Mouse melanoma cell exosomes promote expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts

AIM To investigate the effect of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells on the expression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) protein in fibroblasts. METHODS Ultracentrifugation was adopted to separete exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells. The morphological structure of exosomes was observed by negative-staining electron microscopy. The size distribution of exosomes was determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The exosomal markers, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Tyrp2), were identified by Western blot. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the process that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) took in exosomes during co-culture. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Rac1 protein in MEF. RESULTS B16-F10 cell exosomes showed a typical tea tray-like structure, with a size range of 141~255 nm, and expressed protein markers Tsg101 and Tyrp2. The results of laser confocal microscopy showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, a small number of exosomes appeared in the MEF at 12 h, and a large number of exosomes accumulated in the MEF after co-cultured for 24 and 36 h. Western blot analysis showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the expression of Rac1 protein in the MEF was significantly increased at 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.01). The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the positive expression level of Rac1 in the MEF cells was significantly increased at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Intake of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells promotes the expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts.     

A case of verminous mastitis in a mare

This report describes bilateral mammary gland infection with a previously unidentified Cephalobus species of nematode. Only one previous case of verminous mastitis due to a Cephalobus species has been reported, pre-dating the widespread use of molecular diagnostics. This report describes the case presentation and management, as well as the morphological and molecular methods of nematode identification.     

A framework for evaluation of on-farm mastitis diagnostics in Australia

Numerous culture-based diagnostics are available on the Australian and international markets for on-farm detection of bacterial pathogens in milk. Use of such diagnostics may provide an opportunity to improve the prudent use of antimicrobials in udder health management. Farms are low-resource settings in terms of diagnostic microbiology capacity. The World Health Organisation has identified criteria for the evaluation of diagnostic tests in low resource settings based on Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity, User-friendliness, being Rapid or Robust, Equipment-free and being Deliverable (ASSURED). Here, we review how those criteria can be interpreted in the context of microbiological diagnosis of mastitis pathogens, and how on-farm diagnostics that are currently available in Australia perform relative to ASSURED criteria. This evaluation identifies multiple trade-offs, both with regard to scientific criteria and with regards to convenience criteria. More importantly, the purpose of testing may differ between farms, and test performance should be evaluated relative to its intended use. The ability of on-farm mastitis diagnostics to inform mastitis treatment decision-making in a timely and cost-effective manner depends not just on test characteristics but also on farm-specific pathogen prevalence, and on the farm enterprise's priorities and the farm manager's potential courses of action. With most assay evaluations to date conducted in professional laboratories, there is a surprising dearth of information on how well any of the diagnostic tests perform on-farm and, indeed, of the on-farm decision-making processes that they aim to inform.     

Characterization of Aerococcus viridans isolated from milk samples from cows with mastitis and manure samples

Thirty-eight Aerococcus viridans isolates were obtained from milk from 478 cows with clinical mastitis in a farm during the periods between November 2011 and February 2012, and between December 2012 and March 2013. Additional isolates were obtained from processed manure (a mixture of composted manure, straw and hydrated lime) and bedding materials. The processed manure was later used to cover the floor of the stalls in barns as bedding materials. The temperatures recorded in the composted and processed manure were not as high as those generally observed during satisfactory composting. To reveal the association of A. viridans in manure-related products with intramammary infection in cows, isolates were characterized by their DNA fragment patterns as determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Isolates obtained from milk, processed manure and bedding materials had identical DNA fragment patterns. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined for 29 isolates from milk, processed manure and bedding materials. Of these, 26 (89.7%) were resistant to clindamycin, whereas virtually all the isolates were susceptible to 12 other antimicrobials including cefalosporins that have been used to treat bovine mastitis in Japan. In vitro, three A. viridans isolates from milk and an isolate from processed manure survived for 3 hr in Good’s buffer (pH 9) at high temperature (50°C). The results suggest that the processed manure and bedding materials in this farm were possible sources of A. viridans that caused infection in the cows with mastitis.     

Involvement of histone H2B monoubiquitination in the regulation of mouse preimplantation development

Histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1) plays an important role in developmental regulation in various vertebrate species. However, the role of H2Bub1 in mammalian preimplantation development remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the role of H2Bub1 in the regulation of mouse preimplantation development. Based on immunocytochemical analysis using an anti-H2Bub1 antibody, no H2Bub1 signal was detected in the metaphase chromosomes of unfertilized oocytes or the pronuclei of early 1-cell stage embryos, but a weak signal was observed in late 1-cell stage embryos. The signal increased after cleavage into the 2-cell stage, and thereafter a strong signal was observed until the blastocyst stage. To assess the significance of H2Bub1 in the regulation of preimplantation development, RNF20 (an H2B-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase) was knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNAs). In embryos treated with siRNA, the levels of Rnf20 mRNA and H2Bub1 decreased at the 4-cell and morula stages. Although these embryos developed normally until the morula stage, only one-third developed into the blastocyst stage. These results suggested that H2Bub1 is involved in the regulation of preimplantation development.     

干奶期奶牛乳房炎防控

乳房炎是影响奶牛健康、牛奶产量及品质、造成牧场经济损失最严重的疾病之一。约2 个月的干奶期是防治奶牛乳房炎最关键的时期。本文基于干奶期的乳腺变化,分析干奶期乳房炎高发原因,提出全群及选择性干奶治疗、乳头末端保护方法、营养及卫生方面的饲养管理方法,为防控奶牛乳房炎、提高牛群生产表现及牧场经济效益提供科学参考。     

北京地区奶牛隐性乳房炎金黄色葡萄球菌的分离鉴定及药敏试验

为了解北京地区奶牛隐性乳房炎中金黄色葡萄球菌的感染情况及对常用药物的敏感性,用科玛嘉显色培养基和16SrRNA PCR检测方法对5个奶牛场的100份隐性乳房炎奶样进行金黄色葡萄球菌的分离鉴定,采用K-B纸片扩增法进行药敏试验。结果表明,显色培养基分离到24株疑似金黄色葡萄球菌,经16SrRNA PCR鉴定,15株为金黄色葡萄球菌;药敏试验结果显示,15株金黄色葡萄球菌均对β-内酰胺类中的氨苄西林产生普遍耐药性,对克林霉素和环丙沙星的耐药率较高,分别为53.33%和40%;对氧氟沙星、庆大霉素、头孢噻肟和头孢曲松的耐药性较低,耐药率为6.67%。说明15株金黄色葡萄球菌分离株对7类9种抗菌药物都有不同程度的耐药性。     

No effect of exogenous melatonin on development of cryopreserved metaphase II oocytes in mouse

Background

This study was conducted to investigate effect of exogenous melatonin on the development of mouse mature oocytes after cryopreservation.

Results

First, mouse metaphase II (MII) oocytes were vitrified in the open-pulled straws (OPS). After warming, they were cultured for 1 h in M₂ medium containing melatonin at different concentrations (0, 10⁻⁹, 10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁵, 10⁻³ mol/L). Then the oocytes were used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels (fluorescence microscopy), and the developmental potential after parthenogenetic activation. The experimental results showed that the ROS level and cleavage rate in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin group was significantly lower than that in melatonin-free group (control). The GSH levels and blastocyst rates in all melatonin-treated groups were similar to that in control. Based on the above results, we detected the expression of gene Hsp90aa1, Hsf1, Hspa1b, Nrf2 and Bcl-x1 with qRT-PCR in oocytes treated with 10⁻⁷, or 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin and untreated control. After warming and culture for 1 h, the oocytes showed higher Hsp90aa1 expression in 10⁻⁷ mol/L melatonin-treated group than in the control (P < 0.05); the Hsf1, Hsp90aa1 and Bcl-x1 expression were significantly decreased in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin-treated group when compared to the control. Based on the above results and previous research, we detected the development of vitrified-warmed oocytes treated with either 10⁻⁷ or 0 mol/L melatonin by in vitro fertilization. No difference was observed between them.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the supplementation of melatonin (10⁻⁹ to 10⁻³ mol/L) in culture medium and incubation for 1 h did not improve the subsequent developmental potential of vitrified-warmed mouse MII oocytes, even if there were alteration in gene expression.     

公英翘芦散治疗亚临床型奶牛乳房炎的效果研究

本研究旨在初步考察公英翘芦散对亚临床奶牛乳房炎的临床治疗效果。试验选取78头发病牛，其中38头牛为散发，用公英翘芦散治疗；40头牛集中对比治疗，随机分成2组，每组20头，分别用公英翘芦散和公英散进行治疗。用加州乳房炎检验（California mastitis trial，CMT）法检测公英翘芦散治疗后乳区患病状态并判定其治疗效果；用体细胞计数（somatic cell count，SCC）法检测公英翘芦散和公英散治疗后牛奶体细胞数并判定其治疗效果。结果显示，公英翘芦散给药7 d后，患病乳区由75个减少到28个，治疗效果非常显著，治愈率达到62.67%，有效率达到90.67%。与治疗前相比，公英翘芦散和公英散用药1 d后体细胞数均极显著降低（P<0.01），且公英翘芦散组SCC下降幅度明显超过公英散组。公英翘芦散组在给药2 d后体细胞数显著低于公英散组（P<0.05），给药3 d之后均极显著低于公英散组（P<0.01）。用药7 d后，公英翘芦散组治愈率可达68.29%，而公英散组治愈率只达到20.00%，差异极显著（P<0.01）；公英翘芦散组有效率可达97.56%，而公英散组有效率为67.50%，差异极显著（P<0.01），说明公英翘芦散的治疗效果极显著优于公英散（P<0.01）。以上结果说明，公英翘芦散可以作为治疗亚临床奶牛乳房炎的有效药物，为奶牛乳房炎药物的开发提供参考。     

小鼠催乳素释放肽的初步克隆

为克隆并分析小鼠催乳素释放肽基因,从小鼠下丘脑提取总RNA,进行RT-PCR,PCR产物与pMD-19T连接后转化E.coli DH5α,检测阳性克隆并测序。测序结果表明,所得序列与大鼠催乳素释放肽编码区序列的相似指数为86.3%。克隆所得序列为小鼠催乳素释放肽的基因片段。