A Hydroxylamine-Mediated Amidination of Lysine Residues That Retains the Protein's Positive Charge.

Lysine-specific peptide and protein modification strategies are widely used to study charge-related functions and applications. However, these strategies often result in the loss of the positive charge on lysine, significantly impacting the charge-related properties of proteins. Herein, we report a strategy to preserve the positive charge and selectively convert amines in lysine side chains to amidines using nitriles and hydroxylamine under aqueous conditions. Various unprotected peptides and proteins were successfully modified with a high conversion rate. Moreover, the reactive amidine moiety and derived modification site enable subsequent secondary modifications. Notably, positive charges were retained during the modification. Therefore, positive charge-related protein properties, such as liquid-liquid phase separation behaviour of α-synuclein, were not affected. This strategy was subsequently applied to a lysine rich protein to develop an amidine-containing coacervate DNA complex with outstanding mechanical properties. Overall, our innovative strategy provides a new avenue to explore the characteristics of positively charged proteins.

Genome-wide association study identified five quantitative trait loci and two candidate genes for digestive traits in Suhuai pigs.

This work aimed to identify markers and candidate genes underlying porcine digestive traits. In total, 331 pigs were genotyped by 80 K Chip data or 50 K Chip data. For apparent neutral detergent fiber digestibility, a total of 19 and 21 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were respectively identified using a genome-wide efficient mixed-model association algorithm and linkage-disequilibrium adjusted kinship. Among them, three quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions were identified. For apparent acid detergent fiber digestibility, a total of 16 and 17 SNPs were identified by these two methods, respectively. Of these, three QTL regions were also identified. Moreover, two candidate genes (MST1 and LATS1), which are functionally related to intestinal homeostasis and health, were detected near these significant SNPs. Taken together, our results could provide a basis for deeper research on digestive traits in pigs.

Dual-functional ionic liquids additive enables dendrite-free Zn anode with ultra-long cycle life over one year.

Zn anodes suffer from the formation of uncontrolled dendrites aggravated by the uneven electric field and the insulating by-product accumulation in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Here, an effective strategy implemented by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (BMIHSO4) additive is proposed to synergistically tune the crystallographic orientation of zinc deposition and suppress the formation of zinc hydroxide sulfate for enhancing the reversibility on Zn anode surface. As a competing cation, BMI+ is proved to preferably adsorb on Zn-electrode compared with H2O molecules, which shields the "tip effect" and inhibits the Zn-deposition agglomerations to inducing the horizontal growth along Zn (002) crystallographic texture. Simultaneously, the protonated BMIHSO4 additives could remove the detrimental OH- in real-time to fundamentally eliminate the accumulation of 6Zn(OH)2·ZnSO4·4H2O and Zn4SO4(OH)6·H2O on Zn anode surface. Consequently, Zn anode exhibits an ultra-long cycling stability of one year (8762 h) at 0.2 mA cm-2/0.2 mAh cm-2, 3600 h at 2 mA cm-2/2 mAh cm-2 with a high plating cumulative capacity of 3.6 Ah cm-2, and a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6 % throughout 1000 cycles. This work of regulating Zn deposition texture combined with eliminating notorious by-products could offer a desirable way for stabilizing the Zn-anode/electrolyte interface in AZIBs.

Effects of Varying Levels of Wheat Bran Dietary Fiber on Growth Performance, Fiber Digestibility and Gut Microbiota in Erhualian and Large White Pigs.

To evaluate the tolerance of a high-fiber diet in Erhualian pigs (Er-HL), the present investigation systematically investigated the ramifications of varying wheat bran fiber levels, specified as total dietary fiber (TDF) values of 14.07%, 16.32%, 17.99%, and 18.85%, on growth performance, fiber digestibility and gut microbiota in Er-HL, large Large White pigs (L-LW, the same physiological stage as the Er-HL) and small Large White pigs (S-LW, the same body weight as the Er-HL). Our results revealed that fiber levels exerted no discernable impact on growth performance (average daily feed intake (ADFI), and average daily gain (ADG)) of Er-HL (p > 0.05). Conversely, L-LW exhibited a decrease in ADFI and ADG with increasing fiber levels (p < 0.05). Notably, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of various fiber components, including neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemicellulose, TDF and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), in Er-HL were significantly higher than those in S-LW and L-LW irrespective of diets (p < 0.05). The ATTD of cellulose and hemicellulose in Er-HL significantly decreased with increasing fiber levels (p < 0.05), yet remained statistically indifferent when comparing the 7%-wheat-bran-replaced diet (7% WRB, TDF 16.32%) to the basal diet (TDF 14.07%) (p > 0.05). The cecal microbiota of Er-HL had higher richness estimators (Chao1 and ACE) than those of S-LW and L-LW irrespective of diets (p < 0.01). Breed serves as a pivotal determinant in shaping swine gut microbiota. Thirteen genera were selected as the key bacteria related to high fiber digestibility of Er-HL. Further functional examination of these key genera elucidated an enrichment of pathways pertinent to carbohydrate metabolism in Er-HL samples compared with S-LW and L-LW samples. In summary, Er-HL exhibited high-fiber tolerance both in terms of growth performance and fiber digestibility compared with Large White pigs. Specifically, the ATTD of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, IDF and TDF were significantly higher in Er-HL compared with L-LW and S-LW, irrespective of diets. Fiber level exerted no discernable impact on growth performance (ADFI, ADG) and the ATTD of fiber (NDF, ADF, IDF and TDF) in Er-HL. The optimum fiber level of the Er-HL was identified as 7% WRB (TDF 16.32%). Thirteen genera were ascertained to significantly contribute to high fiber digestibility of Er-HL, correlating with an enhancement of carbohydrate metabolism pathways.

Increased Proportion of Fiber-Degrading Microbes and Enhanced Cecum Development Jointly Promote Host To Digest Appropriate High-Fiber Diets.

Previous study found that appropriate high-fiber diet (containing 19.10% total dietary fiber [TDF], treatment II) did not reduce apparent fiber digestibility of Chinese Suhuai finishing pigs and increased the yield of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), but too high-fiber diet (containing 24.11% TDF, treatment IV) significantly reduced apparent fiber digestibility compared with normal diet (containing 16.70% TDF, control group). However, characteristics of microbiota at the species level and histological structure in pigs with the ability to digest appropriate high-fiber diets were still unknown. This study conducted comparative analysis of cecal physiology and microbial populations colonizing cecal mucosa. The results showed intestinal development indexes including cecum length, densities of cecal goblet cells, and renewal of cecal epithelial cells in treatment II and IV had better performance than those in the control. Paludibacter jiangxiensis, Coprobacter fastidiosus, Bacteroides coprocola CAG:162, Bacteroides barnesiae, and Parabacteroides merdae enriched in treatment II expressed large number of glycoside hydrolase (GH)-encoding genes and had the largest number of GH families. In addition, pathogenic bacteria (Shigella sonnei, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Helicobacter felis) were enriched in treatment IV. Correlation analysis revealed that the intestinal development index positively correlated with the relative abundance of cecal mucosal microbiota and the amount of digested fiber. These results indicated that increased proportions of fiber-degrading microbes and enhanced intestinal development jointly promote the host to digest an appropriate high-fiber diet. However, although too-high fiber levels in diet could maintain the adaptive development of cecal epithelium, the proportions of pathogenic bacteria increased, which might lead to a decrease of fiber digestion in pigs. IMPORTANCE Although studies about the effects of dietary fiber on fiber digestion and intestinal microbiota of pigs were widely in progress, few studies have been conducted on the dynamic response of intestinal microbiota to dietary fiber levels, and the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and intestinal epithelial development adapted to high-fiber diet s were still unclear. Appropriate high fiber promoted the thickness of large intestine wall, increased the density of cecal goblet cells, and promoted the renewal of cecal epithelial cells. In addition, appropriate high fiber improves the microbial abundance with fiber-digesting potential. However, excessive dietary fiber caused an increase in the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. These results indicated that an increased proportion of fiber-degrading microbes and enhanced intestinal development jointly promote host to digest appropriate high-fiber diets. However, although too-high fiber levels in diet could maintain the adaptive development of cecal epithelium, the proportions of pathogenic bacteria increased, which might lead to a decrease of fiber digestion in pigs. Our data provided a theoretical basis for rational and efficient utilization of unconventional feed resources in pig production.

Identification of Gut Microbiota Affecting Fiber Digestibility in Pigs.

Dietary fiber plays an important role in porcine gut health and welfare. Fiber is degraded by microbial fermentation in the intestine, and most gut microbiota related to fiber digestibility in pigs are worth pursuing. The aim of this study was to identify gut microbiota associated with the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and of acid detergent fiber (ADF) in pigs. Large phenotypic variations in the ATTD of NDF and of ADF were separately found among 274 Suhuai pigs. Microbial community structures were significantly different between high and low fiber digestibility groups. Fourteen genera separately dominated the communities found in the high ATTD (H-AD) of NDF and ADF samples and were in very low abundance in the low ATTD (L-AD) of NDF and ADF samples. In conclusion, norank_f__Bacteroidales_S24-7_group (p < 0.05), Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (p < 0.05), unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae (p < 0.05), Treponema_2 (p < 0.01), and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group (p < 0.01) were the main genera of gut microbiota affecting the ATTD of NDF in pigs. Christensenellaceae_R-7_group (p < 0.01), Treponema_2 (p < 0.05), Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group (p < 0.05), Ruminococcaceae_UCG-002 (p < 0.05), and [Eubacterium]_coprostanoligenes_group (p < 0.05) were the main genera of gut microbiota affecting the ATTD of ADF in pigs. The most important functions of the above different potential biomarkers were: carbohydrate transport and metabolism, general function prediction only, amino acid transport and metabolism, cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, translation, transcription, replication, energy production and conversion, signal transduction mechanisms, and inorganic ion transport and metabolism. The most important metabolic pathways of the above different potential biomarkers were: membrane transport, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, replication and repair, translation, cell motility, energy metabolism, poorly characterized, nucleotide metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and cellular processes and signaling.

Effects of short-term feeding with high fiber diets on growth, utilization of dietary fiber, and microbiota in pigs.

Finishing pigs can adapt to high-fiber diet smoothly according to the production performance and their intestinal microbiota through a 28-day trial or longer. However, it is unclear, at which stage during the experimental period, the adaptation occurred. Here we studied the dosage effects of dietary fiber (Total dietary fiber (TDF) from 16.70 to 24.11%) on growth performance, fiber digestibility, fecal microbiota, and microbial fermentation of finishing pigs during a 14-day feeding period. The results showed that the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed/gain (F/G) of pigs were not affected as the dietary fiber increased. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of cellulose, hemicellulose, insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and TDF of pigs remained unchanged when TDF was between 16.70 and 17.75%, while strikingly decreased when TDF increased from 17.75 to 24.11%. It is worth noting that increasing fiber intake seemed to favor hemicellulose digestion. In addition, the increase in fiber intake increased fecal microbial diversity, especially improved the proportion of the members of the family Prevotellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and decreased the abundance of the genus Streptococcus. Moreover, the increase in fiber intake promoted the digestion of fiber, production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and enhanced microbial pyruvate metabolism and butanoate metabolism. In conclusion, short-term high fiber feeding has no adverse effects on the growth performance of finishing pigs. ATTD of dietary fiber of finishing pigs was maintained when TDF was at 17.75%. And short-term high fiber feeding improved microbial diversity and fiber degradation functions of finishing pigs.

Metagenomic Analysis Reveals New Microbiota Related to Fiber Digestion in Pigs.

Making full use of high fiber and low-cost crop coproducts is helpful to alleviate the situation of people and livestock competing for crops. Digestion of dietary fibers in pigs is mainly through microbial fermentation in the large intestine. To reveal microbiota related to fiber digestion in pigs, fecal samples have been collected from 274 healthy female Suhuai pigs at 160 days of age under the same feeding conditions and have measured apparent neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility. Samples from Suhuai pigs with extreme high and low apparent NDF digestibility and extreme high and low apparent ADF digestibility were subjected to shotgun metagenomic sequencing. At the species level, 62 microbial species in H_NDF group and 54 microbial species in H_ADF group were related to high fiber digestibility. Among them, Lachnospiraceae bacterium 3-1 and Alistipes sp. CAG:514 may be new types of microorganisms associated with fiber digestion. In addition, we found that more abundant GH5 and GH48 family (contribute to cellulose degradation) genes, GH39 and GH53 family (contribute to hemicellulose degradation) genes in microorganisms may contribute to the higher apparent NDF digestibility of pigs, and more abundant GH3 and GH9 family (contribute to cellulose degradation) genes in microorganisms may contribute to the higher apparent ADF digestibility of pigs. The abundance of AA4 family (helps in lignin degradation) genes in H_NDF and H_ADF groups was significantly higher than that in L_NDF and L_ADF groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Three pathways in H_NDF group and four pathways in H_ADF group are important pathways associated with degradation of non-starch polysaccharides, and their relative abundance is significantly higher than that in L_NDF and L_ADF groups, respectively. Gut microbiota of Suhuai pigs with high apparent fiber digestibility had higher abundance of genes and microbiota related to fiber digestion and may have stronger fiber digestion potential compared with low apparent fiber digestibility group. This study revealed that the characteristics of gut microbiota and microbial gene functions of pigs with high fiber apparent digestibility, which provided a theoretical basis and reference for further understanding the impact of gut microbiota on fiber digestibility of pigs.

Effects of various levels of dietary fiber on carcass traits, meat quality and myosin heavy chain I, IIa, IIx and IIb expression in muscles in Erhualian and Large White pigs.

This study evaluated the effects of bran fiber levels on carcass traits, meat quality and expression of myosin heavy chain isoform genes in muscles in Erhualian (Er-HL) and Large White pig (LW). Our results showed that fiber level did not affect carcass weight of Er-HL, while carcass weight of LW decreased with the increase of fiber level. Fiber level did not influence meat quality traits of LW, whereas increased fiber level led to an increase in pH45 min of Er-HL, and Er-HL fed 7% bran fiber (BRC) increased redness of meat compared with control diet (CON). We observed a decreased MyHCIIb and MyHCIIx mRNAs and protein levels in Er-HL fed 7% BRC compared with those in other groups, accompanying with a tendency for increased mRNA abundance of MyHCI. The slow-twitch oxidative fiber (MyHCI) is rich in myoglobin and mitochondrial oxidative metabolic enzymes, and the increased expression of MyHCI fiber in pork has resulted in higher redness value. In summary, bran fiber had no adverse effect on the meat quality of LW and appropriate fiber level addition in diets could improve meat quality of Er-HL through regulation the expression of myofiber types.

Adding Appropriate Fiber in Diet Increases Diversity and Metabolic Capacity of Distal Gut Microbiota Without Altering Fiber Digestibility and Growth Rate of Finishing Pig.

The digestion ability of pigs to dietary fiber is derived from their intestinal microbiota, especially hindgut microbiota. However, tolerance of pigs to high dietary fiber and the changes of microbiota profile with fiber levels are still unclear. To investigate the changes of gut microbiota with dietary fiber and its relationship with fiber digestibility, we conducted comparative analyses of growth rate, apparent fiber digestibility, gut microbiota and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles in Chinese Suhuai pigs feeding diets with different defatted rice bran (DFRB) fiber levels. We found that dietary fiber level had no effect on the growth rate of Suhuai pigs. Although the apparent digestibility of Cellulose, insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and total dietary fiber (TDF) decreased with dietary fiber level, we found that the apparent digestibility of Cellulose, IDF and TDF of Suhuai pigs was not changed when provided with diet containing 19.10% TDF (as feed basis). The pigs provided with diet containing 19.10% TDF had higher microbial richness, proportions of several fiber-degrading bacteria taxa at genus level and predicted microbial functions (such as carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism) in cecum compared to those fed with basal diet. In addition, the fiber-induced increasing of fiber-degrading bacteria promoted the VFAs metabolism, which potentially helped Suhuai pigs to maintain growth rate. However, as TDF reached to 24.11% (as feed basis), the apparent digestibility of fiber decreased and the positive effect on intestine microbiota in caecum were absent. Together, our data suggest that appropriate fiber level could increase the diversity and metabolic capacity of distal gut microbiota to improve the utilization efficiency of fiber resources without altering the growth rate of pigs.

Uncovering the pathological functions of Ser404 phosphorylation by semisynthesis of a phosphorylated TDP-43 prion-like domain.

Herein, we have successfully semi-synthesized a TDP-43 prion-like domain with Ser404 phosphorylation. We have demonstrated that Ser404 phosphorylation could accelerate the amyloid aggregation of the TDP-43 prion-like domain and aggravate its cytotoxicity.

Defatted Rice Bran Supplementation in Diets of Finishing Pigs: Effects on Physiological, Intestinal Barrier, and Oxidative Stress Parameters.

Rice bran is a waste product with low cost and high fiber content, giving it an added advantage over corn and soybean meal, which have to be purchased and always at a relatively higher cost. Under the background of increased attention to sustainable agriculture, it is significant to find alternative uses for this byproduct. A total of 35 finishing pigs were allotted to five dietary treatments: a control group with basal diet and four experimental diets where corn was equivalently substituted by 7%, 14%, 21%, and 28% defatted rice bran (DFRB), respectively. With increasing levels of DFRB, the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) linearly decreased (p < 0.05). In the jejunum, the mRNA level of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor-2 (Nrf2) exhibited a quadratic response (p < 0.01) with incremental levels of DFRB. In the colon, the mRNA levels of mucin 2 (MUC2), Nrf2, and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) were upregulated (linear, p < 0.05) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was upregulated (linear, p < 0.01). Overall, using DFRB to replace corn decreased the inflammatory biomarkers of serum and showed potential function in modulating the intestinal barrier by upregulating the mRNA expression levels of MUC2 and downregulating that of Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1 in the colon.

Polymorphism of VRTN Gene g.20311_20312ins291 Was Associated with the Number of Ribs, Carcass Diagonal Length and Cannon Bone Circumference in Suhuai Pigs.

The vertnin (VRTN) gene g.20311_20312ins291 was reported as an important variant related to the number of ribs (RIB), and the ins/ins genotype was advantageous for improving RIB of Western pigs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the VRTN gene g.20311_20312ins291 influences RIB, carcass traits, and body size traits, including cannon bone circumference (CBC) in Chinese Suhuai pigs. We found that the VRTN gene g.20311_20312ins291 was polymorphic in Suhuai fattening pigs and gilts. The polymorphism of g.20311_20312ins291 was significantly associated with RIB and CDL in Suhuai fattening pigs (p < 0.01), whereas this variant had no influence on carcass weight (CWT). There was a tendency of association between this variant and carcass straight length (CSL) in Suhuai fattening pigs (p = 0.06). The polymorphism of g.20311_20312ins291 was also significantly associated with CBC in Suhuai gilts (p = 0.04). Furthermore, CBC was positively genetically correlated with body length (0.22, p < 0.01) and body weight (0.15, p < 0.01). Our results indicated that the VRTN gene g.20311_20312ins291 could be used as a potential marker for improving RIB, CDL, and CBC in Suhuai pigs.

Automated Flow Synthesis of Tumor Neoantigen Peptides for Personalized Immunotherapy.

High-throughput genome sequencing and computation have enabled rapid identification of targets for personalized medicine, including cancer vaccines. Synthetic peptides are an established mode of cancer vaccine delivery, but generating the peptides for each patient in a rapid and affordable fashion remains difficult. High-throughput peptide synthesis technology is therefore urgently needed for patient-specific cancer vaccines to succeed in the clinic. Previously, we developed automated flow peptide synthesis technology that greatly accelerates the production of synthetic peptides. Herein, we show that this technology permits the synthesis of high-quality peptides for personalized medicine. Automated flow synthesis produces 30-mer peptides in less than 35 minutes and 15- to 16-mer peptides in less than 20 minutes. The purity of these peptides is comparable with or higher than the purity of peptides produced by other methods. This work illustrates how automated flow synthesis technology can enable customized peptide therapies by accelerating synthesis and increasing purity. We envision that implementing this technology in clinical settings will greatly increase capacity to generate clinical-grade peptides on demand, which is a key step in reaching the full potential of personalized vaccines for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

Fully Synthetic Invariant NKT Cell-Dependent Self-Adjuvanting Antitumor Vaccines Eliciting Potent Immune Response in Mice.

Constructing an effective therapeutic cancer vaccine is very attractive and promising for cancer immunotherapy. However, the poor immunogenicity of tumor antigens and suppression of the immune system in the tumor microenvironment are two major obstacles for developing effective cancer vaccines. Invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells), which are essential bridges between the innate and adaptive immune systems, can be rapidly activated by their agonists and, consequently, evoke whole immune systems. Herein, we conjugated a potent agonist of the iNKT cell, α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), with the tumor-associated MUC1 glycopeptide antigens as novel self-adjuvanting cancer vaccines through click chemistry. Immunological studies revealed that the mouse immune system was potently evoked and that high levels of tumor-specific IgG antibodies were elicited by vaccine conjugates without an external adjuvant. The produced antibodies could specifically recognize and bind to antigen-expressing cancer cells and, subsequently, induce cytotoxicity through complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Thus, the insertion of α-GalCer significantly improved the immunogenicity of the MUC1 glycopeptide and induced strong antigen-specific antitumor responses, indicating that α-GalCer is an effective built-in adjuvant for constructing potent chemical synthetic antitumor vaccines.

Regulation of Immune Activation by Optical Control of TLR1/2 Heterodimerization.

The activation of toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays important roles in the immune response. The ability to control the activities of TLRs could be usable as a switch for immune response. Here we have rationally designed and synthesized a photoswitchable Pam3 CSK4 derivative-P10-to control the activation of TLR1/2. The ground-state trans-P10 was able to stimulate and activate antigen-presenting cells (APCs) by promoting TLR1/2 heterodimerization. However, cis-P10, derived from UV irradiation of trans-P10, reduced the activities of APCs by impeding the TLR1/2 heterodimerization. In the absence of UV radiation, the cis-P10 slowly returned to its ground trans state, restoring the activities of the APCs stimulation. Our results indicated that optical control of TLR1/2 heterodimerization mediated by the photoswitchable P10 offers the potential to regulate immune activation and inflammation.

Effects of Increasing Levels of Defatted Rice Bran on Intestinal Physical Barrier and Bacteria in Finishing Pigs.

The aims of this study were to assess the effects of increasing levels of DFRB as a replacement for corns on intestinal physical barrier function and bacteria of finishing pigs. A total of 35 castrated finishing pigs (age: 158.5 ± 2.0 d, initial body weight: 62.9 ± 0.8 kg) were randomly divided into five dietary treatments (seven replicates/treatment) for a 28-day experimental period, i.e., a control diet with basal diet, and four experimental diets in which maize was replaced by 7%, 14%, 21%, and 28% DFRB, respectively. The results showed that serum endotoxins concentration and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity were both increased (linear, p = 0.0004, 0.001, respectively) with DFRB level. However, compared with control group, serum endotoxins concentration and DAO activity were not different in pigs fed with 7% DFRB in the diet. There was a quadratic response in serum D-lactate concentration to the increased DFRB (quadratic, p = 0.021). In the cecum, thickness of the intestinal wall significantly increased with increasing levels of DFRB in the diets (linear, p = 0.033), while crypt depth/thickness of the intestinal wall ratio significantly decreased with increasing level of DFRB in the diets (linear, p = 0.043). In the jejunum, total bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Bifidobacterium all responded quadratically to increasing levels of DFRB in the diets (quadratic, p = 0.003, 0.001, 0.006, respectively). Additionally, there was no difference in Escherichia coli in pigs fed 0%, 7%, and 14% DFRB diets. In the colon, there were quadratic responses in C. perfringens to the increased DFRB (quadratic, p = 0.023). C. perfringens reduced as the DFRB concentration increased from 0% to 14% and then increased. When D-lactate, total bacteria, Escherichia coli, Bifidobacterium, and C. perfringens were considered, the optimal substitution level of DFRB were 12.00%, 11.84%, 7.50%, 8.92%, and 15.92%, respectively. In conclusion, 7% DFRB had a beneficial effect on intestinal wall thickness, Bifidobacterium and C. perfringens, and had no adverse effect on intestinal permeability and Escherichia coli.

Targeting STING with cyclic di-GMP greatly augmented immune responses of glycopeptide cancer vaccines.

Cyclic di-GMP (CDG) was applied to MUC1 glycopeptide-based cancer vaccines with physical mixing and built-in (at 2'-OH of CDG) strategies for activating the STING pathway. CDG in both strategies behaved as a potent immunostimulant and contributed to high titers of IgG antibodies and the expression of multiple cytokines.

Self-Assembled Nano-Immunostimulant for Synergistic Immune Activation.

Immunotherapy has become one of the most promising therapies for the treatment of diseases. Synthetic immunostimulants and nanomaterial immunostimulant systems are indispensable for the activation of the immune system in cancer immunotherapy. Herein, a strategy for preparing self-assembled nano-immunostimulants (SANIs) for synergistic immune activation is reported. Three immunostimulants self-assemble into nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions. SANIs showed strong synergistic immunostimulation in macrophages. SANIs could also induce a strong antitumor immune response to inhibit tumor growth in mice and act as an efficient adjuvant of antitumor vaccines. Therefore, SANIs may be generally applied in cancer immunotherapy. This novel SANI strategy provides a new way for the development of both immunostimulants and -suppressants.

Detection of the Urinary Biomarkers PYD, CTX-II, and DPD in Patients with Kashin-Beck Disease in the Qinghai Province of China.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic degenerative osteoarthropathy of uncertain etiology. The aim of our study was to identify changes in C-telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), pyridinoline (PYD), and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) among KBD patients. 54 KBD patients and 78 healthy controls were included this study. Urinary samples were collected and measured by ELISA. The median quantities of PYD, CTX-II, and DPD of KBD patients were 1107.73 ng/µmol.cre, 695.11 ng/µmol.cre, and 1342.34 pml/µmol.cre, while the median quantities of healthy controls were 805.59 ng/µmol.cre, 546.47 ng/µmol.cre, and 718.15 pml/µmol.cre, respectively. The differences between KBD patients and healthy controls were statistically significant (Z = 4.405, 3.653, and 3.724; P < 0.001). The higher levels of PYD, CTX-II, and DPD detected in KBD patients indicate that they could be used as biomarkers of KBD.