Hypodermin C improves the survival of kidney allografts

First molecular characterization of hypodermin genes of Hypoderma bovis and serodiagnosis of bovine hypodermosis with recombinant hypodermin C antigen and a synthetic peptide containing its linear B-cell epitope

Hypodermins A (HA), B (HB), and C (HC) of warble flies are modulatory antigens involved in host inflammation and immune responses during migration of the warble fly larvae through host connective tissues. In the current study, molecular characteristics of the genes encoding HA, HB, and HC were revealed from cDNA constructs of third-instar larvae of Hypoderma bovis. The open reading frame (ORF) of each hypodermin gene was amplified with modified gene-specific primers, and the resulting PCR products were cloned into pGEM-T Easy Vector to produce recombinant plasmids (rHA, rHB, and rHC). The ORF sequences of rHA, rHB, and rHC genes are 705 bp, 771 bp, and 783 bp long and encode proteins of 234, 256, and 263 amino acids with predicted sizes of 25.74 kDa, 27.79 kDa, and 28.51 kDa, respectively. The rHC gene was subcloned into the pET 100/D-TOPO Expression Vector, and the recombinant HC was purified using affinity chromatography. Western blotting indicated that rHC was recognized by the sera of cattle naturally infested with H. bovis. The rHC and a synthetic peptide (sHC) containing its linear B cell-specific epitope were evaluated as serological markers in indirect ELISA (iELISA) for the diagnosis of bovine hypodermosis. Both sHC and rHC iELISAs had sensitivity values equal to or higher than 90 % and specificity values of 100 %. A total of 200 serum samples from cattle in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were also analyzed by rHC and sHC-iELISAs to reveal the seroprevalence of bovine hypodermosis. The results of both iELISAs were consistent with one another and revealed a hypodermosis prevalence of 62 %. Our study provides the first data on molecular characterization of hypodermin genes of H. bovis and indicates the efficacy of recombinant antigen and peptide-based iELISA for serodiagnosis of bovine hypodermosis.

A SNP in the 3'UTR of the porcine IGF-1 gene interacts with miR-new14 to affect IGF-1 expression, proliferation and apoptosis of PK-15 cells

The kidney of miniature pigs has been considered the most likely potential kidney source for patients needing kidney transplantation. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is involved in regulating the growth of miniature pigs and inducing growth of kidneys. There are evidences showing that the SNPs in the 3'UTR of a gene may affect the gene expression by affecting the binding to a miRNA target site. In this study, one SNP (rs34142920) was screened in the IGF-1 3'UTR between 2 different body types of porcine breeds, Bama Xiang (BX) pigs, a miniature pig breed, and Large White (LW) pigs by sequencing. The secondary structure of the IGF-1 3'UTR mRNA containing the SNP in BX pigs is different from that of LW pigs. We then verified that there was a porcine miRNA (miR-new14) binding to this SNP in the 3'UTR of IGF-1 via cotransfecting the 3'UTR from the 2 breeds and miR-new14. We further found that the SNP downregulated mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 by affecting the binding of miR-new14. To understand the function of miR-new14 in porcine kidney (PK-15) cells and its mechanism, cell proliferation and cell apoptosis assays were employed and results showed that proliferation viability of PK-15 cells was weakened and the apoptotic percentage of PK-15 cells was higher in the miR-new14 group. Porcine miRNA reduced the mRNA expression of AKT/ERK and protein levels of p-AKT/p-ERK. These results suggested that the expression of IGF-1 is influenced by this SNP and miR-new14 and that miR-new14 may suppress cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis in PK-15 cells through regulating AKT and ERK signaling pathways, in which IGF-1 is involved.