Improved Antioxidant Capacity and Immune Function of Broiler Chickens Fed with Selenium-enriched Candida utilis

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of selenium-enriched Candida utilis with high contents of organic selenium (Se) and glutathione (GSH) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immune function of broiler chickens. A total of 100 healthy 7-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups, and fed diets supplemented with (a) Na2SeO3, (b) C. utilis, (c) Se-enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae, (d) Se-enriched C. utilis, and (e) the control without any supplements. The experiment lasted for 6 weeks and parameters were recorded on day 42. No significant differences in average daily gain were found among the 5 groups. However, Se-enriched C. utilis supplemented in the diet increased activities of glutathione peroxidase in the whole blood (p 0.01), catalase in the serum (p 0.01) and breast meat (p 0.01), and superoxide dismutase in the breast meat (p 0.01), as well as decreased contents of malondialdehyde in the serum (p 0.01), liver (p 0.01) and breast meat (p 0.05). Also, Se-enriched C. utilis improved titers of IgG (p 0.01), IgM (p 0.01), and IgA (p 0.01) in the serum, as compared to the control. All these results indicated that Se-enriched C. utilis was a good candidate of dietary supplement to improve the antioxidant capacity and immune function of broiler chickens.

Improved Antioxidant Capacity and Immune Function of Broiler Chickens Fed with Selenium-enriched Candida utilis

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of selenium-enriched Candida utilis with high contents of organic selenium (Se) and glutathione (GSH) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immune function of broiler chickens. A total of 100 healthy 7-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups, and fed diets supplemented with (a) Na2SeO3, (b) C. utilis, (c) Se-enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae, (d) Se-enriched C. utilis, and (e) the control without any supplements. The experiment lasted for 6 weeks and parameters were recorded on day 42. No significant differences in average daily gain were found among the 5 groups. However, Se-enriched C. utilis supplemented in the diet increased activities of glutathione peroxidase in the whole blood (p 0.01), catalase in the serum (p 0.01) and breast meat (p 0.01), and superoxide dismutase in the breast meat (p 0.01), as well as decreased contents of malondialdehyde in the serum (p 0.01), liver (p 0.01) and breast meat (p 0.05). Also, Se-enriched C. utilis improved titers of IgG (p 0.01), IgM (p 0.01), and IgA (p 0.01) in the serum, as compared to the control. All these results indicated that Se-enriched C. utilis was a good candidate of dietary supplement to improve the antioxidant capacity and immune function of broiler chickens.(AU)

mRNA and protein expression levels of four candidate genes for ear size in Erhualian and Large White pigs.

Porcine ear size is an important characteristic for distinguishing among pig breeds. In a previous genome-wide association study of porcine ear size, LEM domain-containing 3 (LEMD3), methionine sulfoxide reductase B3 (MSRB3), high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2), and Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1) were implicated as important candidate genes for ear size. This study investigated the expression levels of four candidate genes for ear size in Erhualian and Large White pigs. Ten Erhualian pigs with large ears and eight Large White pigs with small ears at 60 days of age were examined. The mRNA expression levels of the four candidate genes were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. WIF1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in Large White than in Erhualian pigs (P < 0.05), whereas the expression levels of the other three genes were not significantly different between the two breeds. The protein expression levels of the four genes were analyzed using western blot. WIF1 protein expression was significantly higher in Large White than in Erhualian pigs (P < 0.01), whereas MSRB3 protein expression was significantly higher in Erhualian than in Large White pigs (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two breeds in residual protein expression. These results suggest that WIF1 is the main causal gene for ear size in pigs.

Porcine MAP3K5 analysis: molecular cloning, characterization, tissue expression pattern, and copy number variations associated with residual feed intake.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5) is essential for apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and immune responses, and is a candidate marker for residual feed intake (RFI) in pig. We cloned the full-length cDNA sequence of porcine MAP3K5 by rapid-amplification of cDNA ends. The 5451-bp gene contains a 5'-untranslated region (UTR) (718 bp), a coding region (3738 bp), and a 3'-UTR (995 bp), and encodes a peptide of 1245 amino acids, which shares 97, 99, 97, 93, 91, and 84% sequence identity with cattle, sheep, human, mouse, chicken, and zebrafish MAP3K5, respectively. The deduced MAP3K5 protein sequence contains two conserved domains: a DUF4071 domain and a protein kinase domain. Phylogenetic analysis showed that porcine MAP3K5 forms a separate branch to vicugna and camel MAP3K5. Tissue expression analysis using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed that MAP3K5 was expressed in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, muscle, fat, pancrea, ileum, and stomach tissues. Copy number variation was detected for porcine MAP3K5 and validated by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, a significant increase in average copy number was detected in the low RFI group when compared to the high RFI group in a Duroc pig population. These results provide useful information regarding the influence of MAP3K5 on RFI in pigs.

Molecular cloning, tissue expression pattern, and copy number variation of porcine SCUBE3.

The signal peptide CUB EGF-like domain-containing protein 3 (SCUBE3) gene is a member of SCUBE gene family and plays important roles in bone cell biology and the determination of limb bone length. In this study, the full-length transcript of porcine SCUBE3 was cloned using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The full-length sequence of porcine SCUBE3 cDNA was 4131 base pairs and included 21 exons. The SCUBE3 gene contained a 2895-base pair open reading frame that encoded a peptide of 965 amino acids. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of porcine SCUBE3 with those of human, mouse, zebrafish, and rat showed 96, 95, 73, and 95% identities, respectively. Porcine SCUBE3 mRNA expression levels were highest in the backfat, bone marrow, and cartilage tissues. Copy number variation was detected in porcine SCUBE3 and validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Different copy number variations were present in randomly selected individuals and may, therefore, be a good marker for identifying phenotypic traits. Our findings provide a basis for further investigation of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of SCUBE3 in pigs.

Analysis of differentially expressed genes in various stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy by using a network view.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene, is a severe and progressive neuromuscular disease with no available cure. By integrating 2 microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus, we identified differentially expressed genes in 2 stages of DMD and systematically explored their potential disease-related mechanisms using a network view. Twenty differentially expressed genes were detected in various stages of DMD. According to the network with dystrophin as its center, none of the 20 proteins interacts with dystrophin directly. IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 was found in the 2nd-level neighbors with a degree of 21. Microtubule-associated protein tau, membrane metallo-endopeptidase, interleukin 13 receptor alpha 1, and multiple epidermal growth factor-like domains 6 were found in the 3rd-level neighbors. These identifications require further investigation, as this report is the first of possible associations between DMD and these proteins. Analysis of differentially expressed genes through this network view may provide important information for further exploration of underlying mechanisms of DMD.

Conditioning training and retrieval increase phospholipase A(2) activity in the cerebral cortex of rats.

In rats, phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) activity was found to be increased in the hippocampus immediately after training and retrieval of a contextual fear conditioning paradigm (step-down inhibitory avoidance [IA] task). In the present study we investigated whether PLA(2) is also activated in the cerebral cortex of rats in association with contextual fear learning and retrieval. We observed that IA training induces a rapid (immediately after training) and long-lasting (3 h after training) activation of PLA(2) in both frontal and parietal cortices. However, immediately after retrieval (measured 24 h after training), PLA(2) activity was increased just in the parietal cortex. These findings suggest that PLA(2) activity is differentially required in the frontal and parietal cortices for the mechanisms of contextual learning and retrieval. Because reduced brain PLA(2) activity has been reported in Alzheimer disease, our results suggest that stimulation of PLA(2) activity may offer new treatment strategies for this disease.