Effect of Conceptus on Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) β1 mRNA Expression and Protein Concentration in the Porcine Endometrium—In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

Transforming growth factor (TGF) β and its receptors are expressed at the conceptus-maternal interface during early pregnancy in the pig. The present studies were conducted to examine: (1) the effect of conceptus products on TGFβ1 mRNA expression and protein concentration in the porcine endometrium using in vivo and in vitro models, and (2) the effect of TGFβ1 on proliferation of porcine trophoblast cells in vitro. During in vivo experiments, gilts with one surgically detached uterine horn were slaughtered on days 11 or 14 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. For in vitro studies, endometrial explants and luminal epithelial (LE) cells co-cultured with stromal (ST) cells were treated with conceptus-exposed medium (CEM). Moreover, porcine trophoblast cells were treated with TGFβ1, and the number of viable cells was measured. On day 11, the presence of conceptuses had no effect on TGFβ1 mRNA expression, but decreased the TGFβ1 protein concentration in the connected uterine horn compared with the detached uterine horn. In contrast to day 11, on day 14 after estrus, TGFβ1 mRNA expression and protein content in the endometrium collected from the gravid uterine horn were greater when compared with the contralateral uterine horn. The treatment of endometrial slices with CEM resulted in greater TGFβ1 mRNA expression and protein secretion. LE cells responded to CEM with an increased TGFβ1 mRNA level. Moreover, TGFβ1 stimulated the proliferation of day 14 trophoblast cells. In summary, porcine conceptuses may regulate TGFβ1 synthesis in the endometrium at the time of implantation. TGFβ1, in turn, may promote conceptus development by increasing the proliferation of trophoblast cells.     

Potential involvement of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) metallothioneins in the hydrogen peroxide‐induced regulation of seed vigour

Germination is a crucial process in crop plant life cycle that determines future yield. Hydrogen peroxide plays a significant role in both dormancy release and seed ageing. The potential of the rapeseed metallothioneins (BnMT1‐4) as reactive oxygen species scavengers was investigated. In the presence of H₂O₂, bacterial cells expressing BnMT1‐4 had higher growth rate than control cells. However, such effect was not observed in an oxidative stress oversensitive yap‐1Δ yeast mutant strain expressing BnMT1‐4. Next, it was shown that H₂O₂, up to 100 and 10 mM, promotes rapeseed germination rate and seedling growth, respectively. Moreover, it was demonstrated that in seeds germinating in the presence of H₂O_2, the expression of seed‐specific BnMT4 decreases to a high extent in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. It was shown that the decline in BnMT4 mRNA level, accelerated by up to 10 mM H₂O₂ treatment, correlates positively with increased rapeseed germination and early growth, underscoring the plausible role of BnMT4 as a H₂O₂ scavenging protein that level has to be downregulated in conditions where the compound is needed. Finally, it was demonstrated that H₂O₂ could be used as a priming agent of rapeseeds.     

Determination of cytogenetic markers for biological monitoring in coypu (Myocastor coypu)

Cytogenetic tests are used to assess the influence of physical and chemical factors with potential mutagenic and genotoxic properties on the animal organism. The test results make it possible to eliminate mutagens, as well as helping predict possible genetic consequences in animal cells and assess animal resistance. The aim of this study was to examine, using cytogenetic tests, the spontaneous chromosome and DNA damage in coypu lymphocytes. Four tests: fragile site (FS), bleomycin (BLM), micronucleus, (MN) and comet were used for the first time in coypu cells. The averages with standard deviations obtained in the research were as follows: 3.30 ± 0.80 fragile sites/cell; 0.63 ± 0.80 BLM damage/cell; 6.10 ± 0.53% binucleated cells with MN; and 3.24 ± 0.63% DNA in tail. The present analysis showed high interindividual variation in spontaneous chromosomal and DNA damage levels. In the case of micronucleus, fragile sites, and comet assays, the differences between animals were statistically significant. The data suggest that these assays are sensitive enough to detect some effects on an individual animal and can be proposed as tools for coypu biomonitoring.     

Herbicidal pyridyl derivatives of aminomethylene-bisphosphonic acid inhibit plant glutamine synthetase

A series of aminomethylene-bisphosphonic acid derivatives, previously synthesized and shown to be endowed with herbicidal properties, were evaluated as potential inhibitors of plant glutamine synthetase. The cytosolic form of the enzyme was partially purified from rice cultured cells and assayed in the presence of millimolar concentrations of the compounds by means of three different assay methods, respectively measuring the hemibiosynthetic, the transferase, and the full biosynthetic reactions. Several compounds were found to exert a remarkable inhibition, with I(50) values similar to those obtained under the same conditions with a well-established inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, the herbicide phosphinothricin. Contrary to the reference compound, enzyme kinetics accounted for a reversible inhibition mechanism. The biological activity of the most active derivatives was further characterized by measuring free glutamine levels in cell suspension rice cultures following treatment with the inhibitors. Results confirmed their ability to interfere in vivo with nitrogen metabolism. A preliminary analysis of structure-activity relationship allowed it to be hypothesized that steric rather than electronic factors are responsible for the inhibitory potential of these compounds.     

Proteome changes in renal cortex and medulla induced by dietary supplementation with inulin‐type fructans in growing pigs

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of dietary supplementation with inulin extract from chicory root and dried chicory root on the protein profile of the renal cortex and medulla of growing pigs. The experiment was carried out on renal cortex and medulla tissue collected from 24 50‐day‐old PIC x Penarlan P76 crossbred piglets (males). Animals were divided into three dietary groups (n = 8) and fed with a control diet, diet supplemented with 2% inulin extract from chicory root and a diet supplemented with 4% dried chicory root. Kidney samples were collected after 40 days of feeding, and renal cortex and medulla proteins were separated by two‐dimensional electrophoresis. Protein identification was performed using MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The diet supplemented with 2% chicory inulin induced significant expression changes of 20 and 26 protein spots in the renal cortex and medulla respectively. Supplementation with 4% dried chicory root triggered changes in the expression of 44 and 24 proteins in the renal cortex and medulla respectively. Both forms of chicory inulin‐type fructans effectively affected the expression of proteins involved in energy metabolism, heat shock proteins and other chaperones, cytoskeletal and cytoskeleton‐related proteins, as well as other proteins. Additionally, changes in transferrin abundance in both experimental groups suggested the significance of chicory fructan supplementation for iron absorption and bioavailability. In conclusion, 2% inulin extract from chicory root and 4% dried chicory root exerted a similar effect on changes in renal protein expression; however, more pronounced alterations were induced by dried chicory root. Nevertheless, further studies are needed for better understanding the mechanism underlying the effect of chicory inulin‐type fructans and their fermentation end products on the kidneys of growing pigs.     

Physicochemical and herbicidal properties of emulsions of essential oils against Avena fatua L. and Chenopodium album L.

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Essential oils have herbicidal effects, which can potentially be improved by the addition of adjuvants. The present study evaluated (1) the stability and...     

Biopesticides – towards increased consumer safety in the European Union

The introduction of new food safety regulations in the European Union has resulted in the withdrawal of many synthetic active substances used in plant protection products, in light of their potential or actual harmful effect on human and animal health, as well as on the environment. Alternatives to these compounds are being developed – naturally occurring pesticides, also referred to as biopesticides. The use of biopesticides in crop protection leads to decreased levels of pesticide residues in foods, and as a result to lower risk levels for the consumer. Biologically active agents defined as biopesticides are varied, and therefore application of the same environmental and consumer safety criteria to all of them is impossible. This presents serious complications in the approval of these pesticides as active plant protection products and in their registration. It needs to be stressed that, in the registration procedure of the European Union, biopesticides are subject to the same regulations as synthetic active substances. This situation has resulted in the need to introduce numerous new provisions in the legislation, as well as the preparation of new guidelines facilitating the registration of biopesticides. These activities aim to promote naturally originating pesticides. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Caco-2细胞模型在茶叶生物活性成分研究中的应用

Caco-2细胞单层的形态和功能特性都类似于人小肠上皮细胞,是研究营养素或药物吸收、转运和代谢的一个重要体外模型,近年来在茶叶生物活性成分的研究中也得到广泛应用.本文对Caco-2细胞中儿茶素、茶氨酸、没食子酸和咖啡碱的吸收和转运机制,儿茶素的代谢以及茶叶生物活性成分药效机理的研究进行了综述,并对采用Caco-2细胞模型快速评价茶叶生物活性成分的吸收特性以促进茶叶保健产品和制剂的开发进行了展望.     

Estimation of additive and epistatic gene effects of doubled haploid lines of winter oilseed rape (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L.)

In this paper 60 doubled haploid lines of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) were studied. Genetic parameters as additive and epistasis effects were estimated for nine quantitative traits. The results indicate the importance of both additive and epistasis gene effects of number of branches per plant, number of siliques per plant, number of seeds per silique and silique length in this study.     

Antioxidant Properties of Extracts Obtained from Raw,Dry-roasted,and Oil-roasted US Peanuts of Commercial Importance

Raw, skinless peanut kernels from US commercial production lines were dry- and oil-roasted according to standard industrial practices. Eighty percent (v/v) methanolic extracts from the peanut cultivars were prepared and characterized by RP-HPLC: five predominant compounds were found comprising free p-coumaric acid and potential p-coumaric acid derivatives, as elucidated by DAD-UV spectra with comparisons to those of commercial standards. A Spanish high-oleic peanut possessed the greatest naturally-occurring level of p-coumaric acid and its derivatives, followed by a high-oleic Runner, a normal Runner, and a Virginia peanut. Upon thermal processing, p-coumaric acid was liberated at the expense of its derivatives according to the relationship: oil roasting > dry roasting > raw. A high-oleic Runner exhibited the greatest increase (～785%) in free p-coumaric acid levels after oil roasting. For many of the samples from the 2007 crop, processing increased the TPC and antioxidant capacities in the order of raw < dry roast < oil roast, but results were cultivar dependent. Oil-roasted peanuts were more effective at scavenging O₂ ^●- than their dry-roasted counterparts, as determined by a photochemiluminescence assay. Overall findings indicate that although thermal processing altered the composition of peanut kernel antioxidants, TPC values and radical-scavenging activities are preserved. Depending on peanut type, cultivar, and harvest date, enhanced antioxidant capacities can result.