Expression of reproduction and antioxidant-related genes in crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus fed with dietary feed additives

We evaluated the impact of a combined vitamin E (vit E), a mixture of nucleotide (mixed-NT), Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis), arachidonic acid (AA), and yeast extract powder (YEP) supplementations on the relative mRNA expression of reproduction and antioxidant-related genes in red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus using an orthogonal design (L16 4⁵) plus control diet for 70 days feeding trial. Five factors with four levels: A, vit E ^{40, 160, 240, and 320 mg/kg diet}; B, mixed-NT ^{2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg diet}; C, H. pluvialis ^{2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg diet}; D, AA ^{5, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg diet}; E, YEP ^{2.5, 5, 10, and 15 g/kg diet} were studied. The relative mRNA expression of reproduction-related genes (vitellogenin (vtg) and fatty acid-binding protein (fabp)), and antioxidant-related genes (heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), glutathione peroxidase (gpx), glutathione S-transferase (gst), mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (mmnsod), and ferritin) in hemocyte, hepatopancreas, and ovary tissues were measured. There was a major depression in gene expression levels throughout the experimental diet at high vit E ^320 mg/kg level with other factors. Expression of antioxidant enzyme genes significantly increased in treatments of T9, T10, T11, and T12, while significantly decreasing in treatment of T13 and other treatment groups with high vit E ^320 mg/kg levels with the other factors. Gene expression of vtg and fabp demonstrated similar patterns to those of antioxidant genes. These results provide evidence that combined supplementations of vit E, mixed-NT, H. pluvialis, AA, and YEP with vit E ^240 mg/kg, mixed-NT ^8 g/kg, H. pluvialis ^4 g/kg, AA ^5 g/kg, and YEP ^10 g/kg may present a novel strategy for improving reproduction performance and antioxidant activities in RC-crayfish, C. quadricarinatus by the positive impact on the molecular level of reproduction and antioxidant genes.

     

Nanoparticles of Arthrospira platensis improves growth,antioxidative and immunological responses of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and its resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila

Several studies investigated the usage of spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) in aquaculture as a functional dietary additive or plant proteins replacers; however, more efforts still needed to test its nano form inclusion in aquafeed. In this study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed dietary spirulina (A. platensis) nanoparticles (SNP) at 0 (control), 0.1, 1 and 10 g/kg diet while the fifth diet was mixed with 10 g/kg of the normal form of A. platensis as a positive control. The final weight (FW), weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio of fish fed SNP at 10 g/kg displayed improved values comparing with the other groups (p < 0.05). Further, fish fed 1 g SNP had higher FW and WG than the control and 0.1 g SNP and 10 g normal A. platensis. The incorporation of SNP at 1 and 10 g/kg in Nile tilapia diets significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced total protein, albumin, globulin, lowered the values of serum glucose and activities of ALT and AST compared with control and spirulina groups. The SOD, CAT, GPx, lysozyme and respiratory burst activities were meaningfully promoted (p < 0.05) in fish received 1 and 10 g/kg diet concerning the control and spirulina groups. Nile tilapia challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila showed congestion of the kidney, liver and spleen tissues while SNP alleviated the inflammation induced by A. hydrophila. Different levels of SNP-incorporated group showed lower cumulative mortality than the other groups. In conclusion, the obtained results illustrated that spirulina in nano form is recommended to enhance Nile tilapia well-being.     

Physiological and morphological response of tomato plants to nano-chitosan used against bio-stress induced by root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and Tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV)

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) have been reported to be responsible for large economic losses of agricultural crops due to their wide host range and...     

Lipid and hematological parameters in hyperleptinemic healthy Arab male youth in Jordan

To analyze the influence ofhyperleptinemia on fasting lipid and hematological parameters in healthy Arab male youth in Jordan, this cross-sectional study was carried out in April 2009 on a sample of 120 students aged 18-24 years. Subjects were stratified by fasting leptin into two groups (control, <12.7 ng mL(-1) vs. hyperleptenimic, e_< 12.7 ng mL(-1)) and BMI (normal weight, < 25 kgm(-2) vs. overweight/obese, BMI e_< 25 kg m(-2)). Fasting serum leptin, blood glucose, lipid profile and hematological parameters values were determined by standard kit methods. Mean serum leptin concentrations were more than five times as high in hyperleptenemic subjects than in control subjects (p < 0.001). Compared with control group, significant elevations (p < 0.01) were observed in the means total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels of hyperleptenemic group whereas no significant differences was detected in HDL-cholesterol. Except the changes of WBC count, MCH and slightly MCHC, there were no differences between both groups in any other term of hematological parameters. In conclusion, changes in lipid variables and some hematological parameters may increase plasma viscosity as a step during atherosclerosis pathogenesis in male youth at risk for dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, hyperleptinemia could be a useful index in identifying healthy youth male subjects but this hypothesis needs further investigation.     

Effect of traditional methods of processing on the electrophoretic patterns of faba bean water soluble proteins

A number of national dishes are prepared from the dry seeds of faba bean by soaking, germination (nabet), cooking (bisara and medammis) or frying a dough (falafel). Soaking (12 h) decreased the intensity of bands in the standard PAGE and increased the charge heterogeneity of neutral proteins in PAGIF. Germination (24 or 60 h) changed the patterns for esterases, peroxidases and amylases, but not for phosphorylases. The charge distribution of proteins was markedly changed in the basic region. Roasting did not affect the distribution in standard PAGE. All bands in the basic region of PAGIF disappeared. High MW-proteins wre degraded to low MW-proteins as seen in SDS-PAGE. The cooking broth and the cooked beans of nabet soup and medammis had more or less similar patterns in the standard PAGE. The broth of nabet soup had larger number of low MW-proteins than the bean extract in SDS-PAGE. Bisara proteins showed almost the same patterns as the corresponding proteins of the cooking broth of nabet soup. Falafel proteins showed patterns very similar to that obtained from roasted beans in the SDS-PAGE. PAGIF gave a different but characteristic charge distribution for falafel.     

Potato disc bioassay and cytotoxic effect of Leptadenia pyrotechnica: comparative study of diverse extracts

Comparative acute toxicity studies of the latex and sequential extracts of Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne (Asclepiadaceae) were recorded using brine shrimp. The higher toxicities were exhibited in latex; methanol, methanol/dichloromethane (1:1), defatted methanol/dichloromethane (1:1), defatted methanol and dichloromethane extracts. The other extracts; aqueous, alkaloids, ethyl acetate and n-butanol exhibited less toxicities compared with the other extracts. The estimated LC50 and its 95% confidence limits for these extracts expressed in ppm were: methanol, latex 18.84 (11.22-31.61), methanol/dichloromethane 19.95 (7.76-53.70), defatted methanol/dichloromethane 21.38 (7.24-63.10), defatted methanol 28.19 (16.27-48.81) and dichloromethane 30.90 (11.75-79.43). The anti-tumor activities; potato disc assays of methanol, ethyl acetate and alkaloids extracts showed good activities as anti-tumor agent which represented-49.30,-43.20 an -33.60%, respectively. While latex and aqueous extract represented-30.80 and-28.17%, respectively.     

Genotyping of kappa-casein gene in Egyptian buffalo bulls

The present work is undertaken mainly for genotyping of kappa-casein gene in buffalo bulls. DNA was extracted from the frozen semen of nine buffalo bulls used in artificial insemination in addition to 40 blood samples of male buffalo calves for identification and genotyping of kappa-casein gene by PCR-RFLP assay. Different restriction endonucleases, including HindIII, HinfI and Taq1 were used. The PCR product of the primer specific for K2 and KY gives the specific band at size 379 and 280 bp respectively. Digestion of 379 bp fragment K2 by restriction endonuclease HindIII generated two fragments of 156 and 223 bp. For fragment 280 bp kappa-casein KY, the above mentioned endonuclease generated two fragments of 180 and 100 bp. Digestion of the 379 bp PCR product with HinfI resulted two restriction fragments of 288 and 91 bp. On the other hand, the amplified DNA (379 bp) from buffalo remained undigested by Taq1 restriction enzyme.In conclusion, the PCR-RFLP technique demonstrated that bulls were monomorphic for the kappa-casein gene; they possess only allele B in homozygosis form.     

The expression of signal regulatory protein-alpha in normal and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage and its involvement in chondrocyte mechano-transduction response

BACKGROUND: Signal regulatory proteins (SIRP) belong to immunoglobulin super family (IgSF) and relate to integrin signaling cascades. It has been shown that SIRPalpha is expressed in a variety of cells including myeloid cells and neurons. In the present study the expression of this IgSF member in articular chondrocytes was investigated. METHODS: Using a panel of anti-SIRPalpha antibodies, immunohistochemistry, Western-blotting and electrophysiology methods, expression of SIRPalpha and its role in chondrocyte mechano-transduction were assessed. RESULTS: No identifiable positive signal was obtained by using immunohistochemistry methods on frozen and paraffin sections. SIRPalpha is expressed by both normal and osteoarthritis cultured chondrocytes. The electrophysiological response of chondrocytes in the presence of SE7C2 mAb was significantly inhibited whereas; SE5A5 did not show any modification in this response. CONCLUSIONS: It seems likely that SIRPalpha could be associated with other proteins such as integrins, CD47 and ion channels, which contribute to the electrophysiological response of human articular chondrocytes. In any case, this study has provided a specific functional role for SIRPalpha in chondrocyte mechano-transduction.     

Studies on the immune status of calves with chronic inflammation and thymus atrophy

The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ where the primary T cell repertoire is generated. Thymus atrophy is induced by various conditions, including infectious diseases, glucocorticoid treatment, and poor breeding management. Cattle with thymus atrophy tend to exhibit weak calf syndrome, a condition in which approximately half of neonates die shortly after birth. Calves with thymus atrophy that survive the first month typically contract chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we analyzed the populations of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells and thymocytes in calves with thymus atrophy. In addition, we evaluated polarization of master gene and cytokine mRNA expression in peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells in the calves. The population of CD4⁺CD8⁺ cells in thymus of the calves with thymus atrophy was lower than that of control calves. IL10 mRNA expression in peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells of calves with thymus atrophy was significantly lower than that of control calves. TBX21 mRNA expression in peripheral CD4⁺ cells of thymus atrophy calves was tended to be higher than that of the control group. In addition, FOXP3 mRNA expression in peripheral CD4⁺ cells of the thymus atrophy calves was tended to be lower than that of the control calves. Thymus atrophy calves exhibited chronic inflammatory disease leading, in severe situations, to conditions such as pneumonia with caseous necrosis. These severe inflammatory responses likely are due to decreases in IL10 mRNA expression, impairing control of macrophages, one of the main cell fractions of natural immunity.