M. Ożgo

Differentially expressed proteins in the blood serum of piglets in response to a diet supplemented with inulin

In the present study we introduced a two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry-based proteomic workflow to identify proteins that show altered expression as a result of the addition of 2% of water extract of inulin-type fructans to the diet of growing piglets. This analysis allowed us to detect an average of 240 spots per gel with a mass range from 10 to 250 kDa and a pH ranging from 3 to 10. Twenty protein spots were found to show statistically significant differences in their expression. Of these, 7 protein spots were up-regulated, whereas 13 showed down-regulation in response to the experimental diet. In total, 13 spots were identified, representing 8 distinct gene products. The experimental diet caused a significant change in proteins directly or indirectly involved in hemostasis and the innate immune response. Increased levels of fibrinogen along with decreased plasminogen expression may indicate that a fructan-rich diet favours the deposits of fibrin and promotes blood clotting. We also found increased expression of vitronectin and the alpha subunit of the complement component C8 which may protect the host organism against excessive cytolitic activity of the activated complement. The piglets from the experimental group had slightly increased values of IgG and IgA, whereas the IgM level tended to be decreased. The fructan-rich diet did not have any influence on plasma total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Changes in lipid metabolism during last month of pregnancy and first two months of lactation in primiparous cows - analysis of apolipoprotein expression pattern and changes in concentration of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides

The final weeks of pregnancy and period of increasing lactation abound with adaptive changes in the intensity of metabolic processes. Maintaining the homeostasis of an organism in prepartum and postpartum periods is the key condition in maintaining the health of the mother and the fetus/calf. The aim of the study was to analyze physiological changes in lipid metabolism in cows during the last month of first pregnancy and in the first two months of lactation, based on the expression of identified apolipoproteins and changes in selected parameters of the lipid metabolism in peripheral blood plasma. Statistically significant changes in the expression of identified apolipoproteins were observed for apolipoprotein A-1 precursor, apolipoprotein A-IV precursor, apolipoprotein E precursor and apolipoprotein J precursor. The lowest expression of the apolipoproteins was noted around parturition and higher expression was observed during the final weeks of pregnancy and during lactation. Tendencies of changes in the concentration of total cholesterol, HDL and LDL were similar in blood plasma from analyzed cows - in the last month of pregnancy a decrease was observed and subsequently an increase in the first two months of lactation was noted. In contrast to abrupt changes observed for total cholesterol, HDL and LDL, changes in concentration of triglycerides were not that extensive and during lactation this parameter was rather stable. Evaluation of changes in the analyzed parameters may contribute to a better understanding of the changes in lipid metabolism occurring in the body of pregnant and lactating young cows.

Morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical studies of polar fox kidney.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the morphology and intermediate filaments cytokeratin, desmin and vimentin expression in the kidneys of the polar fox ( Alopex lagopus ). Routine morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques of examinations of the kidneys of adult male and female polar foxes were used. We found different localizations and different levels of immunoexpression of cytokeratin in epithelia of calyxes, distal tubules and Henle’s loops, and also in endothelial cells. We also noted immunolocalization and immunoexpression of vimentin in mesangial cells, interstitial tissue and distal tubules. Desmin reactivity was revealed for muscle cells of arteries and mesangial cells. Our study is the first attempt to localize cytoskeletal intermediate filaments performed on polar fox kidneys. It is worth noting that our observations concerning the distribution of vimentin in the polar fox kidney may suggest that protein as being useful as a marker of distal tubules in the polar fox kidney.