Organization of the intercellular spaces of porcine epidermal and palatal stratum corneum: a quantitative study employing ruthenium tetroxide

Previous studies have demonstrated that the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum contain multilamellar lipid sheets with variable ultrastructure in addition to desmosomes or desmosomal remnants. The intercellular lamellae are thought to provide a permeability barrier whereas the desmosomes are responsible for cell-cell cohesion. In this study, transmission electron microscopy of RuO₄-fixed tissue was used to compare the proportions of the intercellular spaces in epidermal and palatal stratum corneum occupied by desmosomes and by different patterns of lamellae. Desmosomes are more abundant in palatal than in epidermal stratum corneum (46.9 vs 15.0% length of intercellular space). In epidermis the most frequent lamellar arrangements involve 3 (23.5%) or 6 (24.2%) lucent bands with an alternating broad-narrow-broad pattern, whereas the most frequent lamellar arrangements in palatal tissue are 2 (17.2%) or 4 (10.5%) lucent bands of uniform width. Most of the nondesmosomal portion of the intercellular space in palatal stratum corneum was dilated and had elongated lamellae at the periphery and short disorganized lamellae and amorphous electron-dense material in the interior. It is concluded that the multilamellar lipid sheets are less extensive in palatal than in epidermal stratum corneum, which could explain the greater permeability of the palate.     

Trichinella spiralis: enteric mucin-related response to experimental infection in conventional and SPF pigs

Duodenal and jejunal responses to infection with Trichinella spiralis were compared in weaned piglets with a "normal dirty" vs. a "clean SPF" gut flora. Histochemical staining of neutral, acidic, sialylated, and sulphated residues was used to assess biosynthetic responses in mucin-secreting goblet cells. Peanut and Ulex lectins were also used to assess responses within the intestinal glycocalyx. Histomorphometric analysis was undertaken to evaluate the distribution and staining patterns of goblet cells in villi and crypts. Our analysis showed that stored mucin within goblet cells increased more in the infected conventional animals than in the infected SPF group. This was accompanied by changes in the pattern of sulphation and sialylation in the duodenum and jejunum. The thickness of the glycocalyx was increased in both duodenum and jejunum in both infected groups. However, this effect was greater for the infected SPF animals than the infected conventional animals. No significant differences were observed between uninfected conventional and uninfected SPF pigs.     

Effect of dopamine agonists or antagonists, TRH, stress and piglet removal on plasma prolactin concentrations in lactating gilts

The effect of dopamine agonists (ergocryptine), antagonists (chlorpromazine, haloperidol, reserpine, pimozide), thyrotropin releasing hormone or stress (restraint, piglet removal) on prolactin release was studied in primiparous lactating gilts. All animals were fitted with surgically implanted jugular catheters before farrowing. The only drug treatments which resulted in a significant change in PRL concentrations in blood were thyrotropin releasing hormone (increase) and ergocryptine (decrease). The results suggest that dopamine may not be the only regulator of prolactin in lactating pigs. Further studies are needed to identify drugs which would be useful in clinical situations for treatment of lactation failure due to low prolactin secretion. In the two stress-exposed groups, there was a gradual, steady decline in the plasma concentration of prolactin which resulted from loss of suckling contact with the piglets. Thus, snare restraint does not increase prolactin secretion in lactating sows confirming the results of other studies on pigs in different physiologic states.     

Ligand-dependent reactivity of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with showdomycin

Showdomycin inhibited pig brain ($\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-}\text{ATPase}$ with pseudo first-order kinetics. The rate of inhibition by showdomycin was examined in the presence of 16 combinations of four ligands, i.e., Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and ATP, and was found to depend on the ligands added. Combinations of ligands were divided into five groups in terms of the magnitude of the rate constant; in the order of decreasing rate constants these were: (1)$\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$, (2) $\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$, $\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, $\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ and none, (3) $\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{,}\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, $\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ and $\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$, (4) $\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}\text{,}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$ and $\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}\text{, (5)}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$, $\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$, $\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$, $\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+}\text{ATP}$ and ATP. The highest rate was obtained in the presence of Na⁺, Mg²⁺ and ATP. The apparent concentrations of Na⁺, Mg²⁺ and ATP for half-maximum stimulation of inhibition ($\text{K}{}_{0.5}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>s</mtext>}}$) were 3 mM, 0.13 mM and 4μM, respectively. The rate was unchanged upon further increase in Na⁺ concentration from 140 to 1000 mM. The rates of inhibition could be explained on the basis of the enzyme forms present, including E₁, E₂, ES, E₁-P and E₂-P, i.e., E₂ has higher reactivity with showdomycin than E₁, while E₂-P has almost the same reactivity as E₁-P. We conclude that the reaction of ($\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-}\text{ATPase}$ proceeds via at least four kinds of enzyme form (E₁, E₂, E₁ · nucleotide and EP), which all have different conformations.     

Evolution of viscera and muscle fractional protein synthesis rate in lean meat selected hybrids and castrated Duroc pigs fed under moderate crude protein restriction

Differences in producing performance and organoleptic meat characteristics among pig genotypes and/or producing types are widely known. These parameters are also subjected to the animal’s development, feeding and management. Detailed knowledge of the effects of production phase (PP), pig producing type (PT), dietary protein availability and their interactions on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and protein metabolism is essential information to improve precision feeding techniques. The experiment was a 2 (PP) × 2 (PT) × 2 (diet) factorial design conducted with 32 male pigs, 16 entire F2 pigs progeny of Pietrain sires and Duroc × Landrace dams, and 16 castrated purebred Durocs belonging to two production phases (growing: 29.5 ± 3.19 v. fattening: 88.6 ± 6.26 kg BW), and assigned to one of two dietary CP levels, either standard (SP: 17% in growing and 15% in fattening) or low (LP: 15% in growing and 13% in fattening). Viscera and muscle fractional protein synthesis rates (FSRs; %/day) were conducted through a single infusion of 15% L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine, with subsequent blood sampling from 12 to 40 min, and sample collection of liver, duodenum, biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi skeletal muscles after sacrifice. Fattening animals acquired a greater feed ingestion capacity, average daily gain (P < 0.01) and apparent ileal digestibility, whereas growing pigs showed higher FSRs in both viscera (duodenum and liver) and in longissimus dorsi. F2 pigs showed higher average daily gain, nitrogen retention rates and FSR in liver and longissimus dorsi (P < 0.01). Nevertheless, apparent ileal digestibility in all essential amino acids was lower in F2 compared with Duroc pigs (P < 0.05). Protein metabolism was barely influenced by dietary CP content, although animals fed LP registered the lowest apparent ileal digestibility for CP and also for most of the essential amino acids compared with SP-fed pigs. This information may reveal differences in amino acid requirements between both PTs, with Duroc pigs receiving excess of dietary amino acids.     

Anisakis simplex and Anisakis physeteris: physicochemical properties of larval and adult hemoglobins

To resolve the taxonomic relationship between two types of parasitic nematode larvae (Type I and II) and two species of parasitic nematode adults (Anisakis simplex and A. physeteris) of the aquatic ascarid genus Anisakis, collected in Japanese coastal water, a comparison was made of their hemoglobins' physicochemical properties. The larval hemoglobins were more similar to each other in electrophoretic pattern than to either adult, indeed there were few similarities whatsoever in these patterns of larval and adult hemoglobins. However, isoelectric points were 6.2 for the Type I larva and for A. simplex and 5.4 for the Type II larva and for A. physeteris. All samples showed identical patterns in spectrophotometric scanning. The circular dichroic spectra of the samples were also virtually identical, although slight differences were noted in the oxygenated hemoglobins; the Type II larva and A. physeteris exhibited a small positive peak at 575 nm but the Type I larva and A. simplex exhibited a much smaller peak (negative position). The sedimentation coefficients of the samples possessed essentially identical values (11.2–12.4). The molecular weights of the samples were estimated, roughly, to be in the range 33 to 43 × 10⁴ by thin-layer chromatography on Sephadex G-200. The evidence suggests that a relationship may exist between the Type I larva and A. simplex, and between the Type II larva and A. physeteris.     

猪粪堆肥化处理过程中的氮素转变及腐熟度研究

经过63d堆肥化处理后,猪粪与木屑混合堆肥及猪粪,木屑与树叶混合堆肥的T－N分别从开始的1．57％和1．78％增加到2．0％和2．11％;水溶性NO3－N／水溶性T－N均从接近于0的水平增加到3％左右;水溶性有机N／水溶性T－N分别增加到70％和76％;水溶性NH4－N／水溶性T－N则分别从开始52％和61％下降至堆肥结束时的30％和24％。种子发芽系数的测定结果表明,加入树叶有利于猪粪的腐熟化,可使猪粪堆肥化处理所城的时间从42d缩短至35d。化学指标与种子发芽系数的相关分析结果表明,水溶性NH4－N／水溶性T－N,水溶性NO3－N／水溶性T－N和水溶性有机N／水溶性T－N均与种子发芽系数呈显著相关,可作为堆肥的腐熟度评价指标。     

五指山小型猪下颌骨的测量及分析

目的通过对五指山小型猪(WZSP)下颌骨23个主要变量进行测量分析,以确定该小型猪下颌骨主要遗传变量的数值范围。方法临床解剖取出下颌骨,用水煮沸后剔除肌肉和骨膜,然后用10%甲醛浸泡24h,再用万能角度尺、游标卡尺、卷尺对25例五指山小型猪(8～14月龄,17例雄性,8例雌性)的23个主要变量进行测量。并对测量结果进行统计学分析。结果在测得的雄性和雌性五指山猪下颌骨的23项变量中有4项差异有显著性,2项差异有极显著性,其他差异无显著性;下颌骨各变量之间存在一定的相关性,雄性下颌骨变量x7、x16、x22与其他17项变量相关有显著性或相关有极显著性,雌性下颌骨变量x21与其他11项变量相关有显著性或相关有极显著性。雄性五指山猪下颌骨测量变量显著、极显著相关性所占比例达到52.97%,雌性达到17.00%。与琉球野猪的下颌骨相比,雄性五指山小型猪的x15、x16、x21等变量差异无显著性,雌性的x15、x16、x21、x22等变量差异无显著性,而x2差异有显著性,琉球野猪的下颌骨显得更为狭长。与人及恒河猴(Macacamulatta)、猕猴等动物相比,五指山小型猪下颌骨的多项变量要高。结论测得五指山小型猪育成猪的下颌骨23项变量,可为五指山小型猪遗传、牙科等方面研究提供下颌骨形态学特征的资料。     

Genome-wide association study reveals a quantitative trait locus and two candidate genes on Sus scrofa chromosome 5 affecting intramuscular fat content in Suhuai pigs

Intramuscular fat content (IFC) is an essential quantitative trait of meat, affecting multiple meat quality indicators. A certain amount of IFC could not only improve the sensory score of pork but also increase the flavour, tenderness, juiciness and shelf-life. To dissect the genetic determinants of IFC, two methods, including genome-wide efficient mixed-model analysis (GEMMA) and linkage disequilibrium adjusted kinships (LDAKs), were used to carry out genome-wide association studies for IFC in Suhuai pig population. A total of 14 and 18 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by GEMMA and LDAK, respectively. The results of these two methods were highly consistent and all 14 significant SNPs in GEMMA were detected by LDAK. Seven of the 18 SNPs reached the genome-wide significance level (P < 9.85E−07) while 11 cases reached the suggestive significance level (P < 1.77E−05). These significant SNPs were mainly distributed on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 5, 3, and 7. Moreover, one locus resides in a 2.27 Mb (71.37–73.64 Mb) region on SSC5 harbouring 13 significant SNPs associated with IFC, and the lead SNP (rs81302978) also locates in this region. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed that there were four pairs of complete LD (r² = 1) among these 13 SNPs, and the remaining 9 SNPs with incomplete LD (r² ≠ 1) were selected for subsequent analyses of IFC. Association analyses showed that 7 out of 9 SNPs were significantly associated with IFC (P < 0.05) in 330 Suhuai pigs, and the other 2 SNPs tended to reach a significant association level with IFC (P < 0.1). The phenotypic variance explained (PVE) range of these 9 SNPs was 0.92–3.55%. Meanwhile, the lead SNP was also significantly associated (rs81302978) with IFC (P < 0.05) in 378 commercial hybrid pigs (Pietrain × Duroc) × (Landrace × Yorkshire) (PDLY), and the PVE was 1.38%. Besides, two lipid metabolism-relevant candidate genes, the leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and PDZ domain containing ring finger 4 (PDZRN4) were identified in the 2.27 Mb region on SSC5. In conclusion, our results may provide a set of markers useful for genetic improvement of IFC in pigs and will advance the genome selection process of IFC on pig breeding programmes.     

猪胰岛素启动子调控EGFP表达载体的优化及体外验证

目的获得猪胰岛素启动子调控外源基因的高效表达载体,为制备转基因猪胰岛特异性表达目的基因奠定基础。方法利用猪胰岛素启动子（PIP,包含5＇调控区、第一外显子、第一内含子及第二外显子ATG前的序列共1.5 kb）构建表达载体,连接PIP和EGFP的酶切位点HindⅢ设计在起始密码子前,命名为PIP-Hind IIIEGFP。鉴于酶切位点的插入位置可能会影响外源基因的表达效率,对载体进行了优化：将Hind III酶切位点删除,实现PIP和EGFP无缝连接,载体命名PIP-EGFP;将第一内含子3＇端的内含子剪接受体位点（splicing acceptor site,SA）突变为Hind III内切酶识别位点,命名为PIP-SA（M）-EGFP。三种载体分别电转染小鼠胰岛素瘤β细胞株MIN-6细胞、猪耳成纤维细胞以及猪肾细胞,48 h后通过荧光强度、流式分析、RT-PCR及Western blot检测,验证载体的表达效率。结果转染细胞后,三种载体都仅在MIN-6胰岛β细胞表达绿色荧光。RT-PCR及其产物测序结果显示三种载体的胰岛素启动子第一内含子的剪切存在差异：载体PIP-Hind III-EGFP和PIP-EGFP的内含子存在剪切和不剪切两种情况,剪切不稳定;载体PIP-SA（M）-EGFP的SA位点突变后内含子不剪切,流式细胞及Western blot检测显示,与另外两种载体相比,该载体目的蛋白的表达量最高。结论通过突变胰岛素启动子第一内含子的3＇端的剪接受体位点,成功获得了胰岛β细胞的高效表达载体,可用于制备胰岛特异表达外源基因的转基因猪。