Genome-wide association study for ham weight loss at first salting in Italian Large White pigs: towards the genetic dissection of a key trait for dry-cured ham production

Protected designation of origin dry-cured hams are the most important productions of the Italian heavy pig industry. Hams capable of minimal seasoning losses produce better quality dry-cured hams. Ham weight loss during the first 7 days in brine (first salting) is highly correlated with the total loss of weight up to the end of seasoning, and it has quite high heritability (0.30-0.61). For these reasons, ham weight loss at first salting has been included as a meat quality trait in the Italian heavy pig selection program. In this work, we carried out a genome-wide association study for this parameter in the Italian Large White pig breed by genotyping 1365 animals with the Illumina BeadChip PorcineSNP60 chip. A total of 44 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had a P_{nominal value} below 5.0E-04, five of which were below 5.0E-05 and one of them (ALGA0057985 on chromosome 10) was associated with this trait at a P_Bonferroni threshold of 0.10. These SNPs identified a total of at least 29 putative QTLs that were located on most porcine autosomal chromosomes. This study provides genomic information that could be useful in dissecting this complex trait by identifying potential candidate genes whose function could contribute to understanding the biological mechanisms affecting meat quality for seasoning aptitude.

Myopathy with Central Cores in a Foal

Central core disease is a nonprogressive or slowly progressive congenital myopathy with a variable degree of hypotonia and axial and proximal muscle weakness that is histologically characterized by areas devoid of oxidative enzyme activity, resulting from an absence or low numbers of mitochondria in these regions (central core). A 10-month-old, male, pony foal was examined because of stiff gait, marked contractures of the distal portion of the limbs, flexion deformities of the hooves, and moderate hypotonia that had been present from birth. The foal had increased creatine kinase (282 U/ liter; reference interval 10-135 U/liter), lactate dehydrogenase (1,188 U/liter; reference interval 150–450 U/liter), and aspartate transaminase (377 U/liter; reference interval <290 U/liter) activities, suggesting muscle disease. Muscle biopsy was performed. In cytochrome oxidase-, succinate dehydrogenase-, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase-reacted sections, the dominant morphologic feature was the absence of oxidative enzyme activity in the cores. By use of immunohistochemical technique with a monoclonal antibody against desmin, the cores were clearly delineated and a desmin network was present within the cores. Ultrastructurally, the core areas were characterized by preserved sarcomeres with irregular Z-lines, with some streaming or zigzag appearance and abnormal sarcoplasmic reticulum profiles and T-tubules. Lack of mitochrondria within central cores was observed. Diagnosis of myopathy with central cores was made.

Age-Related Changes in Skeletal Muscle of Cattle

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, is a multifactorial condition that represents a major healthcare concern for the elderly population. Although its morphologic features have been extensively studied in humans, animal models, and domestic and wild animals, only a few reports about spontaneous sarcopenia exist in other long-lived animals. In this work, muscle samples from 60 healthy Podolica-breed old cows (aged 15-23 years) were examined and compared with muscle samples from 10 young cows (3-6 years old). Frozen sections were studied through standard histologic and histoenzymatic procedures, as well as by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analysis. The most prominent age-related myopathic features seen in the studied material included angular fiber atrophy (90% of cases), mitochondrial alterations (ragged red fibers, 70%; COX-negative fibers, 60%), presence of vacuolated fibers (75%), lymphocytic (predominantly CD8+) inflammation (40%), and type II selective fiber atrophy (40%). Immunohistochemistry revealed increased expression of major histocompatibility complex I in 36 cases (60%) and sarcoplasmic accumulations of β-amyloid precursor protein-positive material in 18 cases (30%). In aged cows, muscle atrophy was associated with accumulation of myostatin. Western blot analysis indicated increased amount of both proteins-myostatin and β-amyloid precursor protein-in muscles of aged animals compared with controls. These findings confirm the presence of age-related morphologic changes in cows similar to human sarcopenia and underline the possible role of amyloid deposition and subsequent inflammation in muscle senescence.

Twenty years of artificial directional selection have shaped the genome of the Italian Large White pig breed

In this study, we investigated at the genome-wide level if 20 years of artificial directional selection based on boar genetic evaluation obtained with a classical BLUP animal model shaped the genome of the Italian Large White pig breed. The most influential boars of this breed (n = 192), born from 1992 (the beginning of the selection program of this breed) to 2012, with an estimated breeding value reliability of >0.85, were genotyped with the Illumina Porcine SNP60 BeadChip. After grouping the boars in eight classes according to their year of birth, filtered single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to evaluate the effects of time on genotype frequency changes using multinomial logistic regression models. Of these markers, 493 had a PBonferroni  < 0.10. However, there was an increasing number of SNPs with a decreasing level of allele frequency changes over time, representing a continuous profile across the genome. The largest proportion of the 493 SNPs was on porcine chromosome (SSC) 7, SSC2, SSC8 and SSC18 for a total of 204 haploblocks. Functional annotations of genomic regions, including the 493 shifted SNPs, reported a few Gene Ontology terms that might underly the biological processes that contributed to increase performances of the pigs over the 20 years of the selection program. The obtained results indicated that the genome of the Italian Large White pigs was shaped by a directional selection program derived by the application of methodologies assuming the infinitesimal model that captured a continuous trend of allele frequency changes in the boar population.

Genome-wide study on intramuscular fat in Italian Large White pig breed using the PorcineSNP60 BeadChip

Genome-wide association study results are presented for intramuscular fat in Italian Large White pig breed. A total of 886 individuals were genotyped with PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. After quality control performed with plink software and in R environment, 49 208 markers remained for the association analysis. The genome-wide association studies was conducted using linear mixed model implemented in GenABEL. We detected seven new SNPs of genes till now not found associated to intramuscular fat (IMF). Three markers map in a wide intergenic region rich of QTL linked to fat traits, one map 388 kb upstream the gene SDK1, one map inside PPP3CA gene, one inside SCPEP1 gene and the last is not mapped in the porcine genome yet. Associations here presented indicate a moderate effect of these genes on IMF. In particular, PPP3CA, that is involved in the oxidative metabolism of skeletal muscle, could be considerated as an interesting candidate gene for IMF content in pigs. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of these genes on the physiological processes involved in IMF regulation. These results may be useful to control this trait that is important in terms of nutritional, technological and organoleptic characteristics of fresh meat and processed products.

Efficacy and safety of dabigatran in a "real-life" population at high thromboembolic and hemorrhagic risk: data from MonaldiCare registry

OBJECTIVE

Dabigatran is a novel target specific oral anticoagulant for stroke prevention in non valvular atrial fibrillation. Little is still known about its real-world effectiveness and safety in the italian population. Aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dabigatran in a large single-center cohort of "real-life" italian population with non-valvular AF and to compare the results with those obtained from the RE-LY trial and the Medicare study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied a prospective cohort of 2108 patients (1119 male; mean age 69.4 ± 9.4 years) who started the oral anticoagulant treatment with dabigatran 110 mg twice-daily (DAB 110; N = 1075; 51%) or 150 mg twice-daily (DAB 150; N = 1033; 49%). Follow-up data were obtained trough outpatients visits each 3-6 months for assessing the clinical status, adherence to treatment, occurrence of side effects and major cardiovascular complications.

RESULTS

In DAB 150 group the mean age was 64.9 ± 8.8 years, 56.8% of patients was male. CHA2DS2Vasc Score was ≥ 3 in 94.3% and HAS-BLED was ≥ 3 in 59.7%. In DAB 110 group (N = 1075) the mean age was 73.9 ± 7.5 years; 49.5% of patients was male. CHA2DS2Vasc Score was ≥ 3 in 73.4% and HAS-BLED was ≥ 3 in 87.4% of DAB 110 patients. One patient taking Dabigatran 110 mg bid had ischemic stroke without significantly neurological sequelae. In both groups, no patient experienced hemorrhagic stroke during the follow-up period. 147 patients (6.9%) of MonaldiCare population reported adverse effects from treatment with dabigatran, of whom 121 patients (5.7%) discontinued therapy. We reported one case of subarachnoid hemorrhage (0.05%) in a patient with high thrombo-embolic and high hemorrhagic risk score who was taking dabigatran 150 mg bid and one case (0.05%) of bladder bleeding in a patient who was taking dabigatran 110 mg bid. No major gastrointestinal bleeding was observed in the MonaldiCare population.

CONCLUSIONS

MonaldiCare registry showed a safety profile of both dosages of dabigatran regarding major of fatal bleeding in a "real life" single center italian population at high thromboembolic and hemorrhagic risk. The majority of MonaldiCare patients tolerated dabigatran treatment without significant side effects. The efficacy of dabigatran was demonstrated by very low prevalence of ictus/TIA, also when patients underwent electrical AF cardioversion independently of the transesophageal examination.

Porous, Ventricular Extracellular Matrix-Derived Foams as a Platform for Cardiac Cell Culture

To more closely mimic the native cellular microenvironment, 3D scaffolds derived from the extracellular matrix (ECM) are being developed as alternatives to conventional 2D culture systems. In the present study, we established methods to fabricate nonchemically cross-linked 3D porous foams derived entirely from decellularized porcine left ventricle (DLV) for use as an in vitro cardiac cell culture platform. Furthermore, we explored the effects of physically preprocessing the DLV through mechanical mincing versus cryomilling, as well as varying the ECM concentration on the structure, composition, and physical properties of the foams. Our results indicate that the less highly processed minced foams had a more cohesive and complex network of ECM components, enhanced mechanical properties, and improved stability under simulated culturing conditions. To validate the DLV foams, a proof-of-concept study was conducted to explore the early cardiomyogenic differentiation of pericardial fat adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (pfASCs) on the minced DLV foams relative to purified collagen I gel controls. Differentiation was induced using a modified cardiomyogenic medium (MCM) or through stimulation with 5-azacytidine (5-aza), and cardiomyocyte marker expression was characterized by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that early markers of cardiomyogenic differentiation were significantly enhanced on the DLV foams cultured in MCM, suggesting a synergistic effect of the cardiac ECM-derived scaffolds and the culture medium on the induction of pfASC differentiation. Furthermore, in analyzing the response in the noninduced control groups, the foams were observed to provide a mildly inductive microenvironment for pfASC cardiomyogenesis, supporting the rationale for using tissue-specific ECM as a substrate for cardiac cell culture applications.