The protective roles of tea tree oil extracts in bovine mammary epithelial cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Background: Tea tree oil(TTO) plays an important role in antibacterial activity and alleviating the inflammatory responses. Bovine mammary epithelium and polymorphonuclear leukocytes(PMNL) can actively respond to bovine mastitis infection. However, regulatory effects of TTO extracts on the innate immune response of bovine mammary epithelial cells(BMECs) and PMNL remain not reported. Therefore, aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of TTO extracts on the m RNA levels of the genes involved in the innate immune response of BMECs and PMNL.Results: Our results demonstrated that addition of 0.025% and 0.05% TTO increased the proliferation of BMECs, and significantly enhanced(P < 0.05) the viability of BMECs exposed to Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus). An inhibitory effect was observed against the growth of S. aureus by TTO incubation. The 0.05% TTO reduced S. aureus biofilm formation, association and invasion of S. aureus to BMECs, and changed the morphological and structural features of S. aureus. The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were decreased(P < 0.001) by the incubation of TTO. Interestingly, the expression of IL-8 known for PMNL chemotactic function was elevated(P < 0.05) by 0.05%TTO treatment. Consistently, 0.05% TTO increased the migration of PMNL in S. aureus-exposed BMECs when compared with S. aureus treatment alone(P < 0.05). In addition, PMNL incubated with 0.05% TTO decreased the levels of NFKB inhibitor alpha(NFKBIA) and TNF-α.Conclusions: Our results indicate that use of TTO can relieve the BMECs pro-inflammatory response caused by S.aureus and promote the migration of PMNL to mount the innate immune responses, and it may be novel strategy for the treatment of bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus.

Effects of dietary alfalfa flavonoids extraction on growth performance,organ development and blood biochemical indexes of Yangzhou geese aged from 28 to 70 days

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary alfalfa flavonoids extraction supplemental level on growth performance, organ development and blood biochemical indexes of Yangzhou geese at the age of 28 to 70 days. Two hundred and forty 21-day-old healthy male geese with similar body weight were randomly distributed into 4 groups with 6 replicates per group and 10 geese per replicate. Geese in the control group were fed a basal diet and the others in the experimental groups(groups 1,2, and 3) were fed experimental diets supplemented with 150, 300 and 450 mg/kg alfalfa flavonoids extraction(the concentration of it was 81%), respectively. The experiment had 7 days for pre-test and 42 days for formal test.The results showed that the final body weight and average daily intake of group 2 were significantly higher than those of other groups(P < 0.05). The average daily gain of group 2 was significantly higher than that in the control group and group 1(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in feed-to-gain ratio between each group(P > 0.05). Pre-slaughter live weight, carcass weight, slaughter rate, semieviscerated weight, semi-eviscerated rate, eviscerated weight, eviscerated rate, leg muscle weight and leg muscle rate had no significant difference between each group(P > 0.05). The breast muscle weight and ratio of each test group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P < 0.05) and the group2 was the best. The abdominal fat weight and ratio in the group 1 were significantly higher than those in the control group and group 3(P < 0.05) and the tibia weight in the group 2 was significantly higher than that in the control group and group 1(P < 0.05); There were no significant differences in heart weight,liver weight and the gland stomach weight among all groups(P > 0.05). Spleen weight in test groups was significantly higher than that in the control group(P < 0.05). The bursa weight and muscular stomach weight in the group 2 were significantly higher than those in the control group and group 1(P < 0.05). In serum, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein and urea nitrogen in the group 2 were significantly lower comparing with those in the control group(P < 0.05). High-density lipoprotein in the group 2 was significantly higher than that in other groups(P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in total serum protein, albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin among all groups(P > 0.05). Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase(AST) in groups 2 and 3 were higher than those in the group1 and control group but not obvious(P > 0.05) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) in groups 1 and 2 was higher than that in the control group and group 3(P > 0.05). It is concluded that alfalfa flavonoids extraction added in dietary feed improve the growth performance, organ development and blood biochemical indexes of Yangzhou geese. It is concluded that 300 mg/kg supplemental level of the dietary alfalfa flavonoids extraction is optimal in this experiment.

Effects of bamboo vinegar powder on growth performance and mRNA expression levels of interleukin-10,interleukin-22,and interleukin-25 in immune organs of weaned piglets

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of bamboo vinegar powder on growth performance,diarrhea situation and mRNA expression levels of cytokines i.e., interleukin-10(IL-10), interleukin-22(IL-22), and interleukin-25(IL-25) in immune organs of weaned piglets, and to accumulate theoretical data for the application of bamboo vinegar powder in weaned piglet production. Forty-five crossbred(Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, all male) weaned piglets with similar body weight(6.74 ± 0.17 kg) at 31 days of age were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 3 replicates per treatment and 3 piglets in each replicate. The five treatments were as follows: CON(a basal diet), ANT(the basal diet + 0.12% antibiotics),BV1(the basal diet + 0.1% bamboo vinegar powder), BV5(the basal diet + 0.5% bamboo vinegar powder),BV10(the basal diet + 1.0% bamboo vinegar powder). This experiment lasted 35 days. The growth performance and diarrhea situation were recorded. The relative mRNA expression levels of IL-10, IL-22 and IL-25 in liver, spleen, duodenum and mesenteric lymph nodes were detected by real-time PCR. Feed:gain of BV5 was significantly lower than that of CON(P < 0.05). In comparison with CON, diarrhea rate and diarrhea index of BV1 and BV5 all tended to decrease(P < 0.1). Compared with CON, mRNA expression level of IL-10 in liver of ANT tended to be lower(P < 0.1) and these of BV1, BV5 and BV10 were significantly reduced(P < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of IL-10 in duodenum of ANT, BV1, BV5 and BV10 were all lower than those of CON, of which BV10 had significantly decreased IL-10 mRNA expression in duodenum(P < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of IL-22 in duodenum of ANT, BV1, BV5 and BV10 all tended to be inhibited compared with CON(P < 0.1). With the increase of bamboo vinegar powder dosage, mRNA expression levels of IL-25 in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of BV1, BV5 and BV10 tended to be up-regulated. Overall, bamboo vinegar powder could improve growth performance,and regulate mRNA expression levels of IL-10, IL-22 and IL-25 in immune organs of weaned piglets. The dosage at 0.5% showed optimum effects.