Variation in ovine serum vitamin D concentrations from late summer to early spring and during immune challenge with bacterial endotoxin.

Vitamin D is most known for its role in the development and maintenance of the skeletal system. However, recent studies have found that vitamin D modulates the immune system, and at sufficient levels supports optimal immune function. Previous research has examined how vitamin D levels change seasonally and during immune stress challenges in both humans and cattle, but not sheep.

Freeze-dried fecal microorganisms as an effective biomaterial for the treatment of calves suffering from diarrhea.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a therapeutic modality for treating neonatal calf diarrhea. Several practical barriers, including donor selection, fecal collection, and a limited timeframe for FMT, are the main constraints to using fresh feces for implementing on-farm FMT. We report the utility of FMT with pretreated ready-to-use frozen (F) or freeze-dried (FD) microorganisms for treating calf diarrhea.

The Immunomodulatory Effects of Selenium: A Journey from the Environment to the Human Immune System.

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient that has gained attention for its impact on the human immune system. The purpose of this review is to explore Se's immunomodulatory properties and to make up-to-date information available so novel therapeutic applications may emerge. People acquire Se through dietary ingestion, supplementation, or nanoparticle applications.

Formation of the junctions between lymph follicles in the Peyer's patches even before postweaning activation.

Peyer's patches (PPs), which contain an abundance of B and T cells, play a key role in inducing pivotal immune responses in the intestinal tract. PPs are defined as aggregated lymph follicles, which consist of multiple lymph follicles (LFs) that may interact with each other in a synergistic manner. LFs are thought to be spherical in shape; however, the characteristics of their structure are not fully understood.

Characterization of the Hepatic Transcriptome for Divergent Immune-Responding Sheep Following Natural Exposure to Gastrointestinal Nematodes.

Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) reduce the economic efficiency of sheep operations and compromise animal welfare. Understanding the host's response to GIN infection can help producers identify animals that are naturally resistant to infection. The objective of this study was to characterize the hepatic transcriptome of sheep that had been naturally exposed to GIN parasites.

The role of interleukin-10 receptor alpha (IL10Rα) in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection of a mammary epithelial cell line.

Background: Johne's disease is a chronic wasting disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Johne's disease is highly contagious and MAP infection in dairy cattle can eventually lead to death. With no available treatment for Johne's disease, genetic selection and improvements in management practices could help reduce its prevalence.

Genomic Regions Associated with Resistance to Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasites in Sheep-A Review.

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) can be a major constraint and global challenge to the sheep industry. These nematodes infect the small intestine and abomasum of grazing sheep, causing symptoms such as weight loss, diarrhea, hypoproteinemia, and anemia, which can lead to death. The use of anthelmintics to treat infected animals has led to GIN resistance, and excessive use of these drugs has resulted in residue traced in food and the environment.

Novel lncRNA regulatory elements in milk somatic cells of Holstein dairy cows associated with mastitis.

Despite regulatory elements such as long non - coding RNAs representing most of the transcriptome, the functional understanding of long non - coding RNAs in relation to major health conditions including bovine mastitis is limited. This study examined the milk somatic cell transcriptome from udder quarters of 6 Holstein dairy cows to identify differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs using RNA - Sequencing. Ninety - four differentially expressed long non - coding RNAs are identified, 5 of which are previously annotated for gene name and length, 11 are annotated for gene name and 78 are novel, having no gene name or length previously annotated.

Evaluation of Immunomodulatory Effects of Mycotoxins Using Bacterial Endotoxin-Stimulated Bovine Epithelial Cells and Macrophages in Co-Culture.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a variety of fungi that contaminate animal food and feeds and are capable of inducing a wide range of toxicities. Predictive in vitro models represent valuable substitutes for animal experiments to assess the toxicity of mycotoxins. The complexities of the interactions between epithelial and innate immune cells, vital for upholding barrier integrity and averting infections, remain inadequately understood.

N-Acetylcysteine and Its Immunomodulatory Properties in Humans and Domesticated Animals.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an acetylated derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine, has been widely used as a mucolytic agent and antidote for acetaminophen overdose since the 1960s and the 1980s, respectively. NAC possesses antioxidant, cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and mucolytic properties, making it a promising therapeutic agent for a wide range of diseases in both humans and domesticated animals. Oxidative stress and inflammation play a major role in the onset and progression of all these diseases.

Assessing Larval Zebrafish Survival and Gene Expression Following Sodium Butyrate Exposure and Subsequent Lethal Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Endotoxin Challenge.

As aquaculture production continues to grow, producers are looking for more sustainable methods to promote growth and increase fish health and survival. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) with considerable benefits to gut health, and in recent years, butyrate has been commonly used as an alternative to antimicrobials in livestock production. In this study, we aimed to assess the protective effects of sodium butyrate (NaB) on larval zebrafish subjected to a lethal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin challenge and to elucidate potential protective mechanisms of action.

Remediation Strategies for Mycotoxins in Animal Feed.

Mycotoxins occur widely in various animal feedstuffs, with more than 500 mycotoxins identified so far [...

Dietary protein, lipid and insect meal on growth, plasma biochemistry and hepatic immune expression of lake whitefish ().

Studies are lacking that investigate the dietary nutrient requirements of lake whitefish (), a newly farmed fish species in Ontario, Canada. Dietary levels of protein and lipid must be optimized to ensure high growth performance for the commercial success of this species. Additionally, the inclusion of insect meal in the diet may improve growth and immune response.

Impact of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection on bovine IL10RA knockout mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) is an intracellular pathogen that causes Johne's disease (JD) in cattle and other ruminants. IL10RA encodes the alpha chain of the IL-10 receptor that binds the cytokine IL-10, and is one of the candidate genes that have been found to be associated with JD infection status.

Ferroptosis is involved in deoxynivalenol-induced intestinal damage in pigs.

Background: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a widespread issue for feed and food safety, leading to animal and human health risks. The objective of this study was to determine whether ferroptosis is involved in DON-induced intestinal injury in piglets. Three groups of 21-day-old male weanling piglets (n = 7/group) were fed a control diet, or diet adding 1.

Role of Toll-Like Receptor 4 in Mycobacterium avium subsp. Infection of Bovine Mammary Epithelial (MAC-T) Cells .

Toll-like receptor 4 () encodes an innate immune cell pattern-recognition receptor implicated in the recognition of Mycobacterium avium subsp. (MAP), the causative agent of Johne's disease in ruminants. Polymorphisms in have been associated with susceptibility to MAP infection.

Identifying hepatic genes regulating the ovine response to gastrointestinal nematodes using RNA-Sequencing.

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections are considered the most important disease of grazing sheep and due to increasing anthelmintic resistance, chemical control alone is inadequate. Resistance to Gastrointestinal nematode infection is a heritable trait, and through natural selection many sheep breeds have higher resistance. Studying the transcriptome from GINexposed and GIN-unexposed sheep using RNA-Sequencing technology can provide measurements of transcript levels associated with the host response to Gastrointestinal nematode infection, and these transcripts may harbor genetic markers that can be used in selective breeding programs to enhance disease resistance.

Alpha-class glutathione S-transferases involved in the detoxification of aflatoxin B in ducklings.

The objective of this study was to identify the key glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozymes involved in the detoxification of Aflatoxin B (AFB) in ducks' primary hepatocytes. The full-length cDNA encoding the 10 GST isozymes (GST, GST3, GSTM3, MGST1, MGST2, MGST3, GSTK1, GSTT1, GSTO1 and GSTZ1) were isolated/synthesized from ducks' liver and cloned into the pcDNA3.1(+) vector.

Expression Profile of miRNA from High, Middle, and Low Stress-Responding Sheep during Bacterial Endotoxin Challenge.

Animals respond to stress by activating a wide array of physiological and behavioral responses that are collectively referred to as the stress response. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that play key roles in the regulation of homeostasis. There are many reports demonstrating examples of stress-induced miRNA expression profiles.

Traditional and emerging mycotoxins disrupt homeostasis of bovine mammary cells by altering cell permeability and innate immune function.

High incidence of traditional and emerging mycotoxins in cereal grains and silages can be a potential threat to feed safety and ruminants. Inadequate biodegradation of mycotoxins by rumen microflora following ingestion of mycotoxin-contaminated feeds can lead to their circulatory transport to target tissues such as mammary gland. The bovine udder plays a pivotal role in maintaining milk yield and composition, thus, human health.

Comparative Assessment of Different Yeast Cell Wall-Based Mycotoxin Adsorbents Using a Model- and Bioassay-Based In Vitro Approach.

Frequently reported occurrences of deoxynivalenol (DON), beauvericin (BEA), and, to a lesser extent, ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CIT) in ruminant feed or feedstuff could represent a significant concern regarding feed safety, animal health, and productivity. Inclusion of yeast cell wall-based mycotoxin adsorbents in animal feeds has been a common strategy to mitigate adverse effects of mycotoxins. In the present study, an in vitro approach combining adsorption isotherm models and bioassays was designed to assess the efficacy of yeast cell wall (YCW), yeast cell wall extract (YCWE), and a postbiotic yeast cell wall-based blend (PYCW) products at the inclusion rate of 0.

Correction: Karrow et al. Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Potential Impact on Fetal and Neonatal Development. 2021, , 1351.

In the original publication [...