Immunogenic properties of Landrace pigs selected for resistance to mycoplasma pneumonia of swine

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions and immunogenic properties were compared between a Landrace line that was genetically selected for reduced incidence of pulmonary MPS lesions, and a non‐selected Landrace line. The MPS‐selected Landrace line showed significantly lower degrees of pulmonary MPS lesions compared with the non‐selected Landrace line. When changes in immunity before and after vaccination were compared, the percentage of B cells in the peripheral blood of the MPS‐selected Landrace line was significantly lower than that of the non‐selected line. Furthermore, the concentration of growth hormone and the mitogen activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the MPS‐selected Landrace line showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower increases after vaccination than the non‐selected line. Conversely, the concentration of peripheral blood interferon (IFN)‐γ and salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) after Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination was significantly higher in the MPS‐selected Landrace line than in the non‐selected line. Gene expression of toll‐like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4 was significantly higher in the MPS‐selected Landrace line in immune tissues, with the exception of the hilar lymph nodes. The present results suggest that peripheral blood IFN‐γ, salivary IgA TLR2, and TLR4 are important immunological factors influencing the development of MPS lesions.     

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions in Large White pigs selected for higher peripheral blood immune capacity

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions were compared between the immunity‐selected Large White line and the non‐selected Large White line. The selected Large White line showed a higher level of pulmonary MPS lesions compared with the non‐selected Large White line. Subsequent to vaccination, the percentage of natural killer cells and T cells (CD3⁺CD4⁺CD8^‐ and CD3⁺CD4^?CD8⁺ T cells) were significantly increased in the non‐selected line but remained unchanged in the immunity‐selected Large White line. Secretion of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine‐specific immunoblogulin G and phagocyte activity in peripheral blood were significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. Expression of interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐6 messenger RNA in hilar lymph nodes was significantly lower in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. However, expression of IL‐10 in all immune tissues was significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line. These results suggest that the selection for high immunity was not effective in increasing resistance to MPS lung lesions.     

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics of pig lines generated by crossing an MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line and a highly immune capacity selected Large White line

To understand the influence of crossbreeding on Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics, two crossbred lines were characterized. One crossbred line, LaWa, was generated by crossing the MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line (La) and the highly immune‐selected Large White line (Wa). The second crossbred line, LaWb, was generated by crossing the La line and the nonselected Large White line (Wb). The crossbred LbWb line (nonselected Landrace line × nonselected Large White line) and the La line were used as controls. The LaWa and LaWb lines had an intermediate level of MPS lung lesions between La and LbWb lines, although the difference was not statistically significant. After stimulation with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), the LaWb and LaWa lines showed immune characteristics similar to that of the La line; the number of monocytes in peripheral blood increased, while B cells, T cells, secretion of SRBC‐specific immunoglobulin G, and interleukin (IL)‐13 decreased. Additionally, the number of natural killer (NK) cells and the expression of IL‐4 and IL‐17 were significantly higher in the LaWb and LaWa lines, respectively. These data suggested that crossbreeding of La and Wa lines resulted in the inheritance of some of the selected immune responses.     

Growth hormone suppresses the expression of IGFBP-5, and promotes the IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of Akt in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Growth hormone (GH) plays a specific role to inhibit apoptosis in the bovine mammary gland through the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I system, however, the mechanism of GH action is poorly understood. In this study, we show that GH dramatically inhibits the expression of IGFBP-5, and GH along with IGF-I enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt through the reduction of IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-5. To determine how GH affects Akt through IGF-I in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), we examined the phosphorylation of Akt in GH treated BMECs and found that IGF-I induced phosphorylation of Akt was significantly enhanced by the treatment with GH. We demonstrated that GH reduces mRNA and protein expression of IGFBP-5 in BMECs, but it does not affect the expression of IGFBP-3. To determine that the enhanced effect of the Akt phosphorylation by the treatment of GH is due to the inhibition of the expression of IGFBP-5, we examined the effect of IGFBP-3 and -5 on the phosphorylation of Akt through IGF-I in the GH-treated BMECs. The phosphorylation of Akt was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when IGFBP-5 was added at varying concentrations and was also inhibited in the presence of IGFBP-3. The results of this study suggest that GH plays an important role on mammary gland involution in bovine mammary epithelial cells.     

Investigations on the radioactive contamination of crop plants as a result of H-bomb detonation (Part 2) Root and foliage uptake of “Bikini ash”

The Foliar Uptake by Squash Plant

The radioactive ash for experimental use, hereafter referred to as “Bikini ash”, was prepared by igniting the heavily contaminated substances on board No. 5 Fukuryu Maru at about 650°C, followed by sifting through a 100 mesh sieve. On ignition some parts of the fission products, particularly iodine, ruthenium and tellurium would have possibly been lost to the air.     

Sericin Accelerates the Production of Hyaluronan and Decreases the Incidence of Polyspermy Fertilization in Bovine Oocytes During In Vitro Maturation

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) has been widely used as a supplement in the maturation medium of bovine oocytes in vitro. However, serum contains many undefined factors and is potentially infectious to humans and animals. As a serum replacement, we evaluated the feasibility of using the silk protein, sericin, derived from the cocoons of silkworm. To examine the rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization, cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in TCM-199 supplemented with 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% or 0.15% sericin or 5% FBS. The sizes of the perivitelline space that might relate to polyspermy, the expressions of Has2 and CD44 mRNA, the amount of hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid: HA) contained in the oocytes and the rates of blastocyst formation following insemination were then compared between the oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin and 5% FBS, because the polyspermy rates in oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly lower than in those cultured with 5% FBS. After in vitro maturation (IVM), the mean size of the perivitelline space was significantly greater in oocytes cultured with sericin than in those cultured with FBS, although the rates of nuclear maturation, fertilization and blastocyst formation of oocytes under both IVM conditions were not significantly different. The expression of HAS2 and CD44 mRNA and the amount of HA in the denuded oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly greater than in those cultured with FBS. These results indicate the feasibility of sericin as an alternative protein supplement for IVM in bovine oocytes.     

Language control in the bilingual brain

How does the bilingual brain distinguish and control which language is in use? Previous functional imaging experiments have not been able to answer this question because proficient bilinguals activate the same brain regions irrespective of the language being tested. Here, we reveal that neuronal responses within the left caudate are sensitive to changes in the language or the meaning of words. By demonstrating this effect in populations of German-English and Japanese-English bilinguals, we suggest that the left caudate plays a universal role in monitoring and controlling the language in use.     

Identification of bovine dendritic cell phenotype from bovine peripheral blood

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells, which initiate primary immune responses and also play an important role in the generation of peripheral tolerance. There is no reliable method established for the isolation of bovine peripheral blood DCs, and furthermore, the phenotypes and the functions of bovine DCs are still not fully clear. In the present study, we have attempted to identify bovine peripheral blood DCs by negative-selection. In bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), we have newly characterized the phenotype of DCs, which is CD11c+/CD172a+. These cells display features of myeloid type DCs. In the thymic medulla, CD11c+/CD172a+ cells were also present and CD1+/CD172a+ cells were additionally detected as a population of DCs. The data suggest that one of the bovine DCs phenotypes from PBMC is derived from myeloid lineages lacking a CD1 molecule, which then drift to several tissues, and that they then may express a CD1 molecule upon their functional differentiation.     

A newly established bovine intestinal epithelial cell line is effective for in vitro screening of potential antiviral immunobiotic microorganisms for cattle

We evaluated whether a bovine intestinal epithelial (BIE) cell line could serve as a useful in vitro model system for studying antiviral immune responses in bovine intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and for the primary screening of immunobiotic microorganisms with antiviral protective capabilities. Immunofluorescent analyses revealed that toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) was expressed in BIE cells, and the results of real-time quantitative PCR showed that these cells respond to stimulation with poly(I:C) by up-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons. In addition, we demonstrated that BIE cells are useful for the primary screening of immunobiotic lactic acid bacteria strains which are able to beneficially modulate antiviral immune responses triggered by TLR3 activation in bovine IECs. The characterization of BIE cells performed in the present study represents an important step towards the establishment of a valuable bovine in vitro system that could be used for the development of immunomodulatory feed for bovine hosts.     

Localization of leptin and leptin receptor in the bovine adenohypophysis

The present study was carried out to detail the cellular localization of leptin (Lep) and the leptin receptor (LepR) in the bovine adenohypophysis. Lep immunoreactivity (Lep-ir) was found in about 30% of adenohypophysial cells in the gland. Immunochemistry of Lep and specific hormones using serial sections revealed that Lep-ir was present in 60.4% of somatotrophs, 15.9% of gonadotrophs, 6.5% of mammotrophs, 6.5% of thyrotrophs and 2.4% of corticotrophs. Both the common short isoform (OBRa) and the long isoform (OBRb) of LepR mRNA were expressed in the bovine adenohypophysis. LepR immunoreactivity (LepR-ir) was found in only 2.8% of the adenohypophysial cells and over 50% of LepR-ir cells were gonadotrophs, in which most of the cells were distributed in the zona tuberalis. The findings on Lep and LepR in the adenohypophysial cells indicate that Lep may regulate gonadotroph function through autocrine/paracrine pathway in the bovine adenohypophysis.