Effect of dietary supplementation with yeast cell wall extracts on performance and gut response in broiler chickens

Background:The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts(YCW)has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load,promote immunoglobulin production,prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses,and alter gut microbiota composition.This study evaluated growth and slaughter results,health,gut morphology,immune status and gut transcriptome of 576 male chickens fed two diets,i.e.C(control)or Y(with 250–500 g/t of YCW fractions according to the growth period).At 21 and 42 d the jejunum of 12 chickens per diet were sampled and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for morphometric evaluation,with Alcian-PAS for goblet cells,and antibodies against CD3+intraepithelial T-cells and CD45+intraepithelial leukocytes.The jejunum sampled at 42 d were also used for wholetranscriptome profiling.Results:Dietary YCW supplementation did not affect final live weight,whereas it decreased feed intake(114 to 111 g/d;P≤0.10)and improved feed conversion(1.74 to 1.70;P≤0.01).Regarding the gut,YCW supplementation tended to increase villi height(P=0.07);it also increased the number of goblet cells and reduced the density of CD45+cells compared to diet C(P<0.001).In the gut transcriptome,four genes were expressed more in broilers fed diet Y compared to diet C,i.e.cytochrome P450,family 2,subfamily C,polypeptide 23b(CYP2C23B),tetratricopeptide repeat domain 9(TTC9),basic helix-loop-helix family member e41(BHLHE41),and the metalloreductase STEAP4.Only one gene set(HES_PATHWAY)was significantly enriched among the transcripts more expressed in broilers fed diet Y.However,a total of 41 gene sets were significantly over-represented among genes up-regulated in control broilers.Notably,several enriched gene sets are implicated in immune functions and related to NF-κB signaling,apoptosis,and interferon signals.Conclusions:The dietary YCW supplementation improved broiler growth performance,increased gut glycoconjugate secretion and reduced the inflammatory status together with differences in the gut transcriptome,which can be considered useful to improve animal welfare and health under the challenging conditions of intensive rearing systems in broiler chickens.

Polypeptide Daintain as a New Biomarker for Detecting Breast Tumor

Daintain, a novel bioactive peptide produced and secreted by macrophages, was expressed in breast tumor tissues. The spatial distributions of daintain in 66 breast tumor specimens were investigated with immuno-histochemistry method. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and in situ hybridization inspection system were also used to detect daintain in 45 cases of malignant breast tumors. The final results show that 93% high positive responses to daintain on breast cancer tumors. RT-PCR demonstrated that, no smear of daintain transcripted in benign tissues was found, and light smear in peri-cancer tissue was observed. Distribution of daintain was distinguishable among benign tissues, hyperplasia tissues, immature hyperplasia and invasive breast cancer, which can be used to mark the progression of the malignant lesion development. We conclude that the expression of daintain is up-regulated in breast cancers, which indicates that the peptide is closely associated with the disease progression. So daintain could be used as the biomarker for detecting breast cancer.

DETECTION OF POINT MUTATION OF p53 GENE BY SILVER STAINING PCR-SSCP IN PARAFFIN-EMBEDDED MALIGNANT FIBROUS HISTIOCYTOMA

Silver staining PCR-SSCP method was used to detect point mutation of p53 gene in paraffin-embedded malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) tissues. The abnormal shifting of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was identified in 9 out of 16 cases (56.3%). The positive figure of SSCP was 1, 4, 4, 3 in exon 5, 6, 7, 8, respectively. The mutant of p53 protein was detected by microwave oven treatment and ABC immunohistochemistry. Positive nuclear staining was observed in 10 cases (62.5%). The positive coincidence rate was 90.0% between SSCP and p53 protein expression. The mutation of p53 gene was not correlated with the subtypes of MFH. Our results indicate that detection of point mutations with silver staining PCR-SSCP is convenient, rapid and reliable in the screening of point mutation of genes.

MULTIPLE GENETIC EXPRESSION ABNORMALITIES IN GASTRIC CANCER

By means of immunohistological technique, theexpressions of p53, c-erbB-2, EGFR and ras wereexamined on the adjacent sections of 75 cases of gastriccancer (GC), and their clinicopathological and prognosticsignificance were studied. Results: 1) Overexpressionsof p53 and c-erbB-2 were early and late sign of malignantchange of gastric mucosa, respectively: EGFR and rashad close association with the degree of malignancy ofGC. 2) The expression of ras had positive relationshipwith the expression of EGFR, and negative relationshipwith c-erbB-2.3). The multivariate analysis of Cox modelof GC showed only DNA ploidy, expression of EGFR,lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis wereindependent prognostic factors of GC.

EXPRESSION OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN (MRP) AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and clinicopathological factors and prognosis. Methods: The expression of MRP in 62 cases with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was detected using immunohistochemistry method. The expression of MRP in 30 cases of NSCLC and corresponding normal lung tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. Results: this study of tumor tissues confirmed the plasma membrane and/or cytoplasm locations of MRP. There was apparent difference between normal lung tissues and NSCLC in MRP. The survival analysis of 62 NSCLC showed that the mean survival time of the patients with negative MRP expression was 69.8117.41 months and that of patients with positive MRP expression, 25.384.46 months. Log-rank test suggested that the difference between them was significant (P=0.0156). It was also found that in squamous cell lung cancer the statistically significant difference between the mean survival time of patients with positive MRP expression and those with negative MRP expression (P=0.0153). Multivariate Cox model analysis suggested that the survival time was significantly related to expression of MRP (P=0.035) and lymphatic metastasis (P=0.038). Conclusion: MRP expression in NSCLC is significantly higher compared with normal lung tissues. The mean survival time of patients with negative MRP was relative longer and expression of MRP was an independent factor for prognosis.

Biological Effects of bFGF on Murine Endometrium in the Process of Blastocyst Implantation

ve To study the biological effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the process of embryo implantation in mouse

MALIGNANT HISTIOCYTOSIS: A STUDY ON CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND CELL ORIGIN

Thirty- one autopsy cases previously diagnosed as malignant histiocytosis (MH) were studied by means of immunohistochemical staining. Antibodies detecting the formalin resistant epitopes on T- cells, B- cells and those of histiocyte/monocyte origin were used. It was shown that the malignant histiocytes reacted only to the cell markers derived from histlocyte/monocyte. and only a part of lymphocytes showed positive reaction to the T and B cell markers. It is suggested that the histiocyte/monocyte lineage is the possible origin of the malignant proliferating cells in MH. The clinicopathological features and the differentiation of MH from familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome and malignant lymphoma are described. The pathogenesis. the causes of death and the points for attention in the treatment of MH are also discussed.