Estrogens improve the pregnancy rate in cattle: A review and meta-analysis.

Estrogens have proven to be effective in bovine estrus induction protocols. Considering the extensive use of these products in large-scale estrus synchronization, the primary objective of the present study was to assess their effects on pregnancy rate (PR) using a meta-analysis approach. A total of 797 papers were screened from three major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus). Sixty-one studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The pregnancy status (success or failure) at 30 days post-insemination was considered as the effect size data. The odds ratios (OR) of PR were evaluated by considering the effects of estrogens in groups with or without estrogen intervention. The impact of estrogen (including factors such as type, dose, and time of administration) and animal characteristics (such as breed, type, and parity) was taken into account when assessing the effectiveness of estrogen response as PR. The results showed an OR of 1.25 (95% CI: 1.15-1.36; P = 0.000) for PR in animals that received estrogen compared to cattle that did not receive estrogen. Estradiol benzoate (OR = 1.3) and estradiol cypionate (OR = 1.2), with doses ranging from 1 to 3 mg (OR = 1.13-1.7), significantly increased the OR of PR. In terms of PR, beef cattle exhibited a higher odds ratio (OR = 1.4; P = 0.000) compared to dairy cattle (OR = 1.1; P = 0.09). The administration of estrogens in the estrus synchronization protocol significantly improved PR in both artificial insemination (OR = 1.2; P = 0.000) and embryo transfer (OR = 1.3; P = 0.033) programs. In summary, incorporating estrogens into estrus induction protocols led to an enhancement of the OR of PR among cattle.

Performance comparison of homologous and heterologous Newcastle disease virus in vaccines and antibody tests.

Antigenic differences between commercial Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) vaccine and circulating field virus reduce vaccine efficacy. Fifty-layer chickens were divided into five groups: three vaccinated chicken groups using killed LaSota (Genotype II/GII), Mega, or VD (Genotype VII/GVII) viral strains, negative, and positive control groups. On day 28, Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) serology of vaccinated chickens was performed using whole virus antigens of RIVS, LaSota, Mega, and VD strains. Sera were also tested with an alternative antigen, using an ELISA to detect antibody for the cleavage site F protein peptide from GII and GVII NDV strains. Vaccinated and unvaccinated positive control birds underwent infectious challenges using VD and Mega strains. HI testing showed that antibody titers were higher when tested using homologous antigens than heterologous antigens. ELISA performed with alternative antigens did not perform as well as the established HI test using homologous strains. Viral shedding was reduced by vaccination that was homologous to the infectious challenge in comparison with vaccination using the LaSota strain virus. We conclude that superior results are obtained when serological testing, vaccinations, and vaccine challenge experiments all use circulating strains of ND virus. Implementation of this recommendation would likely reduce viral shedding by vaccinated chickens and be more effective in preventing outbreaks of virulent NDV.

Newcastle disease virus genotype VII gene expression in experimentally infected birds.

Newcastle disease virus genotype VII (NDV-GVII) is a highly contagious pathogen responsible for pandemics that have caused devastating economic losses in the poultry industry. Several features in the transcription of NDV mRNA, including differentially expressed genes across the viral genome, are shared with that for other single, non-segmented, negative-strand viruses. Previous studies measuring viral gene expression using northern blotting indicated that the NDV transcription produced non-equimolar levels of viral mRNAs. However, deep high-throughput sequencing of virus-infected tissues can provide a better insight into the patterns of viral transcription. In this report, the transcription pattern of virulent NDV-GVII was analysed using RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. This study revealed the transcriptional profiling of these highly pathogenic NDV-GVII genes: NP:P:M:F:HN:L, in which there was a slight attenuation at the NP:P and HN:L gene boundaries. Our result also provides a fully comprehensive qPCR protocol for measuring viral transcript abundance that may be more convenient for laboratories where accessing RNA-seq is not feasible.

Genome Sequences of Newly Emerged Newcastle Disease Virus Strains Isolated from Disease Outbreaks in Indonesia.

Here, we report two genomes of newly emerged strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Chicken/Indonesia/Tangerang/004WJ/14 and Chicken/Indonesia/VD/003WJ/11, from disease outbreaks in chickens in Indonesia. Phylogenetic study results of the fusion (F) protein's gene-coding sequences of different genotypes of NDV revealed that these two strains belong to genotype VII.1 in the class II cluster of avian paramyxoviruses.

Genome Sequences of Newcastle Disease Virus Strains from Two Outbreaks in Indonesia.

The genomes of two newly emerged Newcastle disease virus strains, chicken/Indonesia/Mega/001WJ/2013 and chicken/Indonesia/Cimanglid/002WJ/2015, from disease outbreaks in chickens in Indonesia are reported. Phylogenetic analysis of different genotypes of Newcastle disease virus using the F gene coding sequences suggests that these two strains belong to genotype VII.2, in class II of avian paramyxoviruses.

Apoptosis Induced by Prednisolone Occurs without Altering the Promoter Methylation of BAX and BCL-2 Genes in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells CCRF-CEM.

OBJECTIVE: one of the main mechanisms in which cancer cells are resistant to chemotherapy drugs and therapeutic strategies is resistance to apoptosis due to these anticancer factors. Regulating the expression of genes through epigenetics, especially regulation through methylation, is one of the key aspects of regulating gene expression and the function of genes, which is also regulated by the pathways regulating the pathway of apoptosis. The epigenetic regulatory phenomenon in cancer cells can undergo a change in regulation and induces resistance to apoptosis against chemotherapy and anticancer factors. The purpose of the present scrutiny was defined to probe the effect of subtoxic prednisolone dose on the level of promoter methylation and gene expression of BAX and BCL2 in the CCRF-CEM cells. METHODS: The treated cells by prednisolone, cultured in RPMI 1640 medium in standard condition. Alteration in promoter DNA methylation was analyzed by use of methylation specific-PCR (MSP) technique after the defined intervened time of Prednisolone treatment with a subtoxic dose. RESULTS: Prednisolone can induce apoptosis via alteration in BAX and BCL2 genes, based on our previous scrutiny. This essay shows no varies in the Pattern of DNA methylation of examined genes; however, prednisolone changes the expression of examined genes. CONCLUSION: Lack of alteration through prednisolone treatment in DNA methylation template of BAX and BCL2 genes make this possible that Prednisolone affects apoptotic gene expression via different pathways, which need more research to be done about it.
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Evaluation of ERAP1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunomodulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines profile in ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a prototype of chronic inflammatory arthritis termed seronegative spondyloarthropathies that typically affects the joints. Among the non-Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci, the strongest association has been observed with Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Moreover, the effect of ERAP1 gene SNPs on the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in AS disease has still been poorly elucidated. In this study, we aimed to determine the association of ERAP1 gene SNPs (rs30187 and rs2287987) with AS risk as well as their effect on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, with emphasis on the immunoregulation of the IL-17/IL-23 pathway, in an Iranian population. METHODS: We performed Single specific primer (SSP)-PCR for genotyping of 160 AS patients and 160 healthy controls. After isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), total RNA of PBMCs was isolated, complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized, and quantitative analyses of mRNA expression of cytokines were performed by Real-time PCR for 40 HLA-B27 positive AS patients and 40 healthy individuals as controls. RESULTS: It was seen that T allele of rs30187 (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.07-2.22, P =  0.017) and C allele of rs2287987 (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.05-2.14, P = 0.024) were associated with the risk of AS. Both of these alleles were associated more strongly in the HLA-B27 positive AS patients. There was a significant overexpression of mRNAs of pro-inflammatory (IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-23, TNF-α and IFN-γ), while downregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-ß) in PBMCs from 40 HLA-B27 positive AS patients in comparison to controls. AS patients with rs30187 SNP TT genotype expressed mRNA of IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-23 significantly higher than patents with CT and CC genotypes for this SNP. CONCLUSIONS: This study represented the association of ERAP1 gene rs30187 and rs2287987 polymorphism with the risk of AS. Additionally, it appears that rs30187 polymorphism may be involved in the immunomodulation of the IL-17/IL-23 pathway in the AS disease.

Susceptibility to ERAP1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism modulates the inflammatory cytokine setting in ankylosing spondylitis.

AIM: To evaluate the association of ERAP1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their role in modulation of the inflammatory interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 axis in the disease. METHODS: For genotyping, 190 AS cases and 190 healthy controls were enrolled. After DNA extraction, all the subjects were genotyped for rs17482078, rs469876, and rs27038 polymorphisms using single specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. After isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, RNA extraction and complementary DNA synthesis, real-time PCR using SYBR Green master mix was employed to determine messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of IL-17A and IL-23 in PBMCs. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the concentration of these cytokines was determined in serum samples. RESULTS: It was observed that the A allele of rs27038 polymorphism significantly increased AS risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.53, 95% CI =1.11-2.12; P = 0.0096). Moreover, AA and AG genotypes of this SNP were associated with increased (OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.42-5.85; P = 0.0031) and decreased (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.36-0.92; P = 0.021), respectively, risk of the disease. The rs27038 SNP was associated with C-reactive protein level. There were significantly increased mRNA and serum concentrations of both IL-17A and IL-23 in AS patients compared with controls. Furthermore, AS patients with the AA in comparison to other genotypes for rs27038 SNP indicated significantly increased mRNA and serum concentration levels for both cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the association of ERAP1 gene rs27038 polymorphism with the risk of AS in an Iranian population. Additionally, it seems that rs27038 is involved in the modulation of the inflammatory IL-17/IL-23 axis in AS.