Transcriptome Analysis of Brain and Skin Reveals Immune Responses to Acute Hypoxia and Reoxygenation in Pseudobagrus ussuriensis.

Pseudobagrus ussuriensis is an unscaled fish that is more susceptible to skin damage than scaled fish. To investigate the impacts of hypoxia and reoxygenation on skin and brain immunity, juvenile P. ussuriensis were subjected to hypoxia conditions (DO: 0.8 ± 0.05 mg/L) for durations of 0, 3, 6, and 12 h, followed by 12 h of reoxygenation (DO > 6 mg/L). Histological analysis showed a significant increase in the number of skin mucosal cells after 12 h of hypoxia and a significant decrease after 12 h of reoxygenation when compared to the control group. As the duration of hypoxia increased, an increase in antioxidant (SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA) and immune (cortisol, LZM) physiological parameters of the skin and brain appeared. The results of transcriptomic studies showed that the number of differential genes was greater in skin than in brain. Most of the immune pathways in both tissues under hypoxia conditions were all nonspecific immunity (TNF, IL-17, chemokines), while both tissues maintained their homeostasis through active energy supply and cell cycle regulation. Meanwhile, both physiological parameters and RNA transcriptome results showed that 12 h of reoxygenation could not completely eliminate the negative effects of 12 h of hypoxia. This study offers new insights into the immune responses of P. ussuriensis skin and brain during acute hypoxia and reoxygenation.

Effects of combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and 17α-Methyltestosterone on the reproductive system of zebrafish.

Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) are important carriers of pollutants in water. 17α-Methyltestosterone (MT) is a synthetic environmental endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) with androgenic effects. To study the effects of PS-MPs and MT on zebrafish reproductive systems, zebrafish were exposed to 0 or 50 ng L-1 MT, 0.5 mg∙L-1 PS-MPs, or 50 ng∙L-1 MT + 0.5 mg∙L-1 PS-MPs for 21 d. The results showed that the different exposure reagents caused varying degrees of damage to the reproductive systems in zebrafish, with the extent of damage increasing as the exposure duration increased. Histological analysis of the gonads revealed that the ratio of mature oocytes and mature spermatozoa in the gonad decreased gradually with increased exposure time, with the ratio being Control > PS-MPs > MT > MT + PS-MPs in decreasing order. The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) showed that in female fish treated for 7 d, the expression of cyp11a mRNA was significantly reduced in all three treatment groups(MT, PS-MPs, and MT + PS-MPs), while in the group treated for 14 d with MT + PS-MPs, the expression of cyp19a1a and StAR mRNA was significantly increased. In male fish exposed for 21 d, the expression of cyp11a, cyp17a1, cyp19a1a, StAR, 3ß-HSD, and 17ß-HSD3 mRNA was significantly decreased in MT + PS-MPs. ELISA results showed that after 14 d of exposure, the levels of E2, LH, and FSH in the ovaries of female fish were significantly reduced in all three treatment groups. Similarly, the levels of T, E2, LH, and FSH in the testis of male fish were significantly reduced after 14 d of exposure to PS-MPs and MT + PS-MPs. Offspring of zebrafish exposed to MT and MT + PS-MPs exhibited delayed incubation time and slow development. The cross-generational toxicity of PS-MPs themselves may be negligible, but it can exacerbate the toxicity of MT, making the cross-generational effects more pronounced in the offspring, causing offspring mortality and malformations. Offspring of zebrafish exposed to MT and MT + PS-MPs exhibited delayed incubation time and slow development. In addition, MT caused malformations such as pericardial edema, yolk cysts, and spinal deformities in zebrafish during the incubation period.

Effects of 17α-Methyltestosterone on the Transcriptome and Sex Hormones in the Brain of Gobiocypris rarus.

17α-Methyltestosterone (MT), a synthetic environmental endocrine disruptor with androgenic effects, has been shown to disrupt the reproductive system and inhibit germ cell maturation in Gobiocypris rarus. To further investigate the regulation of gonadal development by MT through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, G. rarus were exposed to 0, 25, 50, and 100 ng/L of MT for 7, 14, and 21 days. We analyzed its biological indicators, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotropins, reproduction-related gene expression, and brain tissue transcriptome profiles. We found a significant decrease in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) in G. rarus males exposed to MT for 21 days compared to the control group. GnRH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, as well as the expressions of the gnrh3, gnrhr1, gnrhr3, fshß, and cyp19a1b genes, were significantly reduced in the brains of both male and female fish when exposed to 100 ng/L MT for 14 days compared to the controls. Therefore, we further constructed four RNA-seq libraries from 100 ng/L MT-treated groups of male and female fish, obtaining 2412 and 2509 DEGs in male and female brain tissue, respectively. Three common pathways were observed to be affected in both sexes after exposure to MT, namely, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, focal adhesion, and cell adhesion molecules. Furthermore, we found that MT affected the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway through the upregulation of foxo3 and ccnd2, and the downregulation of pik3c3 and ccnd1. Therefore, we hypothesize that MT interferes with the levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, FSH, and LH) in G. rarus brains through the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway, and affects the expression of key genes in the hormone production pathway (gnrh3, gnrhr1 and cyp19a1b) to interfere with the stability of the HPG axis, thus leading to abnormal gonadal development. This study provides a multidimensional perspective on the damaging effects of MT on fish and confirms that G. rarus is a suitable model animal for aquatic toxicology.

Reineckia carnea Alleviates the Production of Inflammatory Cytokines and MUC5AC in Rats with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Reineckia carnea (RC), a perennial evergreen herb which belongs to Reineckia Kunth (Liliaceae), can be used for clearing the lungs and relieving cough, reducing phlegm and anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airway and lung inflammation and increased secretion of airway mucus. Therefore, RC has the potential to treat COPD. Methods: NR8383 cells were cultured and treated with various concentrations of RC (100 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 10 µg/mL, 1 µg/mL, 100 ng/mL, and 10 ng/mL). Cell viability and levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the cell culture supernatant or rat serum were analyzed using CCK-8 and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to mock, COPD model, RC (0.67 g/kg, 1.35 g/kg, and 2.7 g/kg), and ambroxol (5.4 mg/kg) groups. Western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were used to evaluate the protein and mRNA expression levels of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Results: The results showed that Reineckia carnea (RC) extract (RCE) inhibited the proliferation of NR8383 cells and suppressed the production of IL-1ß, PGE2, and COX-2 in NR8383 cells. Moreover, RCE decreased the levels of IL-1ß, PGE2, and COX-2 in the serum of rats with COPD and alleviated the expression of TLR4 and MUC5AC induced by COPD in rat lung tissue. Conclusion: RCE alleviated COPD by inhibiting the expression of COPD-induced inflammatory cytokines and MUC5AC in rats.

The effects of thoracic cage dimension and chest subcutaneous adipose tissue on outcomes of adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The associations between thoracic cage dimension, chest subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) depth and outcomes of adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) remain unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated IHCA patients between January 2016 and October 2017. The thoracic cage transverse diameter, internal AP diameter, cross-sectional area, anterior and posterior SAT depths were measured in computed-tomography (CT) images. Using logistic regression models, we determined the adjusted associations between thoracic cage dimension, SAT depths and the prognosis for IHCA. The primary outcome was sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and the secondary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. RESULTS: Among 423 IHCA patients, 258 patients achieved ROSC and 70 survived to discharge. Smaller cross-sectional area and posterior SAT depth were significantly related to ROSC. Smaller posterior SAT depth was associated with ROSC. After multivariate adjustment, the smaller cross-sectional area was independently associated with ROSC (Odds ratio [OR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.99-1.00; p = 0.008) and survival to discharge (OR 0.99, 95%CI 0.98-1.00; p = 0.024), and the smaller posterior SAT depth was independently related to ROSC (OR 0.65, 95%CI 0.44-0.96; p = 0.030), whereas no relation to survival to discharge was found. CONCLUSIONS: In adults with IHCA, the smaller thoracic cage dimension and posterior SAT depth are associated with better survival. An adjustable compression depth based on the thoracic cage dimension might be better than the "one-size-fits-all" compression depth for resuscitating CA patients. In addition, physicians should pay extra attention to compression efficacy when resuscitating obese patients.