Role of serum myostatin during the lactation period

Myostatin, also known as GDF-8 (Growth/Differentiation Factor-8), is a member of the TGF-beta superfamily that negatively regulates skeletal muscle mass in mammals. Mutation of the myostatin gene in mice, cattle, and humans causes a massively developed skeletal muscle, characterized by muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Although myostatin is predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle tissue, several recent studies have shown the presence of myostatin protein in blood and suggested a possible role for circulating myostatin in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass. In the present study, we examined changes in the levels of active form myostatin (13 kDa) in serum after birth by Western blot analysis to predict the role of serum myostatin in early postnatal muscle growth in the rat. Interestingly, the amount of active form myostatin in serum increased after birth and then decreased along with ageing after weaning. To clarify the role of increased serum myostatin during the postnatal period, we administrated follistatin, an inhibitor of myostatin activity, into postnatal rats intraperitoneally just after birth. Follistatin-administration during the postnatal period caused selective hypertrophy of type II muscle fibers in the soleus muscle. These results demonstrate that myostatin in serum acts on skeletal muscle and negatively regulates early postnatal muscle growth.     

Determination of plasma vitamin C concentration in fattening cattle

Plasma vitamin C (ascorbic acid + dehydroascorbic acid) concentration is a good index of the nutritional status of vitamin C. However, the methodologies for storage and analyses have not been investigated in bovine plasma. The validity of an analytical method for bovine plasma using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a spectrophotometric detector was examined. Exogenous dehydroascorbic acid was almost completely converted to ascorbic acid during the preparation for analysis with a reducing reagent, dithioerythritol. The analytical recoveries of ascorbic acid were high. Ascorbic acid was not detected after treatment with ascorbic acid oxidase. Thus, the specificity of this method is considered to be high. Although vitamin C was stable in plasma treated by dithioerythritol at ?20°C for 6 days, vitamin C in untreated plasma significantly decreased during 3‐day storage at ?20°C. These results indicate that the HPLC method is suitable for the determination of plasma vitamin C in cattle and that the storage conditions are important for determination of plasma vitamin C. Plasma vitamin C concentration ranged between 1.49 mg/L and 3.33 mg/L in fattening cattle. This result suggests that fattening cattle show large individual variation in plasma vitamin C concentration.     

Population dynamics and pathogenic races of rice blast fungus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnaporthe oryzae</Emphasis> in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam

In a study of the population dynamics of Magnaporthe oryzae in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, 226 isolates were collected from various sites in December 2001, September and December 2004. The pathogenic races of isolates were determined using international differential rice varieties. Isolates with the same race number were not found, not even in the same field or on the same seedling, suggesting that the fungus in the Mekong Delta was dynamically changing. But focusing on the known major resistance genes in the Japanese differential varieties, some isolates in the area were found to be the same race. Phylogenetic analyses based on the transposable elements Pot2 and MGR586 in the genomes supported that the pathogenic races were critically variable in comparison with the genomic diversity. Isolates with MAT1-1 predominated in the Mekong Delta, but in some provinces those with MAT1-2 coexisted at low frequency with MAT1-1. However, no isolates produced perithecia and ascospores. Isolates in the Mekong Delta probably had hot spots in their genomes that are easily altered and associated with some avirulence genes.     

Clinical and histopathological findings in pustular psoriaform dermatitis (pityriasis rosea) in pigs

Three cases of pustular psoriaform dermatitis (pityriasis rosea) in pigs were clinically and histopathologically examined. Grossly, the affected skin was characterized by multiple, circumscribed lesions. Three pigs were the descendants derived from the same Landrace boar. Skin lesions expanded centrifugally to became ring-shaped plaques. There were no abnormal values in hematological and serum biochemical profiles. Histopathologically, the epidermis showed remarkable thickening. The dermal lesions were characterized by a prominent component of superficial and deep perivascular infiltration of eosinophils. Dilatation of microvasculature was accompanied with congested vessels. These results revealed that the etiology of pustular psoriaform dermatitis in pigs was associated with a hereditary predisposition derived from the specific boars. This dermatosis is histopathologically characterized by microcirculatory disturbances with infiltration of abundant eosinophils.     

Production of a transgenic pig expressing human albumin and enhanced green fluorescent protein

We introduced a fusion gene of human albumin and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into porcine oocytes using the sperm vector method, and produced a piglet that showed clear expression of GFP in the hooves and skin. PCR and Southern blotting analysis of genomic DNA extracted from the piglet's tissues, including the liver, showed that the tissues carried the transgene. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that both the human albumin and EGFP genes were expressed in the tissues. The fact that human albumin gene was integrated and expressed in the liver of the transgenic pig opened a way for us to achieve our goal, which was the use of transgenic pigs for the bioartificial liver support system.     

Efficacy of a genetically modified yeast phytase on phosphorus bioavailability in a corn-soybean meal based diet for growing pigs

We investigated the efficacy of genetically modified yeast (GMY) phytase on phosphorus (P) bioavailability in growing pigs fed a corn–soybean meal based diet. Crossbred barrows were fed a P-adequate, a low-P or a P-deficient diet containing 0.37, 0.27 and 0.14% non-phytate-P, respectively. The P-deficient diet was supplemented with wild-type yeast (WTY), Aspergillus (ASP) or GMY phytase at 750 PU per kilogram of food. Dietary ASP and GMY phytases increased plasma inorganic P (P_i) concentration and the apparent absorption of P, and decreased the concentration of a bone resorption marker, plasma type-I collagen C-terminal telopeptide (ICTP). Wild-type yeast phytase also increased the apparent absorption of P, but the changes in plasma P_i and ICTP concentrations were not significant. Although the dietary P_i-equivalencies based on plasma P_i and ICTP concentrations did not differ between WTY and ASP phytases, the equivalency of ASP phytase based on apparent absorption of P was higher than that of WTY phytase. The equivalency of GMY phytase calculated from each parameter was higher than that of WTY phytase, and did not differ from that of ASP phytase. These results suggest that efficacy of GMY phytase on P bioavailability was higher than WTY phytase, and as effective as ASP phytase in growing pigs.     

灌浆结实期高温对水稻籽粒蔗糖及降解酶活性的影响

选用水稻品种越光和笹锦为材料,在开花后设置自然温度和高温两种处理,研究了不同温度处理下籽粒蔗糖、果糖和葡萄糖含量的动态变化以及蔗糖合酶、液泡型转化酶和细胞壁结合型转化酶活性的差异。高温处理下,蔗糖合酶活性值大于转化酶活性值,且与淀粉积累速率呈显著正相关,表明蔗糖合酶在蔗糖的分解和淀粉的合成过程中起着重要作用;高温下两品种籽粒的蔗糖含量明显增加,但分解的葡萄糖和果糖含量并未相应增加,表明高温有利于籽粒中蔗糖的积累,而不利于籽粒中蔗糖的分解。高温下蔗糖合酶、液泡型转化酶和细胞壁结合型转化酶活性明显下降,表明蔗糖分解速率的下降与蔗糖合酶和转化酶活性下降有关。     

Screening antiacne potency of Indonesian medicinal plants: antibacterial,lipase inhibition,and antioxidant activities

Indonesian medicinal plants were screened as potential sources of antiacne agents. The screening methods were performed using antibacterial assay against Propionibacterium acnes, lipase inhibitor assay, and antioxidant assay. The results showed that from 40 plant materials extracted with methanol and 50% ethanol in water, Caesalpinia sappan was the best extract based on the combined activities: antibacterial (minimum inhibitory concentration 0.13 mg/ml; minimum bactericidal concentration 0.25 mg/ml), lipase inhibitory [50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) 120.0 μg/ml], and antioxidative (IC₅₀ 6.47 μg/ml). Another prospective extract is Intsia palembanica based on its lipase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ 4.1 μg/ml) and antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ 3.87 μg/ml). Part of this report was presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tsukuba, March 2008     

Use of fluorescent proteins to visualize interactions between the Bakanae disease pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gibberella fujikuroi</Emphasis> and the biocontrol agent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Talaromyces</Emphasis> sp. KNB-422

Talaromyces sp. isolate KNB-422, isolated from a rice seedling, is a biofungicidal agent effective against several seedborne pathogens of rice including Gibberella fujikuroi, which causes Bakanae disease. Because the fungal mode of action (MOA) has not yet been clarified, we used the fluorescent protein markers GFP and RFP to visualize cell–cell interactions between the biocontrol agent and the pathogen G. fujikuroi. In slide culture, the hyphal cell wall of G. fujikuroi collapsed, and fluorescence of its cytoplasm disappeared 3 days after contact with hyphae of Talaromyces sp. On inoculated rice plants, both fungi occupied the same regions of coleoptiles and roots, where the biocontrol effect of Talaromyces sp. must be exerted. Our observations suggest that the MOA of Talaromyces sp. is mycoparasitic.     

Determination of true absorption and fecal endogenous loss of zinc in goats

We determined the true absorption and endogenous fecal loss of zinc (Zn) in goats using its stable isotope. Three goats were fed with the diet containing 50 mg/kg Zn twice a day for 17 days. In the morning of day 11, the goats were given a meal labeled by ⁶⁷Zn as the tracer with dysprosium as the unabsorbed marker. Then the goats were given unlabeled diet as the rest of the morning feed. We measured dietary and fecal Zn concentration, ⁶⁷Zn abundance and dysprosium concentration in feces. The excretion pattern of the tracer Zn into feces differed from that of dysprosium. Therefore, we directly calculated the true absorption of Zn from Zn concentration and ⁶⁷Zn abundance in fecal samples collected after the labeled diet was given. The apparent absorption of Zn was –0.009 ± 0.016 mg/kg bodyweight (fractional absorption, ?1.07 ± 1.85%). The true absorption of Zn was 0.162 ± 0.018 mg/kg bodyweight (fractional absorption, 18.25 ± 2.01%). The endogenous fecal loss of Zn was 0.172 ± 0.004 mg/kg bodyweight and the intestinal secretion of Zn was 0.210 ± 0.009 mg/kg bodyweight. The present experiment indicates that stable isotopic Zn is a powerful tool for examining Zn metabolism in ruminants.