Shiga toxin 2eB-transgenic lettuce vaccine: N-glycosylation is important for protecting against porcine edema disease.

Porcine edema disease (ED) is a life-threatening toxemia caused by enteric infection with Shiga toxin 2e (Stx2e)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in weaned piglets. We previously reported that the stx2eB-transgenic lettuce 2BH strain shows potential for use as an oral vaccine candidate against ED. However, the 2BH strain expressed a hemagglutinin (HA)-tag together with Stx2eB and contained non-canonical N-glycosylation.

Shiga toxin 2eB-transgenic lettuce vaccine is effective in protecting weaned piglets from edema disease caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection.

Porcine edema disease (ED) is a toxemia that is caused by enteric infection with Shiga toxin 2e (Stx2e)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and is associated with high mortality. Since ED occurs most frequently during the weaning period, preweaning vaccination of newborn piglets is required. We developed stx2eB-transgenic lettuce as an oral vaccine candidate against ED and examined its protective efficacy using a piglet STEC infection model.

Improved porcine model for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection by deprivation of colostrum feeding in newborn piglets.

Porcine edema disease (ED) is a toxemia caused by enteric infection with Shiga toxin 2e (Stx2e)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). ED occurs most frequently during the weaning period and is manifested as emaciation associated with high mortality. In our experimental infection with a specific STEC strain, we failed to cause the suppression of weight gain in piglets, which is a typical symptom of ED, in two consecutive experiments.

Comparison of gene expression profiles of T cells in porcine colostrum and peripheral blood.

OBJECTIVE To compare gene expression patterns of T cells in porcine colostrum and peripheral blood. ANIMALS 10 multiparous sows. PROCEDURES Cytotoxic and CD4-CD8 double-positive T cells were separated from porcine colostrum and peripheral blood.

The effect of colostrum ingestion during the first 24 hours of life on early postnatal development of piglet immune systems.

It has been suggested that colostrum is important not only for direct protection from pathogens but also for proper development of immune systems in piglets. In this study, we focused on the effect of colostrum ingestion during the first 24 h of life on early postnatal development of piglet immune systems. Thirty-six piglets from five litters were divided into colostrum-fed (CoF) and colostrum-deprived (CoD) groups.

Evaluation of secretion volume and immunoglobulin A and G concentrations in sow colostrum from anterior to posterior teats.

Among domestic animals, teat order is only observed in the pig. In order to achieve the healthy growth and weaning of piglets, it is important to elucidate if volume of colostrum secretion and immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG concentrations differ among the teats of a sow. Nine sows were used to evaluate the difference in colostrum secretion volume (CSV) and four of these sows were assessed for IgA and IgG concentrations from each teat.

Shotgun proteomic analysis of porcine colostrum and mature milk.

The epitheliochorial nature of the porcine placenta prevents the transfer of maternal immunity. Therefore, ingestion of the colostrum immediately after birth is crucial for neonatal piglets to acquire passive immunity from the sow. We performed a shotgun proteomic analysis of porcine milk to reveal in detail the protein composition of porcine milk.

Interaction between optineurin and the bZIP transcription factor NRL.

Although the gene encoding optineurin (OPTN) is a causative gene for glaucoma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it is ubiquitously expressed in all body tissues, including the retina. To study the function of OPTN in retinal ganglion cells as well as the whole retina, we previously isolated OPTN-interacting proteins and identified the gene encoding the bZIP transcription factor neural retina leucine zipper (NRL), which is a causative gene for retinitis pigmentosa. Herein, we investigated the binding between OPTN and NRL proteins in HeLaS3 cells.

The preventive effect of Bacillus subtilus strain DB9011 against experimental infection with enterotoxcemic Escherichia coli in weaning piglets.

Porcine edema disease (ED) is caused by Shiga toxin 2e-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Post-weaned piglets often suffer from ED as a result of intestinal infection with STEC, which causes impaired growth performance and high mortality. Antimicrobial therapy is a curative treatment for piglets infected with STEC, but the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant STEC has become a serious problem for Japanese pig farmers.

Correlation between villous height and the disaccharidase activity in the small intestine of piglets from nursing to growing.

Early weaning induces villous atrophy in the small intestine. Reduction in villous height in the small intestine after weaning is associated with reductions in brush-border enzyme activity. Body weight gain after weaning is, therefore, correlated with villous height.

Interference of kallikrein 1b26 (klk1b26) translation by microRNA specifically expressed in female mouse submandibular glands: an additional mechanism for sexual dimorphism of klk1b26 protein in the glands.

Background: Mouse kallikrein 1b26 (klk1b26) protein is more abundant in male submandibular glands (SMGs) than in female ones. This sexual dimorphism has been thought to be due to increased mRNA synthesis stimulated by androgen. However, the klk1b26 protein level in female SMG is far less than that expected from the mRNA level, suggesting an additional mechanism for down-regulation of klk1b26 expression in female SMGs.

Differential modulation of immunostimulant-triggered NO production by endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers in vascular smooth muscle cells.

We investigated the effects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducers thapsigargin (TG) and tunicamycin (Tm) on immunostimulant lipopolysaccharide/interferon (LPS/IFN)-induced expression of isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production in vascular smooth muscle cells. LPS/IFN-induced iNOS mRNA expression was markedly enhanced by TG, whereas iNOS mRNA expression was strongly attenuated by Tm. Similarly, production of iNOS protein was markedly upregulated by TG but virtually eliminated by Tm.

YPEL5 protein of the YPEL gene family is involved in the cell cycle progression by interacting with two distinct proteins RanBPM and RanBP10.

YPEL5 is a member of the YPEL gene family that is highly conserved in the eukaryotic species and apparently involved in a certain cell division-related function. In this study, we examined the functional and phylogenetic aspects of YPEL5 protein in more detail. During cell cycle, YPEL5 protein was detected at different subcellular localizations; at interphase, it was located in the nucleus and centrosome, then it changed location sequentially to spindle poles, mitotic spindle, and spindle midzone during mitosis, and finally transferred to midbody at cytokinesis.

An epidemiological survey on pigs showing symptoms of infectious enteric diseases and dyspepsia in Japan.

Diarrhea in pigs has the potential to have a serious economic impact on the swine industry. Previously, we suggested that the likely cause of the presence of non-infectious diarrhea in pigs characterized by lactate accumulation was dyspepsia. In this experiment, the prevalence of enteropathogens and hyper-lactate accumulation in feces of piglets in 4 distinct growth stages was examined.

Decreasing traits of fecal immunoglobulin A in neonatal and weaning piglets.

The concentration of fecal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in neonate and weaning piglets was measured daily from 1 day after birth to 50 days of age. The concentration of fecal sIgA started from the level of 10(4) microg/g wet feces 1 day after birth and then increased to a maximal value of up to 10(5) microg/g within a few days of birth. The values constantly declined to between 10(1) and 10(2) microg/g for the next 10 days and were relatively constant until weaning.

Systematic evaluation of nitric oxide, tetrahydrobiopterin, and anandamide levels in a porcine model of endotoxemia.

Purpose: Using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated porcine model, we examined: (1) whether nitric oxide (NO), anandamide, and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) increased or not in early endotoxic shock; and (2) the location of the major site of production of these molecules, by comparing their concentrations in arteries and the portal and hepatic veins.

Methods: Ten pigs received an infusion of LPS at 1.7 microg x kg(-1)x h(-1) via the portal vein for 240 min.

Cilostazol activates AMP-activated protein kinase and restores endothelial function in diabetes.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in atherogenesis. We investigated whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity is a downstream mediator of the beneficial effects of cilostazol on vascular endothelial cells and whether cilostazol might reverse endothelial dysfunction in diabetic rats.

Methods And Results: Treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with cilostazol resulted in time-dependent activation of AMPK, as monitored by phosphorylation of AMPK and its down-stream target, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC).

Novel RDH5 mutation in family with mother having fundus albipunctatus and three children with retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose: To identify mutations in the RDH5 gene in a family with a mother having fundus albipunctatus (FA) and 3 children with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Methods: Ophthalmological examinations were performed to diagnose FA and RP. Mutational analysis of RDH5 was performed.

Expression of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase alpha subunit isoforms in rat salivary glands: occurrence of sense and antisense RNAs of the alpha3 isoform in the sublingual gland.

We examined the expression of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit isoforms in rat salivary glands by RT-PCR. Isoform alpha1 was expressed strongly in all three major salivary glands. The alpha2 isoform was expressed in both submandibular gland (SMG) and sublingual gland (SLG) but faintly in the parotid gland (PG).

Evaluation of the low dose level of a heat-killed and dried cell preparation of Enterococcus faecalis to prevent porcine edema disease using experimental infection model with enterotoxcemic Escherichia coli in weaning pigs.

Porcine edema disease (ED) is caused by Shiga toxin 2e-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). ED has become frequent in pig farms, and the use of antimicrobials has resulted in the development of antimicrobial-resistant STEC. Accordingly, the use of materials other than antimicrobials is requested for the prevention of ED.

Oral administration of tetrahydrobiopterin slows the progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice.

Objective: Although it has been reported that oral administration of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) prevents endothelial dysfunction and vascular oxidative stress in various rat models, the effect of treatment with BH4 on atherogenesis remains unclear.

Methods And Results: In this study, we investigated whether oral BH4 treatment might slow the progression of atherosclerosis using hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E-knockout mice. We report that ingesting BH4 in drinking water is sufficient to inhibit atherogenesis in mice.

Buthionine sulfoximine causes endothelium dependent hyper-relaxation and hypoadiponectinemia.

A close relationship between oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and hypoadiponectinemia has been observed. The present study was performed to investigate how glutathione depletion via buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) administration affects endothelial function and adiponectin levels in rats. Acetylcholine (Ach)-induced vasodilation was significantly enhanced in BSO-treated rats, compared with control rats.

Experimental infection of enterotoxemic Escherichia coli associated with porcine edema disease and its pathologic characteristics in the intestine.

Edema disease (ED) has become frequent in Japan, but no effective method for experimental infection has been developed. We report here the use of a capsule that resistant against gastric digestion to induce the ED in piglets. Four 21-day-old piglets were used.

Delivery of exogenous tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) to cells of target organs: role of salvage pathway and uptake of its precursor in effective elevation of tissue BH4.

Cells in target organs such as liver do not generally incorporate tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in its fully reduced form. Instead, they transiently take up BH4 from the extracellular fluid, instantaneously oxidize it and then expel virtually all of it. However, a small but stable accumulation of BH4 was observed after BH4 administration to the cell cultures.