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Ulaangerel T, Yi M, Budsuren U, Shen Y, Ren H, Demuul B, Bai D, Dorjgotov D, Davaakhuu G, Jambal T, Dugarjav M, Bou G. Condition optimization for electroporation transfection in horse skeletal muscle satellite cells. Anim Biotechnol 2024; 35:2280664. [PMID: 37982395 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2280664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Satellite cells are an important cellular model for studying muscle growth and development and mammalian locomotion-related molecular mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of voltage, pulse duration, and DNA dosage on horse skeletal muscle satellite cells' electroporation transfection efficiency using the eukaryotic expression plasmid Td Tomato-C1 (5.5 kb) encoding the red fluorescent protein gene mainly based on fluorescence-positive cell rate and cell survival rate. By comparison of different voltages, pulse durations, and DNA doses, horse skeletal muscle satellite cells have nearly 80% transfection efficiency under the condition of voltage 120 V, DNA dosage 7 µg/ml, and pulse duration 30 ms. This optimized electroporation condition would facilitate the application of horse skeletal muscle satellite cells in genetic studies of muscle function and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tseweendolmaa Ulaangerel
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Minna Yi
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Undarmaa Budsuren
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- School of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Yingchao Shen
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Hong Ren
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Bold Demuul
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Dongyi Bai
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Dulguun Dorjgotov
- School of Industrial Technology, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gantulga Davaakhuu
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tuyatsetseg Jambal
- School of Industrial Technology, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Manglai Dugarjav
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Gerelchimeg Bou
- lnner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
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Köhne M, Diel E, Packeiser EM, Böttcher D, Tönissen A, Unruh C, Goericke-Pesch S, Ulrich R, Sieme H. Analysis of gene and protein expression in the endometrium for validation of an ex vivo model of the equine uterus using PCR, digital and visual histopathology. Theriogenology 2024; 221:38-46. [PMID: 38537320 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
In the past, most research in equine reproduction has been performed in vivo but the use of in vitro and ex vivo models has recently increased. This study aimed to evaluate the functional stability of an ex vivo hemoperfused model for equine uteri with molecular characterization of marker genes and their proteins. In addition, the study validated the respective protein expression and the aptness of the software QuPath for identifying and scoring immunohistochemically stained equine endometrium. After collection, uteri (n = 12) were flushed with preservation solution, transported to the laboratory on ice, and perfused with autologous blood for 6 h. Cycle stage was determined by examination of the ovaries for presence of Graafian follicles or corpora lutea and analysis of plasma progesterone concentration (estrus: n = 4; diestrus: n = 4; anestrus: n = 4). Samples were obtained directly after slaughter, after transportation, and during perfusion (240, 300, 360 min). mRNA expression levels of progesterone (PGR), estrogen (ESR1) and oxytocin (OXTR) receptor as well as of MKI67 (marker of cell growth) and CASP3 (marker of apoptosis) were analyzed by RT-qPCR, and correlation to protein abundance was validated by immunohistochemical staining. Endometrial samples were analyzed by visual and computer-assisted evaluation of stained antigens via QuPath. For PGR, effects of the perfusion and cycle stage on expression were found (P < 0.05), while ESR1 was affected only by cycle stage (P < 0.05) and OXTR was unaffected by perfusion and cycle stage. MKI67 was lower after 360 min of perfusion as compared to samples collected before perfusion (P < 0.05). For CASP3, differences in gene expression were found after transport and samples taken after 240 min (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining revealed effects of perfusion on stromal and glandular cells for steroid hormone receptors, but not for Ki-67 and active Caspase 3. OXTR was visualized in all layers of the endometrium and was unaffected by perfusion. Comparison of QuPath and visual analysis resulted in similar results. For most cell types and stained antigens, the correlation coefficient was r > 0.5. In conclusion, the isolated hemoperfused model of the equine uterus was successfully validated at the molecular level, demonstrating stability of key marker gene expression. The utility of computer-assisted immunohistochemical analysis of equine endometrial samples was also confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Köhne
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Emilia Diel
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Packeiser
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Denny Böttcher
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Tönissen
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christin Unruh
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sandra Goericke-Pesch
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Reiner Ulrich
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Harald Sieme
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
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Cieslak J, Mackowski M, Skrzetuska W, Fidos-Tama E, Siwinska N, Szczerbal I. A case of non-mosaic X trisomy (65,XXX) in a Thoroughbred mare confirmed by cytogenetic and molecular analysis. J Appl Genet 2024; 65:395-398. [PMID: 38368284 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-024-00844-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
A 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare with normal external genitalia and regular oestrus symptoms was gynecologically examined prior to insemination. This primary examination revealed the presence of a hypoplastic uterus and the lack of normal ovaries, and the mare was therefore subjected to more detailed diagnostics, including endocrinological, genetic, and clinical tests. Diagnostic imaging with the use of ultrasonography and endoscopy confirmed the underdevelopment of internal genitalia. Analysis of circulating sex hormones revealed very low concentrations of progesterone and oestradiol. Finally, cytogenetic analysis showed the presence of non-mosaic X trisomy (65,XXX), an aneuploidy of sex chromosomes that is rarely detected in horses. This finding was also confirmed by molecular methods, including highly sensitive droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and microsatellite markers genotyping. Our study reveals the need for gynaecological and genetic evaluation of broodmares, even if their phenotype (including developed external genitalia and oestrus symptoms) shows no signs of potential abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Cieslak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Mariusz Mackowski
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Weronika Skrzetuska
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Natalia Siwinska
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Izabela Szczerbal
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
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Velloso Alvarez A, Jose-Cunilleras E, Dorrego-Rodriguez A, Santiago-Llorente I, de la Cuesta-Torrado M, Troya-Portillo L, Rivera B, Vitale V, de Juan L, Cruz-Lopez F. Detection of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in urine samples during outbreaks of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. Equine Vet J 2024; 56:456-463. [PMID: 37699794 DOI: 10.1111/evj.14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Real-time PCR is the diagnostic technique of choice for the diagnosis and control of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in an outbreak setting. The presence of EHV-1 in nasal swabs (NS), whole blood, brain and spinal cord samples has been extensively described; however, there are no reports on the excretion of EHV-1 in urine, its DNA detection patterns, and the role of urine in viral spread during an outbreak. OBJECTIVES To determine the presence of EHV-1 DNA in urine during natural infection and to compare the DNA detection patterns of EHV-1 in urine, buffy coat (BC) and NS. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive study of natural infection. METHODS Urine and whole blood/NS samples were collected at different time points during the hospitalisation of 21 horses involved in two EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy outbreaks in 2021 and 2023 in Spain. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to compare the viral DNA load between BC-urine samples in 2021 and NS-urine samples in 2023. Sex, age, breed, presence of neurological signs, EHV-1 vaccination status and treatment data were recorded for all horses. RESULTS A total of 18 hospitalised horses during the 2021 and 2023 outbreaks were positive for EHV-1, and viral DNA was detected in urine samples from a total of 11 horses in both outbreaks. Compared with BC samples, DNA presence was detected in urine samples for longer duration and with slightly higher concentration; however, compared with NS, detection of EHV-1 in urine was similar in duration with lower DNA concentrations. MAIN LIMITATIONS Limited sample size, different sampling times and protocols (BC vs. NS) in two natural infection outbreak settings. CONCLUSIONS EHV-1 was detected in the urine from naturally infected horses. Urine should be considered as complimentary to blood and NS in diagnosis of EHV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E Jose-Cunilleras
- Unitat Equina, Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Cerdañola del Valles, Spain
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdañola del Valles, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Lucas Troya-Portillo
- Unitat Equina, Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Cerdañola del Valles, Spain
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdañola del Valles, Spain
| | - Belen Rivera
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Lucia de Juan
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health Department, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fatima Cruz-Lopez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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Ren W, Wang J, Zeng Y, Wang T, Meng J, Yao X. Transcriptome identification of differential mammary genes of Kazakh horses during early pregnancy. Gene 2024; 902:148189. [PMID: 38246578 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Kazakh mares have attracted widespread attention with their outstanding lactation traits. Lactation is a complex dynamic process regulated by multiple factors. The extensive application of transcriptome sequencing technology enables researchers to further explore this biological issue. This study selected three pregnant and three non-pregnant Kazakh mares as the research subject. Their mammary glands were taken for transcriptome sequencing. The results show that there are 9 lncRNAs and 122 mRNAs differentially expressed between the two groups. GO enrichment analysis shows that there are 175 molecular functions, 59 cellular components, and 555 biological processes, including cellular hormone metabolic process, hormone catabolic process, and I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB signaling. KEGG enrichment analysis exhibits that these differential genes are mainly enriched in the NF-kappa B signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, breast cancer, ECM-receptor interaction, and MAPK signaling pathway. WNT4, DPP4, and NFKBIA are key nodes regulating breast activation. Conclusions: Through the comparative analysis of the transcriptome data of mammary tissues of pregnant and non-pregnant mares, relevant differentially expressed genes are screened and analyzed. This study provides valuable fundamental data for investigating candidate genes related to the lactation regulation and mammogenesis of Kazakh horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlu Ren
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Jianwen Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Yaqi Zeng
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Tongliang Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Jun Meng
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China.
| | - Xinkui Yao
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Urumqi 830052, China.
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Whitfield-Cargile CM, Chung HC, Coleman MC, Cohen ND, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Ivanov I, Goldsby JS, Davidson LA, Gaynanova I, Ni Y, Chapkin RS. Integrated analysis of gut metabolome, microbiome, and exfoliome data in an equine model of intestinal injury. Microbiome 2024; 12:74. [PMID: 38622632 PMCID: PMC11017594 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01785-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The equine gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome has been described in the context of various diseases. The observed changes, however, have not been linked to host function and therefore it remains unclear how specific changes in the microbiome alter cellular and molecular pathways within the GI tract. Further, non-invasive techniques to examine the host gene expression profile of the GI mucosa have been described in horses but not evaluated in response to interventions. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to (1) profile gene expression and metabolomic changes in an equine model of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced intestinal inflammation and (2) apply computational data integration methods to examine host-microbiota interactions. METHODS Twenty horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n = 10): control (placebo paste) or NSAID (phenylbutazone 4.4 mg/kg orally once daily for 9 days). Fecal samples were collected on days 0 and 10 and analyzed with respect to microbiota (16S rDNA gene sequencing), metabolomic (untargeted metabolites), and host exfoliated cell transcriptomic (exfoliome) changes. Data were analyzed and integrated using a variety of computational techniques, and underlying regulatory mechanisms were inferred from features that were commonly identified by all computational approaches. RESULTS Phenylbutazone induced alterations in the microbiota, metabolome, and host transcriptome. Data integration identified correlation of specific bacterial genera with expression of several genes and metabolites that were linked to oxidative stress. Concomitant microbiota and metabolite changes resulted in the initiation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response within the intestinal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS Results of integrative analysis identified an important role for oxidative stress, and subsequent cell signaling responses, in a large animal model of GI inflammation. The computational approaches for combining non-invasive platforms for unbiased assessment of host GI responses (e.g., exfoliomics) with metabolomic and microbiota changes have broad application for the field of gastroenterology. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Whitfield-Cargile
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - H C Chung
- Department of Statistics, College of Arts & Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Mathematics & Statistics Department, College of Science, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - M C Coleman
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - N D Cohen
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - A M Chamoun-Emanuelli
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - I Ivanov
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - J S Goldsby
- Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - L A Davidson
- Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - I Gaynanova
- Department of Statistics, College of Arts & Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Y Ni
- Department of Statistics, College of Arts & Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - R S Chapkin
- Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Durward-Akhurst SA, Marlowe JL, Schaefer RJ, Springer K, Grantham B, Carey WK, Bellone RR, Mickelson JR, McCue ME. Predicted genetic burden and frequency of phenotype-associated variants in the horse. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8396. [PMID: 38600096 PMCID: PMC11006912 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57872-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Disease-causing variants have been identified for less than 20% of suspected equine genetic diseases. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) allows rapid identification of rare disease causal variants. However, interpreting the clinical variant consequence is confounded by the number of predicted deleterious variants that healthy individuals carry (predicted genetic burden). Estimation of the predicted genetic burden and baseline frequencies of known deleterious or phenotype associated variants within and across the major horse breeds have not been performed. We used WGS of 605 horses across 48 breeds to identify 32,818,945 variants, demonstrate a high predicted genetic burden (median 730 variants/horse, interquartile range: 613-829), show breed differences in predicted genetic burden across 12 target breeds, and estimate the high frequencies of some previously reported disease variants. This large-scale variant catalog for a major and highly athletic domestic animal species will enhance its ability to serve as a model for human phenotypes and improves our ability to discover the bases for important equine phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Durward-Akhurst
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, C339 VMC, 1353 Boyd Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
| | - J L Marlowe
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Minnesota, C339 VMC, 1353 Boyd Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - R J Schaefer
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 225 VMC, 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - K Springer
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 225 VMC, 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - B Grantham
- Interval Bio LLC, 408 Stierline Road, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
| | - W K Carey
- Interval Bio LLC, 408 Stierline Road, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
| | - R R Bellone
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Population Health and Reproduction and Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J R Mickelson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, 295F Animal Science Veterinary Medicine Building, 1988 Fitch Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - M E McCue
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 225 VMC, 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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Fisher LWS, Ceesay A, Jallow D, Hawkes SF, Showering A, Kane Y, Doumbia A, Stringer AP, Scantlebury CE. Validation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction for the detection and quantification of the nucleic acid of Histoplasma from equine clinical samples. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0310023. [PMID: 38411051 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03100-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (HCF) is a dimorphic fungus that causes epizootic lymphangitis in equids. Current diagnostic approaches, including culture, microscopy, and clinical presentation, lack speed, sensitivity, and specificity when diagnosing clinical cases. In this study, equine blood and pus samples on Whatman FTA cards from Senegal (n = 3), The Gambia (n = 19), Ethiopia (n = 16), and Mali (n = 13) were tested using a real-time PCR (qPCR) protocol. The assay was optimized and tested for its suitability to detect and quantify HCF in blood and pus loaded onto Whatman FTA cards at sampling. Whatman FTA cards were tested for their suitability for use with qPCR and were found to recover DNA more efficiently than from direct extraction. Using TaqMan fluorescent probes and specific primers, the assay demonstrated 100% analytical specificity when detecting multiple strains of Histoplasma and no false positives with off-target organisms. The assay's diagnostic performance was measured against an existing nested internal transcribed spacer PCR protocol using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The test was found to have a diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 71.4%, respectively, when analyzing pus samples using a cycle threshold (Ct) cutoff determined by Youden's index (27.75). Blood sample cutoff Ct value was proposed at 34.55. Further optimization is required to improve the performance of the protocol when applied to blood samples. This study has, for the first time, demonstrated the ability to detect and quantify the DNA of Histoplasma spp. in equine blood and pus samples with a high degree of accuracy, providing a platform to further investigate the pathogenesis and epidemiology of this disease. IMPORTANCE Histoplasmosis is a neglected yet major cause of morbidity and mortality in both equids and people in resource-scarce settings. One of the major hindrances to the control of histoplasmosis is a lack of readily available diagnostic tests. Tests are needed to support clinical decision-making and to be applied in population-based research to further understand this disease in situ. This paper reports, for the first time, the validation and application of a qPCR to detect Histoplasma directly from equine clinical samples, bypassing the need to culture this notoriously difficult organism. We report and comment on the performance of the qPCR in comparison with our previously developed nested PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis W S Fisher
- The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Department of Livestock and One Health, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Abdou Ceesay
- Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Abuko, Gambia
| | - Demba Jallow
- Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Abuko, Gambia
| | - Sophie F Hawkes
- The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Department of Livestock and One Health, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Showering
- The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Department of Livestock and One Health, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Yaghouba Kane
- Department of Public Health and Environment, Ecole Inter Etats des Sciences et Medecine Veterinaires de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Andrew P Stringer
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Claire E Scantlebury
- The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Department of Livestock and One Health, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Gutierrez MB, Arantes I, Bello G, Berto LH, Dutra LH, Kato RB, Fumian TM. Emergence and dissemination of equine-like G3P[8] rotavirus A in Brazil between 2015 and 2021. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0370923. [PMID: 38451227 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03709-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Rotavirus A (RVA) is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis globally that is classically genotyped by its two immunodominant outer capsid proteins, VP7 (G-) and VP4 (P-). Recent evidence suggests that the reassortant equine-like G3P[8] strain played a substantial role in RVA transmission in Brazil since 2015. To understand its global emergence and dissemination in Brazilian territory, stool samples collected from 11 Brazilian states (n = 919) were genotyped by RT-qPCR and proceeded to sequence the VP7 gene (n = 102, 79 being newly generated) of the G3P[8] samples with pronounced viral loads. Our phylogenetic genotyping showed that G3P[8] became the dominant strain in Brazil between 2017 and 2020, with equine-like variants representing 75%-100% of VP7 samples in this period. A Bayesian discrete phylogeographic analysis strongly suggests that the equine-like G3P[8] strain originated in Asia during the early 2010s and subsequently spread to Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. Multiple introductions were detected in Brazil between 2014 and 2017, resulting in five national clusters. The reconstruction of the effective population size of the largest Brazilian cluster showed an expansion until 2017, followed by a plateau phase until 2019 and subsequent contraction. Our study also supports that most mutations fixed during equine-like G3P[8] evolution were synonymous, suggesting that adaptive evolution was not an important driving force during viral dissemination in humans, potentially increasing its susceptibility to acquired immunity. This research emphasizes the need for comprehensive rotavirus genomic surveillance that allows close monitoring of its ever-shifting composition and informs more effective public health policies.IMPORTANCEOur original article demonstrated the origin and spread in a short time of equine-like G3P[8] in Brazil and the world. Due to its segmented genome, it allows numerous mechanisms including genetic drift and reassortment contribute substantially to the genetic diversity of rotavirus. Although the effectiveness and increasing implementation of vaccination have not been questioned, a matter of concern is its impact on the emergence of escape mutants or even the spread of unusual strains of zoonotic transmission that could drive epidemic patterns worldwide. This research emphasizes the need for comprehensive rotavirus genomic surveillance, which could facilitate the formulation of public policies aimed at preventing and mitigating its transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ighor Arantes
- Laboratório de Arbovírus e Vírus Hemorrágicos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gonzalo Bello
- Laboratório de Arbovírus e Vírus Hemorrágicos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lúcia Helena Berto
- Coordenação Geral de Laboratórios de Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Hermes Dutra
- Coordenação Geral de Laboratórios de Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Bentes Kato
- Coordenação Geral de Laboratórios de Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Tulio Machado Fumian
- Laboratório de Virologia Comparada e Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Bazzocchi C, Consiglio AL, Comazzi S, Cozzi MC, Gusmara C, Gaspari G, Cialini C, Bizzotto D, Dellacà R, Ferrucci F. Cytokine mRNA expression in the bronchoalveolar lavage cells from horses affected by different equine asthma subtypes. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 135:105033. [PMID: 38423374 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Equine asthma (EA) is a respiratory syndrome associated with the increase of different leukocyte populations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Its pathogenetic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the mRNA expression of different cytokines in the BALF, different EA subtypes and lung function. Fifteen horses underwent physical examination, airway endoscopy, BALF cytology and lung function testing (8/15). One horse did not have evidence of EA and was used as healthy reference, while the others were classified as affected by neutrophilic or mixed granulocytic EA. Cells isolated from the residual BALF were used for IL-1β, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17A genes expression by quantitative RT-PCR., Cytokine expression was compared between groups, and their correlations with BALF leukocyte and lung function were evaluated. IL-1β expression was positively correlated with BALF neutrophils count (p=0.038, r=0.56) and with increased expiratory resistance (p=0.047, r=0.76). IFN-γ was correlated with BALF mast cells (p=0.029, r=0.58). IL-4 was higher in horses with mixed granulocytic EA than neutrophilic (p=0.008), positively correlated with BALF mast cells (p=0.028, r=0.59) and inversely with whole-breath (p=0.046, r=-0.76) and expiratory reactance (p=0.003, r=-0.93). Finally, IL-17A was inversely correlated with expiratory reactance (p=0.009, r=-0.92). These results support that multiple immune responses are involved in EA pathogenesis; innate, Th2, and Th17 responses. Innate immunity appeared associated with neutrophilic inflammation, and Th2 response with increased mast cells. The role of Th1 response in EA remains questionable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Maria Lo Feudo
- Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory "Franco Tradati", Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Luca Stucchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Vienna 2, Sassari 07100, Italy.
| | - Chiara Bazzocchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Anna Lange Consiglio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Stefano Comazzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Cozzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Claudia Gusmara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Giulia Gaspari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Chiara Cialini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
| | - Davide Bizzotto
- TechRes Lab, Department of Electronics, Information and Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Giuseppe Colombo 40, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Raffaele Dellacà
- TechRes Lab, Department of Electronics, Information and Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Giuseppe Colombo 40, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferrucci
- Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory "Franco Tradati", Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, Lodi 26900, Italy
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11
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Otgonsuren D, Amgalanbaatar T, Narantsatsral S, Enkhtaivan B, Munkhgerel D, Zoljargal M, Davkharbayar B, Myagmarsuren P, Battur B, Battsetseg B, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N. Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in Mongolian horses. Infect Genet Evol 2024; 119:105571. [PMID: 38365128 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses. Because of its impact on horse industry, control of this disease is crucial for endemic countries. The control of equine piroplasmosis may be influenced by the genotypic diversity of T. equi and B. caballi. Mongolia, a country with a thriving livestock industry, is endemic for T. equi and B. caballi. However, nationwide epidemiological surveys have not been conducted to determine the current status of infections and genetic diversity of these two parasite species. Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the infection rates and genotypes of T. equi and B. caballi in horses across Mongolia. Blood samples were collected from 1353 horses in 15 of Mongolia's 21 provinces, and their DNAs were analyzed with T. equi- and B. caballi-specific PCR assays. Additionally, blood smears were prepared from 251 horses, stained with Giemsa, and examined under a light microscope to identify T. equi and B. caballi. The microscopy revealed that 30 (11.9%) and 4 (1.6%) of the 251 horses were positive for T. equi and B. caballi, respectively. By contrast, PCR assays detected the T. equi and B. caballi in 1058 (78.2%) and 62 (4.6%) horses, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA sequences from 42 randomly selected T. equi-positive DNA samples detected the genotypes A and E. On the other hand, the rap-1 sequences from 19 randomly selected B. caballi-positive DNA samples occurred in clades representing the genotypes A and B1, as well as in a distinct clade closely related to the genotype A. Our findings confirm the widespread occurrence of T. equi and B. caballi infections in Mongolian horses, highlighting the need for a comprehensive control approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davaajav Otgonsuren
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tovuu Amgalanbaatar
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Sandagdorj Narantsatsral
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batsaikhan Enkhtaivan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Dalantai Munkhgerel
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Myagmar Zoljargal
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batbold Davkharbayar
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Punsantsogvoo Myagmarsuren
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Banzrach Battur
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Graduate School, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Badgar Battsetseg
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan; WOAH Reference Laboratories for Bovine Babesiosis and Equine Piroplasmosis, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
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12
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Stejskalova K, Janova E, Splichalova P, Futas J, Oppelt J, Vodicka R, Horin P. Twelve toll-like receptor (TLR) genes in the family Equidae - comparative genomics, selection and evolution. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:725-741. [PMID: 37874499 PMCID: PMC10998774 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10245-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) represent an important part of the innate immune system. While human and murine TLRs have been intensively studied, little is known about TLRs in non-model species. The order Perissodactyla comprises a variety of free-living and domesticated species exposed to different pathogens in different habitats and is therefore suitable for analyzing the diversity and evolution of immunity-related genes. We analyzed TLR genes in the order Perissodactyla with a focus on the family Equidae. Twelve TLRs were identified by bioinformatic analyses of online genomic resources; their sequences were confirmed in equids by genomic DNA re-sequencing of a panel of nine species. The expression of TLR11 and TLR12 was confirmed in the domestic horse by cDNA sequencing. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the TLR gene family in Perissodactyla identified six sub-families. TLR4 clustered together with TLR5; the TLR1-6-10 subfamily showed a high degree of sequence identity. The average estimated evolutionary divergence of all twelve TLRs studied was 0.3% among the Equidae; the most divergent CDS were those of Equus caballus and Equus hemionus kulan (1.34%) in the TLR3, and Equus africanus somaliensis and Equus quagga antiquorum (2.1%) in the TLR1 protein. In each TLR gene, there were haplotypes shared between equid species, most extensively in TLR3 and TLR9 CDS, and TLR6 amino acid sequence. All twelve TLR genes were under strong negative overall selection. Signatures of diversifying selection in specific codon sites were detected in all TLRs except TLR8. Differences in the selection patterns between virus-sensing and non-viral TLRs were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Stejskalova
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic
| | - E Janova
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic
- RG Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - P Splichalova
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic
| | - J Futas
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic
- RG Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - J Oppelt
- RG Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - P Horin
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 61242, Czech Republic.
- RG Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
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13
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Bazvand B, Rashidi A, Zandi MB, Moradi MH, Rostamzadeh J. Genome-wide analysis of population structure, effective population size and inbreeding in Iranian and exotic horses. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299109. [PMID: 38442089 PMCID: PMC10914290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Population structure and genetic diversity are the key parameters to study the breeding history of animals. This research aimed to provide a characterization of the population structure and to compare the effective population size (Ne), LD decay, genetic diversity, and genomic inbreeding in Iranian native Caspian (n = 38), Turkmen (n = 24) and Kurdish (n = 29) breeds and some other exotic horses consisting of Arabian (n = 24), Fell pony (n = 21) and Akhal-Teke (n = 20). A variety of statistical population analysis techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis of principal component (DAPC) and model-based method (STRUCTURE) were employed. The results of the population analysis clearly demonstrated a distinct separation of native and exotic horse breeds and clarified the relationships between studied breeds. The effective population size (Ne) for the last six generations was estimated 54, 49, 37, 35, 27 and 26 for the Caspian, Kurdish, Arabian, Turkmen, Akhal-Teke and Fell pony breeds, respectively. The Caspian breed showed the lowest LD with an average r2 value of 0.079, while the highest was observed in Fell pony (0.148). The highest and lowest average observed heterozygosity were found in the Kurdish breeds (0.346) and Fell pony (0.290) breeds, respectively. The lowest genomic inbreeding coefficient based on run of homozygosity (FROH) and excess of homozygosity (FHOM) was in the Caspian and Kurdish breeds, respectively, while based on genomic relationship matrix) FGRM) and correlation between uniting gametes) FUNI) the lowest genomic inbreeding coefficient was found in the Kurdish breed. The estimation of genomic inbreeding rates in the six breeds revealed that FROH yielded lower estimates compared to the other three methods. Additionally, the Iranian breeds displayed lower levels of inbreeding compared to the exotic breeds. Overall, the findings of this study provide valuable insights for the development of effective breeding management strategies aimed at preserving these horse breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Bazvand
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdishistan, Sanandaj, Kurdishistan, Iran
| | - A. Rashidi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdishistan, Sanandaj, Kurdishistan, Iran
| | - M. B. Zandi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - M. H. Moradi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - J. Rostamzadeh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdishistan, Sanandaj, Kurdishistan, Iran
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14
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Bond S, Léguillette R. A CONSORT-guided, randomized controlled clinical trial of nebulized administration of dexamethasone and saline on lower airway cytokine mRNA expression in horses with moderate asthma. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1214-1223. [PMID: 38205666 PMCID: PMC10937472 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nebulized administration of dexamethasone on cytokine regulation in horses with moderate asthma has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in expression of inflammatory cytokine mRNA after nebulized administration of dexamethasone treatment of horses with moderate asthma. ANIMALS Horses with naturally occurring moderate asthma (n = 16) and healthy control horses (n = 4). All horses were kept in a dusty environment during the study. METHODS Prospective, parallel, randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial. Blood endogenous cortisol, tracheal mucus, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were sampled before and after 13 days treatment with either nebulized administration of dexamethasone (15 mg once daily) or 0.9% saline (3 mL). Treatment groups were randomly allocated via randomization function (Microsoft Excel). Amplification of target mRNA in BAL fluid (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, IL-23, IFN-γ, Eotaxin-2, and TNF-α) was achieved by qPCR, and the relative expression software tool was used to analyze BAL inflammatory cytokine mRNA. RESULTS Horses treated with nebulized administration of dexamethasone had increased relative expression of IL-5 (1.70-fold), IL-6 (1.71-fold), IL-17 (3.25-fold), IL-12 (1.66-fold), and TNF-α (1.94-fold), and decreased relative expression of IL-23 (1.76-fold; P = .04) in samples collected on Day 14, in comparison to samples collected on Day 0 (all P < .05). Horses treated with nebulized administration of saline had no significant difference in the relative expression of any gene (all P > .05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Nebulized administration of dexamethasone was associated with increased expression of inflammatory cytokine mRNA. There was no improvement in inflammatory airway cytology associated with either dexamethasone or saline treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Bond
- Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of QueenslandGattonQueenslandAustralia
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15
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Fitzgerald DM, Cash CM, Dudley KJ, Sibthorpe PEM, Sillence MN, de Laat MA. Expression of the GCG gene and secretion of active glucagon-like peptide-1 varies along the length of intestinal tract in horses. Equine Vet J 2024; 56:352-360. [PMID: 37853957 DOI: 10.1111/evj.14020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Active glucagon-like peptide-1 (aGLP-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of equine insulin dysregulation (ID), but its role is unclear. Cleavage of proglucagon (coded by the GCG gene) produces aGLP-1 in enteral L cells. OBJECTIVES The aim in vivo was to examine the sequence of the exons of GCG in horses with and without ID, where aGLP-1 was higher in the group with ID. The aims in vitro were to identify and quantify the expression of GCG in the equine intestine (as a marker of L cells) and determine intestinal secretion of aGLP-1. STUDY DESIGN Genomic studies were case-control studies. Expression and secretion studies in vitro were cross-sectional. METHODS The GCG gene sequence of the exons was determined using a hybridisation capture protocol. Expression and quantification of GCG in samples of stomach duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and ascending and descending colon was achieved with droplet digital PCR. For secretory studies tissue explants were incubated with 12 mM glucose and aGLP-1 secretion was measured with an ELISA. RESULTS Although the median [IQR] post-prandial aGLP-1 concentrations were higher (p = 0.03) in animals with ID (10.2 [8.79-15.5]), compared with healthy animals (8.47 [6.12-11.7]), there was 100% pairwise identity of the exons of the GCG sequence for the cohort. The mRNA concentrations of GCG and secretion of aGLP-1 differed (p < 0.001) throughout the intestine. MAIN LIMITATIONS Only the exons of the GCG gene were sequenced and breeds were not compared. The horses used for the study in vitro were not assessed for ID and different horses were used for the small, and large, intestinal studies. CONCLUSIONS Differences in post-prandial aGLP-1 concentration were not due to a variant in the exons of the GCG gene sequence in this cohort. Both the large and small intestine are sites of GLP-1 secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Fitzgerald
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christina M Cash
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin J Dudley
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Poppy E M Sibthorpe
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Martin N Sillence
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Melody A de Laat
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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16
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Berglund P, Andonov S, Strandberg E, Eriksson S. Should performance at different race lengths be treated as genetically distinct traits in Coldblooded trotters? J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:220-234. [PMID: 38009381 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Speed, in the form of racing time per kilometre (km), is a performance trait of the Swedish-Norwegian Coldblooded trotter included in the joint Swedish-Norwegian genetic evaluation. A few popular stallions have dominated Coldblooded trotter breeding, which has led to an increasing average relationship between individuals in the population. This study investigated the scope for broadening the breeding goal by selecting for racing time per km over different race lengths (short: 1640 m, medium: 2140 m and long: 2640 m), as this could encourage the use of breeding sires that are less related to the population. Performance data on three- to 12-year-old Coldblooded trotters in all Swedish races run 1995-2021 were obtained from the Swedish Trotting Association. These data consisted of 46,356 observations for 8375 horses in short-distance races, 430,512 observations for 11,193 horses in medium-distance races and 11,006 observations for 3341 horses in long-distance races. Variance components and genetic correlations were calculated using a trivariate animal model with Gibbs sampling from the BLUPF90 suite of programs. Breeding values for the three traits were then estimated using univariate animal models with the same fixed and random effects as in the trivariate model. Heritability estimates of 0.27-0.28 and genetic correlations between racing time per km at the different distances of 0.97-0.99 were obtained. Despite the strong genetic correlation between the traits, there was some re-ranking among the top 10 and top 30 stallions based on distance-specific breeding values. Estimated rank correlation between breeding values for racing time per km in short- and medium-distance races was 0.86, while between short- and long-distance races and between medium- and long-distance races it was 0.61. Mean relationship within the top 10 and top 30 stallions based on breeding values for racing time per km at each distance was 0.31-0.33 and 0.23-0.24 while mean relationship to the rest of the population ranged from 0.17 to 0.18 for all groups, although the 10 and 30 top-ranking stallions differed somewhat in the traits. Estimated average increase in inbreeding was 0.1% per year of birth and 1.2% per generation. The strong genetic correlation between racing time per km at different distances did not support their use as genetically distinct traits. Re-ranking of stallions for racing time per km at different race lengths could favour the use of a larger number of stallions in breeding, but according to our results it would not promote the use of stallions that are less related to the total population. Other traits like longevity or health traits, for example, career length and orthopaedic status, may be more relevant in broadening the breeding goal and preventing a few sires dominating future breeding, and this would be interesting to study further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Berglund
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sreten Andonov
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erling Strandberg
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Eriksson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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Chapard L, Meyermans R, Gorssen W, Hooyberghs K, Meurrens I, De Smet S, Buys N, Janssens S. Early life jumping traits: Are they good proxies for success in show jumping competitions in Belgian warmblood horses? J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:138-152. [PMID: 37882486 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The main goal of the Belgian Warmblood horse studbook (BWP) is to breed successful competition horses, with emphasis on show jumping. However, competition results are only available later in life and competition traits are lowly heritable. Hence, the use of phenotypes that record performance-related traits at an early life stage could help increase genetic progress. In this study, we evaluated the potential of eleven linear scored early life jumping traits assessed during jumping in freedom (2-5 years old) or under the saddle (4-6 years old) as proxies for later success in show jumping competitions. To this end, we estimated their heritabilities and genetic correlations with the competition trait, adjusted fence height, by using 2170 free jumping records, 1588 jumping under saddle records, 674,527 show jumping competition records and almost 81,000 informative horses in the pedigree. As participation of young horses in these contests is on a voluntary basis, a pre-selection most probably exists. To verify this hypothesis, we investigated the association between participation to young horse contests and participation to show jumping competitions later on (called here start status phenotype). We also estimated heritabilities for "start status in free jumping contest", "start status in jumping under saddle contest" and "start status in free jumping or jumping under saddle contest" by fitting threshold models. Furthermore, we calculated genetic correlations between these traits and adjusted fence height and calculated the correlations between EBVs for start status in young horse contests and EBVs for success in competitions. Estimated heritabilities of early life jumping traits ranged between 0.05 and 0.30. Their genetic correlations with adjusted fence height were moderate to high (rg = 0.37-0.63). Relatively more horses that participated in young horse contests competed later on compared to horses that did not participate in young horse contests (p-value < 0.001). They were also significantly more successful in show jumping competitions. Furthermore, start status in young horse contests was moderately heritable in BWP horses (h2 = 0.56-0.65) and moderately to highly correlated with later success in competitions (rg = 0.30-0.77). Hence, we showed that ELJ traits are good proxies for later success in competitions and that a pre-selection of horses occurs in young horse contests. It is suggested to stimulate participation to young horse contests to achieve a more representative sample of the population. Early life jumping traits can therefore optimize the genetic progress for show jumping performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Chapard
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roel Meyermans
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Gorssen
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrijn Hooyberghs
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stefaan De Smet
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nadine Buys
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Janssens
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Shen Y, Ulaangerel T, Ren H, Liu Q, Davshilt T, Yi M, Dugarjaviin M, Bou G. Comprehensive analysis of the whole-transcriptome landscape of the ovarian cortex from Mongolian horses that reproduce seasonally. Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics 2024; 49:101179. [PMID: 38134534 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The reproductive cycle of equines tends to be seasonal and is influenced by factors such as light and temperature. The process and methods of regulating the mare oestrous cycle in the anestrus period are still immature. The effects of noncoding RNAs and mRNAs on the oestrous cycle have aroused much interest, but corresponding analyses of seasonal mare ovaries have not been reported. Here, we report a whole transcriptome analysis of the Mongolian horse ovarian cortex collected in anestrus and diestrus periods. In total, 1081 mRNAs, 205 lncRNAs, 54 circRNAs, and 13 miRNAs were upregulated in winter anestrus ovarian cortex (WAO), and 1261 mRNAs, 90 lncRNAs, 29 circRNAs, and 40 miRNAs were upregulated in summer diestrus ovarian cortex (SDO). The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs and target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs revealed some key functions and pathways that may be related to follicle and oocyte development. We found that estrogen-related pathways were enriched in different RNAs. Our data were used to generate miRNA, circRNA, lncRNA, and mRNA databases from the Mongolian horse ovary and differential expression profiles between WAO and SDO; these results provide clues for exploring methods of estrus regulation in mares during the anestrus period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchao Shen
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Tseweendolmaa Ulaangerel
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Toli Davshilt
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Minna Yi
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Manglai Dugarjaviin
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.
| | - Gerelchemg Bou
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.
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Le LKT, Chu MNT, Tate JE, Jiang B, Bowen MD, Esona MD, Gautam R, Jaimes J, Pham TPT, Huong NT, Anh DD, Trang NV, Parashar U. Genetic diversity of G9, G3, G8 and G1 rotavirus group A strains circulating among children with acute gastroenteritis in Vietnam from 2016 to 2021. Infect Genet Evol 2024; 118:105566. [PMID: 38316245 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Rotavirus group A (RVA) is the most common cause of severe childhood diarrhea worldwide. The introduction of rotavirus vaccination programs has contributed to a reduction in hospitalizations and mortality caused by RVA. From 2016 to 2021, we conducted surveillance to monitor RVA prevalence and genotype distribution in Nam Dinh and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) provinces where a pilot Rotavin-M1 vaccine (Vietnam) implementation took place from 2017 to 2020. Out of 6626 stool samples, RVA was detected in 2164 (32.6%) by ELISA. RT-PCR using type-specific primers were used to determine the G and P genotypes of RVA-positive specimens. Whole genome sequences of a subset of 52 specimens randomly selected from 2016 to 2021 were mapped using next-generation sequencing. From 2016 to 2021, the G9, G3 and G8 strains dominated, with detected frequencies of 39%, 23%, and 19%, respectively; of which, the most common genotypes identified were G9P[8], G3P[8] and G8P[8]. G1 strains re-emerged in Nam Dinh and TT Hue (29.5% and 11.9%, respectively) from 2020 to 2021. G3 prevalence decreased from 74% to 20% in TT Hue and from 21% to 13% in Nam Dinh province between 2017 and 2021. The G3 strains consisted of 52% human typical G3 (hG3) and 47% equine-like G3 (eG3). Full genome analysis showed substantial diversity among the circulating G3 strains with different backgrounds relating to equine and feline viruses. G9 prevalence decreased sharply from 2016 to 2021 in both provinces. G8 strains peaked during 2019-2020 in Nam Dinh and TT Hue provinces (68% and 46%, respectively). Most G8 and G9 strains had no genetic differences over the surveillance period with very high nucleotide similarities of 99.2-99.9% and 99.1-99.7%, respectively. The G1 strains were not derived from the RVA vaccine. Changes in the genotype distribution and substantial diversity among circulating strains were detected throughout the surveillance period and differed between the two provinces. Determining vaccine effectiveness against circulating strains over time will be important to ensure that observed changes are due to natural secular variation and not from vaccine pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly K T Le
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Mai N T Chu
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Jacqueline E Tate
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Baoming Jiang
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Michael D Bowen
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Mathew D Esona
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Rashi Gautam
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Jose Jaimes
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Thao P T Pham
- Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen T Huong
- Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Dang D Anh
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen V Trang
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam.
| | - Umesh Parashar
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Tong P, Yang E, Liu B, Tian S, Suo Y, Pan J, Dang Y, Palidan N, Jia C, Kuang L, Xie J. Identification of neuropathogenic Varicellovirus equidalpha1 as a potential cause of respiratory disease outbreaks among horses in North Xinjiang, China, from 2021-2023. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:77. [PMID: 38413936 PMCID: PMC10898184 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Varicellovirus equidalpha1 (formerly Equid alphaherpesvirus 1, EqAHV-1) is among the most important viruses responsible for respiratory disease outbreaks among horses throughout the world. No reports to date have detailed the association between EqAHV-1 and respiratory disease among horses in China. This study described one such outbreak among a population of horses in north Xinjiang that occurred from April 2021 - May 2023. RESULTS qPCR revealed that EqAHV-1 was detectable in all samples and this virus was identified as a possible source of respiratory disease, although a limited subset of these samples were also positive for EqAHV-2, EqAHV-4, and EqAHV-5. In total, three EqAHV-1 strains responsible for causing respiratory illness in horses were isolated successfully, and full-length ORF33 sequence comparisonsand phylogenetic analyses indicated that these isolates may have originated from EqAHV-1 strains detected in Yili horse abortions. ORF30 sequence data additionally suggested that these strains were neuropathic, as evidenced by the presence of a guanine residue at nucleotide position 2254 corresponding to the aspartic acid present at position 752 in the DNA polymerase encoded by this virus. CONCLUSION This study is the first report of an outbreak of respiratory disease among horses in China caused by EqAHV-1. ORF30 sequence characterization revealed that these EqAHV-1 strains harbored a neuropathogenic genotype. Given the detection of this virus in horses suffering from respiratory disease, concern is warranted with respect to this neuropathogenic EqAHV-1 outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Tong
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Enhui Yang
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Hengxing Equestrian Club, Changji, 831100, China
| | - Shuyao Tian
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Youtu Suo
- Zhaosu Horse Barn in Yili, Zhaosu, 835602, China
| | - JuanJuan Pan
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Yueyi Dang
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Nuerlan Palidan
- Vocational Technical School of Zhaosu, Zhaosu, 835600, China
| | - Chenyang Jia
- Xinjiang Nucleic Acid Testing Center, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, 830011, China
| | - Ling Kuang
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Jinxin Xie
- Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
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21
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Antunes J, Salcedo-Jiménez R, Lively S, Potla P, Coté N, Dubois MS, Koenig J, Kapoor M, LaMarre J, Koch TG. microRNAs are differentially expressed in equine plasma of horses with osteoarthritis and osteochondritis dissecans versus control horses. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297303. [PMID: 38394252 PMCID: PMC10890772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of lameness in horses with no effective disease-modifying treatment and challenging early diagnosis. OA is considered a disease of the joint involving the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovial membrane, and ligaments. Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a joint disease consisting of focal defects in the osteochondral unit which may progress to OA later in life. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as small non-coding RNAs that regulate a variety of biological processes and have been detected in biological fluids. MiRNAs are currently investigated for their utility as biomarkers and druggable targets for a variety of diseases. The current study hypothesizes that miRNA profiles can be used to actively monitor joint health and differences in miRNA profiles will be found in healthy vs diseased joints and that differences will be detectable in blood plasma of tested horses. Five horses with OA, OCD, and 4 controls (C) had blood plasma and synovial fluid collected. Total RNA, including miRNA was isolated before generating miRNA libraries from the plasma of the horses. Libraries were sequenced at the Schroeder Arthritis Institute (Toronto). Differential expression analysis was done using DESeq2 and validated using ddPCR. KEGG pathway analysis was done using mirPath v.3 (Diana Tools). 57 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in OA vs C plasma, 45 differentially expressed miRNAs in OC vs C plasma, and 21 differentially expressed miRNAs in OA vs OCD plasma. Notably, miR-140-5p expression was observed to be elevated in OA synovial fluid suggesting that miR-140-5p may serve as a protective marker early on to attenuate OA progression. KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed plasma miRNAs showed relationships with glycan degradation, glycosaminoglycan degradation, and hippo signaling pathway. Interestingly, ddPCR was unable to validate the NGS data suggesting that isomiRs may play an integral role in miRNA expression when assessed using NGS technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Antunes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ramés Salcedo-Jiménez
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Starlee Lively
- Osteoarthritis Research Program, Division of Orthopedics, Schroeder Arthritis Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pratibha Potla
- Osteoarthritis Research Program, Division of Orthopedics, Schroeder Arthritis Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathalie Coté
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marie-Soleil Dubois
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Judith Koenig
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- Osteoarthritis Research Program, Division of Orthopedics, Schroeder Arthritis Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan LaMarre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Gadegaard Koch
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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22
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Chen W, Wang Q, Wu H, Xia P, Tian R, Li R, Xia L. Molecular epidemiology, phenotypic and genomic characterization of antibiotic-resistant enterococcal isolates from diverse farm animals in Xinjiang, China. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:168683. [PMID: 37996027 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in farm environments can be transferred to humans through the food chain and occupational exposure. Enterococcus infections caused by linezolid resistant enterococci (LRE) are becoming more challenging to treat as their resistance to antibiotics intensifies. Therefore, this study investigated the molecular epidemiology, phenotypic and genomic characterization of enterococci in seven species of farm animals (sheep, chicken, swine, camel, cattle, equine, pigeon) anal swab from Xinjiang, China by agar dilution method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis. A total of 771 samples were collected, 599 (78 %) were contaminated with Enterococcus spp., among which Enterococcus faecalis (350/599) was dominant. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that high resistance was observed in rifampicin (80 %), tetracycline (71 %), doxycycline (71 %), and erythromycin (69 %). The results of PCR showed the highest prevalent antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were aac(6')-aph(2″) (85 %), followed by tet(M) (73 %), erm(B) (62 %), and aph(3')-IIIa (61 %). Besides, 29 optrA-carrying E. faecalis isolates belonging to 13 STs (including 3 new alleles) were detected, with ST714 (31 %, 9/29) being the dominant ST type. The phylogenetic tree showed that optrA-carrying E. faecalis prevalent in the intensive swine farm is mainly caused by clonal transmission. Notably, optrA gene in Enterococcus spp. isolate from camel was first characterized here. WGS of E. faecalis F109 isolate from camel confirmed the colocalization of optrA with other five ARGs in the same plasmid (pAFL-109F). The optrA-harboring genetic context is IS1216E-fexA-optrA-erm(A)-IS1216E. This study highlights the prevalence of MDR Enterococcus (≥88 %) and four ARGs (≥75 %) in swine (intensive farming), cattle (commercial farming), and chickens (backyard farming) are high and also highlights that optrA-carrying E. faecalis of farm animals incur a transmission risk to humans through environment, food consumption and others. Therefore, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) monitoring and effective control measures should be strengthened and implemented in diverse animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanzhao Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Drug Research and Creation, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Qiaojun Wang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Huimin Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Panpan Xia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Rui Tian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Ruichao Li
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
| | - Lining Xia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Drug Research and Creation, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China.
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23
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Sadowska A, Molcan T, Wójtowicz A, Lukasik K, Pawlina-Tyszko K, Gurgul A, Ferreira-Dias G, Skarzynski DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A. Bioinformatic analysis of endometrial miRNA expression profile at day 26-28 of pregnancy in the mare. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3900. [PMID: 38365979 PMCID: PMC10873421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53499-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The establishment of the fetomaternal interface depends on precisely regulated communication between the conceptus and the uterine environment. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play an important role in embryo-maternal dialogue. This study aimed to determine the expression profile of endometrial miRNAs during days 26-28 of equine pregnancy. Additionally, the study aimed to predict target genes for differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and their potential role in embryo attachment, adhesion, and implantation. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified 81 DEmiRs between equine endometrium during the pre-attachment period of pregnancy (day 26-28) and endometrium during the mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle (day 10-12). The identified DEmiRs appear to have a significant role in regulating the expression of genes that influence cell fate and properties, as well as endometrial receptivity formation. These miRNAs include eca-miR-21, eca-miR-126-3p, eca-miR-145, eca-miR-451, eca-miR-491-5p, members of the miR-200 family, and the miRNA-17-92 cluster. The target genes predicted for the identified DEmiRs are associated with ion channel activity and sphingolipid metabolism. Furthermore, it was noted that the expression of mucin 1 and leukemia inhibitory factor, genes potentially regulated by the identified DEmiRs, was up-regulated at day 26-28 of pregnancy. This suggests that miRNAs may play a role in regulating specific genes to create a favorable uterine environment that is necessary for proper attachment, adhesion, and implantation of the embryo in mares.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sadowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Tomasz Molcan
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Wójtowicz
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Karolina Lukasik
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Klaudia Pawlina-Tyszko
- Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Sarego Street 2, 31-047, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Gurgul
- Center for Experimental and Innovative Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza Street 21, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Graca Ferreira-Dias
- CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dariusz J Skarzynski
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland.
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24
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Dube F, Delhomme N, Martin F, Hinas A, Åbrink M, Svärd S, Tydén E. Gene co-expression network analysis reveal core responsive genes in Parascaris univalens tissues following ivermectin exposure. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298039. [PMID: 38359071 PMCID: PMC10868809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthelmintic resistance in equine parasite Parascaris univalens, compromises ivermectin (IVM) effectiveness and necessitates an in-depth understanding of its resistance mechanisms. Most research, primarily focused on holistic gene expression analyses, may overlook vital tissue-specific responses and often limit the scope of novel genes. This study leveraged gene co-expression network analysis to elucidate tissue-specific transcriptional responses and to identify core genes implicated in the IVM response in P. univalens. Adult worms (n = 28) were exposed to 10-11 M and 10-9 M IVM in vitro for 24 hours. RNA-sequencing examined transcriptional changes in the anterior end and intestine. Differential expression analysis revealed pronounced tissue differences, with the intestine exhibiting substantially more IVM-induced transcriptional activity. Gene co-expression network analysis identified seven modules significantly associated with the response to IVM. Within these, 219 core genes were detected, largely expressed in the intestinal tissue and spanning diverse biological processes with unspecific patterns. After 10-11 M IVM, intestinal tissue core genes showed transcriptional suppression, cell cycle inhibition, and ribosomal alterations. Interestingly, genes PgR028_g047 (sorb-1), PgB01_g200 (gmap-1) and PgR046_g017 (col-37 & col-102) switched from downregulation at 10-11 M to upregulation at 10-9 M IVM. The 10-9 M concentration induced expression of cuticle and membrane integrity core genes in the intestinal tissue. No clear core gene patterns were visible in the anterior end after 10-11 M IVM. However, after 10-9 M IVM, the anterior end mostly displayed downregulation, indicating disrupted transcriptional regulation. One interesting finding was the non-modular calcium-signaling gene, PgR047_g066 (gegf-1), which uniquely connected 71 genes across four modules. These genes were enriched for transmembrane signaling activity, suggesting that PgR047_g066 (gegf-1) could have a key signaling role. By unveiling tissue-specific expression patterns and highlighting biological processes through unbiased core gene detection, this study reveals intricate IVM responses in P. univalens. These findings suggest alternative drug uptake of IVM and can guide functional validations to further IVM resistance mechanism understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faruk Dube
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nicolas Delhomme
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Frida Martin
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrea Hinas
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden
| | - Magnus Åbrink
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Staffan Svärd
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden
| | - Eva Tydén
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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25
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Adeola AC, Bello SF, Abdussamad AM, Adedokun RAM, Olaogun SC, Abdullahi N, Mark AI, Onoja AB, Sanke OJ, Mangbon GF, Ibrahim J, Dawuda PM, Salako AE, Kdidi S, Yahyaoui MH. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the open reading frame (ORF) of prion protein gene (PRNP) in Nigerian livestock species. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:177. [PMID: 38355406 PMCID: PMC10865551 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10070-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) remain one of the deleterious disorders, which have affected several animal species. Polymorphism of the prion protein (PRNP) gene majorly determines the susceptibility of animals to TSEs. However, only limited studies have examined the variation in PRNP gene in different Nigerian livestock species. Thus, this study aimed to identify the polymorphism of PRNP gene in Nigerian livestock species (including camel, dog, horse, goat, and sheep). We sequenced the open reading frame (ORF) of 65 camels, 31 village dogs and 12 horses from Nigeria and compared with PRNP sequences of 886 individuals retrieved from public databases. RESULTS All the 994 individuals were assigned into 162 haplotypes. The sheep had the highest number of haplotypes (n = 54), and the camel had the lowest (n = 7). Phylogenetic tree further confirmed clustering of Nigerian individuals into their various species. We detected five non-synonymous SNPs of PRNP comprising of G9A, G10A, C11G, G12C, and T669C shared by all Nigerian livestock species and were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). The amino acid changes in these five non-synonymous SNP were all "benign" via Polyphen-2 program. Three SNPs G34C, T699C, and C738G occurred only in Nigerian dogs while C16G, G502A, G503A, and C681A in Nigerian horse. In addition, C50T was detected only in goats and sheep. CONCLUSION Our study serves as the first to simultaneously investigate the polymorphism of PRNP gene in Nigerian livestock species and provides relevant information that could be adopted in programs targeted at breeding for prion diseases resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeniyi C Adeola
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
| | - Semiu F Bello
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, 510642, Guangzhou, China
| | - Abdussamad M Abdussamad
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Rahamon A M Adedokun
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Sunday C Olaogun
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Nasiru Abdullahi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Akanbi I Mark
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Secretariat, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Anyebe B Onoja
- Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oscar J Sanke
- Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jalingo, Nigeria
| | | | - Jebi Ibrahim
- Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture Makurdi, Makurdi, Nigeria
| | - Philip M Dawuda
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Lesotho, Maseru, South Africa
| | - Adebowale E Salako
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Samia Kdidi
- Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Institut des Régions Arides, Université de Gabes, Route El Djorf, Km 22.5, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Habib Yahyaoui
- Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Institut des Régions Arides, Université de Gabes, Route El Djorf, Km 22.5, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
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Calvo-Pinilla E, Jiménez-Cabello L, Utrilla-Trigo S, Illescas-Amo M, Ortego J. Cytokine mRNA Expression Profile in Target Organs of IFNAR (-/-) Mice Infected with African Horse Sickness Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2065. [PMID: 38396742 PMCID: PMC10888608 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
African horse sickness (AHS) is a highly severe disease caused by a viral etiological agent, African horse sickness virus (AHSV). It is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, while sporadic outbreaks have occurred in North Africa, Asia, and Europe, with the most recent cases in Thailand. AHSV transmission between equines occurs primarily by biting midges of the genus Culicoides, especially C. imicola, with a wide distribution globally. As research in horses is highly restricted due to a variety of factors, small laboratory animal models that reproduce clinical signs and pathology observed in natural infection of AHSV are highly needed. Here, we investigated the expression profile of several pro-inflammatory cytokines in target organs and serum of IFNAR (-/-) mice, to continue characterizing this established animal model and to go deep into the innate immune responses that are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Calvo-Pinilla
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (INIA-CSIC), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (L.J.-C.); (S.U.-T.); (M.I.-A.); (J.O.)
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Piotrowska-Tomala KK, Jonczyk AW, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A, Hojo T, Żebrowska E, Katila T, Ferreira-Dias G, Skarzynski DJ. Intrauterine devices influence prostaglandin secretion by equine uterus: in vitro and in vivo studies. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:46. [PMID: 38310284 PMCID: PMC10837974 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03889-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrauterine devices (IUD) are used in the veterinary practice as the non-pharmacological method of oestrus suppression in mares. When placed in the uterus, IUD create a physical contact with the endometrium that mimics the presence of an equine embryo. However, the mechanism of their action has not been fully elucidated. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of mechanical stimulation of IUD on mare`s endometrium in both in vitro and in vivo study. For this purpose, we demonstrated the effect of IUD on prostaglandin (PG) F2α and PGE2 secretion, and mRNA transcription of genes involved in PG synthesis pathway in equine endometrial cells in vitro. In the in vivo study, we aimed to compare short-term effect of IUD inserted on day 0 (oestrus) with day 5-6 post-ovulation (the specific time when embryo reaches uterus after fertilization) on PG secretion from equine endometrium. To determine the long-term effect on PG synthase mRNA transcription, a single endometrial biopsy was taken only once within each group of mares at certain time points of the estrous cycle from mares placement with IUD on days 0 or 5-6 post-ovualtion. RESULTS We showed for the first time that the incubation of the endometrial cells with the presence of IUD altered the pattern of PG synthase mRNA transcription in equine epithelial and stromal endometrial cells. In vivo, in mares placement with IUD on day 0, PGE2 concentrations in blood plasma were upregulated between 1 and 6, and at 10 h after the IUD insertion, compared with the control mares (P < 0.05). Moreover, the decrease of PTGFS mRNA transcription on day 16- 18, associated with an elevation in PTGES mRNA transcription on day 20 -21 of the estrous cycle in endometrial biopsies collected from mares placement with IUD on days 5-6 suggest an antiluteolytic action of IUD during the estrous cycle. CONCLUSION We conclude that the application of IUD may mimic the equine conceptus presence through the physical contact with the endometrium altering PG synthase transcription, and act as a potent modulator of endometrial PG secretion both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Karolina Piotrowska-Tomala
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Walentyna Jonczyk
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Takuo Hojo
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland
- Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 2421 Suya, Koshi, Kumamoto, 861-1192, Japan
| | - Ewelina Żebrowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Terttu Katila
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920, Saarentaus, Finland
| | - Graca Ferreira-Dias
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, University of Lisbon, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dariusz Jan Skarzynski
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10 St., 10-747, Olsztyn, Poland.
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Fröhlich DE, Wallner B, Juras R, Cothran EG, Velie BD. Relatedness and genomic inbreeding in a sample of Timor ponies. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 133:105016. [PMID: 38281607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Timor ponies (TP) were first shipped to Australia in the early 1800s and were highly valued as transport and pack animals, which resulted in TPs contributing to the development of Australian horse breeds. Today, while the exact number of TPs in Australia is currently unknown, there has been recent interest in establishing a domestic breeding program for Australian TPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relatedness of a sample of TPs, as well as provide estimates of genomic inbreeding levels to better inform the feasibility of using these animals as founders for a domestic breeding program. Hair samples from each horse were genotyped using the Illumina 80K Infinium Equine genotyping array and data were analysed using PLINK v1.90b7, KING 2.3.2 and R v4.3.1. The results illustrate that there are distantly related and minimally inbred horses within the sampled TPs. Lengths of the ROH segments also indicated that recent inbreeding events are likely to only have occurred in a third of the horses. Overall, these results are promising for the success of a domestic TP breeding program; however, considering the low number of domestic TPs known to reside in Australia, there would certainly still be substantial benefits to incorporating additional TPs either directly from Timor or from areas in Australia that are believed to contain wild descendants of TPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris E Fröhlich
- Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Barbara Wallner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rytis Juras
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - E Gus Cothran
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Brandon D Velie
- Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Bubenikova J, Plasil M, Futas J, Stejskalova K, Klumplerova M, Oppelt J, Suchentrunk F, Burger PA, Horin P. Diversity of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and natural killer cell receptor (NKR) genes and their interactions in domestic horses. HLA 2024; 103:e15387. [PMID: 38358031 DOI: 10.1111/tan.15387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The immunogenome is the part of the genome that underlies immune mechanisms and evolves under various selective pressures. Two complex regions of the immunogenome, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and natural killer cell receptor (NKR) genes, play an important role in the response to selective pressures of pathogens. Their importance is expressed by their genetic polymorphism at the molecular level, and their diversity associated with different types of diseases at the population level. Findings of associations between specific combinations of MHC/NKR haplotypes with different diseases in model species suggest that these gene complexes did not evolve independently. No such associations have been described in horses so far. The aim of the study was to detect associations between MHC and NKR gene/microsatellite haplotypes in three horse breed groups (Camargue, African, and Romanian) by statistical methods; chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Pearson's goodness-of-fit test and logistic regression. Associations were detected for both MHC/NKR genes and microsatellites; the most significant associations were found between the most variable KLRA3 gene and the EQCA-1 or EQCA-2 genes. This finding supports the assumption that the KLRA3 is an important receptor for MHC I and that interactions of these molecules play important roles in the horse immunity and reproduction. Despite some limitations of the study such as low numbers of horses or lack of knowledge of the selected genes functions, the results were consistent across different statistical methods and remained significant even after overconservative Bonferroni corrections. We therefore consider them biologically plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Bubenikova
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin Plasil
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Futas
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Karla Stejskalova
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Marie Klumplerova
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jan Oppelt
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Franz Suchentrunk
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pamela A Burger
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petr Horin
- Research Group Animal Immunogenomics, CEITEC VETUNI, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czechia
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Cooke CG, Gibb Z, Grupen CG, Schemann K, Deshpande N, Harnett JE. The semen microbiome of miniature pony stallions. Reprod Fertil Dev 2024; 36:RD23117. [PMID: 38331564 DOI: 10.1071/rd23117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Little is known about the microbial composition of stallion semen. AIMS To describe the microbiota detected in equine semen of healthy miniature pony stallions. METHODS Semen specimens were collected using a Missouri artificial vagina at a single time point. PacBio (Pacific Biosciences) genomic DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on these specimens, following which next-generation microbiome bioinformatics platform QIIME2 was used to process fastq files and analyse the amplicon data. The data were categorised into genus, family, class, order and phylum. KEY RESULTS Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla predominated (76%), followed by Proteobacteria (15%). Bacteroidales, Clostridiales and Cardiobacteriales predominated the microbial rank of order (86%). Class was mainly composed of Bacteroidia, Clostridia and Gammaproteobacteria (87%), while family was mainly composed of Porphyromonadaceae , Family_XI and Cardiobacteriaceae (62%). At the level of genus, 80% of the abundance was composed of seven genera, namely Porphyromonas, Suttonella, Peptoniphilus, Fastidiosipila, Ezakiella, Petrimonas and an unknown taxon. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that specific microbiota may be characteristic of healthy miniature pony stallions' semen with some inter-individual variations observed. IMPLICATIONS Larger equine studies involving fertile and infertile subjects could be informed by this study and could explore the relationship of the semen microbiome to male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Giselle Cooke
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Zamira Gibb
- Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Christopher G Grupen
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
| | - Kathrin Schemann
- Sydney Informatics Hub, Core Research Facilities, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Nandan Deshpande
- Sydney Informatics Hub, Core Research Facilities, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Joanna E Harnett
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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McBroome J, de Bernardi Schneider A, Roemer C, Wolfinger MT, Hinrichs AS, O'Toole AN, Ruis C, Turakhia Y, Rambaut A, Corbett-Detig R. A framework for automated scalable designation of viral pathogen lineages from genomic data. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:550-560. [PMID: 38316930 PMCID: PMC10847047 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01587-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Pathogen lineage nomenclature systems are a key component of effective communication and collaboration for researchers and public health workers. Since February 2021, the Pango dynamic lineage nomenclature for SARS-CoV-2 has been sustained by crowdsourced lineage proposals as new isolates were sequenced. This approach is vulnerable to time-critical delays as well as regional and personal bias. Here we developed a simple heuristic approach for dividing phylogenetic trees into lineages, including the prioritization of key mutations or genes. Our implementation is efficient on extremely large phylogenetic trees consisting of millions of sequences and produces similar results to existing manually curated lineage designations when applied to SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses including chikungunya virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus complex and Zika virus. This method offers a simple, automated and consistent approach to pathogen nomenclature that can assist researchers in developing and maintaining phylogeny-based classifications in the face of ever-increasing genomic datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob McBroome
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Adriano de Bernardi Schneider
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Cornelius Roemer
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael T Wolfinger
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- RNA Forecast e.U., Vienna, Austria
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Angie S Hinrichs
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Aine Niamh O'Toole
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher Ruis
- Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yatish Turakhia
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Rambaut
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Russell Corbett-Detig
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Sananmuang T, Puthier D, Nguyen C, Chokeshaiusaha K. Differential transcript usage across mammalian oocytes at the germinal vesicle and metaphase II stages. Theriogenology 2024; 215:1-9. [PMID: 37995439 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing progress in mRNA-Sequencing technologies has significantly contributed to the refinement of assisted reproductive technologies. However, the prior investigations have predominantly concentrated on alterations in overall gene expression levels, thereby leaving a considerable gap in our understanding of the influence of transcript isoform expression on fundamental cellular mechanisms of oocytes. Given the efficacy of differential transcript usage (DTU) analysis to address such knowledge, we conducted comprehensive DTU analysis utilizing mRNA-Seq datasets of germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII) oocytes across six mammalian species from the SRA database, including cow, donkey, horse, human, mouse, and pig. To further illuminate the roles of these genes, we also conducted a rigorous Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis. While the DTU analysis of each species exhibited several genes with alterations in their transcript isoform usage, referred to as DTU genes, this study focused on only ten cross-species DTU genes sharing among a minimum of five distinct species (FDR≤0.05). These cross-species DTU genes were as follows: ABCF1, CDC6, CFAP36, CNOT10, DNM3, IWS1, NBN, NDEL1, RAD50 and ZCCHC17. GO term enrichment analysis unveiled the alignment of these cross-species DTU gene functions with RNA and cell-cycle control mechanisms across diverse mammalian species, thereby suggesting their vital roles during oocyte maturation. Further exploration of the transcript isoforms of these genes hence bore the potential to uncover novel transcript isoform markers for future reproductive technologies in both human and animal contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanida Sananmuang
- Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-OK, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Denis Puthier
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR 1090, TAGC, Marseille, France
| | - Catherine Nguyen
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR 1090, TAGC, Marseille, France
| | - Kaj Chokeshaiusaha
- Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-OK, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chonburi, Thailand.
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Weckman MJ, Karikoski NP, Raekallio MR, Box JR, Kvist L. Genome-wide association study suggests genetic candidate loci of insulin dysregulation in Finnhorses. Vet J 2024; 303:106063. [PMID: 38232813 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a common welfare problem in horses worldwide. It is characterized by insulin dysregulation (ID), predisposition to laminitis and often obesity. EMS is multifactorial by nature, with both the environment and genetics contributing to the phenotype. Environmental factors, such as feeding and exercise, can be controlled, thus forming the basis for treatment and prevention. Genetic factors, by contrast, are less well-known and not easily controllable. The aim of this study was to identify potential genetic loci influencing ID/EMS in Finnhorses. A single-breed (Finnhorse) case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS) of ID was conducted with controls that included age-appropriate non-ID horses. ID status was determined with an oral sugar test (OST) for fasted horses. Seventy-one Finnhorses participated (n = 34 ID, n = 37 control). DNA samples (hair roots) were genotyped for 65 157 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the Illumina Equine SNP70 BeadChip, and these data were analysed for association and FST outliers with genomic tools. P-values that exceeded the suggestive threshold (P = 1.00 ×10-5) were found in SNP BIEC2_383954 (P = 3.45 ×10-6) in chromosome 17 and SNP BIEC2_312374 (P = 1.89 ×10-5) in chromosome 15. Hierarchical and Bayesian FST outlier tests also detected these SNPs. Potential candidate genes associated with the ID close to SNP BIEC2_383954, with functions in carbohydrate metabolism, were Arginine and Glutamate Rich 1 (ARGLU1) and Ephrin-B2 (EFNB2).
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Weckman
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - N P Karikoski
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - M R Raekallio
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - J R Box
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - L Kvist
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, FI-3000 Oulu, Finland
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Ren W, Wang J, Zeng Y, Wang T, Meng J, Yao X. Differential age-related transcriptomic analysis of ovarian granulosa cells in Kazakh horses. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1346260. [PMID: 38352714 PMCID: PMC10863452 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1346260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Kazakh horse, renowned for its excellence as a breed, exhibits distinctive reproductive traits characterized by early maturity and seasonal estrus. While normal reproductive function is crucial for ensuring the breeding and expansion of the Kazakh horse population, a noteworthy decline in reproductive capabilities is observed after reaching 14 years of age. Methods In this study, ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) were meticulously collected from Kazakh horses aged 1, 2, 7, and above 15 years old (excluding 15 years old) for whole transcriptome sequencing. Results The analysis identified and selected differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs for each age group, followed by a thorough examination through GO enrichment analysis. The study uncovered significant variations in the expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs within GCs at different stages of maturity. Notably, eca-miR-486-3p and miR-486-y exhibited the highest degree of connectivity. Subsequent GO, KEGG, PPI, and ceRNA network analyses elucidated that the differentially expressed target genes actively participate in signaling pathways associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, and hormonal regulation. These pathways include but are not limited to the MAPK signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, Calcium signaling pathway, Aldosterone synthesis and secretion, Cellular senescence, and NF-kappa B signaling pathway-essentially encompassing signal transduction pathways crucial to reproductive processes. Discussion This research significantly contributes to unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing follicular development in Kazakh horses. It establishes and preliminarily validates a differential regulatory network involving lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA, intricately associated with processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis and integral to the developmental intricacies of stromal follicles. The findings of this study provide a solid theoretical foundation for delving deeper into the realm of reproductive aging in Kazakh mares, presenting itself as a pivotal regulatory pathway in the context of horse ovarian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlu Ren
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jianwen Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Urumqi, China
| | - Yaqi Zeng
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Tongliang Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jun Meng
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Urumqi, China
| | - Xinkui Yao
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Urumqi, China
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Tani T. Immortalization of American miniature horse-derived fibroblast by cell cycle regulator with normal karyotype. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16832. [PMID: 38288466 PMCID: PMC10823992 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Immortalized cells serve as a crucial research tool that capitalizes on their robust proliferative properties for functional investigations of an organism. Establishing an immortalized American miniature horse cell line could yield valuable insights into these animals' genetic and physiological characteristics and susceptibility to health issues. To date, immortalized small horse cells with normal karyotypes have not been established. In this study, we successfully established primary and immortalized fibroblast cell lines through the combined expression of human-derived mutant cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4R24C), cyclin D1, and Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT), although CDK4R24C and cyclin D1, SV40T and TERT did not result in successful immortalization. Our comparison of the properties of these immortalized cells demonstrated that K4DT immortalized cells maintain a normal karyotype. Ultimately, our findings could pave the way for the development of targeted interventions to enhance the health and well-being of American miniature horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Tani
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Kindai University, Nara, Nara, Japan
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Perdomo-González DI, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Bartolomé E, Guedes dos Santos R, Molina A, Valera M. Designing an early selection morphological traits index for reproductive efficiency in Pura Raza Española mares. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skad409. [PMID: 38118055 PMCID: PMC10762892 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The low rate of reproductive efficiency in horses may be linked to the equine industry's practice of maintaining breeding stock that stands out for its athletic or morphological performance but exhibits poor reproductive efficiency. In this study, the age at first foaling, age at last foaling, interval between first and second foaling, average interval between foaling, foaling number and reproductive efficiency, and their relationship with the morphological records in 19,758 Pura Raza Española (PRE) mares were analyzed. After a partial least squares analysis height at withers, lateral hock angle, dorsal-sternal diameter, perimeter of anterior cannon bone, angle of shoulder, thoracic perimeter, hip-stifle distance, and angle of croup were the most important traits related with reproductive traits in PRE mares. A multivariate animal model with both morphological and reproductive traits was applied, including age, geographical area, coat color, and average stud size in the decade of the mare's first foaling. The results indicate that reproductive selection is feasible, and is enhanced by the use of morphological traits, given the moderate to high magnitudes of heritability values in both types of traits, which oscillated between 0.1 (interval between first and second foaling) and 0.95 (height at withers). The resulting genetic parameters were used to develop a series of selection indexes based on morphological or morphological and reproductive combination traits to improve reproductive efficiency traits in PRE mares and thus compute the expected genetic response (EGR) for the different strategies. The increase in EGR, when comparing EGR using only reproductive traits as selection criteria vs. using a combined index of both morphological and reproductive traits, oscillated between 4.0% for the age at first foaling to 46.8% for the interval between first and second foaling. In addition, two precocity indexes showed positive EGR when the age at last foaling and the interval between first and second foaling, both with and without morphological traits, were used as selection criteria. Therefore, this analysis reveals that the preselection of reproductive traits based on morphological traits is possible in PRE mares. Ultimately, this knowledge will help breeders achieve genetic progress in reproductive traits, leading to healthier and more successful breeding outcomes in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davinia I Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - María J Sánchez-Guerrero
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Ester Bartolomé
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Rute Guedes dos Santos
- Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portalegre 7300-110, Portugal
- Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization (VALORIZA), Portalegre 7300-555, Portugal
| | - Antonio Molina
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba 14014, Spain
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
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Domínguez-Viveros J, Molina-Villalobos JR, Camacho-Sandoval J, Cruz-Méndez A, Martínez-Rocha R, Jahuey-Martínez F. Structure and genetic variability of the Costa Rican Paso horse. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 132:104985. [PMID: 38096926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The Costa Rican Paso Horse (CPC) is a breed developed in Costa Rica. The objectives were to estimate the genetic structure and evaluate the levels of genetic variability of the population. The genotypes of 14 microsatellites in 3654 records (2052 females and 1602 males) were analyzed. Expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (CIP), fixation index (FIS), Shannon index, as well as Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium (DHW) were evaluated. Kinship relationships (Rij) were estimated throughout the entire population. The effective population size (Ne) was calculated, alternating allele frequencies less than 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01. The Bayesian clustering study was carried out to infer how many lines are appropriate from the analysis of genotypes using multiple loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 7 to 17, with an average value of 9.6; nine loci presented DHW (P < 0.05); two loci presented negative FIS values, the same as Ho > He; the average of CIP, Ho and He was 0.254, 0.756 and 0.785, respectively. At the 12 loci where He > Ho, the differences ranged from 0.002 to 0.341 (0.036 on average). For Ne, the estimates were 201.9, 230.1, and 241.5. In the Rij, 54.86% of the estimates were in the interval of 0.01 to 77.7%. The number of lines that define the population corresponds to three, with an approximate composition of 33.1%, 32.4% and 34.5%, respectively. The CPC, as a subdivided population with DHW and a reduction in heterozygotes may be associated with possible Wahlund effects. Keywords: Wahlund effect, equines, genetic markers, synthetic breed, Hardy Weinberg.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Argerie Cruz-Méndez
- Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ricardo Martínez-Rocha
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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Bull K, Davies G, Jenkins TP, Peachey L. The faecal microbiome of Exmoor ponies shows step-wise compositional changes with increasing levels of management by humans. Equine Vet J 2024; 56:159-170. [PMID: 37264698 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horses can suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disease in domestic environments, often precipitated by human-led changes in management. Understanding the consequences of these changes on equine gut microbiota is key to the prevention of such disease episodes. OBJECTIVE Profile the faecal microbiota of adult female Exmoor ponies under three management conditions, representing increasing levels of management by humans, encompassing different diets; whilst controlling for age, breed and sex. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional descriptive. METHODS Faecal samples were collected from three populations of Exmoor ponies kept under contrasting management conditions: 29 adult female ponies in groups with low management (LM) (n = 10), medium management (MM) (n = 10) and high management (HM) (n = 9) levels, based on diet, drug use, handling and exercise. Faecal microbial composition was profiled via high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, and functional metagenome predictions. RESULTS We observed profound step-wise changes in microbiome structure in the transition from LM to MM to HM. A relatively high abundance of Proteobacteria and Tenericutes was associated with the HM group; higher abundance of Methanobacteria was observed in the LM group. The MM group had intermediate levels of these taxa and exhibited high 'within group' variation in alpha diversity. Functional predictions revealed increased amino acid and lipid metabolism in HM; energy metabolism in LM and carbohydrate metabolism and immune/metabolic disease pathways in MM. MAIN LIMITATIONS Low group sizes, incomplete knowledge of bacterial genomes in equine gut microbiota and it was not possible to assess the relative impact of diet, drug use, handling and exercise on the microbiome as variables were confounded. CONCLUSIONS Human-led management factors had profound step-wise effects on faecal microbial composition. Based on functional metagenome predictions, we hypothesise that dietary differences between groups were the major driver of observed differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Bull
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gareth Davies
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Timothy P Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Laura Peachey
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Ikechukwu CK, Qin K, Zhang H, Pan J, Zhang W. Novel equid papillomavirus from domestic donkey. Equine Vet J 2024; 56:171-177. [PMID: 37246448 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Papillomaviruses can be of great medical importance as they infect humans and animals such as Equus species, other livestock and pets. They are responsible for several papillomas and benign tumours in their host. OBJECTIVES To describe a novel equid papillomavirus detected in oral swab samples collected from donkeys (Equus asinus) found on the Northwest plateau of China. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS Swab samples collected from the oral mucosa of 32 donkeys in the Gansu Province of China, were subjected to viral metagenomic analysis to detect the presence of Papillomavirus. After de novo assembly, a novel papillomavirus genome designated as Equus asinus papillomavirus 3 (EaPV3) was identified in the studied samples. Additional bioinformatic analysis of the assembled genome was done using the Geneious prime software (version 2022.0.2). RESULTS The complete circular genome of EaPV3 is 7430 bp in length with a GC content of 50.8%. The genome was predicted to contain five ORFs coding for three early proteins (E7, E1, and E2) and two late proteins (L1 and L2). Phylogenic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the concatenated amino acid sequences of the E1E2L1L2 genes revealed that EaPV3 is most closely related to Equus asinus papillomavirus 1 (EaPV1). The genome analysis of EaPV3 revealed similar genome organisation with other equine papillomavirus and the presence of E7 papillomavirus oncoprotein. MAIN LIMITATIONS Since there were no warts in the oral cavity of the donkeys in this study, and no biopsy samples taken, we are unable to conclusively link the novel virus to any clinical condition in the donkeys. CONCLUSIONS The Comparative characterisation of EaPV3 and its closest relatives, as well as phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that it is a novel virus specie that clusters within the Dyochipapilloma PV genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chukwudozie Kingsley Ikechukwu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Kailin Qin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Jiamin Pan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Ahmed Z, Liu W, Yu J, Dong H, Naseer Z, Ahmad I, Ahmed I, Wang X. Exploring testicular miRNA profiles during developmental stages in Dezhou donkeys: A preliminary insight. Reprod Domest Anim 2024; 59:e14502. [PMID: 38059393 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Testicular development and spermatogenesis are complex phenomena controlled by various genetic factors, including miRNA-based post-transcriptional gene expression regulation. Exploring the miRNA expression patterns during testicular development in Dezhou donkeys would enhance our understanding of equine fertility and spermatogenesis. In this investigation, we examined the testicular miRNA profiles at various stages of development. The experimental animals were divided into three groups based on their developmental stages: 2 months old (juvenile: n = 3), 12 months old (adolescent; n = 3) and 24 months old (adult; n = 3) donkeys. Total RNA was extracted from dissected testicles for miRNA sequencing and analysis. In total, 586 miRNAs, including 451 known miRNAs and 135 novel miRNAs, were identified. Among identified miRNAs, 315 displayed age-dependent expression differences. The levels of miRNA expression in the juvenile group were significantly higher than in the adolescent or adult groups. The MiR-483 exhibited the maximum fold change between juvenile and adolescent groups. Several screened genes, including SLC45A4 and TFCP2L1, have been linked to male reproductive pathways in donkeys. In addition, miR-744 was predicted to regulate SPIN2B, a gene implicated in spermatocyte cell cycle progression and genomic integrity of spermatozoa. These results contribute to our comprehension of microRNA regulation during testicular development and spermatogenesis in Dezhou donkeys. The identified microRNAs and their target genes have the potential to serve as biomarkers for evaluating the reproductive capacity of stud donkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulfiqar Ahmed
- Network and Information Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Wei Liu
- Network and Information Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jie Yu
- National Engineering Research Center for Gelatin-based Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dong-E-E-Jiao Co. Ltd., Dong-E, Shandong, China
| | - Hong Dong
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Zahid Naseer
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Imtiaz Ahmad
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ahmed
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Xijun Wang
- Network and Information Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Oda D, Onogi A. Assessing the predictability of racing performance of Thoroughbreds using mixed-effects model. J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:24-32. [PMID: 37635693 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The inheritance of racing performance in Thoroughbreds is of interest to breeders and geneticists. Therefore, the genetic parameters of racing performance have been investigated in various populations of Thoroughbreds. However, the predictability of the racing performance of a racehorse has not been assessed well. In this study, we built mixed-effects models for Japanese Thoroughbreds and assessed their predictability of racing performance. We used the average velocity as an index of racing performance and treated each category of racecourse and distance as different traits. Model selection using the deviance information criterion showed that explanatory variables, such as race, age and jockey effects are important for racing performance. Using the selected models, the phenotypic values of horses born after 2009, adjusted using the entire dataset, were predicted with the breeding values estimated from a partial dataset until 2010. The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.000 to 0.235 (average of 0.084 ± 0.066) and were higher for longer distances. When predicting the graded race winners born after 2009 from the partial dataset until 2010, the area under the curve values ranged from 0.516 to 0.776 (average of 0.613 ± 0.073) and were also higher for longer distances. Although these results indicate the predictability of racing performance, further efforts, including exploring more suitable racing performance indices and refining statistical modelling, are required for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Oda
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Akio Onogi
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
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42
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Alhaddad H, Powell BB, Pinto LD, Sutter N, Brooks SA, Alhajeri BH. Geometric morphometrics of face profile across horse breeds and within Arabian horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 132:104980. [PMID: 38070586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Horse traits under selection are largely quantitative and affected by multiple genes. Horse face shape is an example of a continuous trait, which due to the reliance on observational assessments, is classified into; "dished", "straight", and "roman-nosed". This categorization is often inadequate to convey the full spectrum of the face shape variation especially for genetic studies. The first objective of the current study was to use geometric morphometric methods to quantitatively phenotype face shapes and examine its variation across horse breeds. The second objective was to analyze the face shape variation within Arabian horses since face shape is (1) favored, valued, and genetically selected in certain lineages (e.g. Egyptian), (2) is evaluated by registries and scored in shows, and (3) in its extreme forms pose health concerns. We digitized landmarks on lateral profile photos, particularly on the dorsal curvature of the rostrum, and subjected these landmarks to Generalized Procrustes Analysis to generate independent shape and size variables which were statistically compared across breeds and within Arabians. Horse breeds varied in nasal curvature, ranging from extremely concave to extremely convex, with over 70 % of horse breeds exhibiting intermediate concavity (i.e., straight profile). Interestingly, Arabian horses possessed the highest diversity in face profile and individuals clustered into three distinct shape sub-groups (one dished and two straight profile clusters). Our quantitative phenotyping method can be the basis of future genetic studies of facial profile within Arabian lineages as a favored traits and potentially manage its extreme forms as a likely genetic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Alhaddad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Shadadiya, Kuwait.
| | - B B Powell
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - L Del Pinto
- Biology Department, La Sierra University, Riverside, California, USA
| | - N Sutter
- Biology Department, La Sierra University, Riverside, California, USA
| | - S A Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - B H Alhajeri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Shadadiya, Kuwait
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Ma Y, Peng S, Donnelly CG, Ghosh S, Miller AD, Woolard K, Finno CJ. Genetic polymorphisms in vitamin E transport genes as determinants for risk of equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:417-423. [PMID: 37937700 PMCID: PMC10800183 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder associated with vitamin E deficiency. In humans, polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin E uptake and distribution determines individual vitamin E requirements. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES Genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin E metabolism would be associated with an increased risk of eNAD/EDM in Quarter Horses (QHs). ANIMALS Whole-genome sequencing: eNAD/EDM affected (n = 9, postmortem [PM]-confirmed) and control (n = 32) QHs. VALIDATION eNAD/EDM affected (n = 39, 23-PM confirmed) and control (n = 68, 7-PM confirmed) QHs. Allele frequency (AF): Publicly available data from 504 horses across 47 breeds. METHODS Retrospective, case control study. Whole-genome sequencing was performed and genetic variants identified within 28 vitamin E candidate genes. These variants were subsequently genotyped in the validation cohort. RESULTS Thirty-nine confirmed variants in 15 vitamin E candidate genes were significantly associated with eNAD/EDM (P < .01). In the validation cohort, 2 intronic CD36 variants (chr4:726485 and chr4:731082) were significantly associated with eNAD/EDM in clinical (P = 2.78 × 10-4 and P = 4 × 10-4 , respectively) and PM-confirmed cases (P = 6.32 × 10-6 and 1.04 × 10-5 , respectively). Despite the significant association, variant AFs were low in the postmortem-confirmed eNAD/EDM cases (0.22-0.26). In publicly available equine genomes, AFs ranged from 0.06 to 0.1. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Many PM-confirmed cases of eNAD/EDM were wild-type for the 2 intronic CD36 SNPs, suggesting either a false positive association or genetic heterogeneity of eNAD/EDM within the QH breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunzhuo Ma
- Department of Population Health and ReproductionSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
| | - Sichong Peng
- Department of Population Health and ReproductionSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
- Present address:
EclipsebioSan Diego, California 92121USA
| | - Callum G. Donnelly
- Department of Population Health and ReproductionSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
- Present address:
Cornell University College of Veterinary MedicineIthaca, New York 14853USA
| | - Sharmila Ghosh
- Department of Population Health and ReproductionSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
| | - Andrew D. Miller
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Anatomic PathologyCornell University College of Veterinary MedicineIthaca, New York 14853USA
| | - Kevin Woolard
- Department of Pathology and ImmunologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
| | - Carrie J. Finno
- Department of Population Health and ReproductionSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐DavisDavis, California 95616USA
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KOBAYASHI I, NAKAMURA K, SAITO I, AKITA M, TOZAKI T, MIYAZAKI M, HANO K, TAKASU M. Changes in population structure and genetic diversity of Misaki horses between 2015 and 2020. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:1327-1329. [PMID: 37926513 PMCID: PMC10788177 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
For the preservation of Misaki horses, changes in the population structure and genetic diversity of the horses for 5 years were analyzed using population and genotype data from 2015-2020. The microsatellite genotyping was performed, and the average number of alleles (Na), expected heterozygosity (He), and observed value (Ho) were calculated. Moreover, the average generation length (GL) was estimated from the population management record. Then, no significant differences in Na, He, and Ho were found between 2015 and 2020, suggesting their genetic diversity had been maintained for 5 years. Moreover, the average GL was estimated as 4.6 years. Compared to other native horses, a short average GL suggesting a rapid generation renewing is a characteristic of the Misaki population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuo KOBAYASHI
- Sumiyoshi Livestock Science Station, Field Science Center,
University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
- Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki,
Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Kotono NAKAMURA
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied
Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Ibuki SAITO
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied
Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | | | - Teruaki TOZAKI
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied
Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
- Laboratory of Racing Chemistry, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Masamichi MIYAZAKI
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied
Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Kazuki HANO
- Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu
University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Masaki TAKASU
- Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu
University, Gifu, Japan
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research
(COMIT), Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
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45
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Carrera JP, Araúz D, Rojas A, Cardozo F, Stittleburg V, Morales Claro I, Galue J, Lezcano-Coba C, Romero Rebello Moreira F, -Rivera LF, Chen-Germán M, Moreno B, Capitan-Barrios Z, López-Vergès S, Pascale JM, Sabino EC, Valderrama A, Hanley KA, Donnelly CA, Vasilakis N, Faria NR, Waggoner JJ. Real-time RT-PCR for Venezuelan equine encephalitis complex, Madariaga, and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses: application in human and mosquito public health surveillance in Panama. J Clin Microbiol 2023; 61:e0015223. [PMID: 37982611 PMCID: PMC10729654 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00152-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), Madariaga virus (MADV), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus complex (VEEV) are New World alphaviruses transmitted by mosquitoes. They cause febrile and sometimes severe neurological diseases in human and equine hosts. Detecting them during the acute phase is hindered by non-specific symptoms and limited diagnostic tools. We designed and clinically assessed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays (rRT-PCRs) for VEEV complex, MADV, and EEEV using whole-genome sequences. Validation involved 15 retrospective serum samples from 2015 to 2017 outbreaks, 150 mosquito pools from 2015, and 118 prospective samples from 2021 to 2022 surveillance in Panama. The rRT-PCRs detected VEEV complex RNA in 10 samples (66.7%) from outbreaks, with one having both VEEV complex and MADV RNAs. VEEV complex RNA was found in five suspected dengue cases from disease surveillance. The rRT-PCR assays identified VEEV complex RNA in three Culex (Melanoconion) vomerifer pools, leading to VEEV isolates in two. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the VEEV ID subtype in positive samples. Notably, 11.9% of dengue-like disease patients showed VEEV infections. Together, our rRT-PCR validation in human and mosquito samples suggests that this method can be incorporated into mosquito and human encephalitic alphavirus surveillance programs in endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Carrera
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Dimelza Araúz
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Alejandra Rojas
- Departamento de Producción, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Fátima Cardozo
- Departamento de Producción, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
| | - Victoria Stittleburg
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ingra Morales Claro
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC-GIDA), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Josefrancisco Galue
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Carlos Lezcano-Coba
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Filipe Romero Rebello Moreira
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC-GIDA), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luis Felipe -Rivera
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Maria Chen-Germán
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Brechla Moreno
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Zeuz Capitan-Barrios
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad de Panamá, Ciudad de Panamá, Panama
| | - Sandra López-Vergès
- Department of Research in Virology and Biotechnology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Juan Miguel Pascale
- Clinical of Tropical Diseases and Research Unit, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Ester C. Sabino
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anayansi Valderrama
- Viral Emerging Disease Dynamics Group, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama
| | - Kathryn A. Hanley
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
| | - Christl A. Donnelly
- Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC-GIDA), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nikos Vasilakis
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Tropical Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Nuno R. Faria
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC-GIDA), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jesse J. Waggoner
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Sigurðardóttir H, Boije H, Albertsdóttir E, Kristjansson T, Rhodin M, Lindgren G, Eriksson S. The genetics of gaits in Icelandic horses goes beyond DMRT3, with RELN and STAU2 identified as two new candidate genes. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:89. [PMID: 38082412 PMCID: PMC10712087 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00863-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In domesticated animals, many important traits are complex and regulated by a large number of genes, genetic interactions, and environmental influences. The ability of Icelandic horses to perform the gait 'pace' is largely influenced by a single mutation in the DMRT3 gene, but genetic modifiers likely exist. The aim of this study was to identify novel genetic factors that influence pacing ability and quality of the gait through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and correlate new findings to previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) and mutations. RESULTS Three hundred and seventy-two Icelandic horses were genotyped with the 670 K+ Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, of which 362 had gait scores from breeding field tests. A GWAS revealed several SNPs on Equus caballus chromosomes (ECA) 4, 9, and 20 that were associated (p < 1.0 × 10-5) with the breeding field test score for pace. The two novel QTL on ECA4 and 9 were located within the RELN and STAU2 genes, respectively, which have previously been associated with locomotor behavior in mice. Haplotypes were identified and the most frequent one for each of these two QTL had a large favorable effect on pace score. The second most frequent haplotype for the RELN gene was positively correlated with scores for tölt, trot, gallop, and canter. Similarly, the second most frequent haplotype for the STAU2 gene had favorable effects on scores for trot and gallop. Different genotype ratios of the haplotypes in the RELN and STAU2 genes were also observed in groups of horses with different levels of pacing ability. Furthermore, interactions (p < 0.05) were detected for the QTL in the RELN and STAU2 genes with the DMRT3 gene. The novel QTL on ECA4, 9, and 20, along with the effects of the DMRT3 variant, were estimated to account jointly for 27.4% of the phenotypic variance of the gait pace. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide valuable information about the genetic architecture of pace beyond the contribution of the DMRT3 gene and indicate genetic interactions that contribute to the complexity of this trait. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the underlying genetic factors and interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiðrún Sigurðardóttir
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarbyggð, 311, Hvanneyri, Iceland.
| | - Henrik Boije
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elsa Albertsdóttir
- The Icelandic Agricultural Advisory Centre, Hagatorgi 1, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Thorvaldur Kristjansson
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarbyggð, 311, Hvanneyri, Iceland
| | - Marie Rhodin
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7011, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne Eriksson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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Yordanov G, Palova N, Mehandjyiski I, Hristov P. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing illuminates genetic diversity and origin of Hunagrian Nonius horse breed and his relatives - Danubian horse and Serbian Nonius. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:3897-3907. [PMID: 37489100 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2237533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
From a historical perspective, horse breeding in Bulgaria has been very well developed since the time of the Thracians (early Bronze Age c. 3000 BCE). Archaeological discoveries from this era present us with an extremely rich type diversity, including wild and local primitive horses, the prototype of heavy draft horses, and fine riding horses.The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic structure of unexamined populations of three closely related horse breeds - the Danubian Nonius Hungarian Nonius and Serbian Nonius horses. A 608 bp long fragment of the mtDNA D-loop region was amplified and sequenced. The obtained results showed completely different genetic profiles between the investigated breeds. We identified nine of the 17 haplogroups described in modern horses. Most of the obtained sequences fell into M, L, G, and O'P lineages, which reflects the genetic profiles of the ancestral mares that were probably used at the initial stages of formation of the breeds. The population of the Danubian horse was characterized by a high prevalence of Central Asian specific haplogroup G (45%), followed by Western Eurasian specific haplogroups L and M (both about 21%). In contrast to the Danubian horse, in the Nonius breed the highest frequency of Western Eurasian haplogroup M (43.5%) was found, followed by Middle Eastern haplogroups O'P (26.1%) Central Asian specific E (13.0%) and G (13.1%). The Serbian Nonius horse showed a completely different genetic profile with a prevalence of the rare for Europe haplogroup D (66.7%), followed by Central Asian specific G (16.7%). The high mitochondrial haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.886) found in the investigated samples is evidence for multiple maternal origins in all populations.In conclusion, the obtained results demonstrated a high percentage of haplogroup sharing especially in the Danubian and Hungarian Nonius horse breeds, which reflects the possible common origins of the two breeds. In contrast to these breeds, the Serbian Nonius, despite the small number of investigated animals, showed a specific genetic profile, which could be explained by different and independent origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgi Yordanov
- Executive Agency for Selection and Reproduction in Animal Breeding, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nadezhda Palova
- Scientific Center of Agriculture, Agricultural Academy, Sredets, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan Mehandjyiski
- Research Centre of Stockbreeding and Agriculture, Agricultural Academy, Smolyan, Bulgaria
| | - Peter Hristov
- Department of Animal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
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Bastos MS, Solar Diaz IDP, Alves JS, de Oliveira LSM, de Araújo de Oliveira CA, de Godói FN, de Camargo GMF, Costa RB. Genomic association using principal components of morphometric traits in horses: identification of genes related to bone growth. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:4921-4926. [PMID: 37184429 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2209795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The measurement of morphometric traits in horses is important for determining breed qualification and is one of the main selection criteria for the species. The development of an index (HPC) that consists of principal components weighted by additive genetic values allows to explore the most relevant relationships using a reduced number of variables that explain the greatest amount of variation in the data. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using HPC are a relatively new approach that permits to identify regions related to a set of traits. The aim of this study was to perform GWAS using HPC for 15 linear measurements as the explanatory variable in order to identify associated genomic regions and to elucidate the biological mechanisms linked to this index in Campolina horses. For GWAS, weighted single-step GBLUP was applied to HPC. The eight genomic windows that explained the highest proportion of additive genetic variance were identified. The sum of the additive variance explained by the eight windows was 95.89%. Genes involved in bone and cartilage development were identified (SPRY2, COL9A2, MIR30C, HEYL, BMP8B, LTBP1, FAM98A, and CRIM1). They represent potential positional candidates for the HPC of the linear measurements evaluated. The HPC is an efficient alternative to reduce the 15 usually measured traits in Campolina horses. Moreover, candidate genes inserted in region that explained high additive variance of the HPC were identified and might be fine-mapped for searching putative mutation/markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Silva Bastos
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Jackeline Santos Alves
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Raphael Bermal Costa
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
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49
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Clifton DL, Boyd JA, Patterson Rosa L. Using genetics to trace the ancestry and 'breed-type' of rescued horses. Anim Genet 2023; 54:813-815. [PMID: 37776144 DOI: 10.1111/age.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lee Clifton
- Department of Agriculture and Industry, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas, USA
| | - Jamie A Boyd
- Department of Agriculture and Industry, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas, USA
| | - Laura Patterson Rosa
- Department of Agriculture and Industry, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas, USA
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50
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Ye T, Yuan J, Raza SHA, Deng T, Yang L, Ahmad MJ, Hosseini SM, Zhang X, Alamoudi MO, AlGabbani Q, Alghamdi YS, Chen C, Liang A, Schreurs NM, Yang L. Evolutionary analysis of buffalo sterol regulatory element-binding factor (SREBF) family genes and their affection on milk traits. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:2082-2093. [PMID: 35533681 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2070185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The sterol regulatory element-binding factor (SREBF) genes are a vital group of proteins binding to the sterol regulatory element 1 (SRE-1) regulating the synthesis of fatty acid. Two potential candidate genes (SREBF1 and SREBF2) have been identified as affecting milk traits. This study aims to identify the SREBF family of genes and find candidate markers or SREBF genes influencing lactation production in buffalo. A genome-wide study was performed and identified seven SREBF genes randomly distributed on 7 chromosomes and 24 protein isoforms in buffalos. The SREBF family of genes were also characterized in cattle, goat, sheep and horse, and using these all-protein sequences, a phylogenetic tree was built. The SREBF family genes were homologous between each other in the five livestock. Eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within or near the SREBF genes in the buffalo genome were identified and at least one milk production trait was associated with three of the SNP. The expression of SREBF genes at different lactation stages in buffalo and cattle from published data were compared and the SREBF genes retained a high expression throughout lactation with the trend being the same for buffalo and cattle. These results provide valuable information for clarifying the evolutionary relationship of the SREBF family genes and determining the role of SREBF genes in the regulation of milk production in buffalo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingzhu Ye
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sayed Haidar Abbas Raza
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Tingxian Deng
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Lv Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Muhammad Jamil Ahmad
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hosseini
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Muna O Alamoudi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Qwait AlGabbani
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Youssef S Alghamdi
- Department of Biology, Turabah University College, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Chao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Aixin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Nicola M Schreurs
- Animal Science, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Liguo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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