Investigation of Functional Cytochrome P450 4A Enzymes in Liver and Kidney of Pigs, Cats, Tree Shrews, and Dogs in Comparison with the Metabolic Capacity of Human P450 4A11.

Pigs are sometimes used in preclinical drug metabolism studies, with growing interest, and thus their drug-metabolizing enzymes, including the cytochromes P450 (P450 or CYP; EC 1.14.14.1), need to be examined. In the present study, novel CYP4A cDNAs were isolated and characterized, namely, pig CYP4A23 and CYP4A90; cat CYP4A37 and CYP4A106; and tree shrew CYP4A11a, CYP4A11d, CYP4A11e, CYP4A11f, and CYP4A11g. For comparison, the following known CYP4A cDNAs were also analyzed: pig CYP4A21 and dog CYP4A37, CYP4A38, and CYP4A39. These CYP4A cDNAs all contained open reading frames of 504-513 amino acids and had high amino acid sequence identity (74%-80%) with human CYP4As. Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences revealed that these CYP4As were clustered in each species. All CYP4A genes contained 12 coding exons and formed a gene cluster in the corresponding genomic regions. A range of tissue types were analyzed, and these CYP4A mRNAs were preferentially expressed in liver and/or kidney, except for pig CYP4A90, which showed preferential expression in lung and duodenum. CYP4A enzymes, heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, preferentially catalyzed lauric acid 12-hydroxylation and arachidonic acid 20-hydroxylation, just as human CYP4A11 does, with the same regioselectivity (i.e., at the ω-position of fatty acids). These results imply that dog, cat, pig, and tree shrew CYP4As have functional characteristics similar to those of human CYP4A11, with minor differences in lauric acid 12-hydroxylation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Cytochrome P450 (P450, CYP) 4As are important P450s in human biological processes because of their fatty acid-metabolizing ability. Pig CYP4A21, CYP4A23, and CYP4A90; cat CYP4A37 and CYP4A106; tree shrew CYP4A11a, CYP4A11d, CYP4A11e, CYP4A11f, and CYP4A11g; and dog CYP4A37, CYP4A38, and CYP4A39 cDNAs were isolated and analyzed. These CYP4A cDNAs shared relatively high sequence identities with human CYP4A11 and CYP4A22. Pig, cat, tree shrew, and dog CYP4As in the liver and kidneys are likely to catalyze the ω-hydroxylation of fatty acids.

RNA-Seq and miRNA-Seq data from Epstein-Barr virus-infected tree shrews reveal a ceRNA network contributing to immune microenvironment regulation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in humans is ubiquitous and associated with various diseases. Remodeling of the immune microenvironment is the primary cause of EBV infection and pathogenesis; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used whole-transcriptome RNA-Seq to detect mRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) profiles in the control group, 3 days, and 28 days after EBV infection, based on the tree shrew model that we reported previously. First, we estimated the proportion of 22 cell types in each sample using CIBERSORT software and identified 18 high-confidence DElncRNAs related to immune microenvironment regulation after EBV infection. Functional enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed lncRNAs primarily focused on the autophagy, endocytosis, and ferroptosis signalling pathways. Moreover, EBV infection affects miRNA expression patterns, and many miRNAs are silenced. Finally, three competing endogenous RNA regulatory networks were built using lncRNAs that significantly correlated with immune cell types, miRNAs that responded to EBV infection, and potentially targeted the mRNA of the miRNAs. Among them, MRPL42-AS-5 might act as an hsa-miR-296-5p "sponge" and compete with target mRNAs, thus increasing mRNA expression level, which could induce immune cell infiltration through the cellular senescence signalling pathway against EBV infection. Overall, we conducted a complete transcriptomic analysis of EBV infection in vivo for the first time and provided a novel perspective for further investigation of EBV-host interactions.

Integrated analysis of miRNA-mRNA expression of newly emerging swine H3N2 influenza virus cross-species infection with tree shrews.

BACKGROUND: Cross-species transmission of zoonotic IAVs to humans is potentially widespread and lethal, posing a great threat to human health, and their cross-species transmission mechanism has attracted much attention. miRNAs have been shown to be involved in the regulation of IAVs infection and immunity, however, few studies have focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying miRNAs and mRNAs expression after IAVs cross-species infection. METHODS: We used tree shrews, a close relative of primates, as a model and used RNA-Seq and bioinformatics tools to analyze the expression profiles of DEMs and DEGs in the nasal turbinate tissue at different time points after the newly emerged swine influenza A virus SW2783 cross-species infection with tree shrews, and miRNA-mRNA interaction maps were constructed and verified by RT-qPCR, miRNA transfection and luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: 14 DEMs were screened based on functional analysis and interaction map, miR-760-3p, miR-449b-2, miR-30e-3p, and miR-429 were involved in the signal transduction process of replication and proliferation after infection, miR-324-3p, miR-1301-1, miR-103-1, miR-134-5p, miR-29a, miR-31, miR-16b, miR-34a, and miR-125b participate in negative feedback regulation of genes related to the immune function of the body to activate the antiviral immune response, and miR-106b-3p may be related to the cross-species infection potential of SW2783, and the expression level of these miRNAs varies in different days after infection. CONCLUSIONS: The miRNA regulatory networks were constructed and 14 DEMs were identified, some of them can affect the replication and proliferation of viruses by regulating signal transduction, while others can play an antiviral role by regulating the immune response. It indicates that abnormal expression of miRNAs plays a crucial role in the regulation of cross-species IAVs infection, which lays a solid foundation for further exploration of the molecular regulatory mechanism of miRNAs in IAVs cross-species infection and anti-influenza virus targets.

Molecular and functional characterization of flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMO1-6) in tree shrews.

Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are a family of important drug oxygenation enzymes that, in humans, consist of five functional enzymes (FMO1-5) and a pseudogene (FMO6P). The tree shrew is a non-rodent primate-like species that is used in various biomedical studies, but its usefulness in drug metabolism research has not yet been investigated. In this study, tree shrew FMO1-6 cDNAs were isolated and characterized by sequence analysis, tissue expression, and metabolic function. Compared with human FMOs, tree shrew FMOs showed sequence identities of 85-90 % and 81-89 %, respectively, for cDNA and amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that each tree shrew and human FMO were closely clustered. The genomic and genetic structures of the FMO genes were conserved in tree shrews and humans. Among the five tissue types analyzed (lung, heart, kidney, small intestine, and liver), FMO3 and FMO1 mRNAs were most abundant in liver and kidney, respectively. Recombinant tree shrew FMO1-6 proteins expressed in bacterial membranes all mediated benzydamine and trimethylamine N-oxygenations and methyl p-tolyl sulfide S-oxygenation. The selective human FMO3 substrate trimethylamine was predominantly metabolized by tree shrew FMO3. Additionally, tree shrew FMO6 was active toward trimethylamine, as is cynomolgus macaque FMO6, in contrast with the absence of activity of the human FMO6P pseudogene product. Tree shrew FMO1-6, which are orthologous to human FMOs (FMO1-5 and FMO6P) were identified, and tree shrew FMO3 has functional and molecular features generally comparable to those of human FMO3 as the predominant FMO in liver.

Novel Tree Shrew Cytochrome P450 2Ds (CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b) Are Functional Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes that Metabolize Bufuralol and Dextromethorphan.

Tree shrews are a nonprimate species used in a range of biomedical studies. Recent genome analysis of tree shrews found that the sequence identities and the numbers of genes of cytochrome P450 (CYP or P450), an important family of drug-metabolizing enzymes, are similar to those of humans. However, tree shrew P450s have not yet been sufficiently identified and analyzed. In this study, novel CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b cDNAs were isolated from tree shrew liver and were characterized, along with human CYP2D6, dog CYP2D15, and pig CYP2D25. The amino acid sequences of these tree shrew CYP2Ds were 75%-78% identical to human CYP2D6, and phylogenetic analysis showed that they were more closely related to human CYP2D6 than rat CYP2Ds, similar to dog and pig CYP2Ds. For tree shrew CYP2D8b, two additional transcripts were isolated that contained different patterns of deletion. The gene and genome structures of CYP2Ds are generally similar in dogs, humans, pigs, and tree shrews. Tree shrew CYP2D8a mRNA was most abundantly expressed in liver, among the tissue types analyzed, similar to dog CYP2D15 and pig CYP2D25 mRNAs. Tree shrew CYP2D8b mRNA was also expressed in liver, but at a level 7.3-fold lower than CYP2D8a mRNA. Liver microsomes and recombinant protein of both tree shrew CYP2Ds metabolized bufuralol and dextromethorphan, selective substrates of human CYP2D6, but the activity level of CYP2D8a greatly exceeded that of CYP2D8b. These results suggest that tree shrew CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b are functional drug-metabolizing enzymes, of which CYP2D8a is the major CYP2D in liver. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Novel tree shrew CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b cDNAs were isolated from liver. Their amino acid sequences were 75%-78% identical to human CYP2D6. For CYP2D8b, two additional transcripts contained different patterns of deletion. Tree shrew CYP2D8a mRNA was abundantly expressed in liver, similar to dog CYP2D15 and pig CYP2D25 mRNAs. Recombinant tree shrew CYP2Ds catalyzed the oxidation of bufuralol and dextromethorphan. Tree shrew CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b are functional drug-metabolizing enzymes, of which CYP2D8a is the major CYP2D in liver.

Expression of Testis-specific Serine/Threonine Kinases during the Reproductive and Nonreproductive Seasons and Their Localization in Mature Spermatozoa of Tree Shrews (Tupaia belangeri).

Tree shrews display obvious reproductive cycles, and sexually mature male tree shrews produce little or no sperm with extremely low motility during the nonreproductive season; the mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unknown. Because testis-specific serine/threonine kinases (TSSK) are specifically expressed in the testis and male germ cells of mammals, we hypothesized that they may have an important role in spermatogenesis or sperm function regulation in tree shrews. In addition, the expression, distribution, subcellular localization, and dynamic changes of TSSK in tree shrew sperm are unclear. Here we show that during the reproductive season, the seminiferous tubules were significantly larger as compared with the nonreproductive season and contained mature sperm and other germ cells. The mRNA expression of Tssk genes in testis was significantly higher than that in other tissues, and the mRNA level in the testis during the reproductive season was significantly higher than that in nonreproductive season. In addition, the mRNA level of Tssk3 in the testis and sperm was significantly higher than that of other members. Specifically, Tssk1 mRNA was distributed in the acrosome and throughout the flagellum of tree shrew sperm, Tssk2 was present in the acrosome, Tssk3 was localized to postacrosomal region and relocated to the main part of the flagellum after capacitation, and Tssk6 was distributed in the acrosome and postacrosomal region. These results indicate that the TSSK are important regulating reproductive function in tree shrews.

Co-delivery of Cas9 mRNA and guide RNAs edits hepatitis B virus episomal and integration DNA in mouse and tree shrew models.

With 296 million chronically infected individuals worldwide, hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes a major health burden. The major challenge to cure HBV infection lies in the fact that the source of persistence infection, viral episomal covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), could not be targeted. In addition, HBV DNA integration, although normally results in replication-incompetent transcripts, considered as oncogenic. Though several studies evaluated the potential of gene-editing approaches to target HBV, previous in vivo studies have been of limited relevance to authentic HBV infection, as the models do not contain HBV cccDNA or feature a complete HBV replication cycle under competent host immune system. In this study, we evaluated the effect of in vivo codelivery of Cas9 mRNA and guide RNAs (gRNAs) by SM-102-based lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) on HBV cccDNA and integrated DNA in mouse and a higher species. CRISPR nanoparticle treatment decreased the levels of HBcAg, HBsAg and cccDNA in AAV-HBV1.04 transduced mouse liver by 53%, 73% and 64% respectively. In HBV infected tree shrews, the treatment achieved 70% reduction of viral RNA and 35% reduction of cccDNA. In HBV transgenic mouse, 90% inhibition of HBV RNA and 95% inhibition of DNA were observed. CRISPR nanoparticle treatment was well tolerated in both mouse and tree shrew, as no elevation of liver enzymes and minimal off-target was observed. Our study demonstrated that SM-102-based CRISPR is safe and effective in targeting HBV episomal and integration DNA in vivo. The system delivered by SM-102-based LNPs may be used as a potential therapeutic strategy against HBV infection.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Dendrogale murina (Tupaiidae) and Phylogeny of Scandentia.

In this paper, we report the complete mitochondrial genome of the northern smooth-tailed treeshrew Dendrogale murina, which was sequenced for the first time using the Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The total length of the mitochondrial genome is 16,844-16,850 bp and encodes 37 genes, including two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) 12S and 16S, 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and a D-loop in the characteristic arrangement of family Tupaiidae (Mammalia: Scandentia). The overall base composition of the complete mitochondrial DNA is A (33.5%), C (25.5%), G (13.9%), and T (27.1%). Phylogenetic analysis of Scandentia mitochondrial genomes showed a classic pattern, which was revealed previously while using individual phylogenetic markers. The result of the current study is consistent with one based on the latest morphological studies, with the basal position of Ptilocercus and Dendrogale sister to the rest of the Tupaiidae genera. The divergence time of the Dendrogale genus is estimated as Eocene-Oligocene, with the mean value of 35.8 MYA, and the Ptilocercus genus probably separated at about 46.3 MYA. We observe an increase in the age of all nodes within the Scandentia, except for a decrease in the age of separation of Ptilocercus. This result can be explained both by the addition of new mitochondrial genome data in the analysis and the usage of new calibration points from recently published data.

Newly identified cytochrome P450 3A genes of tree shrews and pigs are expressed and encode functional enzymes.

Novel cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) cDNA in tree shrews (which are non-rodent primate-like species) and pig CYP3A227 cDNA were identified, along with known pig CYP3A22, CYP3A29, and CYP3A46 cDNAs. All five cDNAs contained open reading frames encoding a polypeptide of 503 amino acids that shared high sequence identity (72-78 %) with human CYP3A4 and were more closely related to human CYP3As than rat CYP3As by phylogenetic analysis. CYP3A5 was the only CYP3A in the tree shrew genome, but pig CYP3A genes formed a CYP3A gene cluster in the genomic region corresponding to that of human CYP3A genes. Tree shrew CYP3A5 mRNA was predominantly expressed in liver and small intestine, among the tissues analyzed, whereas pig CYP3A227 mRNA was most abundantly expressed in jejunum, followed by liver. Metabolic assays established that tree shrew CYP3A5 and pig CYP3A proteins heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli metabolized typical human CYP3A4 substrates nifedipine and midazolam. These results suggest that novel tree shrew CYP3A5 and pig CYP3A227 were functional enzymes able to metabolize human CYP3A4 substrates in liver and small intestine, similar to human CYP3A4, although pig CYP3A227 mRNA was minimally expressed in all tissues analyzed.

Novel cytochrome P450 1 (CYP1) genes in tree shrews are expressed and encode functional drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) are a non-rodent primate-like species sometimes used for biomedical research involving hepatitis virus infections and toxicology. Genome analysis has indicated similarities between tree shrews and humans in the numbers of cytochromes P450 (P450 or CYP), which constitute a family of important drug-metabolizing enzymes; however, P450s have not been fully investigated in tree shrews. In this study, we identified CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, and CYP1D1 cDNAs from tree shrew liver and compared their characteristics with dog, pig, and human CYP1As. The deduced amino acid sequences of tree shrew CYP1s were highly identical (82-87 %) to human CYP1s. In tree shrews, CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 mRNAs were preferentially expressed in liver, whereas CYP1D1 mRNA was preferentially expressed in kidney and lung. In contrast, CYP1B1 mRNA was expressed in various tissues, with the most abundant expression in spleen. Among the tree shrew CYP1 mRNAs, CYP1A2 mRNA was most abundant in liver, and CYP1B1 mRNA was most abundant in kidney, small intestine, and lung. All tree shrew CYP1 proteins heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed caffeine and estradiol in a similar manner to tree shrew liver microsomes and human, dog, and pig CYP1 proteins. These results suggest that tree shrew CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, and CYP1D1 genes, different form human pseudogene CYP1D1P, are expressed in liver, small intestine, lung, and/or kidney and encode functional drug-metabolizing enzymes important in toxicology.

Euarchontoglires Challenged by Incomplete Lineage Sorting.

Euarchontoglires, once described as Supraprimates, comprise primates, colugos, tree shrews, rodents, and lagomorphs in a clade that evolved about 90 million years ago (mya) from a shared ancestor with Laurasiatheria. The rapid speciation of groups within Euarchontoglires, and the subsequent inherent incomplete marker fixation in ancestral lineages, led to challenged attempts at phylogenetic reconstructions, particularly for the phylogenetic position of tree shrews. To resolve this conundrum, we sampled genome-wide presence/absence patterns of transposed elements (TEs) from all representatives of Euarchontoglires. This specific marker system has the advantage that phylogenetic diagnostic characters can be extracted in a nearly unbiased fashion genome-wide from reference genomes. Their insertions are virtually free of homoplasy. We simultaneously employed two computational tools, the genome presence/absence compiler (GPAC) and 2-n-way, to find a maximum of diagnostic insertions from more than 3 million TE positions. From 361 extracted diagnostic TEs, 132 provide significant support for the current resolution of Primatomorpha (Primates plus Dermoptera), 94 support the union of Euarchonta (Primates, Dermoptera, plus Scandentia), and 135 marker insertion patterns support a variety of alternative phylogenetic scenarios. Thus, whole genome-level analysis and a virtually homoplasy-free marker system offer an opportunity to finally resolve the notorious phylogenetic challenges that nature produces in rapidly diversifying groups.

Comprehensive annotation of the Chinese tree shrew genome by large-scale RNA sequencing and long-read isoform sequencing.

The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) is emerging as an important experimental animal in multiple fields of biomedical research. Comprehensive reference genome annotation for both mRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is crucial for developing animal models using this species. In the current study, we collected a total of 234 high-quality RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets and two long-read isoform sequencing (ISO-seq) datasets and improved the annotation of our previously assembled high-quality chromosome-level tree shrew genome. We obtained a total of 3 514 newly annotated coding genes and 50 576 lncRNA genes. We also characterized the tissue-specific expression patterns and alternative splicing patterns of mRNAs and lncRNAs and mapped the orthologous relationships among 11 mammalian species using the current annotated genome. We identified 144 tree shrew-specific gene families, including interleukin 6 (IL6) and STT3 oligosaccharyltransferase complex catalytic subunit B (STT3B), which underwent significant changes in size. Comparison of the overall expression patterns in tissues and pathways across four species (human, rhesus monkey, tree shrew, and mouse) indicated that tree shrews are more similar to primates than to mice at the tissue-transcriptome level. Notably, the newly annotated purine rich element binding protein A (PURA) gene and the STT3B gene family showed dysregulation upon viral infection. The updated version of the tree shrew genome annotation (KIZ version 3: TS_3.0) is available at http://www.treeshrewdb.org and provides an essential reference for basic and biomedical studies using tree shrew animal models.

RNA-seq analysis of ischemia stroke and normal brain in a tree shrew model with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Nowadays, similar strategies have been used for the treatment and prevention of acute stroke in both diabetes mellitus (DM) and non-DM populations. These strategies were analyzed to provide an experimental basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of stroke in patients both with and without DM. Tree shrews were randomly divided into control, DM, ischemic stroke (IS), and DMIS groups with 18 animals in each group. Serum biochemical indicators were used to assess metabolic status. Neural tissue damage was determined using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, H-E staining, and electron microscopy. Differential gene expression of neural tissue between the DM and control groups and the IS and DMIS groups was measured using RNA-seq analysis. The serum glucose levels of the DM and DMIS groups were significantly higher than other groups. In the DMIS group, the infarct size was significantly larger than in the IS group (19.56 ± 1.25%), with a more obvious abnormal ultrastructure of neural cells. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of IL-8, C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2), and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was significantly higher in the DM group than in the control group. The CCL7, ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 12, and adhesion G protein-coupled receptor E2 levels were significantly higher in the DMIS group than in the IS group. For the prevention and treatment of stroke in patients with DM, reducing the inflammatory state of the nervous system may reduce the incidence of stroke and improve the prognosis of neurological function after IS.

Characteristics of Angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2, type II transmembrane serine protease 2 and 4 in tree shrew indicate it as a potential animal model for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), type II transmembrane serine protease 2 and 4 (TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4) are important receptors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, the full-length tree shrewACE2 gene was cloned and sequenced, and its biological information was analyzed. The expression levels of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4 in various tissues or organs of the tree shrew were detected. The results showed that the full-length ACE2 gene in tree shrews was 2,786 bp, and its CDS was 2,418 bp, encoding 805 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis based on the CDS of ACE2 revealed that tree shrews were more similar to rabbits (85.93%) and humans (85.47%) but far from mice (82.81%) and rats (82.58%). In silico analysis according to the binding site of SARS-CoV-2 with the ACE2 receptor of different species predicted that tree shrews had potential SARS-CoV-2 infection possibility, which was similar to that of rabbits, cats and dogs but significantly higher than that of mice and rats. In addition, various tissues or organs of tree shrews expressed ACE2, TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4. Among them, the kidney most highly expressed ACE2, followed by the lung and liver. The esophagus, lung, liver, intestine and kidney had relatively high expression levels of TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4. In general, we reported for the first time the expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4 in various tissues or organs in tree shrews. Our results revealed that tree shrews could be used as a potential animal model to study the mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection.

cDNA cloning, expression and bioinformatical analysis of Tssk genes in tree shrews.

Tree shrews are more closely related to primate animals than rodents in many aspects. In addition, they also possess several advantageous characteristics including small body size, high brain-to-body mass ratio, low cost of feeding and maintenance, short reproductive cycle and life span, which make them promising novel laboratory animals to replace more precious larger primate animals. Testis-specific serine/threonine kinase (Tssk) plays important roles in spermatogenesis and/or the regulation of sperm function. However, studies on Tssk in tree shrews have not been reported yet. In the present study, the full-length sequences of five members of the Tssk family in tree shrews were cloned and their CDS region sequences were analyzed by basic bioinformatics. The phylogenetic tree and prokaryotic protein expression system of Tssk gene of tree shrews were constructed. The mRNA expressions of Tssk genes in 11 tissues/organs from tree shrews were studied. The results showed that: 1. the length of the CDS region of tree shrew Tssk gene for Tssk1B, Tssk2, Tssk3 (variant X1 / X2), Tssk4 (variant X1 / X2) and Tssk6 is 1080bp, 1077bp, 867 / 807bp, 1014 / 984bp, 822bp, respectively, encoding 359, 358, 288/268, 337/327 and 273 amino acids, respectively; the cloned sequences of Tssk genes have been submitted to GenBank with the following accession numbers: KX091161(Tssk1B), KX091162(Tssk2), KX091163(Tssk3 variant X1)/KX091164(Tssk3 variant X2), KX091165(Tssk4variant X1)/KX091166(Tssk4variant X2), KX091160(Tssk6). 2. All tree shrew Tssk proteins distribute in cytoplasm, indicating that they are hydrophilic and non-secretory proteins, with multiple phosphorylation sites of serine and/or threonine. In addition, they are all mixed proteins with similar tertiary structures sharing a highly conserved functional domain of S_TKc (Serine/Threonine protein kinases, catalytic domain). 3.The molecular phylogenetic tree of five Tssk genes in tree shrews indicates that they are neither rodent nor primate animal, but are closely related to primate animals. 4. Five members of the Tssk recombinant proteins in tree shrews were successfully obtained using the constructed prokaryotic protein expression system. 5. Five Tssk genes are specifically expressed in the testis and/or sperm of tree shrews. Additionally, small amount of Tssk1B was expressed in several tissues other than testis and sperm. Limited mRNA levels of Tssk2 and Tssk4 were expressed in the brain, while mRNA of Tssk3 or Tssk6 could only be detected in the testis and sperm. This study will provide fundamental data on reproductive biology of tree shrews, which paves a way for further studying Tssk's biological function in this novel model animal.

Comparing the hippocampal miRNA expression profiles of wild and domesticated Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis).

BACKGROUND: The domestication of tree shrews represents an important advance in the development of standardized laboratory animals. Little is known regarding the miRNA changes that accompany the transformation of wild tree shrews into domestic tree shrews. RESULTS: By performing miRNA-seq analysis on wild and domestic tree shrews, we identified 2410 miRNAs and 30 differentially expressed miRNAs in the hippocampus during tree shrew domestication. A KEGG analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed that the differentially expressed miRNAs were associated with ECM-receptor interaction, the phosphatidylinositol signaling system, protein digestion and absorption, inositol phosphate metabolism, lysine degradation, fatty acid degradation and focal adhesion. Most of these pathways could be classified under environmental information processing, organismal systems and metabolism. The miRNAs exclusively expressed in wild and tame tree shrews GO enriched in terms of divergent functions. The miRNA-mRNA networks suggested that novel-m1388-5p and novel-m0746-5p might play regulatory roles in domestication of tree shrews. Real-time RT-PCR analysis was employed to verify the presence of these miRNAs. CONCLUSION: We identified a number of candidate miRNA-regulated domestication genes that may represent targets for selection during the domestication of tree shrews.

Characteristics of the tree shrew humoral immune system.

Preclinical studies require an immune response similar to that of humans in a small animal model that is convenient to operate. Based on genome alignment, tree shrews are small animals considered to be more similar to primates than are rodents, and many human disease models have been established with tree shrews. However, the characteristics of the humoral immune response of tree shrews remain to be elucidated. In this study, the genetic sequence of the heavy chain constant region of tree shrew immunoglobulin (Ig) was complemented, and the results of immunoglobulin domain homology and transcriptome analysis showed that the tree shrew genome encodes only four classes of antibodies and does not encode IgD. The oldest IgM antibody has the highest homology with primates. After the complete sequence of each type of antibody was obtained, the tree shrew antibody protein was further expressed and purified by in vitro recombination, and an IgG quantitative evaluation system was established. The highly effective immuno protective effect induced by HSV-1 infection and the significant bactericidal effect induced by Neisseria meningitidis group C polysaccharide immunization showed that tree shrews exhibited immune responses more similar to humans than to mice. This may provide better predictive value for vaccine preclinical research.

Pathological and genetic aspects of spontaneous mammary gland tumor in Tupaia belangeri (tree shrew).

Mammary gland cancer is the most common cancer occurring in women globally. Incidences of this cancer in Japan are on the increase. Annually, more than 70,000 new cases are recorded in Japan and about 1.7 million in the world. Many cases are still difficult to cure completely, and animal models are required for the characterization of the biology, therapeutic strategy, and preventive measures for spontaneous mammary tumor. The mouse model used currently has some limitations owing to structural differences between mouse and human mammary glands. Tupaia belangeri (tree shrew), which belongs to the Tupaiidae family, shows relatively high genetic homology and structural similarity to human mammary glands. Here, we characterized the spontaneous mammary tumors in 61 female tree shrews of different ages. The incidence rate was 24.6% (15/61), and the rate of simultaneous or metachronous multiplex tumors was 60% (9/15). From the incidence pattern, some cases seemed to be of familial mammary gland tumor, as the offspring of female tree shrews No. 3 and 9 and male tree shrew No. 11 showed a high incidence rate, of 73.3% (11/15). Average incidence age for tumor development was 2 years and 3 months, and the earliest was 10 months. Histochemical analysis indicated that spontaneous mammary gland tumors in the tree shrew show the features of intraductal papillary adenomas (22 cases), except 2 tubulopapillary carcinoma cases (No. 75 and 131). All the cases were positive for the progesterone receptor, whereas 91.3% were positive for the estrogen receptor, and 4.3% were HER-2 positive. We have also confirmed the expression of nectin-4 in some mammary tumor cells. Additionally, we subjected tree shrews to cytodiagnosis or X-ray CT. Thus, the findings of this study highlight the potential of the tree shrew as a valuable new animal model for mammary gland tumor study.

Comparative genomic analysis of Proteus spp. isolated from tree shrews indicated unexpectedly high genetic diversity.

Proteus spp. are commensal gastrointestinal bacteria in many hosts, but information regarding the mutual relationships between these bacteria and their hosts is limited. The tree shrew is an alternative laboratory animal widely used for human disease research. However, little is known about the relationship between Proteus spp. and tree shrews. In this study, the complete genome sequencing method was used to analyse the characteristics of Proteus spp. isolated from tree shrews, and comparative genomic analysis was performed to reveal their relationships. The results showed that 36 Proteus spp. bacteria were isolated, including 34 Proteus mirabilis strains and two Proteus vulgaris strains. The effective rate of sequencing was 93.53%±2.73%, with an average GC content of 39.94%±0.25%. Briefly, 3682.89±90.37, 2771.36±36.01 and 2832.06±42.49 genes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant nucleotide database (NR), SwissProt database and KEGG database, respectively. The high proportions of macrolide-, vancomycin-, bacitracin-, and tetracycline-resistance profiles of the strains were annotated in the Antibiotic Resistance Genes Database (ARDB). Flagella, lipooligosaccharides, type 1 fimbriae and P fimbriae were the most abundantly annotated virulence factors in the Virulence Factor Database (VFDB). SNP variants indicated high proportions of base transitions (Ts), homozygous mutations (Hom) and non-synonymous mutations (Non-Syn) in Proteus spp. (P<0.05). Phylogenetic analysis of Proteus spp. and other references revealed high genetic diversity for strains isolated from tree shrews, and host specificity of Proteus spp. bacteria was not found. Overall, this study provided important information on characteristics of genome for Proteus spp. isolated from tree shrews.

mRNA profiling reveals response regulators of decreased fungal keratitis symptoms in a tree shrew model.

Fungal keratitis is a corneal disease with a high blindness rate caused by pathogenic fungal infections. The pathogenesis of fungal keratitis and the immune response after fungal infection are still unclear. Notably, the pathological features of fungal keratitis in tree shrews are similar to those in humans. In the present study, mRNA profiling of tree shrew corneas with fungal keratitis was performed. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on the differentially expressed mRNAs, and the GO biological process ontology was used to analyze functional trends in the differentially expressed mRNAs. In total, 151 downregulated and 71 upregulated mRNAs were shared among the 7-day, 14-day and 30-day infection groups. These differentially expressed mRNAs were significantly enriched in the GO category immune response (GO: 0002376) and the KEGG pathways cytokine receptor binding (KEGG ID: tup04060) and cell adhesion (KEGG ID: tup04514). The downregulated mRNAs were significantly enriched in the corneal epithelial cell adhesion function. Fifty-eight initially upregulated mRNAs gradually decreased in expression, and these mRNAs were significantly enriched in the functions lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and antibacterial polypeptide recognition, cell differentiation, and cell rearrangement. Zeta chain of T-cell receptor associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP70), lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2 (LCP2), C-C motif chemokine and its receptor showed high degrees of connectivity in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We speculate that the decrease in symptoms of tree shrew fungal keratitis may be related to the upregulation of genes involved in immune regulation and macrophage colony stimulation. This study showed that the C-C motif chemokine and its receptor may play a key role in regulating tree shrew fungal keratitis, providing a theoretical basis for studying the pathogenesis of human fungal keratitis.