Quantitative Proteome Reveals Variation in the Condition Factor of Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus during the Fishing Season Using an iTRAQ-based Approach

Protein expression patterns and metal metabolites in a protogynous hermaphrodite fish, the ricefield eel (Monopterus albus)

BACKGROUND

The ricefield eel Monopterus albus undergoes a natural sex change from female to male during its life cycle, and previous studies have shown the potential mechanisms of this transition at the transcriptional and protein levels. However, the changes in protein levels have not been fully explored, especially in the intersexual stage.

RESULTS

In the present study, the protein expression patterns in the gonadal tissues from five different periods, the ovary (OV), early intersexual stage gonad (IE), middle intersexual stage gonad (IM), late intersexual stage gonad (IL), and testis (TE), were determined by untargeted proteomics sequencing. A total of 5125 proteins and 394 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected in the gonadal tissues. Of the 394 DEPs, there were 136 between the OV and IE groups, 20 between the IM and IE groups, 179 between the IL and IM groups, and 59 between the TE and IL groups. Three candidate proteins, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 isoform X1 (Igf2bp3), triosephosphate isomerase (Tpi), and Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase isoform X1 [(Cu-Zn) Sod1], were validated by western blotting to verify the reliability of the data. Furthermore, metal metabolite-related proteins were enriched in the IL vs. IM groups and TE vs. IL groups, which had close relationships with sex change, including Cu2+-, Ca2+-, Zn2+- and Fe2+/Fe3+-related proteins. Analysis of the combined transcriptome data revealed consistent protein/mRNA expression trends for two metal metabolite-related proteins/genes [LOC109953912 and calcium Binding Protein 39 Like (cab39l)]. Notably, we detected significantly higher levels of Cu2+ during the sex change process, suggesting that Cu2+ is a male-related metal metabolite that may have an important function in male reproductive development.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, we analyzed the protein profiles of ricefield eel gonadal tissues in five sexual stages (OV, IE, IM, IL, and TE) and verified the plausibility of the data. After preforming the functional enrichment of metal metabolite-related DEPs, we detected the contents of the metal metabolites Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+/Fe3+ at these five stages and screened for (Cu-Zn) Sod1 and Mmp-9 as possible key proteins in the sex reversal process.

Acute Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induces Inflammation Reaction, Complement System Activation, and Lipid Metabolism Disorder of Piglet Livers: A Proteomic Approach

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is closely associated with the occurrence and development of many liver diseases. ERS models mostly include experimental animals such as rats and mice. However, pigs are more similar to humans with regards to digestion and metabolism, especially liver construction, yet few reports on ERS in pigs exist. In order to explore changes in the liver under ERS, we used tunicamycin (TM), which can cause liver jaundice and damage liver function, to establish acute ERS models in piglets using a low TM dosage (LD, 0.1 mg/kg body weight (bw)), high TM dosage (HD, 0.3 mg/kg bw), or vehicle for 48 h. We found that both LD- and HD-induced ERS, as verified by the ERS-linked proteins. Furthermore, the concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines, namely, TNF-α and IL-6 were elevated in TM-treated piglet livers, and the plasma levels of IL-6 and CRP were also higher, indicating the occurrence of inflammation in TM-treated piglets. The complement system was activated in TM-treated piglets, as indicated by increased levels of complement factors and activation products C3, C5a, and AP50. In order to gain insights into the global changes in liver proteins under ERS, we performed an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis on the livers of HD- and vehicle-treated piglets. Proteomic analysis identified 311 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two groups, and a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis suggested that the DEPs were mainly enriched in signaling pathways such as metabolic pathways, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and complement and coagulation cascades. Many proteins involved in protein folding, lipid transport, and oxidation were upregulated. Proteins involved in lipid synthesis were downregulated to alleviate liver steatosis, and most complement factors were upregulated to protect the body, and Pearson correlation analysis found that most of the DEPs in the complement and coagulation pathway were significantly correlated with plasma CRP, IL6 and AP50. Our results revealed that TM can activate ERS, marked by liver injury and steatosis, inflammatory reactions, and complement activation in piglets.