Transgenic mice producing the trans 10, cis 12-conjugated linoleic acid present reduced adiposity and increased thermogenesis and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21).

Trans 10, cis 12-conjugated linoleic acid (t10c12-CLA) from ruminant-derived foodstuffs can induce body fat loss after oral administration. In the current study, a transgenic mouse that produced t10c12-CLA had been generated by inserting the Propionibacterium acnes isomerase (Pai) expression cassette into the Rosa26 locus, and its male offspring were used to elucidate the enduring influence of t10c12-CLA on overall health. Compared to their wild-type (wt) C57BL/6J littermates, both biallelic Pai/Pai and monoallelic Pai/wt mice exhibited reduced plasma triglycerides levels, and Pai/wt mice exclusively showed increased serum fibroblast growth factor 21.

Epigenetic regulator BRD4 is involved in cadmium-induced acute kidney injury via contributing to lysosomal dysfunction, autophagy blockade and oxidative stress.

Cadmium (Cd) is a known nephrotoxic heavy metal and proximal tubules are the major target of Cd-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). We previously demonstrated that lysosomal dysfunction and dysregulated autophagy contribute to Cd-induced AKI. Recent studies have revealed that bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is a transcriptional repressor of autophagy and lysosomal function.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Attenuates Cadmium- and Lead-Induced Neurotoxicity by Inhibiting Both Endoplasmic-Reticulum Stress and Activation of Fas/FasL and Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathways in Rat Cerebral Cortex.

Although many studies have reported toxic effects of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the central nervous system, few studies have investigated the combined toxicity of Cd and Pb. The mechanisms by which these combined heavy metals induce toxicity, as well as effective means to exert neuroprotection from these agents, remain poorly understood. To investigate the protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid (α-LA) on Cd- and/or Pb-induced cortical damage in rats, 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to drinking water containing 50 mg/L of Cd and/or 300 mg/L of Pb for 12 weeks, in the presence or absence of α-LA co-treatment (50 mg/kg) via gavage.

Author Correction: Zearalenone altered the cytoskeletal structure via ER stress- autophagy- oxidative stress pathway in mouse TM4 Sertoli cells.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

ZEA-induced autophagy in TM4 cells was mediated by the release of Ca activates CaMKKβ-AMPK signaling pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a prevalent non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced mainly by Fusarium contamination. Our previous study showed that ZEA induces the autophagy of Sertoli cells (SCs). However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown.

Determinants of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak information sources, risk perception and adoption of biosecurity behaviors among poultry farmers in China.

The implementation of biosecurity measures among farmers is the first line of defense against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on poultry farms. Yet much less is known about the association between HPAI outbreak information sources, farmers' risk perception and their adoption of biosecurity behaviors (BBs). To bridge this gap, a survey (n = 426) was conducted to measure the relationship between these factors among poultry farmers in the Chinese provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui.

The Effects of Autophagy and PI3K/AKT/m-TOR Signaling Pathway on the Cell-Cycle Arrest of Rats Primary Sertoli Cells Induced by Zearalenone.

A high concentration of Zearalenone (ZEA) will perturb the differentiation of germ cells, and induce a death of germ cells, but the toxic mechanism and molecular mechanism remain unclear. The Sertoli cells (SCs) play an irreplaceable role in spermatogenesis. In order to explore the potential mechanism of ZEA male reproductive toxicity, we studied the effects of ZEA on cell proliferation, cell-cycle distribution, cell-cycle-related proteins and autophagy-related pathway the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in primary cultured rats SCs, and the effects of autophagy and PI3K/AKT/m TOR signaling pathway on the SCs cell-cycle arrest induced by ZEA treated with the autophagy promoter RAPA, autophagy inhibitor CQ, and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, respectively.

1-α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D potentiates avian osteoclast activation by increasing the formation of zipper-like structure via Src/Rac1 signaling.

Avian bone metabolism diseases affect the development and production of chickens, and many of these diseases can be prevented and controlled by balanced nutrition and hormone medicine. The steroid hormone 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D plays a key role in maintaining the balance of avian bone metabolism. Clinically, 1α,25-(OH)D has been used to treat several bone diseases.

Zearalenone altered the cytoskeletal structure via ER stress- autophagy- oxidative stress pathway in mouse TM4 Sertoli cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the destruction of cytoskeletal structure by Zearalenone (ZEA) in mouse-derived TM4 cells. In order to investigate the role of autophagy, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress in the process of destruction of cytoskeletal structure, the effects of ZEA on the cell viability, cytoskeletal structure, autophagy, oxidative stress, ER stress, MAPK and PI3K- AKT- mTOR signaling pathways were studied. The data demonstrated that ZEA damaged the cytoskeletal structure through the induction of autophagy that leads to the alteration of cytoskeletal structure via elevated oxidative stress.

ROS-Mediated Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis Induced by Zearalenone in Mouse Sertoli Cells via ER Stress and the ATP/AMPK Pathway.

Zearalenone (ZEA) can perturb the differentiation of cells, reduce the generation of reproductive cells and induce a death of germ cells, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. In order to investigate the potential mechanism of ZEA-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, we studied the effects of ZEA on cell proliferation, cell-cycle distribution, cell-cycle-related proteins, cell death, cell apoptosis, ROS generation and the ATP/AMPK pathway in Sertoli cells. The role of ROS, ER stress and the ATP/AMPK pathway in ZEA-induced cell-cycle arrest and cell apoptosis was explored by using the antioxidant NAC, ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA and the AMPK inhibitor dorsomorphin, respectively.

Autophagy blockade and lysosomal membrane permeabilization contribute to lead-induced nephrotoxicity in primary rat proximal tubular cells.

Lead (Pb) is a known nephrotoxicant that causes damage to proximal tubular cells. Autophagy has an important protective role in various renal injuries, but the role of autophagy in Pb-elicited nephrotoxicity remains largely unknown. In this study, Pb promoted the accumulation of autophagosomes in primary rat proximal tubular (rPT) cells, and subsequent findings revealed that this autophagosome accumulation was caused by the inhibition of autophagic flux.

Avian influenza A/H7N9 risk perception, information trust and adoption of protective behaviours among poultry farmers in Jiangsu Province, China.

Background: Poultry farmers are at high-risk from avian influenza A/H7N9 infection due to sustained occupational exposures to live poultry. This study examined factors associated with poultry farmers' adoption of personal protective behaviours (PPBs) based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT).

Methods: Totally, 297 poultry farmers in three cities of Jiangsu Province, China were interviewed during November 2013-January 2014.

Cadmium disrupts autophagic flux by inhibiting cytosolic Ca-dependent autophagosome-lysosome fusion in primary rat proximal tubular cells.

Previous studies have shown that subcellular Ca redistribution is involved in Cd-induced autophagy inhibition in primary rat proximal tubular (rPT) cells, but the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the status of autophagic flux was monitored by the GFP and RFP tandemly tagged LC3 method. Pharmacological inhibition of cytosolic Ca concentration ([Ca]) with 2-APB or BAPTA-AM significantly alleviated Cd-elevated yellow puncta formation and restored Cd-inhibited red puncta formation, while thapsigargin (TG) had the opposite regulatory effect, demonstrating that Cd-induced [Ca] elevation inhibited the autophagic flux in rPT cells.

Determinants of Knowledge and Biosecurity Preventive Behaviors for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Risk Among Chinese Poultry Farmers.

Biosecurity measures are the first line of defense against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on farms. It is generally recognized that an individual's behavior can be influenced by the knowledge they possess. However, empirical study has not reported an association between poultry producers' awareness of HPAI symptoms and their actual biosecurity actions.

Cadmium Activates Reactive Oxygen Species-dependent AKT/mTOR and Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathways in Neuronal Cells.

Objective: To examine the role of Cd-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the apoptosis of neuronal cells.

Methods: Neuronal cells (primary rat cerebral cortical neurons and PC12 cells) were incubated with or without Cd post-pretreatment with rapamycin (Rap) or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Cell viability was determined by MTT assay, apoptosis was examined using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, and the activation of phosphoinositide 3'-kinase/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways were measured by western blotting or immunofluorescence assays.

Zearalenone impairs the male reproductive system functions via inducing structural and functional alterations of sertoli cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ZEA on the cytoskeletal structure, and factors specifically expressed by Sertoli cells. Primary Sertoli cells from rats aged 18-21 days were exposed to increasing ZEA concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 μg mL(-1)) for 24 h. The results of immunofluorescence showed disruption of α-tubulin filaments and F-actin bundles, and damage to the nucleus of Sertoli cells on exposure to ZEA.

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D inhibits the differentiation and bone resorption by osteoclasts generated from Wistar rat bone marrow-derived macrophages.

The steroid hormone 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1α,25-(OH)D] plays an important role in maintaining a balance in calcium and bone metabolism. To study the effects of 1α,25-(OH)D on osteoclast (OC) formation and bone resorption, OC differentiation was induced in bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells from Wistar rats with the addition of macrophage colony stimulating factor and receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand . Cells were then treated with 1α,25-(OH)D at 10, 10 or 10 mol/l.

Cadmium induces apoptosis in primary rat osteoblasts through caspase and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

Exposure to cadmium (Cd) induces apoptosis in osteoblasts (OBs); however, little information is available regarding the specific mechanisms of Cd-induced primary rat OB apoptosis. In this study, Cd reduced cell viability, damaged cell membranes and induced apoptosis in OBs. We observed decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potentials, ultrastructure collapse, enhanced caspase-3 activity, and increased concentrations of cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 following Cd treatment.

Mitochondrial permeability transition and its regulatory components are implicated in apoptosis of primary cultures of rat proximal tubular cells exposed to lead.

Previous studies have already demonstrated that mitochondria play a key role in Pb-induced apoptosis in primary cultures of rat proximal tubular (rPT) cells. To further clarify the underlying mechanism of Pb-induced mitochondrial apoptosis, this study was designed to investigate the role of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and its regulatory components in Pb-induced apoptosis in rPT cells. Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening together with disruption of mitochondrial ultrastructure, translocation of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytoplasm and subsequent caspase-3 activation were observed in this study, suggesting that MPT is involved in Pb-induced apoptosis in rPT cells.

Salidroside Protects against Cadmium-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats via GJIC and MAPK Pathways.

It is known that cadmium (Cd) induces cytotoxicity in hepatocytes; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we studied the molecular mechanisms of Cd-induced hepatotoxicity in rat liver cells (BRL 3A) and in vivo. We observed that Cd treatment was associated with a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in the cell index (CI) of BRL 3A cells and cellular organelle ultrastructure injury in the rat liver.

Cadmium-induced autophagy is mediated by oxidative signaling in PC-12 cells and is associated with cytoprotection.

Oxidative stress induced by cadmium (Cd) is a common phenomenon that has been observed in numerous studies. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Recently, exposure of PC-12 cells to Cd has been shown to activate autophagy, which acts as a temporary survival pathway under stressful conditions by delaying the occurrence of apoptosis.