Superoxide Dismutase Gene Research Articles

Drought-induced Changes in the Antioxidant System in Pisum sativum L.

Background: This study was carried out for an understanding of the antioxidant mechanisms of field pea varieties under osmotic stress conditions caused by a lack of water. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APx) and glutathione reductase (GR) were examined and analyzed. The gene expression levels of Cu/Zn SOD, cAPx and GR genes were also examined. Methods: Osmotic stress was stimulated using PEG 6000 with the osmotic potential of -0.1 MPa in 10 days old plant seedlings. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes was measured in the shoots and roots of pea seedlings. The gene expression levels of genes coding antioxidative enzymes were examined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Arabidopsis 18S rRNA was used as endogenous control. Result: Osmotic stress changed the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the shoots and roots of pea seedlings. Varieties more tolerant to osmotic stress showed a significant increase in antioxidant activities in shoots and roots, while sensitive varieties showed a significant decrease. The results of the analysis of the expression of genes, coding for antioxidant enzymes, showed that the reaction of the tested cultivars to ROS was the result of increased expression of the tested genes in tolerant cultivars, i.e. decreased expression in sensitive cultivars.

Regulation of three subtypes of SOD gene in Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Acari:Acaridae) under lead stress.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an important enzyme that acts as the first line of protection in the mite antioxidant defense system, involved in eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) under harsh environmental conditions. Nevertheless, the SOD gene family was yet to be reported in stored grain pest mite (Aleuroglyphus ovatus). In this study, A. ovatus was used to evaluate the response of SOD gene during lead stress. A. ovatus were separately exposed to different concentration lead (12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg), which induce the dynamic trend of SOD enzyme activity initially increased and then reduced with an increase in lead concentration, whereas they were still substantially higher than the control group. Moreover, after lead stress, it was found that all of the three SOD genes showed enhanced relative messenger RNA expression at high concentrations and decreased relative expression at low concentrations, which indicated that lead stress induces the expression of AoSODs. The present work implies that AoSODs play an important role in resisting oxidative damage caused by lead stress.

Synthesis and potential antidiabetic and lipid-lowering activities of putative asperidine B and its desmethyl analogue

Putative asperidine B is an unnatural 2,6-disubstituted piperidin-3-ol and a structural isomer of (+)-preussin, a well-known pyrrolidin-3-ol alkaloid. This work reports the first enantioselective synthesis of putative asperidine B and its desmethyl analogue via a chiron approach starting from d-isoascorbic acid as well as evaluation of their free-radical scavenging, antidiabetic, and anti-hyperlipidemic activities. Both putative asperidine B and its desmethyl analogue markedly reduced the total reactive oxygen species (ROS) without cytotoxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. The desmethyl analogue was a potent inducer for two antioxidant gene expression, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, whereas putative asperidine B only induced superoxide dismutase. In addition, putative asperidine B exerted potent antidiabetic activity via α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 = 0.143 ± 0.001 mg/mL) comparable to that of acarbose, an antidiabetic drug. Consistent with the parent asperidine B (preussin), both putative asperidine B and its desmethyl analogue inhibited cholesterol absorption in the intestinal Caco-2 cells. These novel and promising antioxidant, antidiabetic, and lipid-lowering effects of piperidin-3-ols could offer a starting point for this class of compounds for obesity and diabetic drug discovery.

SOD1-ALS-Browser: a web-utility for investigating the clinical phenotype in SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Objective Variants in the superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene are among the most common genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Reflecting the wide spectrum of putatively deleterious variants that have been reported to date, it has become clear that SOD1-linked ALS presents a highly variable age at symptom onset and disease duration. Methods Here we describe an open access web tool for comparative phenotype analysis in ALS: https://sod1-als-browser.rosalind.kcl.ac.uk/. The tool contains a built-in dataset of clinical information from 1383 people with ALS harboring a SOD1 variant resulting in one of 162 unique amino acid sequence alterations and from a non-SOD1 comparator ALS cohort of 13,469 individuals. We present two examples of analyses possible with this tool, testing how the ALS phenotype relates to SOD1 variants that alter amino acid residue hydrophobicity and to distinct variants at the 94th residue of SOD1, where six are sampled. Results and conclusions The tool provides immediate access to the datasets and enables bespoke analysis of phenotypic trends associated with different protein variants, including the option for users to upload their own datasets for integration with the server data. The tool can be used to study SOD1-ALS and provides an analytical framework to study the differences between other user-uploaded ALS groups and our large reference database of SOD1 and non-SOD1 ALS. The tool is designed to be useful for clinicians and researchers, including those without programming expertise, and is highly flexible in the analyses that can be conducted.

The Effect of secretome-hypoxia mesenchymal-stem-cells and vitamin-d3 in type-2 diabetes-mellitus induced periodontitis rats

Background: A systemic metabolic disorder by insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is characterised by an increased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), which is associated with the activation of proinflammatory cytokine pathways such as tumor necrosis (TNF)-α. This condition usually stimulates inflammation of the periodontal tissue (periodontitis). Vitamin-D3 can inhibit the release of inflammatory mediator and reduce the risk of chronic periodontitis. Purpose this study to determine the effect of the secretome-hypoxia mesenchymal-stem-cells (SH-MSCs)-Vitamin-D3 combination on the expression of SOD, IL-10, and TNF-α genes in T2DM periodontitis-induced rats.
 Method: 30 rats were randomly divided into five groups; normal sham condition, positive control, SH-MSCs group, vitamin-D3 group, and combination of SH-MSCs and vitamin D3 group. SH-MSCs were injected at doses of 150 uL in the gingival. In addition, vitamin D3 5000 IU 2.25 mcg were administrated orally. After 35 days, all rats were sacrificed, and qRT-PCR from gingival tissue was performed to identify the expression of SOD, IL-10 and TNF-α genes 
 Results: The results a significant increase in SOD and IL-10 gene expression (p

Identification and Analysis of SOD Family Genes in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and Their Potential Roles in Stress Responses

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are crucial in safeguarding plants against reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity caused by abiotic or biotic factors. Although recent research has revealed the involvement of the SOD gene family in plant biological processes, the understanding of the SOD gene family in peanut remains inadequate. This study comprehensively characterizes the SOD gene family in the peanut genome. A total of 25 AhSOD genes were identified and subsequently categorized into three subfamilies: sixteen AhCSDs, six AhFSDs, and three AhMSDs according to the phylogenetic tree. A comprehensive analysis revealed that the AhSOD genes underwent segmental duplications. The majority of AhSOD genes exhibited conserved exon–intron and motif structures within the same subfamily. The examination of cis-acting elements within the promoter regions of SOD genes revealed that the expression of AhSOD was subject to regulation by plant hormones, as well as responses to defense and stress. RNA-seq analysis showed expression diversity of AhSOD genes in various tissues and cold, drought, and salt stresses. Furthermore, the regulation of AhSOD gene expression is anticipated to involve numerous transcription factors. The gene ontology annotation results validate the role of AhSOD genes in various stress stimuli, SOD activity, reactive oxygen species metabolic processes, and cellular oxidant detoxification processes. This investigation serves as the initial genome-wide analysis of the AhSOD gene family, providing a basis for comprehending the function of the AhSOD gene family and enhancing plant tolerance to cold, drought, and salt stresses.

Investigating the anticancer and anti-angiogenic effects of graphene oxide nanoparticles containing 6-gingerol modified with chitosan and folate

Abstract Objective The use of nanocarriers to improve the targeting of treatment plays a key role in the treatment of many diseases, including cancer. This study was carried out to synthesize graphene oxide (GO) containing 6-gingerol (Ging) modified with chitosan (CS)-folic acid (FA) nanoparticles (Ging-GO-CS-FA) to improve the anti-cancer effects of Ging. Methods After the synthesis of nanoparticles, the average size, surface charge, and dispersion index (DPI) of nanoparticles were analyzed by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were utilized to assess the morphology and functional groups of synthesized nanoparticles, respectively. The 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method was performed to assess the toxicity effect of nanoparticles on different types of cancer cells. The antioxidant power of nanoparticles was evaluated by ABTS and DPPH methods. In addition, the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) test was conducted to investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of nanoparticles. Finally, the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) method was carried out to detect the changes in the expression of angiogenic and antioxidant genes in cancer cells. Results The nanoparticles have an average size of 73.21 nm, a DPI of 0.27, and a surface charge of 29.5. The encapsulation rate of Ging in nanoparticles was reported to be 81.7%. According to the MTT test, the most sensitive cell line to the Ging-GO-CS-FA nanoparticles was reported to be gastric cancer cells (IC50 ~ 27). The results of the antioxidant test showed the high antioxidant power of nanoparticles in the laboratory environment by inhibiting ABTS and DPPH free radicals. The pro-oxidant power of Ging-GO-CS-FA against cancer cells was confirmed by reducing the amount of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene in the treated cells. The decreasing effects of Ging-GO-CS-FA on angiogenesis were observed by reducing the average length, the number of blood vessels, average height, and weight of treated embryos. In addition, the decrease in the expression of VEGF and VEGF-R genes confirmed the anti-angiogenic of Ging-GO-CS-FA. Conclusions These results show the promising effect of Ging-GO-CS-FA on gastric cancer cells by inhibiting angiogenesis and increasing the level of oxidants.

Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham., HPLC Profile, and Neuroprotective Potential via Regulation of JNK, miRNA132, and miRNA-125b.

In this study, we investigated the polyphenolic profile of Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham. by HPLC analysis and we also isolated three compounds from the ethyl acetate leaf extract, which were identified by different spectral data as vitexin 1, luteolin 2, and ferulic acid 3. Moreover, we investigated the three isolated compounds and the plant extract for their therapeutic potential against AlCl3 exposure-induced neurotoxicity in rats. This investigation aims to determine whether vitexin, luteolin, and ferulic acid in Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham. extract (P. macrocarpa) have the ability to treat AlCl3-induced brain toxicity in rats. Six groups of rats were created: group 1 (normal group), group 2 treated with AlCl3, and groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 treated with AlCl3 with vitexin, luteolin, ferulic acid, and P. macrocarpa extract, respectively, for 28 days. Neurotoxicity was assessed by measuring plasma IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BcL-2), B-cell lymphoma-2 associated-x (Bax), and neurogranin using the ELISA technique and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), miRNA-125b, and miRNA-132 levels using western blot and PCR. HPLC analysis identified major phenolics and flavonoids. Among the phenolics identified, chlorogenic acid was prevalent (2159.14 μg/g), and regarding flavonoids, rutin was prevalent (204.69 μg/g). A significant elevation of IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain Bax, neurogranin, and JNK levels and of miRNA-125b gene expression levels was observed following AlCl3 exposure. However, significant depletion of SOD, GSR, BcL-2, total protein, and miRNA-132 gene expression was observed in AlCl3-treated rats. Administration of the P. macrocarpa extract and its isolated compounds significantly increased SOD, GSR, BcL-2, total protein, and miRNA132 gene expression and decreased IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain Bax, neurogranin, and JNK levels and brain miRNA-125b gene expression compared to AlCl3-treated rats. P. macrocarpa extract and its isolated compounds ameliorated AlCl3-induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in rats.

Alleviatory Effects of Silicon and 24-Epibrassinolide in Modulation of Growth, Osmolytes, Metabolites, Antioxidant Defense System, and Gene Expression in Lead-Exposed Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) Plants

Amplified concentrations of lead (Pb) in cultivable soils, being a major environmental concern, bring about malicious consequences for plant and human health. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) is a multipurpose herb used as a spice, tonic, leafy vegetable, and therapeutic agent. Earlier works have revealed the inhibitory effects of Pb toxicity in Trigonella, affecting its growth and productivity. Therefore, the current experimental work was planned with the purpose of evaluating the effects of exogenously supplemented silicon (Si; 2 mM) and 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL; 10−7 M) (in both individual and combined form) on growth attributes, osmolytes, metabolite measures, and antioxidant defense mechanisms of Trigonella foenum-graecum plants in response to three discrete concentrations of Pb stress (0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 mM). The results revealed that Pb stress affected morphological parameters of fenugreek plants via the genesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as indicated by higher measures of oxidative damage indicators like malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Spraying foliage with Si together with a pretreatment of 24-EBL alone as well as in a combined form yielded better outcomes in terms of growth parameters in the Pb-stressed plants. Pb toxicity decreased osmolytes, proteins, and metabolites. Components of the antioxidative defense system, i.e., enzymes [ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), together with non-enzymes [ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), were downregulated when subjected to Pb toxicity. Out of all, Pb III (0.9 mM) had a more adverse impact on various parameters in fenugreek compared to Pb I (0.5 mM) and Pb II (0.7 mM). However, external supplementation with Si and 24-EBL (individually and in combination) ameliorated the Pb-mediated oxidative stress in fenugreek plants by improving the content of different osmolytes and metabolites while upregulating the functioning of the antioxidative defense system. Downregulation in the expression of SOD and CAT genes was found in Pb-stressed plants, while their expression was upregulated by Si and 24-EBL both individually and in combination. The experimental study revealed that the combined application of Si and 24-EBL was significantly better at abating the Pb metal stress in fenugreek plants when compared with their individual applications.

Enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity using mixed Lactobacillus casei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures in simulated gastrointestinal conditions with encapsulation

Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-producing microorganisms have attracted increasing attention given their scavenge superoxide anions capabilities, but further strengthening methods are still urgently needed. Herein, Lactobacillus casei F18 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae J14 were isolated for their high SOD activity. Co-culturing these two strains emerged effective nutritional cooperation, which increased SOD activity by 198.22% and 66.35% compared to F18 and J14, respectively. SOD activity of co-culture “F18 +J14” was further enhanced by response surface methodology and metal ion stress. High-performance liquid chromatographic and RT-qPCR analyses of “F18 +J14” revealed that SOD production pathways were active and contents of metabolites acetate and ethanol were dramatically increased. Metabolite complementarity experiment also verified the addition of acetate and ethanol in vitro enhanced SOD activity and gene expression of “F18 +J14”. These findings highlighted co-culture and metal ion stress enhanced SOD activity by cross-stimulating cells with metabolites, affecting cell growth, and up-regulating SOD genes. Furthermore, “F18 +J14” based immobilized bio-beads were successfully synthesized with sodium alginate combined CaCO3, which exhibited the highest cell vitality and SOD activity in the simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Together, this study revealed the synergistic promotion mechanism of SOD biosynthesis by co-cultivation lactic acid bacteria and yeast, and shows great promise for management of oxidation stress related diseases.

Small RNA and Degradome Sequencing Reveal Roles of miRNAs in the Petal Color Fading of Malus Crabapple.

The Malus crabapple is an important woody ornamental plant. The fading of petals during its development significantly affects their ornamental value. Petal color is related to anthocyanin content and miRNAs play an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of anthocyanin synthesis. However, the mechanisms underlying miRNA regulation of petal fading have rarely been studied. Transcriptome and small RNA sequencing of petals from the blooming phases of Malus. 'Indian Summer' varieties S1 (small bud), S2 (initial-flowering), and S3 (late-flowering) allowed us to identify 230 known miRNAs and 17 novel miRNAs, including 52 differentially expressed miRNAs which targeted 494 genes and formed 823 miRNA-target pairs. Based on the target gene annotation results, miRNA-target pairs were screened that may be involved in the fading process of Malus crabapple petals through three different pathways: anthocyanin synthesis, transport, and degradation, involving mcr-miR858-MYB1\MYB5 and mcr-miR396-McCHI inhibiting anthocyanin synthesis; mcr-miR167, mcr-miR390, mcr-miR535, and mcr-miR858 inhibiting anthocyanin transport from the cytoplasm to the vacuole by targeting ABC transporter genes (ABCB, ABCC, ABCD, and ABCG); and mcr-miR398 targeting the superoxide dismutase genes (CZSOD2 and CCS) to accelerate anthocyanin degradation. These findings offer a novel approach to understanding the mechanism of petal fading and serve as a reference for other plants with floral fading.

Comparative Analyses of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Gene Family and Expression Profiling under Multiple Abiotic Stresses in Water Lilies

Plants in their natural habitat frequently face different biotic and abiotic stresses, which lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage cell membranes, cause peroxidation and deterioration of macromolecules, and ultimately result in cell death. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), a class of metalloenzymes, is primarily found in living organisms and serves as the principal line of defense against ROS. The SOD gene family has not yet been characterized in any species of water lily from the genus Nymphaea. The present study aims to conduct a genome-wide study to discover SOD genes in four representative water lily species. In our present comparative study, we discovered 43 SOD genes in the genomes of four water lily species. The phylogenetic investigation results revealed that SOD genes from water lily and closely related plant species formed two distinct groups, as determined by their binding domains with high bootstrap values. Enzymatic ion-binding classified the SOD gene family into three groups, FeSOD, Cu/ZnSOD, and MnSOD. The analysis of gene structure indicated that the SOD gene family exhibited a relatively conserved organization of exons and introns, as well as motif configuration. Moreover, we discovered that the promoters of water lily SODs contained five phytohormones, four stress-responsive elements, and numerous light-responsive cis-elements. The predicted 3D protein structures revealed water lily SODs form conserved protein dimer signatures that were comparable to each other. Finally, the RT-qPCR gene expression analysis of nine NcSOD genes revealed their responsiveness to heat, saline, cold, cadmium chloride, and copper sulphate stress. These findings establish a basis for further investigation into the role of the SOD gene family in Nymphaea colorata and offer potential avenues for genetic enhancement of water lily aquaculture.

Cytotoxicity induced by abamectin in hepatopancreas cells of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis: An in vitro assay

Toxic effects of abamectin on non-target aquatic organisms have been well documented due to its extensive use in both agricultural and aquacultural areas. However, knowledge of the abamectin induced cytotoxicity in crustacean hepatopancreas is still incomplete. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of abamectin on hepatopancreas cells of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis by an in vitro assay. The results showed that abamectin inhibited cell viability with elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in a dose-dependent manner. Increased olive tail moment (OTM) values and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) contents indicate the DNA damage under abamectin exposure. The up-regulation of the typical apoptosis-related protein BCL2-associated X protein (Bax) and the down-regulation of B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) demonstrate apoptosis in hepatopancreas cells. Meanwhile, the activities of both caspase-3 and caspase-9 were increased, indicating caspase-mediated apoptosis. In addition, qRT-PCR results showed the up-regulation of antioxidant genes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The mRNA expression of Cap ‘n′ Collar isoform-C (CncC) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK) was also significantly increased, implying the involvement of the Nrf2/MAPK pathway in the antioxidative response. The alteration of innate immune-associated genes Toll-like receptor (TLR) and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (Myd88) also indicates the influence of abamectin on immune status. In summary, the present study reveals the cytotoxicity of abamectin on hepatopancreas cells of E. sinensis and this in vitro cell culture model could be used for further assessment of pesticide toxicity.

Effects of dietary guava leaf aqueous extract supplementation on growth, antioxidant capacity, and non-specific immunity in mud crab Scylla paramamosain

Mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) fed five different diets with varying concentrations of guava leaf aqueous extract (0 mg·kg–1, 80 mg·kg–1, 160 mg·kg–1, 320 mg·kg–1, and 640 mg·kg–1) for 30 days. Mud crabs in the 320 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups outperformed the control group in terms of survival rates (SR), weight gain rates (WGR), and specific growth rates (SGR). When compared to the control group, mud crabs in the 320 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups had significantly higher levels of lipase (LPS), pepsin, lysozyme (LZM), superoxide dismutase (SOD), acid phosphatase (ACP), and glutathione (GSH) (P < 0.05). The amylase (AMS) activity was significantly decreased in all experimental groups (P < 0.05). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the hepatopancreas of mud crabs in the 160 mg·kg–1, 320 mg·kg–1, and 640 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups were significantly reduced compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, real-time PCR results illustrated that the expression levels of GPx3, CAT, and JNK were all considerably increased in the 80 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In the 160 mg·kg–1, 320 mg·kg–1, and 320 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups, the expression levels of SOD genes were considerably greater than the control (P < 0.05), which was consistent with the level of SOD activity. GST and P53 gene expression levels were significantly up-regulated in the 80 mg·kg–1, 160 mg·kg–1, 320 mg·kg–1, and 640 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Overall, the addition of 160 mg·kg–1-320 mg·kg–1 guava-leaf extract to the feed of Scylla paramamosain promoted growth, enhanced the activities of digestive and antioxidant enzymes, and strengthened immunity.

The Effects of Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) Leaf Extract on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Status, and Immunity of Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

An 8-week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) leaf extract (GLE) on the growth, oxidative enzymatic activities, immunity, and expression of antioxidant genes in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Three hundred and sixty zebrafish were supplied and fed with different levels of GLE: 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 g kg−1. The dietary administration of 1 g kg−1 of GLE significantly increased growth parameters in fish. Fish fed diets with GLE showed increased total protein. The total Ig and lysozyme activity significantly changed in the whole-body serum, but not in skin mucus. GLE significantly increased Catalase (CAT), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) activities compared to the control diet. GLE treatments caused a significant decrease in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In the skin mucus, only CAT and SOD activities significantly increased. The highest expression of Toll-like receptor-1 (TLR-1) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα) genes was achieved in fish fed 2 g kg−1 of GLE. CAT and SOD gene expressions were significantly higher in fish fed 1 and 2 g kg−1 of GLE. GPx gene expression was significantly higher in fish fed 1 g kg−1 of GLE. In conclusion, the results of the present study revealed that GLE affects growth performance and regulates antioxidant and immune gene expression. The determination of the optimum dosage merits further research.

Kidney bean protein hydrolysate as a fish meal replacer: Effects on growth, digestive enzymes, metabolic functions, immune-antioxidant parameters and their related gene expression, intestinal and muscular gene expression

A feeding trial for 70 days was designated on Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus). A total of 200 fish (34.38 ± 0.05 g) were assigned into five groups, four replicates for each (10 fish/replicate; 40 fish/group) and received five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets with five replacement levels of fishmeal (FM) with kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) protein hydrolysate (KBH) (0, 25, 50, 75, 100%). The findings demonstrated a significant increase in the performance metrics (final body weight, total weight gain, average daily weight gain, protein efficiency ratio, and specific growth rate) with a considerable improvement in the feed conversion ratio across all replacement levels, with the greatest value obtained in the KBH75 and KBH100 groups. Regarding the broken line regression analysis, the optimum FM replacement level with KBH was 76%. By replacing FM with KBH, the growth hormone and digestive enzymes (amylase and protease) levels were significantly increased, whilst the glucose and leptin hormone levels significantly declined. The amino acid transporters (solute carrier family 15 member 2 and solute carrier family 26 member 6), insulin growth factor-1, the immune-associated genes (interleukin-8, toll-like receptors-7, and cc-chemokine), and the antioxidant-associated genes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and Glutathione synthetase) expression was substantially boosted in all replacement levels, where the KBH50 group recorded the highest expression. As well as the mRNA expression of myostatin was down-turned in all replacement levels relative to the KBH0 group. Improving the immune functions (lysozyme, complement 3, nitric oxide, phagocytic %, and phagocytic index) was noticed by FM replacement with KBH. The cumulative mortality as a result of challenging with Aeromonas sobria at the end of the feeding trial was decreased by increasing the replacement level (80, 40, 37, 30, and 25% for KBH0, KBH25, KBH50, KBH75, and KBH100, respectively). From the economic point of view, the feed costs and feed cost/ kg gain declined in the KBH75 and KBH100 diets. From the aforementioned outcomes, KBH could replace the FM up to 100% with improving the growth and their related genes expression, digestive enzymes activity, and immune/antioxidant parameters and their encoding gene expression, and the optimal replacement level was 76%. The replacement of FM with KBH was economically efficient.

Tofersen: First Approval.

Tofersen (Qalsody™) is an antisense oligonucleotide being developed by Biogen for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). On 25 April 2023, tofersen was approved in the USA for the treatment of ALS in adults who have a mutation in the superoxide dismutase1 (SOD1) gene. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of tofersen leading to this first approval for ALS.

Effects of different dietary carbohydrate-to-protein ratios on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and energy metabolism in Marsupenaeus japonicus

Four diets containing different carbohydrate-to-protein ratios including the control (18% carbohydrate, 45.98% protein), 0.51 C/P (22% carbohydrate, 43.55% protein), 0.58 C/P (24% carbohydrate, 42.33% protein) and 0.72 C/P (28% carbohydrate, 38.91% protein) were designed to investigate the effects of dietary carbohydrate-to-protein ratios (C/P) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and energy metabolism in Marsupenaeus japonicus. Totals of 300 shrimp with an average initial weight of 1.08 ± 0.01 g were randomly assigned to four different dietary treatments. Each treatment included three 300 L tanks, with 25 shrimp in each tank. The results indicated that although growth performance had a decreased trend with increased carbohydrate-to-protein ratios, no overall difference (P > 0.05) was observed. There was a significant decreased trend (P < 0.05) in the acitivity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH) with the increased carbohydrate-to-protein ratios. It’s worthy noting that inter-tissue differences existed in the antioxidant capacity of M.japonicus in response to dietary different carbohydrate-to-protein ratios. The expression of the antioxidant genes (superoxide dismutase isoform 5, sod-5; peroxiredoxin, prx; ferriten) and heat shock protein 70 in intestine was up-regulated (approximately 20–250 fold) (P < 0.05), while the expression of antioxidant genes (sod-5, prx, ferriten) in hepatopancreas was lowered (P < 0.05) with the dietary increased carbohydrate-to-protein ratios. With the dietary increased carbohydrate-to-protein ratios, energy metabolism genes were up-regulated (P < 0.05) while the pepck1 level was down-regulated (P < 0.05) in the hepatopancreas. In addition, there was a first increased and then decreased trend (P < 0.05) of energy metabolism associated gene expressions in intestine. When shrimp fed with 0.72 C/P diet, although above energy metabolism associated genes expression except pepck1 showed a downward trend, its value was still significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. In conclusion, although growth performance was not significantly influenced by different carbohydrate-to-protein ratios, antioxidant capacity and energy metabolism was affected in M.japonicus. The response mechanism to different carbohydrate-to-protein ratios showed tissue-specific. Hepatopancreas and intestine were collaborative to regulate antioxidant and energy metabolism in M.japonicus.

The superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes family mediates the response of Nilaparvata lugens to jinggangmycin and sugar.

Introduction: Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is a major rice pest causing significant damage to rice throughout the world. Intensive pesticide usage often causes resistance in these seasonal pests, mainly through the modulation of antioxidant machinery. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene family is known for regulating BPH response to pesticides. Methods: In the present study, we identified eight NlSOD genes from the NCBI using the BLASTP program. The bioinformatics analysis includes a phylogenetic tree, conserved domain, motifs, gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways, and protein-protein interaction, highlighting the distinctive functional elements of NlSOD genes. Results and discussion: Additionally, the NlSOD genes showed expression in all developmental stages of BPH. Under three sugars (glucose, sucrose, and trehalose) treatment, the respective upregulation of NlSOD8, NlSOD6, and NlSOD2 was noted. The NlSOD1 induced significantly under jinggamycin (JGM) deduced its potential as a key regulator of BPH response to the pesticide. Our study has provided detailed knowledge of the NlSOD gene family in-silico analysis and the defensive response to insecticide and high sugar of BPH. We hope the results of this research will help to shed light on the resistance of BPH towards insecticide toxicity and high sugar and help to control it more efficiently.

Effect of continuous dietary administration of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, Δmnn9, on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) juveniles: Immunological and histopathological findings after Vibrio coralliilyticus challenge

Yeast cells and their cell wall components, mainly β-glucans, are strong immunostimulants in bivalves, however, it remains unclear whether long-term administration of yeast contributes to prolonged activity of bivalve immune systems. Understanding these innate immune mechanisms is essential to establishing feeding strategies and disease prevention in hatcheries and nurseries. The present study examined the immunostimulatory effect of continuous dietary supply of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn9 mutant (∆mnn9), which exhibits elevated exposure of β-glucans on the cell-wall surface, on Crassostrea gigas juveniles, and its protective effect against Vibrio coralliilyticus infections. In trial 1 the expression levels of immune-related genes were determined in oysters fed the ∆mnn9-containing diet 50A50Y (50% algae, 50% ∆mnn9; based on dry weight), compared to those fed the 100% algae-based diet (100A), after 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 h of feeding. In trial 2: the feeding period was expanded to 8 days, where the algal diet (100A) was provided every day, but substituted with 50A50Y for 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 days (treatments 0D (control), 1D, 2D, 4D, and 8D, respectively) just before a Vibrio challenge, which was monitored for 7 days. Gene expression was measured before and 24-h after the Vibrio challenge. Histological analysis was performed on oysters on day 7 post-Vibrio challenge. Results showed that 50A50Y induced upregulation of interleukin 17–5 (CgIL17–5; 6 h), lysozyme (CgLys; 6 and 9 h), β-glucan-binding protein (CgβGBP; 18 h), and superoxide dismutase (CgSOD; 18 and 24 h) genes in juveniles (trial 1). Before the challenge, trial 2 demonstrated overexpression of CgSOD in animals from 1D, CgLys in those from 1D, 2D, and 4D, but not in oysters from 8D, compared to those from 0D. However, higher CgIL17–5 expression levels were observed in animals from 2D, 4D, and 8D, suggesting that inflammatory genes can remain inducible after 8 days of ∆mnn9 feeding. After the Vibrio challenge, a significantly higher survival was observed in animals from 1D (35.8%), 2D (45.0%), 4D (49.2%), but not 8D (25.8%), compared to the survival of animals from 0D (16.7%). These findings suggest that regulatory feedback mechanisms occurring during continuous ∆mnn9 feeding might lead to host tolerance or homeostasis. Also, we showed that V. coralliilyticus promotes overexpression of CgβGBP, C-type lectin receptor (CgCLec-3), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (CgMyD88), nuclear factor-kappa B (CgNFκB), CgLys, and CgSOD genes in oysters at 24-h post-exposure. Finally, this study provides insights into histopathological manifestations in the digestive tract, muscles, and gills of Vibrio-infected oysters.