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Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a systemic, potentially fatal viral disease. The objectives of this study were to review clinical and laboratory features and treatment of cats highly suspected of FIP in Wuhan, China. The clinical records of 127 cats highly suspected of FIP were reviewed for history, clinical signs, physical findings, and diagnostic test results. Sex, neutering status, breed, age, and month of onset of disease were compared with the characteristics of the clinic population. Age and neutering status were significantly correlated with FIP-suspicion. Sex, breed and onset month were not associated with FIP. There were many more FIP-suspected cases in cats in young cats or male intact cats. Effusion was observed in 85.8% of the FIP-suspected cats. Increased serum amyloid A (SAA) and lymphopenia were common laboratory abnormalities in the FIP cases. Furthermore, 91.7% of the cats highly suspected of FIP had an albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio < 0.6, while 85.3% had an A/G ratio < 0.5. The mortality rate for FIP-suspected cats was 67%, and six submitted cases were confirmed by FIP-specific immunohistochemistry. Of the 30 cats treated with GS-441524 and/or GC376, 29 were clinically cured. The study highlights the diverse range of clinical manifestations by clinicians in diagnosing this potentially fatal disease. A/G ratio and SAA were of higher diagnostic value. GS-441524 and GC376 were efficient for the treatment of FIP-suspected cats.

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a bioactive phytopharmaceutical with diverse pharmacological potential, predominantly because of its established antiplasmodial efficacy. Here, we investigated the effects of DHA on metabolic homeostasis in Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells in the context of dose-specific adaptation of metabolism and regulation of biochemistry pathway changes. According to our findings, extensive changes in metabolism were revealed by PCA, accounting for a variability of 59.4% to distinguish contrasting metabolic signatures from normal cells. Metabolomic characterization demonstrated 67 constituting metabolites of baseline cellular processes, while 32 and 44 metabolites have demonstrated differential abundance in low- and high-dose treatments, respectively. Impaired metabolism of glycerophospholipid, amino acid, and nucleotide biosynthesis was reported with implications such as regulation of membrane reorganization, nitrogen metabolism, and cellular bioenergetics. Bioindicators of high-volume lysophosphatidylcholine (18:0) and choline phosphate revealed a lipid homeostatic change, in addition to imbalances in glutamic acid and proline levels. Pathway regulation further modulated ABC transporters and arachidonic acid signaling as implications of systemic phytopharmaceutical-modulated reorganization of metabolism. Hence, the study gives mechanistic insight into DHA-initiated modulation of cellular metabolism in MDBK cells, elucidating its status as a cellular metabolism regulator. Findings confirm the potential of DHA as a phytopharmaceutical in modulating diseases of metabolism, further solidifying its relevance in evidence-based traditional herbal remedies and natural compound therapeutics.

Bovine mastitis threatens the dairy industry with limited effective therapies. The selenoprotein family offers potential anti-inflammatory interventions, yet the role of Selenoprotein F (SELENOF) remains unclear. This study investigated SELENOF in mitochondrial damage and pyroptosis using clinical mammary biopsies and a Staphylococcus aureus-induced Mammary alveolar cell-type T (MAC-T) cell model. Histology, TEM, immunofluorescence, Western blot, qPCR, RNA-seq, and mitochondrial staining (MitoTracker Red and JC-1) were employed. Mastitic mammary tissue exhibited severe architectural disruption, including focal necrosis with coalescing vacuoles of variable size, extensive epithelial denudation, and interstitial thickening with dense inflammatory infiltrates. At the ultrastructural level, mitochondrial swelling, cristae loss, and plasma membrane rupture were evident. Additionally, these tissue specimens exhibited marked upregulation of inflammatory mediator transcripts, notably IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, alongside heightened abundance of pyroptosis-associated proteins including NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), cleaved caspase-1, and GSDMD-N (Gasdermin D N-terminal domain). RNA-seq identified SELENOF as significantly downregulated. The MAC-T model recapitulated the mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory response, and pyroptosis observed in mastitic tissue. SELENOF overexpression restored mitochondrial membrane potential, dampened the output of inflammatory signaling molecules, and suppressed NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis via attenuation of caspase-1/GSDMD-N pathway activation. These findings establish SELENOF as a novel target that mitigates bovine mastitis by preserving mitochondrial homeostasis and suppressing NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is classified as a Deltaretrovirus and shows close genomic and biological similarities with human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLVs). It serves as the etiological agent for enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), which stands as the most prevalent neoplastic disease affecting cattle globally. Additionally, BLV has been identified as a potential zoonotic pathogen, although the risk to human health remains a subject of ongoing research. The insidious nature of BLV lies in its predominantly subclinical presentation; the majority of BLV-infected cattle show no apparent symptoms. This subclinical nature poses challenges for disease detection and control, as infected animals can remain unnoticed carriers, contributing to the silent spread of the virus within herds. This characteristic also underscores the importance of surveillance and early detection strategies to monitor BLV prevalence and mitigate its spread. Despite concerted efforts in some regions to implement eradication programs, BLV continues to maintain a high prevalence worldwide. The persistence of BLV in cattle populations highlights the need for innovative and integrated approaches to control and manage the disease effectively. The development of a BLV vaccine represents a significant breakthrough in the fight against BLV transmission. A successful vaccine can not only reduce the incidence of BLV infection but also minimize the associated economic losses linked to reduced milk production, reproductive issues, and the premature culling of infected animals. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of BLV, encompassing its origin, evolutionary patterns, epidemiology, risk factors, and control strategies, is pivotal. Such knowledge serves as the foundation for the development of effective vaccines, diagnostic tools, and control measures. Through this review, we aim to consolidate and present this multifaceted understanding of BLV, providing valuable insights and guidance for researchers, veterinarians, and policymakers involved in BLV prevention and control efforts globally.

Stigma exsertion ratio (SER) of rice male sterile line directly affects the hybrid rice F 1 seed production, while SER was directly affected by the total of stigma and style length (TSSL). To improve the F 1 seed production, it is necessary to identify the genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling TSSL. In this study, we used the 7001 S with short TSSL, Zitai S with long TSSL and F 2 to preliminarily map the QTL controlling TSSL to a 2.71 Mb interval using BSA-seq method. Based on the known SSR marker and newly designed InDel markers, the target region was further narrowed down to a 58.2 kb interval between TSL25 and TSL128 on chromosome 3. Gene knockout experiment was used to confirm Os03g0407400 ( GS3 ) as a candidate gene controlling TSSL. Furthermore, according to the sequence alignment difference in the coding region of GS3 between 7001 S and Zitai S, the marker M1 was developed and revealed to be closely linked to TSSL. Combining fertility identification and molecular marker-assisted selection, a fertility-stable near-isogenic line (NIL) of C815S with long TSSL was created. It was found through small-scale F 1 seed production combination trials that the outcrossing seed setting ratio of combination NIL-C815S × R919 was 39.31%, and the yield of the F 1 seeds harvested from the female parents in the unit area was 237.50 g, which were both higher than that of the combination C815S × R919. These results laid a foundation for further research on the TSSL trait in rice and enriched its molecular regulatory network.

Short stigma is one of the main reasons of low yield of F1 hybrid seed production, especially in japonica rice. Genetics analysis and identifying favorable alleles for stigma traits are necessary for improving the parents suitable for F1 hybrid seed production. In this study, we investigated the stigma length (STL) and the sum of stigma and style length (TSSL) of 254 recombinant inbred lines from population derived from Xiushui 79 × C Bao cross in three environments, and a multi-trait multi-environment quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was conducted. There existed rich phenotypic variances, which provides a basis for mining favorable alleles. The correlation analysis showed that STL was significant positive correlation with TSSL. For STL, we identified 5 stable QTLs, in which 3 QTLs were found novelty, with the phenotypic variance explained (PVE) from 2.87 to 7.38%. The QTL qSTL10 has the largest PVE (7.38%). The synergistic allele of qSTL10 was from C Bao (an inbred parent that contributes the favorable alleles that increase the traits) and could increase STL 0.03 mm. For TSSL, 4 of 7 stable QTLs were novel, with the PVE from 2.17 to 8.32%. The synergistic allele of qTSSL12 was from C Bao and could increase TSSL 0.05 mm. These results provide a basis for the further fine-mapping of STL and TSSL in japonica rice and the selection male-sterile lines with long stigma in japonica rice by molecular marker-assisted selection.

Background The snub-nosed monkey ( Rhinopithecus roxellanae ) is an endangered animal species mainly distributed in China and needs to be protected. Gut microbiome is an important determinant of animal health and population survival as it affects the adaptation of the animals to different foods and environments under kinetic changes of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate gut fecal microbiome profiles of snub-nosed monkeys affected by several extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including raising patterns (captive vs. wild), age, sex, and diarrheal status to provide a reference for making protection strategies. Results The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was firstly used to pre-check clustering of 38 fecal samples from the monkeys including 30 wild and 8 captive (5 healthy and 3 diarrheal) from three Regions of Shennongjia Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, China. Then the 24 samples with high-quality DNA from 18 wild and 6 captive (4 healthy and 2 diarrheal) monkeys were subjected to shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize bacterial gut microbial communities. We discovered that the raising pattern (captive and wild) rather than age and sex was the predominant factor attributed to gut microbiome structure and proportionality. Wild monkeys had significantly higher bacterial diversity and lower Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratios than captive animals. Moreover, the gut microbiomes in wild healthy monkeys were enriched for the genes involved in fatty acid production, while in captive animals, genes were enriched for vitamin biosynthesis and metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis from carbohydrate intermediates. Additionally, a total of 37 antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) types were detected. Unlike the microbiome diversity, the captive monkeys have a higher diversity of ARG than the wild animals. Conclusion Taken together, we highlight the importance of self-reprogramed metabolism in the snub-nosed monkey gut microbiome to help captive and wild monkeys adapt to different intrinsic and extrinsic environmental change.

Nucleomodulins are a class of effector proteins secreted by bacterial pathogens that translocate into the host cell nucleus to modulate nuclear processes. However, their target proteins and underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood in mycobacteria. Herein, we identified a conserved hypothetical protein Rv1075c, designated MgdE, as a nucleomodulin that enhances mycobacterial intracellular survival. MgdE undergoes nuclear translocation via two nuclear localization signals, KRIR 108-111 and RLRRPR 300-305 , and interacts with ASH2L and WDR5, two subunits of the host histone methyltransferase COMPASS complex. This interaction suppresses histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation-mediated transcription of pro-inflammatory genes, including IL6 and IL1Β , thereby promoting mycobacterial survival in both macrophages and mice. Our study provides the first experimental evidence that a bacterial nucleomodulin facilitates intracellular survival by directly targeting the host COMPASS complex. These findings advance our understanding of mycobacterial pathogenesis by revealing a novel mechanism that contributes to its intracellular survival strategy.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is one of the most significant infectious agents threatening the global pig industry. Due to its high mutation and recombination rates, the prevalence of PRRSV in domestic pig populations is complex. To better understand the epidemiology of PRRSV, we conducted a large-scale investigation in eastern China, focusing on pig farms with a history of high abortion rates. A total of 14,934 pig samples were collected from 11 sow farms and 53 fattening farms across three provinces. Among these, 13.0% of the collected samples tested positive for PRRSV, with specific prevalence rates of 19.7% in sows and 12.4% in piglets. Genetic evolution analysis of the GP5 gene from 43 PRRSV strains identified in this study revealed that NADC30-like, NADC34-like, and HP-PRRSV were the predominant lineages in domestic pig farms. The NADC30-like genotype was the most dominant and had evolved into three subgenotypes, while the NADC34-like strains had diverged into two subgenotypes. Further analysis of the Nsp2 gene from 18 strains indicated that the NSP2 gene of multiple NADC34-like strains was closely related to that of the NADC30-like, suggesting that the NADC34-like strains are primarily recombinant viruses. Sequence comparison of the Nsp2 gene showed that both NADC30-like and NADC34-like viruses share 111 amino acid deletions at positions 322–433 and 21 amino acid deletions at positions 539–558 in the Nsp2 gene coding region. For the first time, the pathogenicity of a representative NADC34-like virus isolated in China was evaluated in pregnant sow. The results showed that infected sows exhibited an increased body temperature, ear cyanosis, and typical edema and cyanosis of the external genitalia. Moreover, all infected sows experienced miscarriage, with 100% of the aborted piglets being stillbirths exhibiting a high virus load. These findings indicate that this NADC34-like virus is highly virulent to sows.

Mycoplasma bovis causes important diseases and great losses on feedlots and dairy farms. However, there are only a few measures to control M. bovis -related diseases. As in other mycoplasma species, this is predominantly because the virulence related factors of this pathogen are largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify novel virulence-related factors among the secreted proteins of M. bovis . Using bioinformatic tools to analyze its secreted proteins, we preliminarily predicted 39 secreted lipoproteins, and then selected 11 of them for confirmation based on SignalP scores >0.6 or SceP scores >0.8 and conserved domains. These 11 genes were cloned after gene modification based on the codon bias of Escherichia coli and expressed. Mouse antiserum to each recombinant protein was developed. A western blotting assay with these antisera confirmed that MbovP280 and MbovP475 are strongly expressed and secreted proteins, but only MbovP280 significantly reduced the viability of bovine macrophages (BoMac). In further experiments, MbovP280 induced the apoptosis of BoMac treated with both live M. bovis and MbovP280 protein. The conserved coiled-coil domain of MbovP280 at amino acids 210–269 is essential for its induction of apoptosis. Further, immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and coimmunoprecipitation assays identified the anti-apoptosis regulator αB-crystallin (CRYAB) as an MbovP280-binding ligand. An αβ-crystallin knockout cell line BoMac-cryab − , Mbov0280-knockout M. bovis strain T9.297, and its complemented M. bovis strain CT9.297 were constructed and the apoptosis of BoMac-cryab − induced by these strains was compared. The results confirmed that CRYAB is critical for MbovP280 function as an apoptosis inducer in BoMac. In conclusion, in this study, we identified MbovP280 as a novel secreted protein of M. bovis that induces the apoptosis of BoMac via its coiled-coil domain and cellular ligand CRYAB. These findings extend our understanding of the virulence mechanism of mycoplasmal species.