Immunogenic proteins of Brucella abortus to minimize cross reactions in brucellosis diagnosis

To overcome the limitations of serological diagnosis, including false positive reactions caused by other pathogens, specific antigens for diagnosis of brucellosis other than LPS have been required. The present study was conducted to separate and identify immuno-dominant insoluble proteins of Brucella abortus against the antisera of cattle infected with B. abortus, or/and Yersinia enterocolitica, or the sera of non-infected cattle. After separating insoluble proteins of B. abortus by two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), their immuno-reactivity was determined by western blotting. A portion of the immunogenic spots against the positive antisera of B. abortus that have the potential for use as specific antigens were identified by MS/MS analysis. Overall, 18 immunogenic insoluble proteins of B. abortus 1119-3 showed immuno-reactivity against only the positive antisera of B. abortus, but failed to have immunogenicity toward both the positive sera of Y. enterocolitica and the negative sera of B. abortus. Identification of these proteins revealed the following: F0F1 ATP synthase subunit β, solute-binding family 5 protein, 28 kDa OMP, Leu/Ile/Val-binding family protein, Histidinol dehyddrogenase, Hypothetical protein, Twin-arginine translocation pathway signal sequence domain-containing protein, Dihydroorotase, Serine protease family protein, β-hydroxyacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) dehydratase FabA, Short-chain dehydrogenase-/reductase carbonic anhydrase, Orinithine carbamoyltransferase, Leucyl aminopeptidase, Cold shock DNA-binding domain-containing protein, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, and Methionine aminopeptidase. The 18 immunogenic proteins separated in the present study can be considered candidate antigens to minimize cross reaction in the diagnosis of brucellosis and useful sources for Brucella vaccine development.     

Usefulness of PCR/RFLP and ERIC PCR techniques for epidemiological study of Haemophilus parasuis infections in pigs

Haemophilus parasuis belongs to opportunistic microorganisms of undefined virulence. The purpose of the studies was to compare suitability of PCR/RFLP in our modification and ERIC PCR for epidemiological study of domestic strains of H. parasuis. The results were evaluated taking into account two different aspects: suitability of the tests for isolating the highest possible number of clone groups and subjective evaluation of the method judged with respect to the following criteria: difficulty, availability of equipment and reagents as well as time and cost of the study. The results obtained in the present study show that the two methods used for typing of H. parasuis had high discriminatory power. Taking into account this parameter it can be concluded that ERIC PCR is more suitable than PCR/RFLP. This justifies the use of ERIC PCR for routine epidemiological analyses of mentioned pathogen. Taking into account the complexity of method used, ERIC-PCR based on random amplification of DNA, proved to be comparable to PCR/RFLP. The last mentioned technique is relatively less expensive and labour-consuming, especially when diagnostic PCR method is used for the epidemiological studies.     

Fucoxanthin Suppresses Osteoclastogenesis via Modulation of MAP Kinase and Nrf2 Signaling

Fucoxanthin (FX), a natural carotenoid present in edible brown seaweed, is known for its therapeutic potential in various diseases, including bone disease. However, its underlying regulatory mechanisms in osteoclastogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of FX on osteoclast differentiation and its regulatory signaling pathway. In vitro studies were performed using osteoclast-like RAW264.7 cells stimulated with the soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand or tumor necrosis factor-alpha/interleukin-6. FX treatment significantly inhibited osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption ability, and downregulated the expression of osteoclast-specific markers such as nuclear factor of activated T cells 1, dendritic cell-specific seven transmembrane protein, and matrix metallopeptidase 9. Intracellular signaling pathway analysis revealed that FX specifically decreased the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 kinase, and increased the nuclear translocation of phosphonuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Our results suggest that FX regulates the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases and Nrf2. Therefore, FX is a potential therapeutic agent for osteoclast-related skeletal disorders including osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.     

Effects of bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar as antibiotic alternatives on growth performance,immune responses and fecal microflora population in fattening pigs

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar as alternatives of antibiotics in the diet of fattening pigs and their influence on growth performance, immune responses and fecal microflora populations. Crossed pigs (n = 144, 79 kg body weight) were divided into 12 heads per pen, four diets and three replications. The basal diet (negative control: NC) was supplemented with 0.3% antibiotics (positive control: PC), 0.3% bamboo charcoal (BC) and 0.3% bamboo vinegar (BV). Average daily weight gain and feed efficiency were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. The concentration of lactate dehydrogenase and cortisol were lower (P < 0.05), but the concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. Counts of coliform bacteria and Salmonella spp. were lower (P < 0.05), while the counts of fecal anaerobic total bacteria and lactic acid bacteria were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. A reasonable inclusion of bamboo charcoal or bamboo vinegar as antibiotics in the diet of fattening pigs leads to a better growth performance, immune responses and fecal microflora populations. The results of the present study suggest that bamboo charcoal or bamboo vinegar could be a potential additives in animal production as an alternative to antibiotics.     

Piglet gut microbial shifts early in life:causes and effects

The gut microbiome has long been known to play fundamentally important roles in the animal health and the well-being of its host. As such, the establishment and maintenance of a beneficial gut microbiota early in life is crucial in pigs, since early gut colonizers are pivotal in the establishment of permanent microbial community structures affecting the health and growth performance of pigs later in life. Emphasizing this importance of early gut colonizers, it is critical to understand the factors impacting the establishment of the piglet gut microbiome at weaning. Factors include, among others, diet, in-feed antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotic administration. The impact of these factors on establishment of the gut microbiome of piglets at weaning includes effects on piglet gut microbial diversity, structure, and succession. In this review, we thoroughly reviewed the most recent findings on the piglet gut microbiome shifts as influenced by weaning, and how these microbiome changes brought about by various factors that have been shown to affect the development of microbiota in piglets. This review will provide a general overview of recent studies that can help to facilitate the design of new strategies to modulate the gut microbiome in order to enhance gastrointestinal health, growth performance and well-being of piglets.