Effects of Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HJLP-1 on Growth Performance, Selected Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Function Indices in the Serum, and Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chicken.

This research study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on growth performance, oxidation resistance, immunity, and cecal microbiota in broilers. This work classed three hundred and sixty 1-day-old male broilers into three groups randomly, including a control group (CON, basal diet) and antibiotic (ANT, 75 mg kg-1 chlortetracycline added into basal diet) and probiotic groups (LP, 5 × 108 CFU kg-1Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HJLP-1 contained within basal diet). Animals were then fed for 42 days, and each group comprised eight replicates with 15 broilers. Compared with CON, L. plantarum supplementation significantly improved the average daily weight gain (AWDG) (p < 0.05) while reducing the feed-gain ratio over the entire supplemental period (p < 0.05). Birds fed L. plantarum had markedly lower serum ammonia and xanthine oxidase levels (p < 0.05) than those in the ANT and CON groups. Significant improvements (p < 0.05) in superoxide dismutase, catalase, and serum IgM and IgY contents in broilers fed L. plantarum were also observed when compared with those in the CON and ANT groups. Both L. plantarum and antibiotics decreased pro-inflammatory factor IL-1ß levels significantly (p < 0.05), while only L. plantarum promoted anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 levels in the serum (p < 0.05) compared with CON. L. plantarum (p < 0.05) increased acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations in cecal contents when compared to those in CON and ANT. Among the differences revealed via 16S rRNA analysis, L. plantarum markedly improved the community richness of the cecal microbiota. At the genus level, the butyric acid-producing bacteria Ruminococcus and Lachnospiraceae were found in higher relative abundance in samples of L. plantarum-treated birds. In conclusion, dietary L. plantarum supplementation promoted the growth and health of broilers, likely by inducing a shift in broiler gut microbiota toward short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Therefore, L. plantarum has potential as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry breeding.

Effects of three different plant-derived polysaccharides on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant function, and cecal microbiota of broilers.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effects of dietary plant polysaccharides on growth performance, immune status and intestinal health in broilers. We randomly divided 960 one-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks into four groups. The control (CON) group was fed a basal diet, and the remaining groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 1000 mg kg-1 Ginseng polysaccharide (GPS), Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), or Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide (SMP) for 42 days. RESULTS: Dietary supplementation with SMP significantly increased body weight (BW) at 21 and 42 days of age, average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the starter and whole experimental period, decreased the concentrations of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) and catalase (CAT) activity in the serum (P < 0.05). GPS, APS, and SMP supplementation increased serum levels of immunoglobulins, activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and cecal concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid of broilers (P < 0.05). Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing results showed that the relative abundance of Firmicutes was decreased while the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Alistipes, and Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group were increased (P < 0.05) in the GPS, APS, and SMP groups compared with the CON group. CONCLUSION: Dietary GPS, APS, and SMP supplementation could improve growth performance, enhance immune function by increasing serum immunoglobulin and regulating cytokines, improve antioxidant function by increasing serum antioxidant enzyme activity, increase volatile fatty acid levels and improve the microbial composition in the cecum of broilers. Dietary SMP supplementation had the optimal effect in this study. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The effect of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) envelope protein VP28 on innate immunity and resistance to white spot syndrome virus in Cherax quadricarinatus.

VP28 is the most abundant membrane protein of WSSV, and the recombinant protein VP28 (VP26 or VP24) was constructed for the immune protection experiment in this study. Crayfish were immunized by intramuscular injection of recombinant protein V28 (VP26 or VP24) at a dose of 2 µg/g. The survival rate of crayfish immunized by VP28 showed a higher value than by VP26 or VP24 after WSSV challenge. Compared with the WSSV-positive control group, the VP28-immunized group could inhibit the replication of WSSV in crayfish, increasing the survival rate of crayfish to 66.67% after WSSV infection. The results of gene expression showed that VP28 treatment could enhance the expression of immune genes, mainly JAK and STAT genes. VP28 treatment also enhanced total hemocyte counts and enzyme activities including PO, SOD, and CAT in crayfish. VP28 treatment reduced the apoptosis of hemocytes in crayfish, as well as after WSSV infection. In conclusion, VP28 treatment can enhance the innate immunity of crayfish and has a significant effect on resistance to WSSV, and can be used as a preventive tool.

Protective effects of Bacillus licheniformis on growth performance, gut barrier functions, immunity and serum metabolome in lipopolysaccharide-challenged weaned piglets.

Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) is a well-accepted probiotic that has many benefits on both humans and animals. This study explored the effects of B. licheniformis on growth performance, intestinal mucosal barrier functions, immunity as well as serum metabolome in the weaned piglets exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). One hundred and twenty piglets weaned at four weeks of age were separated into two groups that received a basal diet (the control group, CON), and a basal diet complemented with B. licheniformis (500 mg/kg, the BL group, BL). Twenty-four piglets were chosen from the above two groups and 12 piglets were injected with LPS intraperitoneally at a concentration of 100 µg/kg and the others were injected with sterile saline solution of the same volume. All the piglets were sacrificed 4 h after LPS challenge. Results showed that B. licheniformis enhanced the ADG and final body weight and lowered the F/G and diarrhea rate. Pre-treatment with B. licheniformis markedly attenuated intestinal mucosal damage induced by LPS challenge. Supplementation with B. licheniformis strengthened immune function and suppressed inflammatory response by elevating the concentrations of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A and jejunum mucosal IgA and IgG and decreasing serum IL-6 and jejunum mucosal IL-1ß. In addition, B. licheniformis pretreatment prevented LPS-induced intestinal injury by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, pretreatment with B. licheniformis tended to reverse the reduction of acetate and propionic acids in the colonic contents that occurred due to LPS stress. B. licheniformis markedly modulated the metabolites of saccharopine and allantoin from lysine and purine metabolic pathways, respectively. Overall, these data emphasize the potentiality of B. licheniformis as a dietary supplement to overcome the challenge of bacterial LPS in the animal and to enhance the food safety.

Lactobacillus plantarum postbiotics trigger AMPK-dependent autophagy to suppress Salmonella intracellular infection and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

We previously found that Lactobacillus plantarum (LP)-derived postbiotics protected animals against Salmonella infection, but the molecular mechanism remains obscure. This study clarified the mechanisms from the perspective of autophagy. Intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) were pretreated with LP-derived postbiotics (the culture supernatant, LPC; or heat-killed bacteria, LPB), and then challenged with Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (ST). Results showed that LP postbiotics markedly triggered autophagy under ST infection, as indicated by the increased LC3 and Beclin1 and the decreased p62 levels. Meanwhile, LP postbiotics (particularly LPC) exhibited a strong capacity of inhibiting ST adhesion, invasion and replication. Pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) led to a significant decrease of autophagy and the aggravated infection, indicating the importance of autophagy in LP postbiotics-mediated Salmonella elimination. LP postbiotics (especially LPB) significantly suppressed ST-induced inflammation by modulating inflammatory cytokines (the increased interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10, and decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF), IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-18). Furthermore, LP postbiotics inhibited NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, as evidenced by the decreased levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC). Deficits in autophagy resulted in an increase of inflammatory response and inflammasome activation. Finally, we found that both LPC and LPB triggered AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway to induce autophagy, and this was further confirmed by AMPK RNA interference. The intracellular infection and NLRP3 inflammasome were aggravated after AMPK knockdown. In summary, LP postbiotics trigger AMPK-mediated autophagy to suppress Salmonella intracellular infection and NLRP3 inflammasome in IPEC-J2 cells. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of postbiotics, and provide a new strategy for preventing Salmonella infection.

Effects of Glyceryl Monolaurate on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Oviduct Cytokines and Intestinal Microflora of 66 Weeks Old Laying Hens.

The principal purpose of this research was to study the effects of glycerol monolaurate (GML) on the production performance; egg quality; health state of the oviduct, ovary and ileum; and gut microbiota of laying hens in the later stage. The laying hens were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group and an experiment group, for which 1000 mg/kg of GML was added to a control diet. The results showed that GML increased the laying rate, average egg weight, albumen height, yolk color and Haugh unit and decreased the feed conversion ratio and defective eggs (p < 0.05). GML increased the intestinal villi height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05). Moreover, GML improved the contents of cytokines in the oviduct, ovary and ileum mucosa; ameliorated the expression of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, IL-4, IL-1ß and TNF-α; and increased the expression of Occludin and Muc-2 in the ileal mucosa. The supplementation of GML increased the volatile fatty acids in the cecal contents, such as acetic acid and propionic acid, and up-regulated Bacteroides (p < 0.01) and Alistipes (p < 0.05) richness in the cecal contents. In summary, GML improved production performance, egg quality and immunity; ameliorated the health status of the oviduct, ovary and ileum; enhanced the intestinal barrier function; improved the content of intestinal volatile fatty acids; and regulated the abundance of cecal flora.

The role of VCAM-1 in diabetic retinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) plays a regulatory role in inflammatory diseases. However, the exact role of VCAM-1 in diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains unclear, and there is a lack of meta-analyses. METHODS: The role of VCAM-1 in DR was screened by database searching. A random effects model was used, and the estimated mean difference was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included. The level of VCAM-1 increased significantly in the DR group compared with the control group (SMD: 0.67, 95 % CI: 0.34-1.01, P < 0.0001). VCAM-1 levels correlated with sample size and DR type, method and severity based on subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION: A high level of VCAM-1 is present in DR patients and is related to the severity of DR. Therefore, VCAM-1 is a potential detection biomarker for DR.

Chitosan nanoparticles attenuate intestinal damage and inflammatory responses in LPS-challenged weaned piglets via prevention of IκB degradation.

Chitosan nanoparticles (CNP), widely applied as oral drug/gene/vaccine carrier, were found to have anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the effects of CNP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal damage in weaned piglets and the related mechanisms were investigated. Twenty-four weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 21 ± 2 day of age, initial mass: 8.58 ± 0.59 kg) were randomly assigned into four groups: control, LPS, CNP and CNP + LPS. The control and LPS groups were fed a corn-soybean meal-based control diet, whereas the CNP and CNP + LPS groups were fed a control diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg CNP. After 28 days of feeding, piglets in LPS and CNP + LPS groups were injected with LPS (100 µg/kg); meanwhile, the piglets in control and CNP groups were injected with sterile saline. After 4 h from the LPS challenge, pigs were sacrificed to collect the intestinal samples for analysis. The results showed that CNP could attenuate the intestinal damages and inflammatory response stimulated by LPS treatment. LPS induced dramatically higher levels of CD177+ neutrophils invasion in jejunum mucosa (p < 0.01), which accompanied by increased secretion of marks of inflammation (p < 0.01) compared with the control, whereas CNP administration obviously inhibited LPS-induced CD177+ neutrophils invasion (p < 0.01) and secretion of marks of inflammation, such as interleukin-8 (p < 0.05), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p < 0.05) secretion in jejunum mucosa compared with LPS group. Moreover, CNP was shown to inhibit IκB-α degradation in cytoplasm, which resulted in reduced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in LPS-challenged piglets. These findings suggest that CNP attenuates intestinal damage and inflammatory responses in LPS-challenged weaned piglets by impairing the NF-κB signalling pathway.

The Effect of Sodium Alginate-Coated Nano-Zinc Oxide on the Growth Performance, Serum Indexes and Fecal Microbial Structure of Weaned Piglets.

High dose of zinc oxide (ZnO) could improve growth performance and alleviate disease status, whereas it caused serious environmental pollution and bacterial resistance. This study was to investigate whether low doses of sodium alginate-coated nano zinc oxide (saZnO), a new type of zinc resource, could serve as a potential alternative to pharmacological doses of traditional ZnO in weaned piglets. A total of 144 crossbred piglets were randomly allocated into three groups, including a basal diet without the addition of Zn (CON), a basal diet with 1600 mg Zn/kg from traditional ZnO (ZnO), and a basal diet with 500 mg Zn/kg from saZnO (saZnO). The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that supplementing with ZnO and saZnO for 14 and 28 days significantly improved body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.01) and markedly reduced the feed intake-to-gain ratio (F/G) (p < 0.05) and diarrhea rate. In addition, dietary ZnO and saZnO significantly increased the activities of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.01). Supplementing with saZnO also promoted the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), IgM and copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) in serum (p < 0.05), whereas a ZnO addition decreased the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.05), indicating the beneficial effect of Zn on antioxidant and immune functions. Piglets fed the ZnO diet showed higher serum Zn accumulations than those fed the CON and saZnO diets at d 28 (p < 0.01), and supplementing with ZnO and saZnO markedly contributed to Zn excretion in feces, especially in the ZnO diet (p < 0.01). Additionally, piglets fed the saZnO diet had greater valeric acid concentrations (p < 0.05) in their feces, while other short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were not affected by different treatments (p > 0.05). Microbial alpha diversity was reduced in the saZnO group compared with the CON group (p < 0.05), while an obvious separation of microbial composition, the marker of beta diversity, was shown among the three groups (p < 0.05). At the genus level, six genera, including Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Terrisporobacter, f_Muribaculaceae, Subdoligranulum and Intestinibacter, were pronouncedly increased in the ZnO and saZnO groups (p < 0.05); another nine species were dramatically downregulated, such as f_Lachnospiraceae, f_Prevotellaceae, f_Butyricicoccaceae and f_Ruminococcaceae (p < 0.05). Finally, a functional analysis indicated that altered microbes significantly changed the "Metabolism" pathway (p < 0.05). These findings suggested that saZnO could act as a feasible substitute for ZnO to reduce Zn emission and enhance growth performance, antioxidant and immune functions, and to adjust the structure of gut microbiota in piglets.

Impact of SLC23A1 and SLC23A2 Polymorphisms on the Risk for Preeclampsia in a Chinese Han Population.

Solute carrier family 23 member 1 (SVCT1) and solute carrier family 23 member 2 (SVCT2), encoded by SLC23A1 and SLC23A2, may be associated with preeclampsia (PE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms of SLC23A1 and SLC23A2 and PE in Chinese Han population. The primers and double-labeled probes were designed according to the SNPs of rs10063949 in SLC23A1, rs6133175 and rs1279683 in SLC23A2. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 2,066 subjects (1,029 with PE and 1,037 without PE), and Taqman real-time PCR was used to detect the three SNPs. We observed a significant difference in genotypic frequency of the SLC23A2 rs6133175 polymorphism (χ2=8.08, p=0.02) between PE patients and controls, while no significant differences were found in the allelic frequencies (χ2=1.45, p=0.23). Then we fractionized these samples into the dominant model of the allele G (GG/AG+AA group) or the recessive model of the A allele (AA/AG+GG group), and observed a significant difference under the recessive model of the A allele (p=0.01, OR=0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.92). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs10063949 and rs1279683 between PE patients and controls (for rs10063949, χ2=2.96, p=0.23 by genotype, χ2=2.11, p=0.15 by allele; for rs1279683, χ2=1.52, p=0.47 by genotype, χ2=0.64, p=0.44 by allele). We first found that SLC23A2 rs6133175 may be the certain genetic polymorphisms modulating their effects in the development of PE in a Chinese Han population and the AG or GG genotypes may be a risk factor for PE.

[Analysis of genetic variant in a patient with juvenile meterochromic leukodystrophy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a child with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). METHODS: Clinical data of the patient was collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the child and his family members. Potential variant was screened by whole exome sequencing (WES), and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity the variant was analyzed by multiple sequence alignment of the amino acid sequence and three-dimensional model prediction of its protein product. RESULTS: The child was found to harbor compound heterozygous variants c.257G>A (p.R86Q) and c.467del (p.G156Afs*6) of the ARSA gene, among which the c.467del (p.G156Afs*6) frameshift variation was unreported previously. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the site of the c.257G>A (p.R86Q) missense variant is highly conserved. Three-dimensional structure modeling analysis showed that the partial deletion due to the p.G156Afs*6 variant may cause significant alteration of the structure of ARSA protein. CONCLUSION: The discovery of novel variant in ARSA has enriched the mutational spectrum of MLD and may facilitate the understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlation of MLD.

Dietary Garlic Powder Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress through Regulating the Immunity and Intestinal Barrier Function in Broilers.

Garlic powder (GP) has the outstanding antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antioxidant characteristics because of its various contained bioactive components, such as alliin, allicin, and polysaccharide, etc. It has been widely used as a native medicine and shown to prevent a variety of diseases. This research was performed to determine the positive effects of GP on growth and intestinal function in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers of similar initial body weight were randomly divided into four groups with 8 replicates per treatment and 15 chicks each replicate. LPS challenge enhanced the weight loss rate, decreased the immunity and antioxidant capability, increased the intestinal permeability in broilers. When compared with LPS group, broilers fed with GP exhibited improved weight loss rate and jejunum villus height, enhanced ileum antioxidant function, and ameliorated intestinal barrier function. The LPS-challenged broilers in GP group had higher immunity than that of broilers in antibiotics group. GP supplementation could act as a natural alternative to antibiotic additive to alleviate the LPS-induced weight loss rate, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress in broilers by improving the immunity and intestinal function.

Rhamnolipids Regulate Lipid Metabolism, Immune Response, and Gut Microbiota in Rats.

Objectives: Gut microbes influence lipid metabolism and immune responses that are key features of metabolic disorders. This study examined effects of bacterial rhamnolipids (RLS) on lipid metabolism, immune response, and gut microbiota in rats. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups and gavage-fed for seven weeks with normal saline (NCO group), 50 mg/kg bw RLS (RLS1 group), and 100 mg/kg bw RLS (RLS2 group). Results: Compared with those of the NCO group, the RLS1 and RLS2 groups showed significantly decreased fat weight, relative fat weight, and adipocyte size (P < 0.05). Furthermore, RLS1 and RLS2 significantly decreased concentrations of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and non-esterified fatty acids and increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels (P < 0.05). However, the total cholesterol content among the three groups (P > 0.05) were not significantly different. Serum concentrations of interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly lower in the RLS2 group than those in the NCO group (P < 0.05). The relative mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase was significantly decreased, while those of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α were significantly increased in the RLS2 group compared with those in the NCO group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the relative abundances of Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Ruminococcus-1, and Parabacteroides were significantly higher in the RLS2 group than those in the NCO group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that RLS reduces fat deposition, inhibits inflammation, regulates intestinal flora, and promotes the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in rats.

Multi-Omics Revealed the Protective Effects of Rhamnolipids in Lipopolysaccharide Challenged Broilers.

Rhamnolipid (RL) is a glycolipid biosurfactant and exhibits the following outstanding characteristics: strong antibacterial properties, low toxicity, and high biodegradability. The present research was conducted to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of rhamnolipids as an alternative to antibiotics in LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-challenged broilers. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics were used for analyzing the cecal microbial composition and serum metabolites. Dietary antibiotics and RLS supplementation decreased the weight loss rate, enhanced serum immunoglobulin levels, reduced serum diamine oxidase and D-lactate acid concentration, and improved the symptoms of intestinal bleeding and villus height, when broilers were challenged with LPS. The addition of RLS in the diet enhanced serum interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 contents and reduced serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in LPS-challenged broilers compared with the antibiotics group. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that RLS may alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory responses through altering the 6-methoxymellein level in broilers. The genus Bacteroides may contribute to the decreased weight loss rate via regulating the serum lysoPC [20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)] secretion. RLS alleviates LPS-induced intestinal injury, enhances the growth and immunity, ameliorates intestinal microflora, and improves serum metabolites in LPS-challenged broilers. RLS exhibited better protective effect than antibiotic supplementation in the diet of LPS-challenged broilers. These findings provide potential regulation strategies and novel insights for RLS enhancing its protective effect in LPS-challenged broilers.

Effects of Probiotics on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Functions, Immune Responses, and Caecal Microbiota of Broilers Challenged by Lipopolysaccharide.

We aimed to study the effects of dietary Bacillus coagulans (B. coagulans) and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on broilers challenged by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). One-day-old Cobb 500 chicks (360) were divided randomly into three treatment groups for 47 days: no supplementation (control, CON), B. coagulans supplementation (BC), and L. plantarum supplementation (LA). Broilers were routinely fed for 42 days and intraperitoneally injected with 500 µg LPS per kg body weight at 43, 45, and 47 days of age, respectively. Samples were collected 3 h after the last injection. At 1-21 days of age, the ADG in the BC and LA groups was higher than that in the CON group, and the feed to gain ratio (F/G) in the BC group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with that in CON birds, the ADG was increased and the F/G was decreased in the BC and LA birds at 22-42 and 1-42 days of age, respectively (P < 0.05). After LPS stimulation, the endotoxin (ET), diamine oxidase (DAO), and D-lactic acid (D-LA) levels in the BC group were lower than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). The IgY, IgA, and IgM contents in the BC group and the IgY and IgM contents in the LA group were higher than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). The pro-inflammatory factor and interferon-ß (IFN-ß) contents (P < 0.05) decreased, and the anti-inflammatory factor content in the serum (P < 0.05) increased in the BC and LA groups. Compared with the CON and LA treatments, the BC treatment increased the concentrations of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), and decreased that of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05). In contrast with the CON treatment, the BC and LA treatments increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae and reduced that of Desulfovibrio (P < 0.05). Moreover, BC increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria. Overall, supplementation with B. coagulans and L. plantarum promoted the growth of broilers, improved their immunity and antioxidant capacity, and alleviated the LPS-stimulated inflammatory response by regulating the intestinal flora.

The Value of Circulating microRNAs for Diagnosis and Prediction of Preeclampsia: a Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the main causes of maternal death worldwide, but our understanding of the molecular characteristics of disease progression is limited. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the value of peripheral blood microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic and predictive markers of PE. We screened PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases; searched articles about "miRNAs and PE" up to November 30, 2020; and conducted biological information and subgroup analysis. We used QUADAS-2 (quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies-2) to evaluate the included articles by two independent reviewers, calculated the combined diagnostic and predictive indicators using the random effects model, explored the sources of potential heterogeneity through subgroup analysis, and evaluated publication bias using Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test using Stata 14.0 and Review Manager 5.3 software. Forty-three miRNAs from 15 studies, including 2042 healthy controls and 2685 PE patients, had a pooled sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.81-0.90), specificity of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85-0.92), and an AUC of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91-0.96). Moreover, before 20 weeks of gestation, the combined sensitivity was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.75-0.92), and the specificity was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95), which indicated that some of the circulating miRNAs had changed significantly before the clinical symptoms appeared in PE patients. Circulating miRNAs have high diagnostic and predictive accuracy and may be used as non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of PE. However, a large sample prospective study is still needed.

A review of key cytokines based on gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

Although a number of theories have been suggested, including roles for oxidative stress, an abnormal maternal-fetal interface, and genetic and environmental factors, the etiopathology of pre-eclampsia (PE) remains unclear. Maternal immune tolerance is important for maintaining pregnancy, and researchers have increasingly focused on the critical roles of cytokines in the pathogenesis of PE in recent years. The assessment of candidate genetic polymorphisms in PE could partially elucidate the mechanisms of susceptibility to disease, and contribute to seeking for new diagnosis and treatment methods of PE. PE can lead to severe complications, and even the death of both mother and fetus. Although the complex pathology is not yet clear, some evidence suggested that the occurrence of PE is related to inflammatory factors. We reviewed the current understandings of roles of cytokines in PE, and provided an extensive overview of the role of single nucleotide chain polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes potentially underlying the pathophysiology of PE.

Integrating Serum Metabolome and Gut Microbiome to Evaluate the Benefits of Lauric Acid on Lipopolysaccharide- Challenged Broilers.

Lauric acid (LA) is a crucial medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) that has many beneficial effects on humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LA on the intestinal barrier, immune functions, serum metabolism, and gut microbiota of broilers under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. A total of 384 one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into four groups, and fed with a basal diet, or a basal diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg antibiotic (ANT), or a basal diet supplemented with 1000 mg/kg LA. After 42 days of feeding, three groups were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mg/kg Escherichia coli- derived LPS (LPS, ANT+LPS and LA+LPS groups) for three consecutive days, and the control (CON) group was injected with the same volume of saline. Then, the birds were sacrificed. Results showed that LA pretreatment significantly alleviated the weight loss and intestinal mucosal injuries caused by LPS challenge. LA enhanced immune functions and inhibited inflammatory responses by upregulating the concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgY), decreasing IL-6 and increasing IL-4 and IL-10. Metabolomics analysis revealed a significant difference of serum metabolites by LA pretreatment. Twenty-seven serum metabolic biomarkers were identified and mostly belong to lipids. LA also markedly modulated the pathway for sphingolipid metabolism, suggesting its ability to regulate lipid metabolism. Moreover,16S rRNA analysis showed that LA inhibited LPS-induced gut dysbiosis by altering cecal microbial composition (reducing Escherichia-Shigella, Barnesiella and Alistipes, and increasing Lactobacillus and Bacteroides), and modulating the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Pearson's correlation assays showed that alterations in serum metabolism and gut microbiota were strongly correlated to the immune factors; there were also strong correlations between serum metabolites and microbiota composition. The results highlight the potential of LA as a dietary supplement to combat bacterial LPS challenge in animal production and to promote food safety.

Inulin and isomalto-oligosaccharide alleviate constipation and improve reproductive performance by modulating motility-related hormones, short-chain fatty acids, and feces microflora in pregnant sows.

Constipation in gestating and lactating sows is common and the inclusion of dietary fiber may help to alleviate this problem. We investigated the effects of inulin (INU) and isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO), two sources of soluble dietary fiber, on gastrointestinal motility-related hormones, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), fecal microflora, and reproductive performance in pregnant sows. On day 64 of gestation, 30 sows were randomly divided into three groups and fed as follows: a basal diet, a basal diet with 0.5% INU, and a basal diet with 0.5% IMO. We found that INU and IMO significantly modulated the levels of gastrointestinal motility-related hormones, as evidenced by an increase in substance P (P < 0.05), and a decrease in the vasoactive intestinal peptide concentrations (P < 0.05), indicating the capacity of INU and IMO to alleviate constipation. Furthermore, IMO enhanced the concentrations of acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, and valeric acids in the feces (P < 0.05). High-throughput sequencing showed that IMO and INU increased the fecal microflora α- and ß-diversity (P < 0.05). Methanobrevibacter was more abundant (P < 0.05), whereas the richness of Turicibacter was lower in the INU and IMO groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, IMO significantly increased litter size (P < 0.05). Overall, our findings indicate that INU and IMO can relieve constipation, optimize intestinal flora, and promote reproductive performance in pregnant sows.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on growth performance, immunity, short chain fatty acid production, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microflora in broilers.

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) or Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and the cecal microflora in broiler chickens. In total, 360 male, 1-day-old Cobb 500 birds were randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group was fed a basal diet; the B. subtilis group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 109 CFU/kg B. subtilis; the B. licheniformis group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 109 CFU/kg B. licheniformis. Results showed that chickens supplemented with either B. subtilis or B. licheniformis had comparatively higher (P < 0.05) body weight and average daily gain, whereas no difference (P > 0.05) was observed in feed efficiency. Concentrations of serum IgA, IgY, and IgM, as well as anti-inflammatory IL-10 were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and proinflammatory IL-1ß and IL-6 were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by B. subtilis or B. licheniformis supplementation. Moreover, chickens fed with diets supplemented by either B. subtilis or B. licheniformis had greater antioxidant capacity, indicated by the notable increases (P < 0.05) in glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, along with decrease (P < 0.05) in malondialdehyde. Compared to the control group, levels of SCFA, excluding acetic and propionic acid, in cecal content had improved (P < 0.05) by adding B. licheniformis, and significant increase (P < 0.05) in acetic and butyric acid was observed with B. subtilis supplementation. Microbial analysis showed that both B. subtilis or B. licheniformis supplementation could increase butyrate-producing bacteria such as Alistipes and Butyricicoccus, and decrease pathogenic bacteria such as the Synergistetes and Gammaproteobacteria. In summary, dietary supplemented with B. subtilis or B. licheniformis improved growth performance, immune status, and antioxidant capacity, increased SCFA production, and modulated cecal microbiota in chickens. Moreover, B. licheniformis was more effective than B. subtilis with the same supplemental amount.