Efficacy of essential oils combination on performance,ileal bacterial counts,intestinal histology and immunocompetence of laying hens fed alternative lipid sources

This study was carried out to assess the effects of a blend of herbal essential oils (namely Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus offisinalis and Anethum graveolens) and different dietary lipid sources on the performance, ileal bacterial enumeration, intestinal histological alterations and immune responses in laying hens. For this purpose, a total of 150 laying hens were randomly allocated to six experimental treatments with five replicates of five birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of three levels of a mixture of essential oils (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and two sources of lipid (soybean oil and fish oil containing different ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 fatty acids) fed to the animals during an 80‐days feeding trial. Findings indicated that dietary administration of fish oil not only increased significantly the spleen relative weight (p < 0.01) and the antibody titre against Newcastle virus (p < 0.05) but also led to reductions in liver relative weight (p < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Moreover, the mixture of herbal essential oils brought about declines in hepatic relative weight, heterophile to lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05) and intestinal pathogen populations (p < 0.01). Mention must also be made of the improvements it made in spleen weight (p < 0.01), antibody titres against SRBC (p < 0.01) and Newcastle virus (p < 0.05), villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.01), goblet cell numbers (p < 0.05), lamina propria lymphatic follicle diameters (p < 0.01) and feed conversion ratio (p = 0.06). It may be claimed that the enhancements observed in the performance of laying hens fed fish oil and 200 mg/kg of the blend of essential oils could have potentially been associated with improved intestinal health indices as well as cellular and humoral immune responses.     

Lipopolysaccharide and cytokines modulate leukotriene (LT)B4 and LTC4 production by porcine endometrial endothelial cells

Uterine inflammatory response is mediated by inflammatory mediators including eicosanoids and cytokines produced by immune and endometrial cells. Interactions between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytokines, and leukotrienes (LTs) in endothelium, important for the host defence during the inflammation, are unknown. We studied the effect of LPS, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐4 and IL‐10 on 5‐lipooxygenase (5‐LO), LTA₄ hydrolase (LTAH) and LTC₄ synthase (LTCS) mRNA and protein expression, LTB₄ and LTC₄ release from porcine endometrial endothelial cells, and cell viability. For 24 hr, cells were exposed to LPS (10 or 100 ng/ml of medium) and cytokines (each 1 or 10 ng/ml). 5‐LO mRNA/protein expression augmented after incubation with larger doses of LPS, TNF‐α, IL‐4 and IL‐10 and smaller dose of IL‐1β. Larger dose of TNF‐α, smaller doses of LPS and IL‐1β and both doses of IL‐10 increased LTAH mRNA/protein expression. LTAH protein content was up‐regulated by larger dose of LPS, but it was reduced in response to both doses of IL‐4. LTCS mRNA expression was elevated by larger doses of LPS, IL‐4 and IL‐10 or both doses of TNF‐α and IL‐1β. LTCS protein level increased after treatment with both doses of IL‐1β, IL‐4 and IL‐10, smaller dose of LPS and larger dose of TNF‐α. Both doses of LPS and larger doses of TNF‐α and IL‐10 increased LTB₄ release. LPS, IL‐1β and IL‐10 at smaller doses, or TNF‐α and IL‐4 at larger doses stimulated LTC₄ release. Smaller doses of TNF‐α and IL‐1β or both doses of IL‐4 enhanced the cell viability. This work provides new insight on the participation of LPS, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐4 and IL‐10 in LTB₄ and LTC₄ production/release from porcine endometrial endothelial cells, and the effect of above factors on these cells viability. The used cellular model gives the possibility to further establish the interactions between inflammatory mediators.     

Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of granulosa cells during different stages of folliculogenesis in bovine ovaries

Bovine granulosa cells (GC) vary in their morphological aspect during different stages of folliculogenesis. In this study, 10 morphologically normal bovine ovaries were collected to study the structural aspects of different stages of GC using intermediate filament protein antibodies including cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (AE1/AE3), vimentin, nectin‐4 and desmin. Hormonal immunolocalization was assessed using the immunomarkers anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin alpha. In addition, tumour markers and proliferation markers using c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, respectively, were investigated. The immunolabelling of AE1/AE3 in GC was strongest in the early follicle stage and gradually decreased when reaching the Graafian follicle stage. Its immunolabelling increased again as the stage progressed from stage I to stage III. The immunolabelling of inhibin alpha was inversely proportional to that of AE1/AE3 in the developing ovarian follicles as their immunolabelling is opposite to each other during folliculogenesis. AMH was immunopositive in almost all GC stages in different intensities and percentages, except for some negative staining in the atretic IV follicles. The atretic IV follicle is a unique type of atretic follicle that shows Call‐Exner body formation, which was mainly found in older cows in this study. The distinct patterns of immunoreactivity for various types of immunomarkers in the different GC stages will play an important role in diagnostic assistance of various follicle conditions, including cystic ovaries and GC tumours.     

内毒素对大鼠小肠黏膜组织的影响及多价阳离子A的保护效应

旨在揭示大肠埃希菌内毒素(ET)对大鼠小肠黏膜的结构、绒毛长度、上皮内淋巴细胞(IEL)的数量和分布的影响,并探讨多价阳离子A(CA)对上述指标的保护效应。选用72只140g~150g SPF级SD大鼠随机分为3组,即对照组、ET组和CA保护组,经相应处理后分别在3、4、8、12h采集十二指肠、空肠组织作为检测样本,制备病理组织切片,HE染色并利用图像分析系统进行分析。ET组十二指肠和空肠绒毛长度在3、4、8、12h均显著低于对照组和CA保护组(P0.01),ET组十二指肠、空肠IEL数量在3、4、8、12h均显著低于对照组(P0.01);CA保护组十二指肠和空肠IEL数量在4、8、12h均显著高于ET组(P0.01)。结果显示,ET在不同程度上能够破坏小肠黏膜的正常组织结构,降低小肠绒毛长度,减少IEL的数量,从而影响小肠正常的吸收和免疫功能,而CA则能明显降低ET所导致的毒性作用,发挥其保护效应。     

激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞乳脂肪合成的调控作用

乳脂肪是高质量的天然脂肪，其可为人类提供营养和能量，在各种膳食脂肪和油类中，是最容易被消化吸收的。乳脂肪是在乳腺中由从头合成或外源摄取的脂肪酸与甘油酯化形成的一种脂类物质，其含量的高低关系着牛奶品质的优劣和乳制品的加工特性。在奶牛的泌乳周期中，乳腺泌乳功能受多种因素影响，其中内分泌腺分泌的多种激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞（BMECs）乳脂的合成具有积极的调控作用。综上所述，作者介绍了氢化可的松、催乳素、胰岛素和生长激素4种泌乳相关激素对BMECs乳脂肪合成的调控机理，即从乳脂合成适宜的激素添加量、激素对乳脂球形态的影响方面初步阐释其调控作用，并从乳脂合成的关键酶及转录因子、激素对乳脂合成相关基因表达量方面深入阐释其作用机理，旨在为研究泌乳相关激素对奶牛乳腺内乳脂肪合成的调控机理提供参考。     

Transplantation of human amnion epithelial cells improves learning and memory function in Alzheimer's disease-like pathology rat model

AIM: To observe the treatment effect and its immune regulation of human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) on Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology rat model. METHODS: The hAECs were isolated from amnion with trypsin digestion, and the phenotype of hAECs was analyzed by flow cytometry. SD rats (n=48) were randomly divided into sham control group, model group, medium group and hAECs group. AD-like pathology rat model was induced by bilateral intraventricular injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). hAECs (5×10⁵) were injected into the hippocampus of the AD-like pathology rats. At 2 weeks after transplantation, the animals were tested by Morris water maze to observe the function of learning and memory. The pathological change of the brain was observed by HE staining. The expression of amyloid β-protein 42(Aβ42) and Tau protein and the level of acetylcholine (ACh) in the injury brain were determined by immunohistochemistry. The survival and differentiation of hAECs in the hippocampus were measured by immunofluorescent technique. The percentages of lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The contents of serum cytokines were detected by cytometric bead array. RESULTS: Compared with model group and medium group, hAECs group showed shortened escape latency (P<0.01), increased frequency of going through the platform (P<0.05), reduced loss of hippocampal neurons, decreased expression of Tau protein and Aβ42 in the hippocampus (P<0.05), increased ACh level in the hippocampus (P<0.05), decreased percentages of Th1 and Th17 subsets, increased percentages of Th2 and Treg cells (P<0.05), decreased concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the serum, and increased concentration of IL-4(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: hAECs improve the cognitive learning and memory function and alleviate pathologic damage of hippocampus through immune regulation in AD-like pathology rats.     

铅和（或）镉对体外培养肾细胞的毒性损伤

在培养液中加入不同浓度的Cd（10、20、40μmol／L）、Pb（10、20、40μmol／L）和Pb-Cd联合（分别为5、10、20μmol／L），来探讨铅镉对肾细胞的作用及可能机制。在显微镜下观察细胞形态、测定细胞凋亡率和细胞周期及上清液脂质过氧化指标。结果表明：20μmol／L以上染毒组细胞皱缩、体积变小，表面有细胞碎片，甚至呈泡沫状或树枝状；铅、镉单独和联合染毒组GSH—Px、SOD活性随染毒剂量的增加，呈逐渐下降趋势（P〈0．05）．而MDA含量和凋亡率则呈升高趋势（P〈0．05），并存在剂量和时间效应。镉和铅也能使细胞周期停滞。Pb、Cd联合可加剧细胞损伤。     

蜂王浆对尾静脉注射4T1细胞小鼠抗氧化能力的影响

探讨蜂王浆对尾静脉注射4T1细胞小鼠的抗氧化和免疫力的影响.将4T1细胞或其与蜂王浆的混合物通过尾静脉注射入小鼠体内,ELISA法检测蜂王浆对小鼠血清、肝脏和肾脏中与抗氧化能力相关的指标及血清中和免疫力相关细胞因子水平的影响.结果表明,和模型对照组相比,蜂王浆(50、100 mg·mL~(-1))可以显著提高小鼠血清内T-AOC、IFN-α(P0.05)水平,降低IL-4的水平(P0.05);蜂王浆剂量为50 mg·m L~(-1)时,IFN-γ的含量显著增加(P0.05).蜂王浆(100 mg·mL~(-1))显著提高肾脏中T-AOC的水平(P0.05).可见,蜂王浆可以改善尾静脉注射4T1细胞小鼠的抗氧化能力和免疫力.     

NaCl胁迫对白蜡种子生理特性的影响

为了给盐碱地造林树种选择提供依据,以采自秦皇岛和保定的白蜡种子为试材,采用不同浓度的NaCl胁迫处理,研究了其萌发过程中发芽率、细胞膜透性、保护酶活性、丙二醛MDA的变化,结果表明:(1)随着NaCl胁迫浓度的增加,两地白蜡种子发芽率均呈现逐渐降低的变化趋势,秦皇岛各处理的白蜡种子发芽率分别比对照降低了8.9%、52.6%、56.3%、61.6%、87.9%、91.1%,而保定的白蜡种子分别比对照降低20.2%、56.2%、68.7%、86.5%、89.9%、100.0%;(2)随着浓度的升高,种子的相对电导值、K+、Na+渗透率升高,种子的SOD酶活性降低,MDA含量增加,NaCl胁迫浓度越高,种子所受到的伤害越深;(3)0.20%浓度的NaCl胁迫对白蜡种子萌发影响不大。对于不同种源的白蜡种子,秦皇岛的白蜡种子抗盐性要优于保定的白蜡种子。     

自制中药颗粒剂对腹泻仔猪小肠黏膜病理结构及养分消化率的影响

为了研究自制中药复方颗粒剂对腹泻仔猪小肠黏膜组织结构和营养消化率的影响,试验选用人工感染大肠埃希菌引起腹泻的28日龄断奶的杜长大仔猪36头,随机均分为2组,每组3个重复,每个重复6头。抗生素治疗组在饮水中添加盐酸林可霉素2.0 m L/头饮水,2次/d,连续5 d;中药复方颗粒剂治疗组在饮水中添加2.0 g/头饮水,2次/d,连续5 d。分别于用药后14 d时,每组每个重复随机抽取1头屠宰,无菌采集小肠黏膜,通过石蜡切片和HE染色观测小肠黏膜病理组织学变化。其余仔猪继续饲养14 d,采用内源指示剂法进行消化试验。结果显示,小肠黏膜组织结构:中药复方颗粒剂治疗组小肠黏膜除有少量出血外,未发现明显病理变化。抗生素治疗组小肠黏膜脱落,有广泛充血、出血;黏膜上皮细胞变性坏死;嗜酸性粒细胞浸润,有大量以淋巴细胞杯状细胞为主的炎性细胞浸润;微绒毛排列紊乱、脱落;细胞受损严重,线粒体等细胞器结构异常。养分消化率:对于有机物质、磷的消化率,各组之间无显著差异,中药复方颗粒剂治疗组对钙的消化率为57.10%,显著高于抗生素治疗组(56.10%),并与健康仔猪组(57.40%)差异不显著。中药复方颗粒剂治疗组对粗蛋白质的消化率为79.30%,显著高于抗生素治疗组(78.50%),并与健康仔猪组(79.20%)差异不显著。中药复方颗粒剂治疗组对粗纤维的消化率为48.30%,极显著高于抗生素治疗组(46.10%),并与健康仔猪组(48.20%)差异不显著。中药复方颗粒剂治疗组对粗脂肪的消化率为63.40%,极显著高于抗生素治疗组(62.10%),并与健康仔猪组(63.60%)差异不显著。结论:抗生素治疗仔猪腹泻造成小肠黏膜明显的病理变化和功能障碍,而中药治疗有利于仔猪小肠黏膜组织结构的修复,并能显著提高小肠的养分消化率。为防治仔猪腹泻、提高仔猪的生长性能提供依据。