterparts and the importance of timing of omega‐3 supplementation. Therefore, 480 Ross‐308 broiler breeder hens were fed one of four different diets (120/treatment). The control diet (CON) was a basal diet, rich in n‐6 fatty acids (FA). The three other diets were enriched in n‐3 FA, formulated to obtain a different EPA/DHA ratio of 1/1 (EPA = DHA), 1/2 (DHA) or 2/1 (EPA). At 33 weeks of age, eggs were incubated to obtain 1440 offspring. They were set up according to their maternal diet and sex in 48 pens of 30 chicks each (12 pens per maternal treatment: six male and six female). Half of the offspring were given a post‐hatch control diet, whereas to other half received an n‐3‐supplemented diet. Zootechnical performance was followed for starter, grower and finisher phase, and at the end of each phase two, chicks per pen were sacrificed to determine the weight of the immune organs. No interaction was found between maternal and post‐hatch n‐3 treatment for zootechnical performance. An interaction arose between the maternal and post‐hatch n‐3 supplementation for proportional bursa weight at day 1 and day 14 and proportional liver weight at day 14, but effects on immune organ weight were rather limited. Offspring post‐hatch n‐3 supplementation did not enhance maternal n‐3 supplementation.     

膜分离法纯化浓缩的猪细小病毒灭活疫苗效果研究

为了研究纯化浓缩的猪细小病毒灭活疫苗的免疫效果,应用微滤/超滤管式陶瓷膜分离系统对猪细小病毒细胞收获液进行纯化浓缩,使浓缩液病毒平均含量由10~(4.7)TCID_(50)/mL提高到10~(6.5)TCID_(50)/mL;将纯化浓缩的病毒液经检验合格后,进行甲醛灭活,与注射用矿物白油佐剂制成油包水灭活疫苗;按照猪细小病毒灭活疫苗的质量标准,对制备的灭活疫苗进行检验与免疫效果试验。结果显示:纯化浓缩的猪细小病毒液杂蛋白去除率平均达到71.6%左右;制备的三组灭活疫苗检验均合格;免疫至63 d时,免疫猪体内抗猪细小病毒抗体(HI)水平分别为:纯化浓缩的灭活疫苗平均高达9.62 log_2稀释倍数,常规疫苗平均为8.78log_2稀释倍数,差异显著(P0.05)。试验表明:疫苗病毒细胞收获液进行膜纯化技术处理后,免疫效果显著优于未经纯化的常规灭活疫苗。     

紫苏籽提取物对蛋鸡产蛋高峰后期生产性能、生殖激素及免疫功能的影响

为了探讨在饲粮中添加不同水平紫苏籽提取物对蛋鸡产蛋高峰后期生产性能、生殖激素及免疫功能的影响,本试验选用体重、产蛋率基本一致的48周龄海兰褐蛋鸡480只,采用单因素完全随机试验设计,随机分为4组,每组6个重复,每个重复20只。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组分别在基础饲粮中添加0.01%、0.02%、0.03%的紫苏籽提取物,试验期30 d。结果表明:1)与对照组相比,饲粮中添加0.01%、0.02%、0.03%紫苏籽提取物均能降低料蛋比,但差异不显著(P0.05),4组间日均采食量、破软蛋率无显著差异(P0.05),添加0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著提高蛋鸡产蛋率和日均产蛋量(P0.01);2)与对照组相比,添加0.01%、0.02%、0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著提高蛋鸡血清中孕酮(第15天)和雌二醇(第15和30天)的含量(P0.01),添加0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著降低蛋鸡血清中睾酮含量(P0.01);3)与对照组相比,添加0.01%、0.02%、0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著提高蛋鸡血清中白细胞介素-2(IL-2)含量(P0.01),添加0.02%、0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著提高蛋鸡血清中免疫球蛋白G(Ig G)含量(P0.01),添加0.03%紫苏籽提取物能极显著提高蛋鸡血清中免疫球蛋白A(Ig A)含量(P0.01)。由此可知,饲粮中紫苏籽提取物添加水平为0.03%时,能极显著提高蛋鸡产蛋高峰后期产蛋率、日均产蛋量和免疫功能。     

粪肠球菌替代抗生素对断奶仔猪生长性能、腹泻率、血液生化指标和免疫器官的影响

本试验在断奶仔猪饲粮中添加不同水平的粪肠球菌,研究其替代抗生素对断奶仔猪生长性能、腹泻指数和腹泻率、血液生化指标以及免疫器官的影响。选取120头(28±2)日龄平均体重为(7.60±0.81)kg的"杜×长×大"断奶仔猪,随机分为5组,每组6个重复(公母各占1/2),每个重复4头,每个重复为1圈。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,抗生素组在基础饲粮中添加100mg/kg硫酸黏菌素和400 mg/kg杆菌肽锌,3个粪肠球菌组分别在基础饲粮中添加40、200和1 000 mg/kg粪肠球菌,试验期31 d。试验结果显示:1)在1~14 d,饲粮中添加抗生素和粪肠球菌对断奶仔猪的平均日采食量(ADFI)、平均日增重(ADG)以及料重比(F/G)无显著影响(P0.05)。在15~31 d,与对照组和抗生素组相比,200和1 000 mg/kg组可极显著提高ADFI和ADG(P0.01)。在1~31 d,与对照组相比,200和1 000 mg/kg组的ADFI均极显著提高(P0.01),而ADG分别显著和极显著增加(P0.05和P0.01);与抗生素组相比,1 000 mg/kg组可极显著提高ADFI(P0.01),而200和1 000 mg/kg组的ADG分别显著和极显著增加(P0.05和P0.01)。2)在1~14 d,与对照组相比,40 mg/kg组的腹泻指数和腹泻率显著降低(P0.05)。在15~31 d和1~31 d,与对照组和抗生素组相比,40和1 000 mg/kg组均可在一定程度上降低腹泻率(P0.05)。3)与对照组相比,粪肠球菌可以显著提高血液中总蛋白含量(P0.05),其中200和1 000 mg/kg组达到极显著水平(P0.01),且这2组分别可以显著和极显著提高球蛋白含量(P0.05和P0.01)。与抗生素组相比,200和1 000 mg/kg组可以显著提高总蛋白含量(P0.05)。与对照组相比,抗生素组和1 000 mg/kg组的白球比显著降低(P0.05),另外,抗生素组血液中谷丙转氨酶和谷草转氨酶活性显著降低(P0.05),200 mg/kg组的谷丙转氨酶活性显著降低(P0.05)。4)与对照组相比,1 000 mg/kg组的肝脏重量和脾脏指数有一定程度的提高(P0.05),与抗生素组相比,200和1 000 mg/kg组可显著提高肝脏重量(P0.05)。结果表明,饲粮中添加粪肠球菌可改善断奶仔猪的生长性能(饲喂15~31 d),降低腹泻率,提高仔猪免疫力,其中添加量为1 000 mg/kg时效果最好。     

The consequence of low mannose-binding lectin plasma concentration in relation to susceptibility to Salmonella Infantis in chickens

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a key protein in innate immunity. MBL binds to carbohydrates on the surface of pathogens, where it initiates complement activation via the lectin-dependent pathway or facilitates opsonophagocytosis. In vitro studies have shown that human MBL is able to bind to Salmonella, but knowledge in relation to chicken MBL and Salmonella is lacking. In order to study this relation day-old chickens from two selected lines L10H and L10L, differing in MBL serum concentration, were either orally infected with S. Infantis (S.123443) or kept as non-infected controls. The differences between healthy L10H and L10L chicken sublines were more profound than differences caused by the S. Infantis infection. The average daily body weight was higher for L10H than for L10L, regardless of infection, indicating beneficial effects of MBL selection on growth. Salmonella was detected in cloacal swabs and the number of Salmonella positive chickens during the experiment was significantly higher in L10L than L10H, indicating that MBL may affect the magnitude of Salmonella colonisation in day-old chickens. MBL expression was determined in ceca tissue by real-time RT-PCR. L10H chickens showed a significantly higher relative expression than L10L at days 1 and 41 pi, regardless of infection. Finally, flow cytometric analysis of whole blood from infected chickens showed that L10H had a significantly higher count of all assessed leucocyte subsets on day 5 pi, and also a higher count of monocytes on day 12 pi than L10L. No difference was observed between infected and non-infected L10L chicken.     

鼠源细胞TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立

为对鼠源细胞进行鉴别检测,以鼠线粒体16S rRNA基因序列为靶位点设计特异性引物及探针,建立实时荧光定量PCR检测方法,并评价该方法的特异性及敏感性。结果显示,所建立的检测方法特异性好,针对鼠源细胞基因组荧光定量PCR扩增曲线良好,其他物种来源细胞基因组及生物制品原辅材料未出现特异性扩增曲线;敏感性高,基因拷贝数检出限度为45.3拷贝。本试验建立的荧光定量PCR检测方法能够有效地对鼠源细胞进行快速检测,为细胞质量控制提供了有效方法。