Even a mild spell of cold weather affects feeding in migrating redheaded buntings

We investigated whether a climatic change in temperature affected daily food intake in migrating male redheaded buntings. Groups of adult male birds (n = 18) were photoinduced into migratory phenotype under increasing spring daylengths (NDL); as the birds began to exhibit night restlessness, Zugunruhe, these were allocated into groups, either with ambient (NDL, variable daily temperature: maximum – 29–44 °C and minimum – 16–33 °C; for food intake (six birds) and activity recording, six birds) until 2 weeks after they concluded migration or with constant temperature (NDT, 22 ± 1 °C; for food intake (six birds)) conditions. As day length increased March onwards, daily food intake increased (hyperphagia) in NDL and NDT groups. However, hyperphagia was slower in NDT birds as compared to NDL birds, suggesting that altered ambient temperature affects daily food intake in migrating buntings. Another group of 12 birds were held under constant daylengths (12L:12D; EDT and constant temperature 22 ± 1 °C). Although the onset of Zugunruhe was delayed under EDT, the day of onset of Zugunruhe was taken as day 0. Daily food intake and body weight before and during migration of EDT birds were compared with that of NDT and NDL groups. Daily food intake and body weight increased in all migrating birds, but hyperphagia continued post-migration in NDT birds. The study suggests that constantly suboptimal temperature despite increasing daylength, NDT, appeared to affect feeding and body weight of migratory buntings as evident from continued hyperphagia and body weight gain, even after concluding migrating activity.     

Induction of Krüppel‐like factor 2 reduces K/BxN serum‐induced arthritis

Krüppel‐like factor 2 (KLF2) critically regulates activation and function of monocyte, which plays important pathogenic role in progressive joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is yet to be established the molecular basis of KLF2‐mediated regulation of monocytes in RA pathogenesis. Herein, we show that a class of compound, HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induced KLF2 expression in monocytes both in vitro and in vivo. KLF2 level was also elevated in tissues, such as bone marrow, spleen and thymus in mice after infusion of HDACi. Importantly, HDACi significantly reduced osteoclastic differentiation of monocytes with the up‐regulation of KLF2 and concomitant down‐regulation of matrixmetalloproteinases both in the expression level as well as in the protein level. In addition, HDACi reduced K/BxN serum‐induced arthritic inflammation and joint destruction in mice in a dose‐dependent manner. Finally, co‐immunoprecipitation and overexpression studies confirmed that KLF2 directly interacts with HDAC4 molecule in cells. These findings provide mechanistic evidence of KLF2‐mediated regulation of K/BxN serum‐induced arthritic inflammation.     

Differential seminal plasma proteome signatures of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors

With advances in therapeutic methods, there is a high survival rate among leukemia patients, of an extent more than 80%. However, chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat these patients have adverse effects on their overall health profile including fertility. The primary aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed proteins in seminal plasma of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors compared to age-matched healthy controls, which can provide molecular basis of idiopathic infertility in such survivors. Differential proteome profiling was performed by 2D–differential in-gel electrophoresis, protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry and selective differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were validated by western blotting and ELISA method. Out of eight DEPs identified, five proteins (isocitrate dehydrogenase 1, semenogelin 1, lactoferrin, prolactin-inducible protein, and human serum albumin) were upregulated and three (pepsinogen, prostate specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase) were downregulated. Expression profiles of these proteins are suggestive of reduction in semen quality in ALL survivors and can further be explored to determine their fertility status.