Effect of quercetin on muscle growth and antioxidant status of the dark sleeper Odontobutis potamophila

Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin as an Antioxidant for Bone-Muscle-Tendon Regeneration and Aging

Quercetin (QC), a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, possesses many potential health benefits, primarily attributed to its robust antioxidant properties. The generation of oxidative stress in bone cells is a key modulator of their physiological behavior. Moreover, oxidative stress status influences the pathophysiology of mineralized tissues. Increasing scientific evidence demonstrates that manipulating the redox balance in bone cells might be an effective technique for developing bone disease therapies. The QC antioxidant abilities in skeletal muscle significantly enhance muscle regeneration and reduce muscle atrophy. In addition, QC has been shown to have protective effects against oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and matrix degradation in tendons, helping to maintain the structural integrity and functionality of tendons. Thus, the antioxidant properties of QC might be crucial for addressing age-related musculoskeletal disorders like osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and tendon-related inflammatory conditions. Understanding how QC influences redox signaling pathways involved in musculoskeletal disorders, including their effect on bone, muscle, and tendon differentiation, might provide insights into the diverse advantages of QC in promoting tissue regeneration and preventing cellular damage. Therefore, this study reviewed the intricate relationship among oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue repair, affected by the antioxidative abilities of QC, in age-related musculoskeletal tissues to improve the overall health of bones, muscles, and tendons of the skeletal system. Also, reviewing the ongoing clinical trials of QC for musculoskeletal systems is encouraging. Given the positive effect of QC on musculoskeletal health, further scientific investigations and controlled human intervention studies are necessary to explore the therapeutic potential to its optimum strength.

Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals a cellular immune response in freshwater dark sleeper (Odontobutis potamophila) after infection with Aeromonas veronii

The bacterium Aeromonas veronii is a co-pathogenic species that can negatively impact the health of both humans and aquatic animals. In this study, we used single-cell transcriptome analysis (scRNA-seq) to investigate the effects of infection with A. veronii on head kidney cells and the regulation of gene expression in the dark sleeper (Odontobutis potamophila). scRNA-seq was used to assess the effects of infection with A. veronii in O. potamophila B cells, endothelial cells, macrophages, and granulocytes, and differential enrichment analysis of gene expression in B cells and granulocytes was performed. The analyses revealed a significant increase in neutrophils and decrease in eosinophils in granulocytes infected with A. veronii. Activation of neutrophils enhanced ribosome biogenesis by up-regulating the expression of RPS12 and RPL12 to fight against invading pathogens. Crucial pro-inflammatory mediators IL1B, IGHV1-4, and the major histocompatibility class II genes MHC2A and MHC2DAB, which are involved in virulence processes, were upregulated, suggesting that A. veronii activates an immune response that presents antigens and activates immunoglobulin receptors in B cells. These cellular immune responses triggered by infection with A. veronii enriched the available scRNA-seq data for teleosts, and these results are important for understanding the evolution of cellular immune defense and functional differentiation of head kidney cells.

Effects of Quercetin on the Intestinal Microflora of Freshwater Dark Sleeper Odontobutis potamophila

Flavonoids have antimicrobial and anti-oxidation properties. The effects of the flavonoid quercetin on the intestinal microflora of freshwater dark sleeper Odontobutis potamophila were tested for the first time. Odontobutis potamophila juveniles were treated with quercetin for 21 days at one of three concentrations (2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/L) and compared with a control group that was not treated with quercetin. Quercetin improved the stability of the intestinal flora in O. potamophila and the probiotic bacteria Bacillus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. increased in species abundance after the low concentration quercetin treatments. Furthermore, the abundance of pathogenic bacteria Plesiomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., and Shewanella spp. decreased after the fish had been exposed to quercetin. Activity of hepatic antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD), (glutathione S-transferase, GST), (glutathione peroxidase, GSH-Px), and (total antioxidant capacity, T-AOC) increased in the livers of O. potamophila treated with quercetin, thereby increasing their hepatic antioxidant capacity and their ability to scavenge free radicals.