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1.
Mater Today Bio ; 26: 101099, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38840797

Advancements in tissue engineering are crucial for successfully healing tendon-bone connections, especially in situations like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) restoration. This study presents a new and innovative three-dimensional scaffold, reinforced with nanofibers, that is specifically intended for acellular tendon complexes. The scaffold consists of a distinct layered arrangement comprising an acellular tendon core, a middle layer of polyurethane/type I collagen (PU/Col I) yarn, and an outside layer of poly (L-lactic acid)/bioactive glass (PLLA/BG) nanofiber membrane. Every layer is designed to fulfill specific yet harmonious purposes. The acellular tendon core is a solid structural base and a favorable environment for tendon cell functions, resulting in considerable tensile strength. The central PU/Col I yarn layer is vital in promoting the tendinogenic differentiation of stem cells derived from tendons and increasing the expression of critical tendinogenic factors. The external PLLA/BG nanofiber membrane fosters the process of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiating into bone cells and enhances the expression of markers associated with bone formation. Our scaffold's biocompatibility and multi-functional design were confirmed through extensive in vivo evaluations, such as histological staining and biomechanical analyses. These assessments combined showed notable enhancements in ACL repair and healing. This study emphasizes the promise of multi-layered nanofiber scaffolds in orthopedic tissue engineering and also introduces new possibilities for the creation of improved materials for regenerating the tendon-bone interface.

2.
IET Nanobiotechnol ; 2024: 4391833, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38863970

The massive growth of various microorganisms on the orthodontic bracket can form plaques and cause diseases. A novel amine-terminated hyperbranched zirconium-polysiloxane (HPZP) antimicrobial coating was developed for an orthodontic stainless steel tank (SST). After synthesizing HPZP and HPZP-Ag coatings, their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thickness measurement, contact angle detection, mechanical stability testing, and corrosion testing. The cell toxicity of the two coatings to human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) and human oral keratinocytes (hOKs) was detected by cell counting kit eight assays, and SST, HPZP@SST, and HPZP-Ag@SST were cocultured with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus mutans for 24 hr to detect the antibacterial properties of the coatings, respectively. The results show that the coatings are about 10 µm, and the water contact angle of HPZP coating is significantly higher than that of HPZP-Ag coating (P < 0.01). Both coatings can be uniformly and densely distributed on SST and have good mechanical stability and corrosion resistance. The cell counting test showed that HPZP coating and HPZP-Ag coating were less toxic to cells compared with SST, and the toxicity of HPZP-Ag coating was greater than that of HPZP coating, with the cell survival rate greater than 80% after 72 hr cocultured with hGFs and hOKs. The antibacterial test showed that the number of bacteria on the surface of different materials was ranked from small to large: HPZP@SST < HPZP-Ag@SST < SST and 800 µg/mL HPZP@SST showed a better bactericidal ability than 400 µg/mL after cocultured with S. aureus, E. coli, and S. mutans, respectively (all P < 0.05). The results showed that HPZP coating had a better effect than HPZP-Ag coating, with effective antibacterial and biocompatible properties, which had the potential to be applied in orthodontic process management.


Anti-Bacterial Agents , Coated Materials, Biocompatible , Orthodontic Brackets , Siloxanes , Stainless Steel , Zirconium , Stainless Steel/chemistry , Stainless Steel/pharmacology , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/chemistry , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/pharmacology , Humans , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Orthodontic Brackets/microbiology , Zirconium/chemistry , Zirconium/pharmacology , Siloxanes/chemistry , Siloxanes/pharmacology , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Materials Testing , Amines/chemistry , Amines/pharmacology , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Surface Properties , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Keratinocytes/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Gingiva/cytology , Gingiva/drug effects
3.
PLoS One ; 19(5): e0304143, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38781281

This study addressed enamel demineralization, a common complication in fixed orthodontic treatment, by evaluating a novel orthodontic adhesive with DMAHDM-PCL composite fibers. These fibers, produced through electrospinning, were incorporated into orthodontic adhesive to create experimental formulations at different concentrations and a control group. The study assessed antimicrobial properties, biosafety, and mechanical characteristics. New orthodontic adhesive exhibited significant bacteriostatic effects, reducing bacterial biofilm activity and concentrations. Incorporating 1% and 3% DMAHDM-PCL did not affect cytocompatibility. Animal tests confirmed no inflammatory irritation. Shear bond strength and adhesive residual index results indicated that antimicrobial fibers didn't impact bonding ability. In conclusion, orthodontic adhesives with 3% DMAHDM-PCL fibers are potential antimicrobial bonding materials, offering a comprehensive solution to enamel demineralization in orthodontic patients.


Dental Cements , Polyesters , Polyesters/chemistry , Dental Cements/chemistry , Dental Cements/pharmacology , Animals , Biofilms/drug effects , Methacrylates/chemistry , Methacrylates/pharmacology , Humans , Materials Testing
4.
Nanoscale ; 16(20): 9861-9874, 2024 May 23.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38712977

A guided bone regeneration (GBR) membrane can act as a barrier to prevent the invasion and interference from foreign soft tissues, promoting infiltration and proliferation of osteoblasts in the bone defect area. Herein, a composite scaffold with dual functions of osteogenesis and antibacterial effects was prepared for GBR. A polycaprolactone (PCL)/nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) aerogel produced by electrospinning and freeze-drying techniques was fabricated as the loose layer of the scaffold, while a PCL nanofiber membrane was used as the dense layer. Chitosan (CS) solution served as a middle layer to provide mechanical support and antibacterial effects between the two layers. Morphological results showed that the loose layer had a porous structure with n-HA successfully dispersed in the aerogels, while the dense layer possessed a sufficiently dense structure. In vitro antibacterial experiments illustrated that the CS solution in the middle layer stabilized the scaffold structure and endowed the scaffold with good antibacterial properties. The cytocompatibility results indicated that both fibroblasts and osteoblasts exhibited superior cell activity on the dense and loose layers, respectively. In particular, the dense layer made of nanofibers could work as a barrier layer to inhibit the infiltration of fibroblasts into the loose layer. In vitro osteogenesis analysis suggested that the PCL/n-HA aerogel could enhance the bone induction ability of bone mesenchymal stem cells, which was confirmed by the increased expression of the alkaline phosphatase activity. The loose structure facilitated the infiltration and migration of bone mesenchymal stem cells for better osteogenesis. In summary, such a composite scaffold exhibited excellent osteogenic and antibacterial properties as well as the barrier effect, thus holding promising potential for use as GBR materials.


Anti-Bacterial Agents , Bone Regeneration , Chitosan , Durapatite , Nanofibers , Osteoblasts , Osteogenesis , Polyesters , Chitosan/chemistry , Chitosan/pharmacology , Durapatite/chemistry , Durapatite/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Bone Regeneration/drug effects , Nanofibers/chemistry , Polyesters/chemistry , Polyesters/pharmacology , Animals , Osteoblasts/cytology , Osteoblasts/drug effects , Osteoblasts/metabolism , Osteogenesis/drug effects , Mice , Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry , Gels/chemistry , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Fibroblasts/cytology
5.
Front Pharmacol ; 15: 1343755, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38720776

Purpose: The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its related mortality is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been shown to offer potential for early prevention and treatment of NAFLD. The new mechanism of "Shenling Baizhu San" (SLBZS) is examined in this study for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD at the preclinical level. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal diet (ND), western diet + CCl4 injection (WDC), and SLBZS intervention (WDC + SLBZS). Body weights, energy intake, liver enzymes, pro-inflammatory factors, and steatosis were recorded in detail. Meanwhile, TPH1, 5-HT, HTR2A, and HTR2B were tested using qRT-PCR or ELISA. Dynamic changes in the gut microbiota and metabolites were further detected through the 16S rRNA gene and untargeted metabolomics. Results: SLBZS intervention for 6 weeks could reduce the serum and liver lipid profiles, glucose, and pro-inflammatory factors while improving insulin resistance and liver function indexes in the mice, thus alleviating NAFLD in mice. More importantly, significant changes were found in the intestinal TPH-1, 5-HT, liver 5-HT, and related receptors HTR2A and HTR2B. The 16S rRNA gene analysis suggested that SLBZS was able to modulate the disturbance of gut microbiota, remarkably increasing the relative abundance of probiotics (Bifidobacterium and Parvibacter) and inhibiting the growth of pro-inflammatory bacteria (Erysipelatoclostridium and Lachnoclostridium) in mice with NAFLD. Combined with metabolomics in positive- and negative-ion-mode analyses, approximately 50 common differential metabolites were selected via non-targeted metabolomics detection, which indicated that the targeting effect of SLBZS included lipid metabolites, bile acids (BAs), amino acids (AAs), and tryptophan metabolites. In particular, the lipid metabolites 15-OxEDE, vitamin D3, desoxycortone, and oleoyl ethanol amide were restored by SLBZS. Conclusion: Integrating the above results of multiple omics suggests that SLBZS ameliorates NAFLD via specific gut microbiota, gut-derived 5-HT, and related metabolites to decrease fat accumulation in the liver and inflammatory responses.

6.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 267(Pt 2): 131484, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38599421

Adopting effective and efficient techniques for the treatment of heavy metal pollution in water bodies plays an important role in guaranteeing the quality of water and the sustainable development of water resources. In this study, GO, MMT and SA were used as raw materials to compare the adsorption behaviors of three alginate-based adsorbents crosslinked with different valence metal ions (Ca2+, Fe3+ and Zr4+) on Cu(II). The aerogels were based on sodium alginate as the matrix material with unique slit-shaped pore structures formed by stacking effect of sheets and chemical bonding. It was found that the pore structures of the aerogels were denser and more orderly with the increase of the valence states of the crosslinked ions, and the affinity for Cu(II) in planar configuration was stronger. The Zr4+-GMSA aerogel had the maximum adsorption capacity of 126.68 mg/g and the Kd of Cu(II) was up to 50.80 L/g, which exhibited good preferential adsorption performance. The adsorption mechanism of Mn+-GMSA aerogels on Cu(II) was mainly ionic exchange, surface complexation and physical adsorption, which was explored by combining XPS and EDS characterizations of Mn+-GMSA before and after adsorption. This scheme can provide valuable and meaningful contribution to realize the selective recovery of Cu(II).


Alginates , Copper , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Water Purification , Copper/chemistry , Adsorption , Alginates/chemistry , Porosity , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purification , Water Purification/methods , Ions/chemistry , Kinetics , Gels/chemistry , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
7.
J Integr Neurosci ; 23(4): 81, 2024 Apr 17.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38682217

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible primary brain disease with insidious onset. The rise of imaging genetics research has led numerous researchers to examine the complex association between genes and brain phenotypes from the perspective of computational biology. METHODS: Given that most previous studies have assumed that imaging data and genetic data are linearly related and are therefore unable to explore their nonlinear relationship, our study applied a joint depth semi-supervised nonnegative matrix decomposition (JDSNMF) algorithm to solve this problem. The JDSNMF algorithm jointly decomposed multimodal imaging genetics data into both a standard basis matrix and multiple feature matrices. During the decomposition process, the coefficient matrix A multilayer nonlinear transformation was performed using a neural network to capture nonlinear features. RESULTS: The results using a real dataset demonstrated that the algorithm can fully exploit the association between strongly correlated image genetics data and effectively detect biomarkers of AD. Our results might provide a reference for identifying biologically significant imaging genetic correlations, and help to elucidate disease-related mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic model constructed by the top features of the three modality data sets mined by the algorithm has high accuracy, and these features are expected to become new therapeutic targets for AD.


Alzheimer Disease , Machine Learning , Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Neuroimaging/methods , Genetic Markers , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/metabolism , Algorithms , Aged , Neural Networks, Computer
8.
J Environ Manage ; 356: 120599, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38508013

The aim of this paper is to investigate the derived structure and properties of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), and the effect of residual structural on the catalytic properties after loading with Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). For this purpose, we ingeniously prepare C-ZIF-8@TiO2 with a transition-state defect structure and apply it for efficiently degrading organic dye wastewater represented by Rhodamine B (Rh-B). Thanks to the transition-state defect structure loaded with TiO2 and ZIF-8 self-derived Carbon (C) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO), the catalytic performance of C-ZIF-8@TiO2 is superior to that of TiO2 and normal TiO2/ZIF-8 composites, and it is effective in degrading a variety of antibiotics and dyes. The related characterization also shows good photovoltaic properties and long-term durability for C-ZIF-8@TiO2. The mechanism on free radical action is elucidated and the possible degradation pathway for Rh-B is speculated. Therefore, C-ZIF-8@TiO2 provides a new strategy for the degradation of organic pollutants in water bodies.


Environmental Pollutants , Photolysis , Porosity , Wastewater , Catalysis
9.
Chem Commun (Camb) ; 60(17): 2353-2356, 2024 Feb 22.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38323482

Artificial spinal dura mater was designed by combining solution blow-spun gelatin microfibers and dopamine-capped polyurethane bioadhesive. Notably, the gelatin microfibers had a special pore structure, good water adsorption capability, and excellent burst pressure resistance. The bioadhesive layer contributed to the excellent sealing performance in the wet state. This material provides a promising alternative as an artificial spinal dura mater to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage.


Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak , Gelatin , Humans , Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak/prevention & control , Dura Mater , Water
10.
Environ Res ; 247: 118147, 2024 Apr 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38220076

In order to reduce the mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC) and enhance the ability of soil carbon sequestration. Mn-modified waste dander biochar (Mn-BC) was successfully prepared via impregnation and pyrolysis, and MnSO4 was formed on its surface. Mn-BC increases the carbon retention and reduces the emissions of CO2 and SO2 in way of forming CO, Mn-O-C bond and MnSO4. At the same time, the stability of the original biochar was reserved due to forming a conjugated structure (CC and pyridine-N bond), and the carbon sequestration content was increased to 25.63%. Importantly, the application of Mn-BC can directly regulate the transformation of microbial bacterial community and lead to create stable carbon dominant bacteria (Firmicutes). And the mineralization rate of SOC is reduced to 0.48 mg CO2/(g·d), together with an increased content of TOC (48.16%), thus the purpose of efficient carbon sequestration is achieved in soil.


Carbon , Soil , Soil/chemistry , Carbon Sequestration , Carbon Dioxide , Dander , Charcoal/chemistry , Bacteria
11.
J Environ Manage ; 351: 119843, 2024 Feb.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38128209

Heavy metal stabilization is an effective method to treat chromium in tannery sludge. Here we show that mainly investigated NaH2PO4 (MSP) and organic matter (OM) to stabilize chromium in tannery sludge. The experimental investigation revealed that the addition of montmorillonite (MMT) and MSP samples showed a significant increase in the percentage of reducible and oxidizable Cr in the former compared to the samples with the addition of MMT. This is attributed to the formation of Cr-O bond, which allows the MSP to undergo an inner-sphere complexation reaction with the metal oxide of Cr via ligand exchange. Significantly, the MSP moiety adsorbs on the surface of OM through monodentate, which increases the adsorption sites of OM for Cr6+ and promotes the reduction of Cr6+ to Cr3+. Moreover, PO43- reacts with Cr3+ to produce CrPO4 precipitation, thus reducing the free Cr3+ content. Finally, DFT calculations confirmed that a ternary system is formed between PO43-, OM, and Cr, and the binding energy is negative, which indicated that PO43- could co-stabilize Cr with OM.


Chromium , Metals, Heavy , Chromium/chemistry , Sewage/chemistry , Industrial Waste/analysis , Oxides , Tanning
12.
Pestic Biochem Physiol ; 196: 105585, 2023 Nov.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37945221

The novel pesticide chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is widely used for pest control in agriculture, and the safety for non-target organisms of trace residues in the environment has received widespread attention. In the present study, exposure to low concentrations of CAP resulted in abnormal silk gland development in the B. mori, and induced the release of intracellular Ca2+ in addition to the triggering of Ca2+-dependent gene transcription. Moreover, the CAP treatment group exhibited down-regulation of oxidative phosphorylation and antioxidant enzyme-related genes in the silk gland, resulting in peroxide accumulation. Furthermore, transcript levels of autophagy-related genes were significantly up-regulated and protein levels of LC3-I and LC3-II were up-regulated, indicating an increase in autophagy. The protein levels of ATG5 and NtATG5 were also significantly up-regulated. While the protein levels of caspase3 and active caspase3 were significantly up-regulated consistent with the transcript levels of key genes in the apoptotic signaling pathway, ultimately affecting silk protein synthesis. Overall, these findings indicate that low concentration CAP induced abnormal development in the silk gland of B. mori by causing intracellular Ca2+ overload, which inhibits oxidative phosphorylation pathway and the removal of reactive oxygen species, leading to a driving a shift from autophagy to apoptosis. The findings herein provided a basis for evaluating the safety of CAP environmental residues on non-target organisms.


Bombyx , Animals , Bombyx/metabolism , Insect Proteins/genetics , Insect Proteins/metabolism , Silk/genetics , Silk/metabolism , Apoptosis , Autophagy , Larva/genetics
13.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 253(Pt 4): 127014, 2023 Dec 31.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37742900

Hemostasis plays a critical role in the early stage of wound healing, especially in acute wounds which can significantly improve the survival of patients. Based on the excellent biocompatibility of natural biomaterials, in this study, we prepared a series of novel hemostatic sponges by using tilapia skin, a marine biological resource, and extracting tilapia skin-derived gelatin, collagen, and acellular dermal matrix through five different methods. Using in vitro sheep blood and in vivo rat liver hemorrhage models, we found that tilapia skin sponges had excellent coagulation and hemostatic abilities. Among them, the collagen sponge exhibited optimal hemostasis performance because it could accelerate clotting by binding to the specific sites of blood cells and platelets. Furthermore, the sponges' porous structure enhanced the capability to absorb blood, thus effectively promoting hemostasis. In summary, we reported an efficient and convenient method to prepare marine biological resources into sponges, which provided a novel class of alternatives for hemostasis in acute wounds with broad application prospects.


Acellular Dermis , Hemostatics , Tilapia , Humans , Rats , Animals , Sheep , Hemostatics/pharmacology , Hemostatics/chemistry , Gelatin/chemistry , Tilapia/metabolism , Collagen/chemistry , Hemostasis
14.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(16)2023 Aug 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37628915

The Duox-ROS defense system plays an important role in insect intestinal immunity. To investigate the role of intestinal microbiota in Duox-ROS regulation herein, 16S rRNA sequencing technology was utilized to compare the characteristics of bacterial populations in the midgut of silkworm after different time-periods of treatment with three feeding methods: 1-4 instars artificial diet (AD), 1-4 instars mulberry leaf (ML) and 1-3 instars artificial diet + 4 instar mulberry leaf (TM). The results revealed simple intestinal microbiota in the AD group whilst microbiota were abundant and variable in the ML and TM silkworms. By analyzing the relationship among intestinal pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and microorganism composition, it was identified that an acidic intestinal environment inhibited the growth of intestinal microbiota of silkworms, observed concurrently with low ROS content and a high activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, TPX, CAT). Gene expression associated with the Duox-ROS defense system was detected using RT-qPCR and identified to be low in the AD group and significantly higher in the TM group of silkworms. This study provides a new reference for the future improvement of the artificial diet feeding of silkworm and a systematic indicator for the further study of the relationship between changes in the intestinal environment and intestinal microbiota balance caused by dietary alterations.


Bombyx , Morus , Animals , Bombyx/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Reactive Oxygen Species , Fruit , Bacteria/genetics
15.
Biomed Mater ; 18(6)2023 09 11.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37647920

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) show poor survival after transplantation, limiting their clinical application. In this study, a series of poly(l-lactide-co-ϵ-caprolactone) (PLCL)/acellular dermal matrix (ADM) nanofiber scaffolds with different proportions were prepared by electrospinning. By studying their morphology, hydrophilicity, tensile mechanics, and biocompatibility, PLCL/ADM nanofiber scaffolds with the best composition ratio (PLCL:ADM = 7:3) were selected to prepare short nanofibers. And based on this, injectable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with PLCL/ADM short nanofibers (GelMA-Fibers) was constructed as a transplantation vector of ADSCs. ADSCs and GelMA-Fibers were co-cultured, and the optimal loading concentration of PLCL/ADM nanofibers was investigated by cell proliferation assay, live/dead cell staining, and cytoskeleton stainingin vitro. In vivoinvestigations were also performed by H&E staining, Oil red O staining, and TUNEL staining, and the survival and apoptosis rates of ADSCs transplantedin vivowere analyzed. It was demonstrated that GelMA-Fibers could effectively promote the proliferation of ADSCsin vitro. Most importantly, GelMA-Fibers increased the survival rate of ADSCs transplantation and decreased their apoptosis rate within 14 d. In conclusion, the constructed GelMA-Fibers would provide new ideas and options for stem cell tissue engineering and stem cell-based clinical therapies.


Acellular Dermis , Nanofibers , Hydrogels , Stem Cell Transplantation
16.
Chem Commun (Camb) ; 59(72): 10753-10756, 2023 Sep 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37584646

Biomaterials integrated with both topological cues and biological modifications are urgently needed in regenerative medicine. Here, aligned nanofibrous scaffolds decorated with nanoscale SiO2 protrusions and galectin-1 coating are reported. Prospects in neurite outgrowth and neural stem cell migration are discussed for suitable use in neural tissue engineering.


Nanofibers , Neural Stem Cells , Tissue Scaffolds , Galectin 1 , Silicon Dioxide , Tissue Engineering , Neuronal Outgrowth
17.
Pestic Biochem Physiol ; 193: 105430, 2023 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37248008

Chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is widely used in pest control, and its environmental residues affect the disease resistance of non-target insect silkworms. Studies have demonstrated that changes in gut microbial communities of insects are associated with susceptibility to pathogens. In the present study, we examined the effects of CAP exposure on the immune system and gut microbial community structure of silkworms. The results showed that after 96 h of exposure to low-concentration CAP, the peritrophic matrix (PM) of silkworm larvae was disrupted, and pathogenic bacteria invaded hemolymph. The trehalase activity in the midgut was significantly decreased, while the activities of chitinase, ß-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and chitin deacetylase were increased considerably, resulting in decreased chitin content in PM. In addition, exposure to CAP reduced the expressions of key genes in the Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT pathways, ultimately leading to the downregulation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) genes and alterations in the structure of the gut microbial community. Therefore, after infection with the conditional pathogen Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae), CAP-exposed individuals exhibited significantly lower body weight and higher mortality. These findings showed that exposure to low-concentration CAP impacted the biological defense system of silkworms, changed the gut microbial community structure, and increased silkworms' susceptibility to bacterial diseases. Collectively, these findings provided a new perspective for the safety evaluation of low-concentration CAP exposure in sericulture.


Bacterial Infections , Bombyx , Animals , Larva , Chitin , Insect Proteins/genetics , Insect Proteins/metabolism
18.
Arch Insect Biochem Physiol ; 113(3): e22019, 2023 Jul.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37096338

The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect and serves as a model organism for Lepidoptera. To investigate the effects of the intestinal microbial population on the growth and development of larvae fed an artificial diet (AD) during the young stages, we analyzed the characteristics of the intestinal microbial population using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. Our results revealed that the intestinal flora of the AD group tended to be simple by the 3rd-instar, which Lactobacillus accounting for 14.85% and leading to a decreased pH in the intestinal fluid. In contrast, the intestinal flora of silkworms in the mulberry leaf (ML) group showed continuous growth of diversity, with Proteobacteria accounting for 37.10%, Firmicutes accounting for 21.44%, and Actinobacteria accounting for 17.36%. Additionally, we detected the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes at different instars and found that the activity of digestive enzymes in the AD group increased by larval instar. Protease activity in the AD group was lower during the 1st- to 3rd-instars compared to the ML group, while α-amylase and lipase activities were significantly higher in the AD group during the 2nd- and 3rd-instar compared to the ML group. Furthermore, our experimental results indicated that changes in the intestinal population decreased the pH and affected the activity of proteases, which might contribute to the slower growth and development of larvae in the AD group. In summary, this study provides a reference for investigating the relationship between artificial diet and intestinal flora balance.


Bombyx , Morus , Animals , Bombyx/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Plant Breeding , Bacteria , Morus/genetics , Larva , Diet
19.
Arch Insect Biochem Physiol ; 113(2): e22011, 2023 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36938839

Changes in both intake and digestion of feed have been demonstrated in the host following parasitization. However, its regulatory mechanism has not been clarified. In this study, silkworms and Exorista japonica were used as research objects to analyze the effect of parasitism on the midgut immune system of the silkworm. After being parasitized, the expressions of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes of silkworms showed a fluctuating trend of first upregulation and then downregulation, while phenoloxidase and lysozyme activities were inhibited. To study the possible impact of the downregulation of AMP genes on intestinal microorganisms, the characteristics of the intestinal microbial population of silkworms on the third day of parasitism were analyzed. The relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota decreased, while that of Actinobacteriota increased. The increased abundance of conditionally pathogenic bacteria Serratia and Staphylococcus might lead to a decrease in the amount of silkworm ingestion. Meanwhile, the abundance of Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacter promotes an increase in the digestion of nutrients. This study indicated that the imbalance of intestinal microbial homeostasis caused by parasitism may affect the absorption and digestion of nutrients by the host. Collectively, our findings provided a new clue for further exploring the mechanism of nutrient transport among the host, parasitoid, and intestinal microorganisms.


Bombyx , Diptera , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Animals , Bombyx/metabolism , Bacteria , Diet
20.
J Affect Disord ; 327: 425-438, 2023 04 14.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36738999

Neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression, are one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. A growing body of evidence shows that there is a complex relationship between dietary patterns and mental health. In our study, C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: control diet group (CON, 10 % kcal fat), high-cholesterol diet model group (HCD, 42.0 % kcal fat + 1.25 % kcal Cholesterol), and chronic restraint stress group (CRS, 10 % kcal fat) which as a positive control group for the depression model. Six weeks later, depressive- and anxiety-like behavior were evaluated for using the OFT, SPT and TST. Glucose intolerance and liver fat were detected by IGTT and liver lipid kit. The expression of peripheral and central inflammation was detected by LEGEND plex kits. 5-HT (also named 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and related receptors expression were monitored by ELISA, RT-PCR and Western blot. Meantime, gut microbe of stool samples was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Similar to CRS model, short-term HCD intervention induced anxiety and depression-like behavior behavioral abnormalities in mice. HCD consumption resulted in significantly increased body weight, liver fat (LDL-C, TC, TG), peripheral inflammation (IL-1ß, MCP-1, IL-17A) and neuroinflammation (MCP-1). The concentration of 5-HT increased in the hippocampus, meanwhile, the expression of 5-HT receptor HTR2A was distinct in different regions of the brain tissue. More importantly, we found that compared with the CON diet, HCD induced the decrease of intestinal flora diversity, especially the decrease the relative abundance of Akkermansia_muciniphila, which was statistically significant. Further, Pearson correlation analysis showed that Akkermansia_muciniphila was significantly negatively correlated with the concentration of MCP-1, IL-17A in serum and 5-HT in hippocampus. Therefore, we speculated that the disorder of neuroinflammation induced by HCD consumption promotes depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice through the gut microbe.


Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Animals , Mice , Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics , Depression/metabolism , Interleukin-17 , Neuroinflammatory Diseases , Serotonin , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Diet , Anxiety/metabolism , Inflammation/metabolism , Diet, High-Fat
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