Fiber-type distribution and expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in newborn heterozygous myostatin-knockout pigs.

Objectives: To explore the effects of heterozygous myostatin-knockout (MSNT) on muscle characteristics, specifically fiber-type distribution and expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in pigs.

Results: The fiber cross-sectional area of the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles were much larger in MSTN pigs at birth than in wild-type (WT) pigs. MSTN pigs had a higher proportion of fast-type fibers and lower succinate dehydrogenase activity in muscles than WT pigs.

Parthenogenetic activation and somatic cell nuclear transfer of porcine oocytes activated by an electric pulse and AZD5438 treatment.

We examined the in vitro developmental competence of parthenogenetic activation (PA) oocytes activated by an electric pulse (EP) and treated with various concentrations of AZD5438 for 4 h. Treatment with 10 µM AZD5438 for 4 h significantly improved the blastocyst formation rate of PA oocytes in comparison with 0, 20, or 50 µM AZD5438 treatment (46.4% vs.

RepSox improves viability and regulates gene expression in rhesus monkey-pig interspecies cloned embryos.

Objective: To investigate the effect of the small molecule, RepSox, on the expression of developmentally important genes and the pre-implantation development of rhesus monkey-pig interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) embryos.

Results: Rhesus monkey cells expressing the monomeric red fluorescent protein 1 which have a normal (42) chromosome complement, were used as donor cells to generate iSCNT embryos. RepSox increased the expression levels of the pluripotency-related genes, Oct4 and Nanog (p < 0.

The developmental competence of oocytes parthenogenetically activated by an electric pulse and anisomycin treatment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental competence of oocytes parthenogenetically activated by an electric pulse (EP) and treated with anisomycin and to determine whether this method is applicable to somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

Results: Embryos derived from porcine oocytes parthenogenetically activated by an EP and treatment with 0.01 µg/mL anisomycin had a significantly improved in vitro developmental capacity.

Effect of histone acetylation modification with MGCD0103, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on nuclear reprogramming and the developmental competence of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos.

Cloning remains as an important technique to enhance the reconstitution and distribution of animal population with high-genetic merit. One of the major detrimental factors of this technique is the abnormal epigenetic modifications. MGCD0103 is known as a histone deacetylase inhibitor.

The EGFR T790M mutation in acquired resistance to an irreversible second-generation EGFR inhibitor.

Molecular target therapies using first-generation, reversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as gefitinib or erlotinib, have been shown to be effective for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who harbor activating mutations in EGFR. However, these patients eventually develop resistance to the reversible TKIs, and this has led to the development of second-generation, irreversible EGFR inhibitors. Currently, the mechanism of acquired resistance to irreversible EGFR inhibitors is not clear.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid secreted from islet beta-cells modulates exocrine secretion in rat pancreas.

Aim: To investigate the role of endogenous gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) in pancreatic exocrine secretion.

Methods: The isolated, vascularly perfused rat pancreas was employed in this study to eliminate the possible influences of extrinsic nerves and hormones. Cholecystokinin (CCK; 10 pmol/L) was intra-arterially given to stimulate exocrine secretion of the pancreas.