Anshan Shan

Selenium Deficiency Affects the mRNA Expression of Inflammatory Factors and Selenoprotein Genes in the Kidneys of Broiler Chicks

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Se deficiency on the transcription of inflammatory factors and selenoprotein genes in the kidneys of broiler chicks. One hundred fifty 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to two groups fed with either a low-Se diet (L group, 0.033xa0mg/kg Se) or an adequate Se diet (C group, 0.2xa0mg/kg Se). The levels of uric acid (UA) and creatinine (Cr) in the serum and the mRNA levels of 6 inflammatory factors and 25 selenoprotein genes in the kidneys were measured as the clinical signs of Se deficiency occurred at 20xa0days old. The results indicated that the contents of UA and Cr in the serum increased in L group (pxa0<xa00.05), and the mRNA levels of the inflammatory factors (NF-κB, iNOS, COX-2, and TNF-α) increased in L group (pxa0<xa00.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of PTGEs and HO-1 were not changed. In addition, 25 selenoprotein transcripts displayed ubiquitous expression in the kidneys of the chicks. The mRNA levels of 14 selenoprotein genes (Dio1, Dio2, GPx3, Sepp1, SelH, SelI, SelK, Sepn1, SelO, SelW, Sep15, SelT, SelU, and SelS) decreased, and 9 selenoprotein genes (GPx1, GPx2, GPx4, SelPb, Txnrd1, Txnrd2, Txnrd3, SPS2, and SelM) increased in L group (pxa0<xa00.05), but the Dio3 and Sepx1 mRNA levels did not change. The results indicated that Se deficiency resulted in kidney dysfunction, activation of the NF-κB pathway, and a change in selenoprotein gene expression. The changes of inflammatory factor and selenoprotein gene expression levels were directly related to the abnormal renal functions induced by Se deficiency.

Biochemical changes and oxidative stress induced by zearalenone in the liver of pregnant rats

The aim of the present research was to examine the toxic influence of different doses of zearalenone (ZEN) on the liver, especially oxidative stress induced by ZEN on the liver. A total of 48 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 4 treatments groups with 12 animals in each. The rats were fed with a normal diet treated with 0 mg/kg (control), 50 mg/kg (treatment 1), 100 mg/kg (treatment 2), or 150 mg/kg (treatment 3) ZEN in feed on gestation days (GDs) 0–7 and then all the rats were fed with a normal diet on GDs 8–20. The experimental period lasted 21 days. The results showed that exposure to ZEN induced increase in aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activities and decrease in total protein and albumin content in a dose-dependent manner and also induce decrease in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and increase in malondialdehyde content in a dose-dependent manner in the serum and the liver. The increased transcription of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) was detected in the liver after exposure to ZEN. These results suggested that ZEN not only caused damage in the liver of pregnant rats in a dose-dependent manner but also induced the messenger RNA expression of CYP2E1 in the liver.

Effects of Dietary Selenium Deficiency or Excess on Gene Expression of Selenoprotein N in Chicken Muscle Tissues

Previous studies have determined the effects of dietary selenium (Se) supplementation on selenoprotein N (SelN, SEPN1), selenophosphate synthetase-1 (SPS1), and selenocysteine-synthase (SecS) mRNA abundance in chicken skeletal and cardiac muscles. To investigate collective responses of these genes to dietary Se concentrations ranging from deficiency to moderately high level in muscle tissues of chicken, 1-day-old chickens were exposed to a diet of deficient Se and supplemented with Se (0.15xa0mg Se/kg and 1.50xa0mg Se/kg) as sodium selenite in the feed for 35xa0days. Muscle tissues (flight, breast, leg, and cardiac muscles) were collected and examined for Se content and mRNA levels of SelN on days 1, 15, 25, and 35xa0days, respectively. Moreover, SPS1 and SecS mRNA levels were analyzed. The results showed that the expression of SelN gene in cardiac muscle responded to dietary Se concentrations. SelN gene was downregulated in the Se deficiency group (L group), and upregulated in the Se excess group (H group) compared with the moderate Se group (M group) (Pu2009<u20090.05) in cardiac muscle. Se deficiency mainly unregulated SelN mRNA level in skeletal muscles compared with M group. Excess dietary Se mainly resulted in the upregulation of SelN mRNA level in skeletal muscles compared with the M group. SecS mRNA levels responded to dietary Se concentrations showed a similar change compared with SelN in cardiac muscle. SPS1 mRNA levels responded to dietary Se concentrations showed a downregulation in L group and upregulation in H group. However, SelN mRNA levels displayed a different expression pattern in different skeletal and cardiac muscles. Moreover, Se also regulated the levels of SPS1 and SecS mRNAs. In summary, Se regulated the expression of SelN gene and affected the mRNA levels of SecS and SPS1. The level of Se in the feed may regulate SelN biosynthesis by affecting the levels of SPS1 and SecS mRNA.

Effects of modified maifanite on zearalenone toxicity in female weaner pigs

The experiment was conducted to investigate alleviative effects of modified maifanite (MMF) on zearalenone (ZEN) toxicity in female weaner pigs. In this experiment, 32 female weaner pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Large white, 10.50±0.07 kg) were divided into 4 groups (8 pigs/group): control group (0.02 mg/kg ZEN); ZEN-treated group (1.11 mg/kg ZEN); MMF-treated group (1% MMF); ZEN+MMF treated group (1.11 mg/kg ZEN and 1% MMF), The trial period lasted for 28 d. Growth performance, vulva size, genital organs, antioxidant enzyme activities, serum metabolites and ZEN residues in female weaner pigs were determined. The results showed that the treatments had no effect on growth performance and length and width of the vulva. However, vulva area (P=0.038) and progesterone (P=0.022) were affected by the ZEN×MMF interaction. Treatment with ZEN resulted in a significant increase of the genital organ weight (P=0.002) and decrease of serum superoxide dismutase (P=0.017) activity. Feeding of the ZEN diet decreased the number of red blood cells (P=0.009) and platelets (P=0.002). The MMF reduced methane dicarboxylic aldehyde concentration when fed with ZEN diet but not when fed with the basal diet (ZEN×MMF, P=0.018). In the liver, feeding of the ZEN diet with MMF reduced the levels of ZEN residues (P=0.003). Our findings suggest that the addition of MMF to ZEN diet resulted in partial restoration of antioxidant status and reduced ZEN levels in the liver.

Oxidative stress induced by Se-deficient high-energy diet implicates neutrophil dysfunction via Nrf2 pathway suppression in swine

The mechanism of the interaction between Se deficiency and high energy remains limited. The aim of the current study was to identify whether Se-deficient, high-energy diet can induce oxidative stress, and downregulate the Nrf2 pathway and phagocytic dysfunction of neutrophils. We detected the phagocytic activity, ROS production, protein levels of Nrf2 and Nrf2 downstream target genes, and the mRNA levels of 25 selenoproteins, heat shock proteins, and cytokines in neutrophils. Cytokine ELISA kits were used to measure the serum cytokines. The concentration of ROS was elevated (P < 0.05) in obese swine fed on a low Se diet (less than 0.03 mg/kg Se) compared to control swine. The protein levels of Nrf2 and its downstream target genes were depressed during Se deficiency and high-energy intake. The mRNA levels of 16 selenoproteins were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the Se-deficient group and Se-deficient, high-energy group compared to the control group. However, the mRNA levels of 13 selenoproteins in peripheral blood neutrophils were upregulated in high energy group, except TrxR1, SelI and SepW. In summary, these data indicated that a Se-deficient, high-energy diet inhibits the Nrf2 pathway and its regulation of oxidative stress, and prompted a pleiotropic mechanism that suppresses phagocytosis.

Effectiveness of Maifanite in Reducing the Detrimental Effects of Cadmium on Growth Performance, Cadmium Residue, Hematological Parameters, Serum Biochemistry, and the Activities of Antioxidant Enzymes in Pigs

This study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of cadmium and to evaluate the effectiveness of maifanite in preventing cadmium-induced adverse effects. Thirty-two crossbred pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Large white, sex balanced, 17.25u2009±u20090.07xa0kg average body weight) were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments in a 2u2009×u20092 factorial arrangement, with eight replicates per treatment and one pig per replicate. The dietary treatments included two cadmium (as CdCl2) doses (0.32 and 30.49xa0mg/kg) and two maifanite doses (0 and 1xa0%). The results showed that pigs treated with cadmium decreased their average daily feed intake (Pu2009<u20090.05) and increased (Pu2009<u20090.05) the feed/gain ratio. Cadmium was found in the tissues of pigs that were fed with cadmium-contaminated diets, but the level of cadmium was much lower when maifanite was added to the cadmium-contaminated diets. Ingestion of diets that were artificially contaminated with cadmium (30.49xa0mg/kg of cadmium) reduced (Pu2009<u20090.05) the number of lymphocytes, the total erythrocyte count, the hemoglobin level, and the hematocrit. However, the activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyltransferase were increased (Pu2009<u20090.05). The total protein level was lower (Pu2009<u20090.05) in pigs fed with cadmium-contaminated diets. The contents of malondialdehyde increased (Pu2009<u20090.05), while the total antioxidant capacity and the activities of total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase decreased (Pu2009<u20090.05) in pigs fed with cadmium-contaminated diets. Dietary addition of maifanite can, to some extent, prevent the negative effects associated with feeding cadmium diets (30.49xa0mg/kg of cadmium) to pigs.

Optimisation of the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Blood Cells with a Neutral Protease

For utilizing the blood cells (BCs) effectively, enzymatic hydrolysis was applied to produce the enzymatically hydrolyzed blood cells (EHBCs) by using a neutral protease as a catalyst. The results of the single-factor experiments showed optimal substrate concentration, enzyme to substrate ratio (E/S), pH, temperature, and incubation period were 1.00%, 0.10, 7.00, 50.00°C, and 12.00u2009h, respectively. The optimized hydrolysis conditions from response surface methodology (RSM) were pH 6.50, E/S 0.11, temperature 45.00°C, and incubation period 12.00u2009h. Under these conditions (substrate concentration 1.00%), the degree of hydrolysis (DH) was 35.06%. The free amino acids (FAAs) content of the EHBCs (35.24%) was 40.46 times higher than BCs while the total amino acids (TAAs) content was lower than BCs. The scores of lysine (human 0.87; pig 0.97), valine (human 1.42; pig 1.38), leucine (human 1.50; pig 1.90), tyrosine (human 0.84; pig 1.09), and histidine (human 2.17; pig 2.50) indicated that the EHBCs basically fulfilled the adult human and pig nutritional requirements. The calculated protein efficiency ratios (C-PERs) of the EHBCs were 3.94, 6.19, 21.73, and 2.04. In summary, the EHBCs were produced successfully with optimized conditions and could be a novel protein source for humans and pigs.

Strain development and optimized fermentation conditions for blood meal using Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae.

To hydrolyze blood meal (BM) effectively, two mutants were generated using ultra-violet mutagenesis. Single-factor experiments, the Plackett-Burman technique and response surface methodology were used to optimize the fermentation conditions. This study successfully generated a mutant and innovatively provided important parameters for utilizing BM by fermentation, which could be of industrial value.

The Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Chromium Picolinate throughout Gestation on Productive Performance, Cr Concentration, Serum Parameters, and Colostrum Composition in Sows

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of supplemental chromium as chromium picolinate (CrPic) on productive performance, chromium (Cr) concentration, serum parameters, and colostrum composition in sows. Thirty Yorkshire sows were bred with semen from a pool of Landrace boars. The sows were equally grouped and treated with either a diet containing 0 (control) or 400xa0ppb dietary Cr supplementation throughout gestation. The sows received the same basal diet based on corn-DDGS meal. Supplemental CrPic increased (Pu2009<u20090.05) the sow body mass gain from the insemination to the dayxa0110 of gestation in sows. No differences (Pu2009>u20090.50) were observed in the gestation interval, sow mass, and backfat at insemination, after farrowing, at weaning and lactation loss. The number of piglets born alive, piglets per litter at weaning, and litter weaned mass were increased (Pu2009<u20090.05) for those supplemented with CrPic compared with the control. However, the total number of piglets born, total born litter mass, average piglet birth body mass, born alive litter mass, and average born alive piglet mass did not differ among the treatments (Pu2009>u20090.05). The placental masses of sows were similar among treatments (Pu2009>u20090.05). Dietary supplementation with CrPic throughout gestation in sows showed increased (Pu2009<u20090.01) concentration of Cr in the colostrum or serum at daysxa070 and 110. Compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with CrPic throughout gestation in sows decreased (Pu2009<u20090.05) the serum insulin concentration, the glucose or serum urea nitrogen concentration at daysxa070 and 110. However, no differences (Pu2009>u20090.05) were observed in total protein concentration among treatments. No differences (Pu2009>u20090.05) were observed in total solids, protein, fat or lactose among sows fed the diets supplemented with CrPic compared with the control. This exciting finding provides evidence for an increase in mass gain and live-born piglets in sows supplemented with CrPic throughout gestation.

Effects of feeding sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate diets to lactating sows on performance, digestibility of nutrients, composition, and fat globule size in milk1

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL) as a new feeding emulsifier diet with and without soybean oil (SO) on the milk fat globule (MFG) size, milk composition, digestibility of nutrients, and performance in lactating sows. Sixty sows (Large White × Landrace) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Each treatment had 15 replicates composed of 1 sow. The factors included 1) the fat level (0% vs. 3% SO) and 2) the emulsifier content (0% vs. 0.1% SSL). Treatments included 1) Control (without SO and SSL), 2) SO (3% SO without SSL), 3) SSL (0.1% SSL without SO), and 4) SO + SSL (3% SO and 0.1% SSL). During the suckling period, sows in the SO + SSL group lost less back fat thickness ( < 0.05) compared to other groups; sows fed 3% SO diets consumed less feed ( < 0.05) compared to sows fed diets without SO, but there were no significant effects ( > 0.05) of dietary fat and its interaction with a dietary emulsifier on energy intake and the weaning-estrus interval. The digestibility of ether extract in the SO + SSL group was greater than in the SO group ( < 0.05). Moreover, greater digestibility of CP, Ca, and P in the SO+SSL group was observed compared to that of other groups ( < 0.05). Feeding the SO + SSL diet improved the concentrations of milk fat, protein, and total solids on d 11 of lactation compared to other diets ( < 0.05). Also, an interaction between supplemental SSL and SO was observed for the milk fat and total solids concentrations. The average diameter of MFG on d 11 of lactation was significantly decreased by the addition of 0.1% SSL compared to a diet with no SSL supplementation ( < 0.05). No significant differences among the dietary treatments were observed in cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in sows plasma ( > 0.05). In conclusion, feeding a 0.1% SSL diet to lactating sows may decrease the average diameter of MFG and improve the digestibility of nutrients and composition of milk.