Sheep Plasma Research Articles

Impact of feeding regimens on the composition of gut microbiota and metabolite profiles of plasma and feces from Mongolian sheep.

Mongolian sheep are an indigenous ruminant raised for wool and meat production in China. The gut microbial community plays an important role in animal performance and metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two feeding regimens on the diversity and composition of gut microbiota and metabolite profiles of feces and plasma from Mongolian sheep. A total of 20 Mongolian sheep were assigned to one of two feeding regimens: free grazing (FG) and barn confinement (BC). When samples were collected, the average live weights of the sheep were 31.28 ± 1.56 kg and 34.18 ± 1.87 kg for the FG and BC groups, respectively. At the genus level, the FG group showed higher levels of Bacteroides, RC9_gut_group, Alistipes, Phocaeicola, Barnesiella, and Oscillibacter, and lower levels of Succinivibrio, Treponema, and Prevotella, compared to the BC group. The butyric acid content in feces was lower in the FG group (P > 0.05). Higher levels of palmitic acid, oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, L-carnitine, L-citrulline, and L-histidine, and lower levels of L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, and L-kynurenine were found in the plasma of the FG sheep. Moreover, there were substantial associations between several gut microbiota genera and alterations in feces and plasma metabolites especially those involved in the metabolism of butyric acid, linolenic acid, and L-tyrosine. Feeding regimens can not only influence the composition of gut microbiota, but also alter metabolic homeaostasis in sheep.

A novel technique for retrospective genetic analysis of the response to vaccination or infection using cell-free DNA from archived sheep serum and plasma

Genetic variation is associated with differences in disease resistance and susceptibility among individuals within a population. To date, molecular genetic analyses of host responses have relied on extraction of genomic DNA from whole blood or tissue samples. However, such samples are not routinely collected during large-scale field studies. We demonstrate that cell-free genomic DNA (cfDNA) may be extracted and amplified from archived plasma samples, allowing retrospective analysis of host genetic diversity. This technique was also applicable to archived serum samples up to 35 years old and to different ruminant species. As proof of concept, we used this cfDNA approach to genotype the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB1 locus of 224 Merino sheep which had participated in field trials of a commercial Haemonchus contortus vaccine, Barbervax®, in Australia. This identified a total of 51 different DRB1 alleles and their relative frequencies. This is the first study to examine host MHC diversity using DNA extracted from archived plasma samples, an approach that may be applied to retrospective analyses of genetic diversity and responses to vaccination or infection across different species and populations.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of liposomal albendazole in naturally Echinococcus granulosus infected sheep by a validated UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method

Albendazole (ABZ) is the first-line drug in treating echinococcosis, which is recommended by WHO. To address the poor bioavailability of albendazole, liposomal albendazole was formulated and is available in our hospital for many years. In this study, a sensitive, reliable and accurate UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method was developed and validated for the determination of albendazole and its metabolites, albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO), albendazole sulfone (ABZSO2) and albendazole-2-aminosulfone (ABZSO2NH2) in naturally echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) infected sheep plasma and tissues with mebendazole (MBZ) as the internal standard (IS). Plasma and tissues samples were prepared by protein precipitation method. The separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC® BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) with a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and water containing 0.1% formic acid at 0.4 mL/min. The detection was performed on a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) high-resolution mass spectrometer using positive electrospray ionization (ESI) source with a chromatographic run time of 6.0 min. The detection was operated using target ions of [M + H]+ at m/z 266.096 for ABZ, m/z 282.091 for ABZSO, m/z 298.086 for ABZSO2, m/z 240.081 for ABZSO2NH2 and m/z 296.104 for IS in selective ion mode, respectively. This method was validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect, dilution effect, carryover effects, stability, calibration curve and LLOQ. All validation parameter results were within the acceptable range described in guideline for bioanalytical method validation. This method has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study following single and multiple oral dose of 10 mg/kg liposomal albendazole, and tissue distribution study following multiple oral dose of 10 mg/kg, with emulsion albendazole as the reference preparation. The results in the article will provide valuable information for use in clinical applications of liposomal albendazole and also be beneficial for further development of liposomal albendazole in future studies.

Purification and Identification of Antioxidant Alcalase-Derived Peptides from Sheep Plasma Proteins.

In this study, sheep plasma was submitted to Alcalase-hydrolysis and peptides with better antioxidant properties measured through both the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability assays were isolated and identified. After hydrolysate ultrafiltration and semi-preparative reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, nine fractions (F1–F9) were obtained, with the two first (F1 and F2) showing the greatest antioxidant potential. These two fractions were further separated by the AKTA purifier system to generate four (F1-1–F1-4) and five (F2-1–F2-5) fractions, respectively, with two of them (F1-2 and F2-1) exhibiting appreciable FRAP activity and DPPH radical scavenging ability. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, three antioxidant peptides were identified. From their amino acid sequences (QTALVELLK, SLHTLFGDELCK, and MPCTEDYLSLILNR), which include amino acids that have been previously reported as key contributors to the peptide antioxidant properties, it can be maintained that they come mainly from serum albumin. These results suggested that the sheep plasma protein can be considered as a good source of antioxidant peptides and bring forth new possibilities for the utilization of animal blood by-products.

Involvement of orexin A in nocturnal melatonin secretion into the cerebrospinal fluid and the blood plasma in seasonal sheep

In sheep, differences in orexin A (OXA) gene expression and activity are related to changes in energy demand and seasonal reproduction. However, the mechanism by which and the key place where the OXA signal is integrated with photoperiod, whose main biochemical expression is melatonin (MEL), remain unknown. We examined the effects of cisterna magna injections of OXA (0.3 μg/kg body weight) on nocturnal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma MEL concentrations; mRNA and protein expression of two rate-limiting enzymes for MEL biosynthesis, tryptophan 5-hydroxylase-1 (TPH1) and arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT); and OXA receptor (OX1R, OX2R) expression in the pineal gland (PG) obtained from twenty ewes during the short-day (SD) and long-day (LD) seasons. OXA increased (P < 0.001) CSF and plasma MEL concentrations regardless of the season. Plasma MEL was positively correlated (P < 0.001) with CSF MEL in the OXA-treated sheep in both seasons. OXA had no effect (P > 0.05) on TPH1 transcript or protein level but upregulated (P < 0.05) AA-NAT mRNA and protein expression in both seasons. OXA enhanced (P < 0.05) OX1R mRNA level only during the LD season. Our results show that the endocrine activity of the ovine PG is regulated by day length and non-photic signals via hypothalamic OXA. These results are important for understanding the work of the biological clock and recognizing mechanisms responsible for the adaptation of seasonal animals to the changing external environment conditions. OXA and MEL are both involved in the regulation of the sleep-wakefulness system, therefore our results can be used in the study on the circadian rhythm disorders in humans (e.g. jet lag, insomnia, seasonal depression).

Effects of TLR4 overexpression on sperm quality, seminal plasma biomarkers, sperm DNA methylation and pregnancy rate in sheep

Genetic modification provides a means to enhancing disease resistance in animals. In this study, the first generation of genetically modified (GM) sheep overexpressing TLR4 was produced by microinjection for better disease resistance. To compare semen characteristics including sperm quality, seminal plasma biochemical index, sperm DNA methylation and pregnancy rate of three-year old transgenic sheep with TLR4 overexpressed (toll like receptor 4, TLR4) and non-transgenic ram. Sixteen transgenic ram of F0 generation were produced by microinjection of the TLR4 plasmid into the pronucleus of fertilized ova. Seven transgenic sheep of F1 generation was produced by breeding F0 transgenic founders with non-transgenic sheep of the same breed. There were no significant differences between transgenic and control rams for all semen quality parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm viability, and percentages of sperm with an intact plasma membrane, acrosomal integrity, and viable sperm with high mitochondrial membrane potential in both F0 and F1 generation. Furthermore, no significant differences were found for seminal plasma concentrations of zinc, neutral alpha-glucosidase, acid phosphatase or fructose, nor for levels of H19 and IGF2R methylation in sperm DNA. In addition, pregnancy rate was also similar between these two groups. In conclusion, there was no evidence that TLR4 overexpression altered the sperm quality, seminal plasma or sperm DNA of transgenic sheep.

Determination of Free Doxycycline Concentrations in the Plasma and Milk of Sheep and in the Plasma of Rabbits by using the HPLC Method

Abstract A fast and sensitive HPLC method was validated in order to analyze doxycycline in plasma and milk of sheep and in plasma of rabbits. The samples were processed with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). After the centrifugation step, a supernatant containing extracted doxycycline and internal standard oxytetracycline was injected into the HPLC system with PDA detection. The method showed linearity in the range of 0.125 - 2.5 µg/mL for ovine plasma, 0.125 – 5.0 µg/mL for ovine milk, and 0.125 – 1 µg/mL for rabbit plasma. The inter-assay precision varied between 5.69 – 13.55 %. Values for intra-assay precision were between 0.62 – 8.67 %. Accuracy was higher than 90% in all of the tested concentrations in the three types of biological matrices. The mean extraction recovery was higher than 90 % for all matrices. In order to handle only with free drug concentrations, microfiltration of standard solutions with low (0.25mg/mL), medium (0.5mg/mL) and high (1.0mg/mL) concentration was performed. A percentage for correction of the quantified doxycycline was calculated. The most significant adjustments should be made at the low concentrations. The correction for rabbit plasma is 24.63±5.03%, for ovine plasma is 20.10±8.01% and for milk–16.68±0.04 %. This method can be used for routine determination of doxycycline concentrations for pharmacokinetic studies and further dosage adjustment.

Searching for an inhibitory action of blood-borne [beta]-endorphin on LH release

Concentrations of beta-endorphin were quantified in peripheral blood plasma of sheep by a radioimmunoassay that cross-reacted with beta-lipotrophin. Plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin increased abruptly after physical confinement, bacteraemia, and electroacupuncture treatment for induction of analgesia. In these experimental situations in which plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin increased, plasma concentrations of LH often decreased. To test the hypothesis that increases in blood-borne beta-endorphin actually caused the decrease in LH release, naloxone was administered to antagonize the opioid receptors at which blood-borne beta-endorphin might act. In no case did administration of naloxone disrupt the temporal correlation between experimentally induced increases in plasma beta-endorphin and decreases in plasma LH. It was concluded that the increases in blood-borne beta-endorphin did not cause the decrease in LH release. Other research investigated whether beta-endorphin might be delivered via blood from pituitary to hypothalamus in locally enriched concentrations. Even when pituitary release of beta-endorphin was acutely stimulated, it was not possible to demonstrate retrograde delivery of beta-endorphin to the hypothalamus without dilution in the systemic circulation. In conclusion, it is unlikely that blood-borne beta-endorphin inhibits the release of LH, and beta-endorphin should not be classified as a hormone until blood concentrations of the peptide can be shown to exert some effect at a location distant from its site of secretion.

The Statistical Analysis of Pharmacokinetic Parameters in the Context of Bioequivalence Testing of Two Anthelmintic Formulas Based on Ivermectine and Triclabendazole in Sheep

Abstract Conducting bioequivalence studies is an essential step during the market authorization process of generic pharmaceutical formulations, for both human or veterinary use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of triclabendazole sulphoxide, the main metabolite of triclabendazole, and ivermectin in order to evaluate the bioavailability and bioequivalence of a novel sheep anthelmintic formulation of oral suspension for sheep treatment containing triclabendazole 50 mg/mL and ivermectin 1 mg/mL compared to the reference product. In order to determine relative bioavailability of the test product with respect to the reference product the study was conducted on 36 clinically healthy sheep, following an unicentric, randomized, cross-over, two-sequence, two-treatment and 14-day wash-out study design. For the determination of triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin sheep plasma concentrations, two rapid, selective high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods were developed and validated. The measured plasma concentrations of triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin were used for the pharmacokinetic analysis and the determination of bioequivalence between the test product with regards to the reference product. The noncompartmental analysis of the pharmacokinetic data for both triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin showed similarities between first-order kinetics of the test and reference product. The relevant pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUClast, AUCtot) were determined and the bioequivalence between the test and reference product could be concluded.

The application of a halotolerant metalloprotease from marine bacterium Vibrio sp. LA-05 in liquid detergent formulations

The application of a halotolerant metalloprotease from marine bacterium Vibrio sp. LA-05 in liquid detergent formulations was investigated in detail. The washing simulation experiment revealed that blood stains were successfully removed from cotton cloths by washing them with three commercial liquid detergents (Liby, Bluemoon and Walch) supplemented with the crude protease at 15–45 °C for 30 min. However, macroscopic residues of stains were remained on the cloths treated with tap water, liquid detergent alone and liquid detergent supplemented with the commercial protease subtilisin A. The analyses of microstructure, chemical elements and tensile properties showed that the washing treatments with crude protease as a bio-additive almost did not affect the texture, elemental composition or tensile properties of cloths. Sheep blood agar plate and SDS-PAGE analyses indicated that its hydrolysis activity to blood proteins was not significantly influenced even in the presence of liquid detergents. The hydrolysis mechanism was further studied and results demonstrated that this protease could specifically hydrolyzed six proteins in Sheep Red Blood Cells (SRBCs) and four proteins in sheep plasma. These findings suggest that this crude halotolerant metalloprotease as a bio-additive may have considerable potentials in the application of liquid detergent formulations.

Long Term Hypoxia Reduces Levels of Oxylipins in Pulmonary Arteries and Venous Plasma of Fetal Sheep

High‐altitude long term hypoxia (LTH) during gestation compromises the development and function of the pulmonary vasculature in the fetus and later in the newborn. This may manifest as fetal growth restriction as well as pulmonary hypertension following birth. While the physiological regulation regarding the effects of hypoxia are well‐known, the dysregulation that occurs at the cellular and molecular level is not yet completely understood. Exploring the effects of LTH using a metabolomic approach is advantageous in deciphering the etiology associated with the development of disease. LTH is well regarded for inducing oxidative stress and causing inflammation. A number of possible regulators associated with LTH stress include oxylipins and endocannabinoids, products of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) oxidation. We hypothesized that high‐altitude LTH would reduce the levels of oxylipins and endocannabinoids of pulmonary arteries and plasma in fetal sheep. To test the hypothesis, we obtained samples of plasma and pulmonary arteries from fetal normoxic and hypoxic sheep raised at 3,800 m. altitude starting on gestation day 30. Metabolite levels were quantified using ultra performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). Chemical similarity enrichment analyses and visualization by complex pathway analyses was performed on the datasets. Our results support our hypothesis that select oxylipin concentrations were diminished in both venous plasma and pulmonary arteries. Omega‐3 PUFAs alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were reduced in both plasma and pulmonary arteries. 15‐HEPE and 12‐HEPE, derivatives of EPA and important anti‐inflammatory mediators, were also significantly reduced by LTH in plasma and pulmonary arterial samples from fetal animals. We believe that our studies provide insight toward identifying key biomarkers of LTH stress that will afford effective and prompt diagnosis of the neonate's physiological response. This is important when it comes to treating diseases associated with gestational hypoxia, which affects numerous mothers and newborns worldwide.Support or Funding InformationThis material is based upon work supported by NIH grants P01HD083132 (LZ) and 1U24DK097154 through a pilot project grant to SMW. VL is a recipient of the American Physiological Society's Short‐Term Research Education Program to Increase Diversity in Health‐Related Research (STRIDE) Fellowship funded by the APS and a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute R25HL115473.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin following intramuscular administration at different doses in sheep

The pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin (MBX) was determined following the intramuscular administration at the doses of 2, 4, 6, and 10 mg/kg in twenty-four healthy sheep. In parallel design, sheep were randomized to 2, 4, 6, and 10 mg/kg dose groups of six animals per group. High performance liquid chromatography method for determination of MBX in sheep plasma was used. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by a non-compartmental method. The dose-normalized the area under the concentration-versus-time curve (AUC0-∞) and dose-normalized maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) in 10 mg/kg dose group were significantly higher than other dose groups. The elimination half-life (t1/2λz) of marbofloxacin in 10 mg/kg dose group was significantly longer than other dose groups. MBX exhibited dose-proportional pharmacokinetics and was well tolerated after 2, 4, 6 and 10 mg/kg doses in sheep. The 2, 4, 6, and 10 mg/kg doses of MBX could be administered in the treatment of infections caused by susceptible pathogens in sheep. However, additional studies are needed to identify whether MBX is efficient in sheep of naturally infected with susceptible bacteria.

Changes in novel gastrointestinal and renal injury markers in the blood plasma of sheep following increasing intravenous doses of tolfenamic acid.

The administration of high doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as tolfenamic acid (TA), has undesirable effects on different organs. Some novel biomarkers have been reported that can determine the gastrointestinal and renal injury caused by a high dose of NSAIDs or other toxic substances. This study was aimed at determining the changes in gastrointestinal (TFF2 and HYP), renal (NGAL and KIM-1) and cardiac (cTn-I, CK-MB) injury markers after the use of increasing intravenous doses of TA in sheep. TA was administered intravenously to groups of six sheep each, at the dose levels of 0 (Group 0, i.e., G0), 2 (G2), 4 (G4), 8 (G8) and 16 (G16) mg/kg. The concentrations of the studied biomarkers were measured at 3, 9, 18 and 36 h after administration of TA. The TFF2 and NGAL concentrations in G16 were found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in the other groups except for G8 at different sampling times. HYP concentration in G16 was observed to be significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in all other groups at 36 h. KIM-1 level in G16 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in all other groups at different sampling times. An increase in the renal markers, KIM-1 and NGAL, in G8 was observed before any change in plasma creatinine and urea. The cardiac marker cTn-I in G16 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in other groups at different sampling times. The results showed that the novel biomarkers (HYP, TFF2, NGAL, and KIM-1) can be used to determine gastric and renal injury in sheep.

High-Throughput, Green, Low-Cost, and Efficient Recovery of Heparin from a Biological Mixture Using Bio-Originated Magnetic Nanofibers

Heparin is an anticoagulant commercially derived from porcine intestinal mucosa that is challenging to selectively isolate for further purification. In this study, we propose the fabrication of amine-functionalized magnetic nanobiofibers (NBF@Fe-NH2), 1–2 μm long and 50–200 nm wide with mostly tube-shaped structures, originating from grape seeds as green and efficient bioadsorbents for the efficient recovery of heparin. To rapidly screen for heparin adsorption, we used a novel high-throughput technique based on UV–vis spectroscopy and 96-well microplates. The heparin uptake performance of the fabricated adsorbents vs Amberlite FPA98 Cl, a conventional absorbent utilized in industry for heparin recovery, was examined in a mixture containing heparin isolated from porcine intestinal mucosa. The NBF@Fe-NH2 showed a higher heparin uptake perf compared to the Amberlite FPA98 Cl. Furthermore, we also performed a sheep plasma clotting assay and found that the heparin sample separated by NBF@Fe-NH2 featured a high...

The relationship between rumination appearance, ruminal fermentation and metabolite substance concentrations of blood plasma in sheep

The relationship between rumination appearance, ruminal fermentation and metabolite substance concentrations of blood plasma in sheep

Development of a method for the determination of 8-iso-PGF2α in sheep and goat plasma using solid-phase microextraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α is a biomarker of lipid peroxidation in cell membranes. The method developed to measure plasma total levels (esterified + free) of 8-iso-PGF2α must be reproducible and be able to reduce the use of solvents in solid phase extraction. It should be useful to evaluate oxidative stress due to the excess of free radicals that are generated by some disorder or disease. The method was developed using solid-phase microextraction with Oasis®MAX μElution plates and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS). Electrospray ionization was performed in the negative mode (ESI-); the multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) was used. The development of the method included the optimization of the chromatographic conditions to achieve the separation of PGF2α and 8-iso-PGF2α as well as the optimization of the microextraction conditions of the analyte of interest in ovine and goat plasma. The developed method was validated with a calibration curve of plasma samples fortified with standards at five concentration levels in the range 49-639pg/mL. The average recovery was 89% with a standard deviation of 10.73%. The inter-day precision was evaluated, obtaining a coefficient of variance (CV) less than 15%. The limit of quantification was 20pg/mL and the limit of detection was 10pg/mL. 8-iso-PGF2a was determined in the plasma of 14 sheep and 20 goats of 5months of age and 6 goats of 24months of age. The concentrations found were 50-300pg/mL. The method developed is precise, accurate and reliable with low reagent consumption compared with conventional solid-phase extraction. The analysis time was decreased because, with the use of the microextraction plate, the step of the evaporation and reconstitution of the analyte was avoided. The method is applicable to quantify the plasma total levels (esterified + free) of 8-iso-PGF2α.

High Altitude Hypoxia Impacts Omega‐3 Fatty Acid Metabolites in Plasma of Fetal and Newborn Sheep

Perinatal hypoxia has profound effect on an infant's development, with physiological impairment of multiple organ systems. The present study explored the effect of hypoxia due to long term high altitude exposure during gestation and after birth on lipid mediators by measuring the metabolites that foreshadow oxidative stress and inflammation, which are primary drivers of dysfunction. We tested the hypothesis that long term hypoxia reduces the amount of oxylipin and endocannabinoid production, which are important mediators of oxidative stress and inflammation. To test this hypothesis pregnant sheep and newborn lambs were housed at a low altitude (700 m) or exposed to an altitude of 3,800 meters starting gestation day 30. UPLC‐MS/MS analysis was used to investigate the lipid mediator composition in plasma collected from veins of near‐term fetal and newborn animals. The results show that hypoxia causes an overwhelming effect on omega‐3 fatty acids and their derivatives, which are crucial in late‐stage fetal development. Several of the omega‐3 fatty acids reduced with hypoxia have well known effects on inflammation, vascular tone, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, we tracked the origin of the identified oxylipins and endocannabinoids by tracing their pathways. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) pathway enzymes and the subsequent activity of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) are prominent synthesizers of the oxylipins such as epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and epoxyoctadecenoic acids (EpOMEs). Previous studies have suggested the role of EETs and EpOMEs in vasodilation, a feature in inflammation. Based on these findings we demonstrated that a majority of the affected oxylipins were produced from CYP and sEH enzymes, which are important to vascular function. These findings provide novel insight into our understanding of lipid metabolites to hypoxia‐induced dysfunction in the developing fetus and newborn. In the long term this may help us develop novel therapies that target inflammatory pathways induced by pre and post‐natal hypoxia.Support or Funding InformationThis material is based upon work supported by NIH grants P01HD083132 and 1U24DK097154 through a pilot project grant to Sean Wilson. VL is a recipient of the American Physiological Society's Short‐Term Research Education Program to Increase Diversity in Health‐Related Research (STRIDE) Fellowship funded by the APS and a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute R25HL115473.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

An examination of melanogenic traits and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;TYRP1&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; polymorphism in Nanping and Romney Marsh sheep breeds

Abstract. The effects of mutations of the gene for tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) on the black muscles and coat color in Nanping black-boned sheep were investigated. Tyrosinase activity and melanin content in plasma were measured and compared in three random groups of sheep: Nanping black-boned (101 heads), Nanping normal (106 heads) and Romney Marsh sheep (82 heads, Ovis aries). Eight exons and their partial flanking regions of the TYRP1 gene were amplified. Six intronic mutations and six exonic polymorphisms including two non-synonymous mutations [c.203C &gt; T (p.A68V) and c.1202T &gt; C (p.V401A)] were identified. Using a bi-directional polymerase chain reaction allele-specific amplification (bi-PASA) of the mutation c.203C &gt; T it was shown that the frequencies of allele C in the Nanping black-boned, Nanping normal and Romney Marsh sheep were respectively 0.955, 0.967 and 0.744. For the mutation c.1202T &gt; C, the frequencies of allele T in the three populations of sheep were respectively 0.777, 0.745 and 0.793 as measured using the single-strand conformation polymorphism. When the data from sheep of all three populations with the CC genotype of SNP c.203C &gt; T were pooled, it was found that there was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) tyrosinase activity, content of alkali-soluble melanin and ratio of eumelanin : total melanin than in the plasma of sheep with the CT and TT genotypes. This was not so within each of the three groups of sheep. No significant effect of the TRYP1 genotype on coat color was found. Further studies will be necessary to determine the cause of the black traits in Nanping black-boned sheep.

Flaxseed-enriched diets change milk concentration of the antimicrobial danofloxacin in sheep

BackgroundFlaxseed is the most common and rich dietary source of lignans and is an acceptable supply of energy for livestock. Flaxseed lignans are precursors of enterolignans, mainly enterolactone and enterodiol, produced by the rumen and intestinal microbiota of mammals and have many important biological properties as phytoestrogens. Potential food-drug interactions involving flaxseed may be relevant for veterinary therapy, and for the quality and safety of milk and dairy products. Our aim was to investigate a potential food-drug interaction involving flaxseed, to explore whether the inclusion of flaxseed in sheep diet affects concentration of the antimicrobial danofloxacin in milk.ResultsIncreased concentrations of enterodiol and enterolactone were observed in sheep plasma and milk after 2 weeks of flaxseed supplementation (P < 0.05). However, enterolactone and enterodiol conjugates were not detected in milk. Milk danofloxacin pharmacokinetics showed that area under the curve (AUC)0–24, maximum concentration (Cmax) and AUC0–24 milk-to-plasma ratios were reduced by 25–30% in sheep fed flaxseed-enriched diets (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrate, therefore, that flaxseed-enriched diets reduce the amount of danofloxacin in sheep milk and enrich the milk content of lignan-derivatives.ConclusionThese findings highlight an effect of flaxseed-enriched diets on the concentration of antimicrobials in ruminant’s milk, revealing the potential of these modified diets for the control of residues of antimicrobial drugs in milk.

The changes in the levels of elements in sheep with Contagious Ecthyma

This study has aimed to investigate the differences between the levels of trace elements in sheep with the diagnosis of ecthyma, and in healthy sheep. For this purpose, Be,Bi,Pb,Cd,Na,K,Ca,Mg,Fe,Cu,Zn,Se,Ni and Mn,Co,Cr,Li elements in the plasma of sheep with Contagious ecthyma detected with PCR and in sheep in the control group were analyzed with ICP-OES.In this study, the levels of Fe,Cu,Zn,Se and Pb trace elements were found to be statistically different between the sheep infected with parapoxvirus.The Na element of the macro elements was observed to be statistically different in sheep with ecthyma, to the control group(P less than 0.05).When there are low levels of metal concentration in sheep with ecthyma, their immune system can be considered to be weakened.Further studies can be carried out on the increase in the risk of developing the disease as a result of, in particular, a decrease in the Fe,Cu,Zn and Se concentrations in sheep infected with the virus.