Objective:This study investigated the antioxidant properties of red kiwifruit (RK), green kiwifruit (GRK), and gold kiwifruit (GOK) powders and evaluated their effects on oxidative stability of chicken breast stored under overwrap packaging (OWP) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Methods:Kiwifruit powders prepared from red, green, and gold kiwifruit cultivars were analyzed for total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Chicken breasts were injected with brine solutions containing kiwifruit powder, ascorbic acid (AA), or plain brine as a control (CTL), and stored under overwrap packaging (OWP) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) at 10 °C for 9 days. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) were measured during storage. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way and two-way analysis of variance. Results:GOK exhibited the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Under OWP, TBARS values were lower in AA, RK, and GOK than in CTL and GRK. For VBN, GOK showed a value comparable to that of AA under OWP. Conclusion:Oven-dried gold kiwifruit powder showed the highest antioxidant activity among the tested kiwifruit cultivars and was effective in improving the oxidative stability of chicken breast, particularly under overwrap packaging.
Objective:This study evaluated the effects of wet ageing combined with soaking or injection marination using pineapple powder solution on the physicochemical properties of Korean native black goat meat. Methods:The samples were marinated with pineapple solution using soaking or injection methods, vacuum-packaged, and wet-aged at 4°C for 21 days, with analyses conducted at 7-day intervals. Physicochemical properties, lipid oxidation, texture profile analysis, protein degradation, and fatty acid composition were analyzed. Results:Wet ageing combined with pineapple powder solution marination reduced pH and improved tenderness, as indicated by increased myofibrillar fragmentation index and reduced hardness (p < 0.05). However, marination also reduced water-holding capacity and increased cooking loss, with the injection treatment showing greater tenderization than soaking. Microbial counts remained within acceptable ranges throughout storage and were lower in the marinated treatments than in the control at later ageing periods. Additionally, soaking enhanced PUFA content and improved the nutritional quality indices by reducing the calculated atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices. Conclusion:Injection marination with pineapple powder solution into wet-aged goat meat may improve tenderness, while soaking provided a more favorable fatty acid profile during wet ageing.
Objective:Heat-induced stress (HS) amid global warming compromise cattle reproductive performance causing economic loss including the vulnerable Korean native beef cattle, Hanwoo. Nevertheless, knowledge of response and effect in cattle oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) under HS remains lacking due to restricted commercial cell line and multi-omics data available. This research attempts to develop immortalized OEC derived from Hanwoo cattle as HS cell culture model and to investigate its HS-specific response by utilizing biomarkers comprising transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. Methods:Primary OEC was isolated from fresh Hanwoo oviduct and immortalized by using piggyBac transposon-mediated SV40T expression system. HS optimization was performed by detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress biomarkers under varied HS and recovery time (4, 12, and 24 h). Optimized period was applied to generate differentially expressed genes (DEG) and protein (DEP) analyzed using gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment. Results:Immortalized OEC was successfully developed with high CDH1 positivity (98.2%) sorting. Increased intracellular ROS was detected at 4 h HS followed by rapid substantial upregulation of HSP70 and BiP protein and delayed upregulation of oxidative stress genes (SOD1, CAT, GPX1) peaked at 24 h HS period. In total, 510 DEG (fold change ≥|2|) and 258 DEP (fold change ≥|1.5|) were significantly altered under 24 h HS condition. Furthermore, GO and pathway enrichment analysis of the DEG-DEP list revealed upregulation processes related to oxidative-thermal stress and protein folding. Other altered processes involve immune response, cellular senescence, response to starvation, and extracellular matrix structures as enriched terms suggesting possible hindering effects to OEC reproductive role. Conclusion:The immortalized OEC provides a stable system to evaluate HS response in cattle oviducts. Transcriptomic and proteomic data from this study offer valuable resources for targeted molecular approach to attenuate detrimental HS effect in cattle reproduction.
Copra meal (CM), a co-product of coconut oil extraction, is a regionally important feed ingredient whose value cannot be judged from crude protein concentration alone. Its nutritional value is affected by drying and oil-extraction conditions, residual lipid content, mannan-rich cell-wall carbohydrates, and the digestive capacity of the target species. This review evaluates CM in poultry, swine, and ruminant diets, with emphasis on nutritional constraints, processing strategies, and species-specific utilization. Copra meal generally provides moderate crude protein, a low lysine-to-crude protein ratio, variable residual oil, and a carbohydrate fraction dominated by β-mannans, including galactomannans. In monogastric animals, these characteristics may restrict nutrient utilization through physical encapsulation of nutrients, limited endogenous hydrolysis of β-mannans, increased digesta viscosity under some dietary conditions, and possible immune recognition of intact mannan structures. Ruminants are usually more tolerant of CM because rumen microorganisms can ferment fibrous substrates and convert part of dietary nitrogen into microbial protein. Nevertheless, residual lipid rich in lauric acid may alter rumen fermentation and methane formation, whereas excessive CM inclusion may reduce intake, fiber digestion, or nitrogen utilization. Processing strategies, including β-mannanase supplementation, pre-feed enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-state fermentation, may improve nutrient availability and generate potentially functional oligosaccharides, but their effectiveness depends on CM composition and processing conditions and should be verified through digestible nutrient supply or animal performance. Current evidence supports the species-specific use of well-characterized CM products rather than broad replacement of soybean meal or cereal ingredients with CM. Future research should establish processing-based quality standards and clarify digestible amino acid supply, ruminant protein value, and the functional effects of CM-derived products in well-characterized animal trials.
Objective:Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC)-induced colibacillosis is a challenge in broiler production, necessitating alternatives to antibiotics because of antimicrobial resistance. However, limited information is available on the efficacy of phytogenic botanical blend (PBB). Therefore, the study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a PBB, alone or in combination with a liquid formulation, in broiler chickens under an APEC challenge, in comparison with a multi-strain probiotic (MSP). Methods:A total of 384 one-day-old male "Vencobb 430Y" broiler chicks were randomly allocated to eight treatments with four replicates of 12 birds each for 42 days. Treatments included negative and positive controls, PBB supplementation (with or without APEC challenge), PBB combined with liquid supplementation under prophylactic and therapeutic regimens, and MSP-based programs. APEC challenge was induced at 10th days of age (10⁸ CFU/bird). Growth performance parameters, mortality, and EPI were recorded. On day 14 (4 days post-infection), samples were collected for hematological, serum biochemical, and E. coli enumeration analyses, along with lesion scoring of visceral organs. Results:Growth performance parameters were not significantly affected (p > 0.05) by either PBB or MSP supplementation under APEC challenge. Survival improved with PBB, with better outcomes in prophylactic than therapeutic use. Haematology remained unchanged, while serum biochemical markers (AST, ALP, bilirubin, TP) were significantly altered, indicating hepatic involvement, with reduced stress under prophylactic PBB. Birds in the PC+PBB (Ther) group showed 0 abdominal and thoracic lesion score. E. coli counts in fecal content at day 16 were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the groups PC+PBB, PC+MSP and PC+PBB (Ther) compared to PC. Conclusion:Overall, the powder based PBB, particularly when used prophylactically, showed promising potential to mitigate the adverse effects of APEC challenge. However, as most parameters did not reach statistical significance, these findings should be considered supportive rather than definitive.
Intramuscular fat (IMF) is a major determinant of meat quality, influencing tenderness, juiciness, flavor, oxidative stability, and nutritional value in livestock products. Increasing evidence indicates that IMF deposition is regulated by complex interactions between host genetics and gut microbial metabolism. This review summarizes current advances in the molecular and metabolic mechanisms linking host genetics and gut microbiota to IMF accumulation and meat quality traits. At the host level, IMF deposition is regulated by coordinated adipogenic networks involving PPARγ-C/EBPα signaling, lipogenic regulators, nutrient-sensitive pathways, and epigenetic modifications that control adipocyte differentiation and lipid storage. In parallel, the gut microbiota acts as an important metabolic regulator by producing bioactive metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids, which influence adipogenesis, inflammation, nutrient partitioning, and metabolic flexibility. Emerging evidence further demonstrates that microbial metabolites can modulate host transcriptional and epigenetic programs, thereby linking microbial activity with tissue-specific lipid metabolism. Integrative multi-omics approaches are increasingly revealing the mechanistic basis of host-microbiome interactions underlying variation in carcass composition and meat quality across livestock species. This review further highlights the translational potential of precision nutrition, microbiome modulation, and microbiome-informed breeding strategies for sustainable meat production.
Objective:The present experiment aimed to develop an in vitro procedure for estimating standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) in feed ingredients for weanling pigs by modifying the conventional procedure for growing pigs. Methods:In the conventional in vitro ileal disappearance (IVID) procedure, sample solutions added with 1 mL of pepsin (10.0 g/L) are incubated for 6.0 h in step 1 to simulate digestion in the stomach followed by adding 1 mL of pancreatin (50.0 g/L) and incubating for 18.0 h in step 2 to simulate digestion in the small intestine. To develop an IVID procedure for weanling pigs, 3 incubation periods (6.0, 4.5, and 3.0 h in step 1 and 18.0, 13.5, and 9.0 h in step 2) and 3 enzyme concentrations (pepsin 10.0, 7.5, and 5.0 g/L in step 1 and pancreatin 50.0, 37.5, and 25.0 g/L in step 2) were tested in a 3×3 factorial arrangement. Test ingredients were rice, corn, wheat, rapeseed meal, soybean meal, fermented soybean meal, and soy protein concentrate. Results:The IVID of CP measured using the conventional procedure deviated from the weanling pig's in vivo SID of CP by 5.0% on average. Based on the quadratic response surface analysis, the use of 1 mL of pepsin at 7.6 g/L with the incubation period of 4.4 h in step 1 followed by adding 1 mL of pancreatin at 38.1 g/L with the incubation period of 13.3 h in step 2 minimized the absolute difference between IVID of CP and in vivo SID of CP to 3.6% on average for weanling pigs. Conclusion:The in vitro procedure for weanling pigs was developed by lowering the incubation periods and enzyme concentrations for estimating ileal digestibility of protein in feed ingredients with greater accuracy compared with the conventional in vitro procedure.
Objective:This study aimed to investigate the effects of apple pomace addition on the nutritional composition, fermentation quality, and bacterial community succession of alfalfa silage. Methods:Alfalfa (357 g/kg fresh weight (FW)) was harvested at the early flowering stage and ensiled with no apple pomace (CK), 5%FW apple pomace (AL), and 10%FW apple pomace (AH) for 60 days at room temperature (23±1℃). The nutritional composition, fermentation quality, and bacterial community were analyzed. Results:AH significantly improved silage quality compared with CK, evidenced by higher (P<0.05) lactic acid (28.41 vs. 15.24 g/kg DM), acetic acid (6.8 vs. 2.3 g/kg DM), dry matter (498 vs. 358 g/kg FM), crude protein (193 vs. 154 g/kg DM), and water-soluble carbohydrates (57.7 vs. 45.1 g/kg DM), and lower (P<0.05) pH (3.75 vs. 4.81) and ammonia nitrogen (38.4 vs. 69.8 g/kg TN). At the phylum level, Pseudomonadota (35.94%) and Bacillota (64.06%) dominated CK, whereas apple pomace supplementation increased Bacillota to 87.78% and decreased Pseudomonadota to 3.93%. At the genus level, apple pomace boosted Weissella, Lactiplantibacillus, and Bacillus. AL was dominated by Weissella (42.65%) and Bacillus (95.91%), while AH was predominantly colonized by Weissella (38.89%), Lactiplantibacillus (20.04%), Levilactobacillus (10.53%), and Lacticaseibacillus (8.79%), forming a more diverse lactic acid bacteria consortium. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Lactiplantibacillus and Weissella were positively correlated (P<0.05) with lactic acid and nutritional parameters, and negatively correlated (P<0.05) with pH. Functional profiling indicated that apple pomace reshaped metabolic functions and upregulated enzymes related to carbohydrate degradation, energy metabolism, and substrate transport, promoting lactic acid accumulation. Conclusion:Apple pomace enhanced fermentation performance and nutrient retention in alfalfa silage, and a 10% inclusion rate is recommended for practical production.
Objectives:Deer antler peptides (DAPs), have been widely reported to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, their efficacy in alleviating pathogen-induced intestinal infections mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of DAPs against Salmonella-induced intestinal inflammation and associated tissue injury and elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. Methods:Primary peritoneal macrophages isolated from wild-type (WT) and NRF2 knockout (nrf2-/-) mice were infected with Salmonella; concurrently, we established a murine model of Salmonella-induced intestinal inflammation by infecting WT and nrf2-/- mice. Using in vitro and in vivo systems, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of DAPs during Salmonella infection. Results:In vitro, the results demonstrated that DAPs significantly inhibited the Salmonella-induced production of TNF-α and IL-6, the activation of MAPK signaling pathway, GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis, and excessive ROS accumulation. Mechanistically, DAPs activate the NRF2 signaling pathway by promoting nuclear translocation and the transcriptional upregulation of HO-1 and NQO-1. The genetic deletion of NRF2 substantially attenuated the protective effects of DAPs against inflammation, pyroptosis, and oxidative stress, confirming the mechanism's dependency on this pathway. In vivo, DAPs significantly reduced intestinal histopathological changes, epithelial barrier disruption, pyroptosis, and oxidative damage in WT mice, while these protective effects were markedly diminished in nrf2-/- mice. Notably, DAPs significantly reduced colonic bacterial loads in both WT and nrf2-/- mice while concurrently suppressing pyroptosis. Our findings indicate that DAPs may exert antibacterial effects through a mechanism independent of both NRF2 activation and the NLRP3-mediated pyroptotic pathway; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. Conclusion:Our findings identify DAPs as multi-modal regulators that coordinately suppress inflammation, pyroptosis, and oxidative stress through NRF2 activation during Salmonella infection, and provides mechanistic insights and a translational basis for the application of animal-derived peptides in the treatment of infectious intestinal disorders.
Objective:This study was performed to evaluate the effect of faba bean protein isolate (FBPI) on the techno-functional properties and the structural changes of the pork myofibrillar protein gels (MPGs) under various pH conditions. Methods:Control (without FBPI) and FBPI-added treatments with pH adjusted to 6.00, 6.25, or 6.50 were prepared: control groups (C6.00, C6.25, and C6.50) and FBPI-treated groups (F6.00, F6.25, and F6.50), respectively. The experimental analysis included cooking yield, gel strength, protein surface hydrophobicity, sulfhydryl group, electrophoretic protein profile, and microstructure to evaluate the techno-functional properties and structural changes in the protein matrix. Results:Cooking yield and protein surface hydrophobicity increased with pH; values were higher in C6.50 (91.3% and 31.3 μg) than in C6.00 (86.9% and 26.9 μg). Shear stress values remained consistent among FBPI-treated groups, whereas those of the control groups tended to increase with the adjusted pH level. Electrophoretic protein profiles revealed two distinct bands at 42 and 50 kDa in FBPI-added treatments, which were absent in the control groups; the intensity of these bands increased with the pH level. The F6.50 group presented a more compact three-dimensional protein network, and the increased intensities of the 42-50 kDa bands, corresponding to 7S and 11S globulins, correlated with the structural compaction of the gel matrix. Conclusion:FBPI improved the techno-functional properties of MPGs, regardless of the adjusted pH levels. In addition, the incorporation of FBPI into MPG was associated with pH-dependent structural changes in the protein and gel network, as observed by the protein profile and microstructure.
Objective:This study was performed to evaluate the effects of idebenone (ID) supplemented freezing extender on the post-thaw quality of buck sperm, with particular focus on sperm kinematic parameters, viability, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial function, and antioxidant-related gene expression. Methods:Semen samples collected from five sexually active bucks were diluted in freezing extender supplemented with different concentrations of ID (0, 1, 5, and 10 μM). Post-thaw sperm kinematic parameters were analyzed using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), whereas sperm viability, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity, and mitochondrial membrane integrity were assessed by flow cytometry using SYBR-14/DRAQ7, FITC-PNA/DRAQ7, MitoTracker Green/DRAQ7, and Rhodamine 123/DRAQ7 staining, respectively. Relative mRNA expression levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured by real-time PCR using β-actin as a reference gene. Results:Among the tested concentrations, the ID5 group showed improved total and progressive motility compared with the control group. Based on these findings, ID5 was selected as optimal concentration for cryoprocessing and used for further functional evaluation. Sperm viability was not significantly different between the control and ID5 groups. In contrast, sperm acrosomal integrity and mitochondrial activity were significantly improved in the ID5 group compared with the control. Mitochondrial membrane integrity was not significantly different between the control and ID5 groups. In gene expression analysis, GPX expression was significantly lower in the ID5 group, whereas SOD2 expression was not significantly changed. Conclusion:These results suggest that freezing extender supplemented with optimum level of ID (5 µM) can improve the post-thaw quality of buck sperm. The beneficial effects of ID5 appear to be associated with improved motility, acrosomal status, and mitochondrial function, indicating its potential as a useful additive for buck sperm cryoprocessing.
Objective:Accurate body weight (BW) prediction is important for growth management and nutrient utilization in Hanwoo steers. However, prediction performance may vary across growth stages and input variables. Therefore, this study evaluated stage-specific machine learning models for BW prediction using body measurements and nutrient intake variables. Methods:Data from 136 Hanwoo steers were collected during the growing (6-12 months), early fattening (13-21 months), and late fattening (22-31 months) periods. Body size traits and nutrient intake variables were used to develop prediction models using Random Forest (RF), Linear Regression (LR), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). To minimize repeated-measurement bias, datasets were divided into training and testing sets based on individual animal identification. Prediction performance was evaluated using coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). Results:BW showed strong associations with skeletal-related body traits during the growing period, whereas nutrient intake variables became more strongly associated with average daily gain (ADG) during fattening. Among the evaluated ML models, RF generally demonstrated robust predictive performance across growth stages. For BW prediction, RF achieved the highest accuracy during the growing period (R² = 0.952), whereas LR achieved the highest accuracy during the early-fattening period (R² = 0.947). ADG prediction performance was generally lower than that for BW. Variable importance analysis indicated that skeletal-related body traits contributed most to BW prediction, whereas nutrient intake variables contributed more to ADG prediction during fattening. Conclusion:Factors associated with BW and ADG differed according to production stage. Skeletal-related body traits were more strongly associated with BW during the growing period, whereas nutrient intake variables became increasingly important during fattening. Integrating body measurements and nutritional information may support stage-specific growth monitoring and provide preliminary information for nutritional management in Hanwoo production systems.
Objective:Mastitis is a major disease affecting dairy cows that requires timely detection to enable effective management and reduce substantial economic losses. In this study, we developed a practical mastitis monitoring framework based exclusively on daily milk yield, a routinely collected and noninvasive variable readily available from automated milk-recording systems. Methods:Daily milk yield records (n = 121,692) from 555 Holstein cows on four Korean dairy farms were analyzed. Lactations were reconstructed, and mastitis datasets were matched 1:1 with non-mastitis controls by farm, date, and days in milk. After completeness screening, 63 matched pairs were divided into development (44 pairs) and test datasets (19 pairs). Expected yield was estimated using exponential smoothing and a modified Wilmink equation. The index combined milk yield reduction, a day-specific 90% lower prediction threshold, and consecutive negative deviations. Index changes were compared across 7-, 9-, and 11-day intervals, and alert rules based on index level, relative decline, or both were optimized in the development dataset and evaluated in the test dataset. Results:In mastitis datasets, mean index scores progressively decreased from the pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis intervals across all window sizes, with significant differences among all three intervals (p<0.05). No significant interval-dependent differences were observed in matched non-mastitis datasets. In the development dataset, the highest F1-score was 0.800 at day +7 using a 3-day evaluation window and a 5% relative-decline rule. In the test dataset, the highest and most balanced performance was observed from days +4 to +6, with accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score all reaching 0.790. Conclusion:Sustained deviations from expected daily milk production patterns can be converted into an interpretable alert signal for mastitis-associated changes. The proposed framework may support practical and noninvasive identification of cows requiring closer observation or confirmatory testing without additional sensors or invasive sampling.
Objective:Yak milk serves as crucial source of dairy products for pastoralists on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. This study investigated the effects of dietary N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) in supplemental feed on lactation performance, milk composition, serum biochemical parameters, and free amino acid profiles in grazing yaks. Methods:Twenty-seven late-lactation Niangya yaks (2.33±0.68 parity; 164.85±9.58 days in milk; 239.50±36.37 kg BW) were randomly assigned to three groups (n=9). Yaks grazed naturally by day and were penned individually at night to receive a 1% BW supplement: Control, NCG1 (7.5 g/d), or NCG2 (15 g/d). Following a 7-day adaptation, the experimental trial lasted 60 days. Results:Results showed that NCG supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) milk yield compared with the control group. On day 60, the NCG1 group had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) milk fat percentage than both the control and NCG2 groups. On day 30, the NCG1 group exhibited significantly elevated (P < 0.05) serum concentrations of arginine, alanine, and valine relative to the control group, along with higher (P < 0.05) valine, isoleucine, and leucine levels compared to the NCG2 group. Both the NCG1 and NCG2 groups had increased (P < 0.05) levels of serum alanine compared with the control group. Conclusion:Collectively, milk yield increased linearly with NCG dosage and was highest at 15 g/d, whereas milk fat percentage exhibited a quadratic response, peaking at 7.5 g/d. This suggests that moderate NCG supplementation (7.5 g/d) optimally promotes milk fat synthesis, while a higher dose (15 g/d) further enhances milk volume without conferring additional benefits on fat content. The dose‑specific responses point to a potential dissociation between pathways regulating mammary lipogenesis and amino acid‑driven lactogenic signaling; nevertheless, these mechanistic hypotheses require direct experimental confirmation.
Objective:Nanotechnology has been suggested as a promising strategy for enhancing the stability and delivery efficiency of feed additives through the formation of nanoparticles (NPs). Sweet basil oil (SBO) contains a diverse range of bioactive constituents; however, its intestinal-targeted delivery remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of sweet basil oil nanoparticles (SBO-NPs) on egg production and egg quality, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and cecal microbiota in laying hens. Methods:A total of 225 Roman Brown laying hens at 25 weeks of age were randomly assigned to three treatments with five replicates of 15 birds in a completely randomized design (CRD). Dietary treatments were as follows: (i) basal diet (Con), (ii) basal diet with free sweet basil oil (SBO) at 500 ppm, (iii) basal diet with SBO nanoparticles at 500 ppm (SBO-NPs), respectively. The experiment was conducted for 10 weeks, during which egg production and quality, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiota were assessed. Results:Dietary SBO-NPs significantly increased egg production than SBO and Con diets (p < 0.01). However, all additives had no effect on feed conversion ratio and egg quality (p > 0.05). SBO-NPs markedly improved villus height and villus surface area (p < 0.05). Furthermore, superoxide dismutase activity in duodenum and liver were increased by SBO-NPs. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced by 52-53% in the SBO-NPs group compared to the Con group (p < 0.05). In contrast, the cecal microbiota remained broadly similar among treatments at the phylum and genus levels with no significant differences in the alpha and beta diversity. Conclusion:The results demonstrated that the SBO-NPs enhanced egg production by improving intestinal morphology, increasing antioxidant capacity, and reducing lipid peroxidation.
Objective Platycodon grandiflorum polysaccharide (PGP) extracted from Platycodon grandiflorum, which has the advantages of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and no side effects on the organism. This study evaluated whether dietary PGP alleviates weaning-induced intestinal dysfunction in piglets. Methods A total of 18 newly weaned piglets (6.46±0.31 kg) were allocated to 3 treatments (n = 6/group) for a 28-day feeding trial. The control group received a basal diet, while the L-PGP and H-PGP groups were supplemented with 1 g/kg and 2 g/kg PGP, respectively. On day 28, piglets were electrically stunned and euthanized by exsanguination; spleen, liver, and colon samples were collected to assess inflammatory/antioxidant markers, barrier-related genes, and colonic microbiota. Results The supplementation of PGP increased the average daily gain (p<0.05), and reduced the feed-to-gain ratio of weaned piglets. In addition, PGP reduced the expression of splenic IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-4 (p<0.05). This effect was associated with upregulated mRNA levels of the key tight junction proteins Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in the colonic mucosa and tissue (p<0.05). Compared with the control group, the mRNA expression levels of PKC, Nrf2 and KEAP1 in the colonic tissue of weaned piglets were increased in the H-PGP (p<0.05). More importantly, H-PGP supplementation increased the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, while decreasing the abundance of Proteobacteria. Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis revealed that short-chain fatty acid-producing commensal genera (Faecalibacterium) were negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and signaling genes, but positively correlated with antioxidant genes (p<0.05). Conversely, the relative abundance of Escherichia–Shigella was negatively correlated with the mRNA expression of PKC, Nrf2, and Keap1 (p<0.05). Conclusion PGP can alleviate the weaning stress in piglets, by modulating the colonic microbiota and enhancing systemic anti-inflammatory capacity and intestinal barrier function.
Objective This study investigates the potential effect of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-circHECA on the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineage along with the underlying molecular mechanisms in cashmere goats. Methods The effect of m6A-circHECA on the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineage was assessed through knockdown its expression in SHF stem cells derived from cashmere goats. The functional significance of m6A modification in circHECA functional exertion was confirmed through transfecting m6A deficient mutants into circHECA knockdown SHF stem cells. The competitive bindings of miR-449a-5p to m6A-circHECA and the 3′-untranslated region of LEF1 mRNA was investigated using Dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results The m6A-circHECA exhibited significantly higher expression in SHF stem cells post-differentiation than pre-differentiation. Moreover, m6A-circHECA facilitated the differentiation process of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineages. The m6A-circHECA sequestering miR-449a-5p, to enhance the expression of the LEF1 gene in SHF stem cells and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We further demonstrated that the m6A modification within circHECA is necessary for the miR-449a-5p/LEF1 mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which promote the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineages via the introduction of a m6A-deffcient mutant of circHECA. Conclusion The m6A-circHECA facilitates the differentiation of SHF stem cells into hair follicle lineage through miR-449a-5p/LEF1 mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cashmere goats.
Objective This study aimed to investigate the potential of the ASAP1 gene as a genetic biomarker for brucellosis resistance/susceptibility in goats. Methods This study collected samples from female Shaanbei white cashmere (SBWC) goats to investigate the association between the ASAP1 gene and brucellosis susceptibility. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from goats with various haplo types and Brucella statuses, and the association was evaluated using polymerase chain re action (PCR), quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation assays. Results The ASAP1 gene was expressed most in the spleen, significantly more than in the kidney and heart (p<0.05). In the SBWC goats population, three genotypes insertion/insertion (II), insertion/deletion (ID), and deletion/deletion (DD) were identified at the P2, P5, and P7 sites of goat ASAP1 gene. Association analysis showed that P2 and P7 sites variants were associated with host resistance to Brucella infection with the II genotype used as reference (p<0.05; p<0.01) and maintained after multiple testing correction. The ASAP1 gene was observed lower expression in testicular tissues of Brucella-infected adult SBWC goats compared to healthy controls (p<0.01). Haplotype analysis revealed Hap3 and Hap5 were associated with brucellosis-resistant compared to Hap1 (p<0.05). PBMCs were isolated from goats carrying Hap1, Hap3, and Hap5. After LPS stimulation, significantly reduced ASAP1 expression was detected in the susceptible haplotype Hap1 compared to the resistant haplotypes. The highest expression level was exhibited by the most resistant haplotype, Hap5. Furthermore, resistant haplotypes showed more rapid activation of key inflammatory pathways and pro-inflammatory cytokines (NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) compared to susceptible Hap1, with faster resolution of the inflammatory response observed, particularly in the most resistant haplotype Hap5. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that ASAP1 gene InDel variants influence brucellosis resistance in SBWC goats, providing a theoretical basis for breeding resistant populations.
Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Rhynchosia nulubilis powder (RNP) processed by different drying methods on the physicochemical and textural properties of emulsified pork model sausages (EPMSs). Methods RNP was prepared by freeze-drying (FP), oven-drying (OP), or obtained as a commercial powder (CP), and incorporated into EPMSs at levels of 1.0% and 3.0%. A control with no additional protein (CTL) and a reference formulation containing soy protein isolate (REF) were used for comparison. Product pH, color, water-holding capacity (cooking loss and expressible moisture), proximate composition, and texture profile parameters were evaluated. Results RNP addition altered pH, color, water-holding capacity, and textural characteristics of EPMSs. FP- and OP-treated samples exhibited reduced cooking loss and expressible moisture compared with CTL and CP, indicating improved water-holding capacity, particularly at the 3.0% level. Redness decreased, while yellowness increased with RNP addition, depending on the processing method and concentration. Textural properties, including hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness, were enhanced in FP and OP treatments, whereas CP showed limited improvements. Conclusion The results demonstrate that RNP processed by FP or OP effectively enhances the quality and functional properties of EPMSs. Properly processed RNP may serve as a promising non-meat protein ingredient for improving water retention and texture in processed meat products.
