Construction of an intrahepatic portosystemic shunt using the magnetic compression technique: preliminary experiments in a canine model

Portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis is a common clinical condition that can cause bleeding from esophageal and gastric varices in severe cases.In 1969,Rösch et al.first described a successful transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)in animal experiments(1).In 1989,Richter et al.first used this technology in clinical practice(2).

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides ameliorate canine acute liver injury by reducing oxidative stress,protecting mitochondrial function,and regulating metabolic pathways

The development of acute liver injury can result in liver cirrhosis,liver failure,and even liver cancer,yet there is currently no effective therapy for it.The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect and therapeutic mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides(LBPs)on acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl_(4)).To create a model of acute liver injury,experimental canines received an intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL/kg of CCl_(4)solution.The experimental canines in the therapy group were then fed LBPs(20 mg/kg).CCl_(4)-induced liver structural damage,excessive fibrosis,and reduced mitochondrial density were all improved by LBPs,according to microstructure data.By suppressing Kelch-like epichlorohydrin(ECH)-associated protein 1(Keap1),promoting the production of sequestosome 1(SQSTM1)/p62,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and phaseⅡdetoxification genes and proteins downstream of Nrf2,and restoring the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes like catalase(CAT),LBPs can restore and increase the antioxidant capacity of liver.To lessen mitochondrial damage,LBPs can also enhance mitochondrial respiration,raise tissue adenosine triphosphate(ATP)levels,and reactivate the respiratory chain complexes I–V.According to serum metabolomics,the therapeutic impact of LBPs on acute liver damage is accomplished mostly by controlling the pathways to lipid metabolism.9-Hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid(9-HODE),lysophosphatidylcholine(Lyso PC/LPC),and phosphatidylethanolamine(PE)may be potential indicators of acute liver injury.This study confirmed that LBPs,an effective hepatoprotective drug,may cure acute liver injury by lowering oxidative stress,repairing mitochondrial damage,and regulating metabolic pathways.

Generation of gene-target dogs using CRISPR/Cas9 system

Dear Editor,Dogs(Canis familiaris)serve as human companions and are raised to herd livestock,aid hunters,guard homes,perform police and rescue work,and guide the blind.Dogs exhibit close similarities to humans in terms of metabolic,physiological,and anatomical characteristics,and thus are ideal genetic and clinical models to study human diseases(Tsai et al.,2007).Gene target technology is a powerful tool to create new strains of animals with favorable traits.However,thus far,gene-target dogs have not been developed due to their unique species-specific reproductive characteristics,which limits the applications of dogs especially in the field of biomedical research.Recently,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPRs)/CRISPR-associated(Cas)9 system was applied to edit specific genes with a high efficiency(Cong et al.,2013;Mali et al.,2013).Here we attempt to explore the feasibility of producing gene knockout(KO)dogs by using this technology.Beagle dog,the most widely used breed in biomedical research,was used as our animal model.Myostatin(MSTN)was chosen as the first gene of interest.