Interferon Signaling in Chickens Plays a Crucial Role in Inhibiting Influenza Replication in DF1 Cells.

Influenza A viruses (IAV) pose a constant threat to human and poultry health. Of particular interest are the infections caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses, such as H5N1, which cause significant production issues. In response to influenza infection, cells activate immune mechanisms that lead to increased interferon (IFN) production. To investigate how alterations in the interferon signaling pathway affect the cellular response to infection in the chicken, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a chicken cell line that lacks a functional the type I interferon receptor (IFNAR1). We then assessed viral infections with the WSN strain of influenza. Cells lacking a functional IFNAR1 receptor showed reduced expression of the interferon stimulated genes (ISG) such as Protein Kinase R (PKR) and Myxovirus resistance (Mx) and were more susceptible to viral infection with WSN. We further investigated the role or IFNAR1 on low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) strains (H7N9) and a HPAI strain (H5N1). Intriguingly, Ifnar-/- cells appeared more resistant than WT cells when infected with HPAI virus, potentially indicating a different interaction between H5N1 and the IFN signaling pathway. Our findings support that ChIFNAR1 is a key component of the chicken IFN signaling pathway and these data add contributions to the field of host-avian pathogen interaction and innate immunity in chickens.

The state of the art for pluripotent stem cells derivation in domestic ungulates.

Since the successful isolation, characterization and long-term culture of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from mice in the early 1980s and from humans a decade later, considerable effort has been made to establish ESCs lines from livestock. The derivation of validated ESCs lines is a necessary step if the generation of economically relevant transgenic animals is to be achieved. However, this is still elusive, as the isolation of true ESCs lines for livestock has not been accomplished to date. It has been demonstrated that by forced expression of a defined set of transcription factors, it is possible to reprogram somatic cells to cells that closely resemble an ES-like state. These cells were termed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We introduce the basic concepts relating to stem cell biology and give an overview of the various attempts to isolate and generate pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) from species relevant to livestock production. Further, we point out the issues to be addressed and hurdles to be overcome to realize the promise of stem cells in agriculture.

Cuantificación de aminoácidos en plasma empleando Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Eficiencia / Plasma amino acid quantification using High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Las aminoacidopatías son errores innatos del metabolismo intermediario de los aminoácidos. Su confirmación diagnóstica y seguimiento se realiza con la cuantificación de aminoácidos libres en fluidos biológicos por técnicas como la cromatografía líquida de alta eficiencia (HPLC), para lo que es necesario comparar con valores de referencia normales. La población colombiana no cuenta con estos valores disponibles y el diagnóstico es realizado por comparación con los de otras poblaciones. En el presente trabajo se obtuvieron valores de referencia de aminoácidos en plasma en una población de niños (n=36) y adultos no afectados (n=17), mediante HPLC por derivatización postcolumna con ninhidrina. Los valores de referencia obtenidos fueron ligeramente más elevados que los informados para otras poblaciones y permitieron la identificación de doce casos de aminoacidopatías, incluyendo fenilcetonuria clásica, hiperfenilalaninemia, hiperglicinemia no cetósica, desórdenes del ciclo de la urea, tirosinemia. La implementación de la cuantificación de aminoácidos por HPLC y la obtención de los valores de referencia de aminoácidos en plasma permitirán aumentar el conocimiento sobre la incidencia de las aminoacidopatías en el país para garantizar, junto con otros factores, su diagnóstico preciso y oportuno y la implementación de un adecuado seguimiento nutricional.

Aminoacidopathies are inborn errors of the amino acid intermediary metabolism. The benchmark method used for their diagnosis and monitoring is the quanti!cation of free amino acids in biological fluids using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), which needs to be compared against normal reference values. However, those amino acid reference values are not available for the Colombian population and the diagnosis is usually made using values from American or European populations. In this work, plasma amino acid reference values in non-affected children (n=36) and adults (n=17) were established, using an HPLC method with a postcolumn derivatization with ninhidrine. Plasma amino acid reference values in a Colombian population were slightly higher compared with those reported for other populations, and enabled the identification of twelve aminoacidopathies including urea cycle disorders, phenylketonuria, hyperphenylalaninemia, nonketotichyperglycinemia, hepatorrenaltyrosinemia and maple syrup urine disease. The implementation of amino acid cuantification by HPLC and the construction of plasma amino acid reference values is very useful for a suitable and precise diagnosis of amino acid disorders, the implementation of proper nutritional treatments, and an increased knowledge of aminoacidopathy incidence in Colombia.