Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Marina Gertsenstein, Lauryl M. J. Nutter
Summary: Knockout mice are widely used to study the phenotypic effects of gene dysfunction, and the use of RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease technology has significantly reduced the time and resources needed to produce knockout mouse lines. A standard methodology using electroporation of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) into mouse zygotes has resulted in an 80% success rate in generating founders for null alleles with a subsequent 93% germline transmission rate. These methods rely on existing equipment in transgenic facilities and are relatively straightforward to implement with appropriate expertise in embryo handling.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yang Guo, Youbing Wu, Jiahao Shi, Hua Zhuang, Lei Ci, Qin Huang, Zhipeng Wan, Hua Yang, Mengjie Zhang, Yutong Tan, Ruilin Sun, Leon Xu, Zhugang Wang, Ruling Shen, Jian Fei
Summary: The lack of miR-29a/b(1) in female mice leads to reproductive dysfunction, characterized by ovulation disorder and insufficient LH secretion. Superovulation treatment can rescue the ovulation disorder in mutant mice.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amir Asgari, Paul Jurasz
Summary: Megakaryocytes are important members of the hematopoietic system, responsible for regulating vascular homeostasis through platelets. The process of megakaryopoiesis generates mature megakaryocytes which release proplatelets into blood vessels. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a modulatory role in hematopoiesis and hemostasis. This review summarizes the effect of NO and its signaling on megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Shupeng Hu, Qiangzhong Pi, Xiudan Xu, Jianghong Yan, Yongzheng Guo, Wanying Tan, An He, Zhe Cheng, Suxin Luo, Yong Xia
Summary: This study investigates the role of eNOS in vascular dysfunction induced by sepsis. Increased phosphorylation of eNOS in early sepsis leads to decreased vasodilation, while decreased levels of eNOS in late sepsis result in diminished nitric oxide-dependent relaxation responses.
Article
Physiology
Sofie De Moudt, Jhana O. Hendrickx, Guido R. Y. De Meyer, Wim Martinet, Paul Fransen
Summary: eNOS knockout mice exhibit a slower progression of arterial disease compared to C57Bl/6 control mice, with significant regulation of aortic biomechanical parameters by cyclic stretch amplitudes.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jun -Ha Hwang, Woong Heo, Jung Il Park, Kyung Min Kim, Ho Taek Oh, Gi Don Yoo, Jeekeon Park, Somin Shin, Youjin Do, Mi Gyeong Jeong, Eun Sook Hwang, Jeong-Ho Hong
Summary: Endothelial TAZ is involved in the production of nitric oxide (NO) and inhibits damage-induced liver fibrosis. It regulates NO production by transcriptional regulation of Nos3. Loss of TAZ leads to capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and a decrease in NO concentration, accelerating liver fibrosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stanislava Vrankova, Zuzana Galandakova, Jakub Benko, Martina Cebova, Igor Riecansky, Olga Pechanova
Summary: The results of the study indicate that 10 weeks of social isolation led to a significant decrease in PPI, accompanied by a decrease in NOS activity in the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum, an increase in iNOS in the hippocampus, and an increase in CD concentration in cortex homogenate. On the other hand, 29 weeks of social isolation had an opposite effect on NOS activity, with an increase in the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum in animals reared in a social environment, accompanied by a decrease in CD concentration.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tatsiana Suvorava, Sara Metry, Stephanie Pick, Georg Kojda
Summary: Vascular tone regulation by nitric oxide is a crucial physiological function, with endothelial dysfunction potentially being an underlying cause of hypertension. Increasing eNOS activity reduces blood pressure, while decreasing activity has the opposite effect. These findings have important implications for pre-hypertensive treatment.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Angela Taraschi, Costanza Cimini, Alessia Colosimo, Marina Ramal-Sanchez, Luca Valbonetti, Nicola Bernabo, Barbara Barboni
Summary: MicroRNAs play important roles as regulators in fertilization and embryo development. They are found in oviductal fluid packaged within extracellular vesicles, which act as natural shuttles to transport lipids, proteins, RNA molecules, and miRNAs between the oviduct and gametes or embryos. This study constructed a computational model to explore the pathways potentially activated by oviductal miRNAs and found their involvement in fundamental cellular functions related to fertilization and early embryo development. The deletion of key genes in knockout mice also showed effects on the reproductive system and embryo development.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
George J. Dugbartey
Summary: Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for patients with kidney failure. However, ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) poses a significant challenge to the long-term success of this intervention. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a potential candidate for mitigating IRI and preventing graft rejection in kidney transplantation. This review provides an overview of the sources and protective effects of endogenous and exogenous NO in kidney transplantation.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Jie Zhang, Ximing Wang, Yu Cui, Shan Jiang, Jin Wei, Jenna Chan, Anish Thalakola, Thanh Le, Lan Xu, Liang Zhao, Lei Wang, Kun Jiang, Feng Cheng, Trushar Patel, Jacentha Buggs, Volker Vallon, Ruisheng Liu
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism of hypertension in patients with diabetes and suggests that in early diabetes, upregulation of NOS1 in the macula densa plays a role in inhibiting TGF and increasing glomerular filtration rate, which helps in maintaining normal blood pressure.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shinya Yokomizo, Malte Roessing, Atsuyo Morita, Timo Kopp, Emiyu Ogawa, Wataru Katagiri, Susanne Feil, Paul L. Huang, Dmitriy N. Atochin, Satoshi Kashiwagi
Summary: This study provides evidence that NIR-II laser enhances bioavailable NO in endothelial cells, suggesting its potential use in restoring endothelial NO and treating or preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jaqueline Pereira Moura Soares, Diego Assis Goncalves, Ricardo Xisto de Sousa, Margareth Gori Mouro, Elisa M. S. Higa, Leticia Paulino Sperandio, Carolina Moraes Vitoriano, Elisa Bachir Santa Rosa, Fernanda Oliveira dos Santos, Gustavo Nery de Queiroz, Roberta Sessa Stilhano Yamaguchi, Gustavo Pereira, Marcelo Yudi Icimoto, Fabiana Henriques Machado de Melo
Summary: Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer, and it progresses through different stages. Reactive oxygen species modulate oncogenic signaling pathways in all stages of melanoma development. The altered concentration of tetrahydrobiopterin disrupts cellular redox homeostasis and contributes to melanoma progression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jian-Chun Li, Yan-Hong Wang, Li-Ying Peng, Yun Zhou, Shi-Bin Chao
Summary: The DROI protocol showed significantly higher implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate compared to the mNC protocol in frozen-thawed embryo transfer, suggesting it may be a more efficient and promising approach for improving pregnancy outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Fuquan Zhu, Xinyue Lu, Yuan Jiang, Dayu Wang, Linqing Pan, Chao Jia, Lin Zhang, Yan Xie, Mingyue Zhao, Huijun Liu, Meixia Wang, Tingzhang Wang, Honglin Liu, Juan Li
Summary: Uneven division is a common abnormal cleavage pattern, and its effect on the developmental capacity and proteomic changes of blastomeres in pig embryos was investigated in this study. The blastomere size was found to affect developmental ability, with large blastomeres showing a higher cleavage rate and small blastomeres showing a lower rate. Proteomic analysis identified 109 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), which were involved in protein metabolism, energy metabolism, and ribosome. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed networks associated with RNA binding and cytoskeleton, confirming the role of cytoskeleton in the formation of uneven division. Developmental potential of the whole embryo was found to be influenced by energy metabolism, RNA binding, and ribosome.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor H. Parraguez, Francisco Sales, Oscar A. Peralta, Monica De los Reyes, Alfonso Campos, Javier Gonzalez, Wolfgang Peralta, Camila Cabezon, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: The study found that supplementation with herbal antioxidants during pregnancy significantly improved reproductive efficiency, litter traits, and piglet performance. This included increased number of live-born piglets and total litter weight, while reducing the incidence of low-weight piglets. However, the supplementation did not affect the number of stillbirths and mummified newborns.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nesrein M. Hashem, Eman M. Hassanein, Jean-Francois Hocquette, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Fayrouz A. Ahmed, Youssef A. Attia, Khalid A. Asiry
Summary: By 2050, global agricultural production needs to expand to meet the needs of 9.7 billion people, harmonized with social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the agricultural sector, with social distancing measures impacting production chain activities. Agricultural ICT plays a crucial role in maintaining sustainability, with social media and online platforms being the most commonly used technologies.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nesrein M. Hashem, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: The emergence of nanotechnology in livestock farming systems offers innovative solutions for the existing reproductive management challenges by modulating drug behavior and improving biological effects. The optimal reproductive management involves biological, hormonal, nutritional strategies, and reproductive disease control, which should consider both practical and ethical aspects. Nanotechnology applications can enhance the physicochemical properties of drugs, biological molecules, and nutrients, leading to improved bioavailability, cellular uptake, sustained release, and lower toxicity compared to conventional forms.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Veronica A. Garcia-Garcia, Josefa P. Alameda, Angustias Page, Antonio Merida-Garcia, Manuel Navarro, Adrian Tejero, Jesus M. Paramio, Rosa A. Garcia-Fernandez, M. Llanos Casanova
Summary: NMSC, particularly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is a severe health problem in the Caucasian population. The high expression of nuclear IKK alpha in cutaneous SCCs has been suggested to be associated with increased metastatic potential. This study explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the enhanced aggressiveness of nuclear IKK alpha in SCC progression. The results indicate that nuclear IKK alpha promotes EMT-related changes in tumor cells, particularly a migratory phenotype and the expression of proteins involved in cell matrix degradation and survival. Apigenin, an anti-cancer flavonoid, was found to inhibit IKK alpha expression and attenuate the pro-tumoral EMT changes induced by cytoplasmic IKK alpha.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Nesrein M. Hashem, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: This review discusses the relationship between reproductive tract dysbiosis and reproductive health and proposes the use of probiotics as an alternative for maintaining and restoring reproductive balance and function. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and safety of probiotics, as well as the regulatory requirements for marketing these therapies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Yeste, Jorge Perez-Valle, Marta Vazquez-Gomez, Consolacion Garcia-Contreras, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Anna Bassols
Summary: Supplementation of a mother's diet with hydroxytyrosol (HTX) can improve adverse phenotypes of foetuses affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) by regulating the hippocampal proteome. HTX has regulatory effects on protein synthesis and RNA metabolism, which may lead to differences in neuron differentiation. Additionally, HTX can exert neuroprotective effects through cell detoxification.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor H. Parraguez, Francisco Sales, Oscar Peralta, Monica de los Reyes, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: Hypoxemia and oxidative stress, resulting from undernourished twin sheep pregnancies, can be improved by maternal supplementation of antioxidants and concentrate feed, leading to better fetal redox status.
Article
Biology
Diego Castillo-Gutierrez, Luisa E. S. Hernandez-Arteaga, Manuel J. Flores-Najera, Venancio Cuevas-Reyes, Juan M. Vazquez-Garcia, Catarina Loredo-Osti, Sergio Beltran-Lopez, Gilberto Ballesteros-Rodea, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cesar A. Meza-Herrera, Cesar A. Rosales-Nieto
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementation with Optimethione (R) on pregnant goats and their offspring. The results showed that maternal intake of Optimethione (R) did not affect the live weight and milk yield of the dams, but had positive effects on the birth weight, body mass index, and postnatal growth pattern of the offspring.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Natalia Yeste, Jorge Perez-Valle, Ana Heras-Molina, Jose Luis Pesantez-Pacheco, Esteban Porrini, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Anna Bassols
Summary: Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) affects the normal growth of the fetus during pregnancy and can lead to neurological and cognitive deficits. A high-fat diet has harmful effects on brain function. Research using a pig model of IUGR found that the susceptibility to a high-fat diet may differ between animals with IUGR and normal birth-weight animals in adulthood, with the high-fat diet affecting the serotoninergic pathway. However, the morphology of the hippocampus was not significantly changed.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ana Heras-Molina, Rosa Escudero, Jose L. Pesantez-Pacheco, Consolacion Garcia-Contreras, Marta Vazquez-Gomez, Susana Astiz, Cristina Ovilo, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Beatriz Isabel
Summary: The study investigated the effects of maternal dietary supplementation with hydroxytyrosol and n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA) on the fatty acid composition of offspring tissues in Iberian pigs. The results showed higher levels of n3-PUFA in the supplemented fetuses' plasma and tissues, which may have implications for piglets' health and human dietary recommendations.
Article
Biology
Ana Heras-Molina, Natalia Yeste, Jose Luis Pesantez-Pacheco, Susana Astiz, Marta Vazquez-Gomez, Arianna Bettiga, Francesco Trevisani, Consolacion Garcia-Contreras, Sergio Luis-Lima, Anna Bassols, Esteban Porrini, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: The study explores the adult phenotype of offspring with low birth weight induced by maternal malnutrition or placental insufficiency, using a swine model. The findings suggest that low birth weight offspring can achieve similar obesity in adulthood as normal birth weight offspring when exposed to a fattening diet and glucose metabolism is more compromised in obese low birth weight pigs than obese normal birth weight pigs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hernan D. Laviano, Gerardo Gomez, Maria Munoz, Juan M. Garcia-Casco, Yolanda Nunez, Rosa Escudero, Ana Heras Molina, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cristina Ovilo, Clemente Lopez-Bote, Ana I. Rey
Summary: Modifying the composition of a sow's milk, specifically by supplementing with vitamin E and/or hydroxytyrosol, can improve the intestinal health and growth of piglets. The study found that vitamin E supplementation increased the levels of C18:1n-7 in colostrum, while hydroxytyrosol increased the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vitamin E supplementation also decreased certain fatty acids and increased ?-6-desaturase activity in 7-day milk. The lowest levels of milk lipid oxidation were observed in the vitamin E supplemented group, while hydroxytyrosol supplementation increased oxidation.
Article
Biology
Nesrein M. M. Hashem, Ahmed S. S. El-Hawy, Moharram E. F. El-Bassiony, Ibrahim S. Abd El-Hamid, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Paula Martinez-Ros
Summary: Sheep are seasonal breeders and require effective estrus induction protocols. This study compared the effects of two doses of nanoencapsulated GnRH with eCG in a progesterone-based estrus induction protocol in anestrous ewes. The results showed that the high dose of nanoencapsulated GnRH improved progesterone concentrations and pregnancy outcomes compared with low dose GnRH and eCG treatments. Therefore, high dose nanoencapsulated GnRH can be used as an alternative to eCG in progesterone-based protocols for seasonally anestrous ewes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gerardo Gomez, Hernan D. Laviano, Juan M. Garcia-Casco, Rosa Escudero, Maria Munoz, Ana Heras-Molina, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cristina Ovilo, Clemente Lopez-Bote, Ana I. Rey
Summary: Different feeding strategies are being applied to sows in order to obtain homogeneous piglets' weights and improved health status. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E (VE), hydroxytyrosol (HXT), or their combination on the growth pattern and oxidative status of piglets, as well as the factors contributing to these effects. The results showed that both VE and HXT improved the oxidative status of sows and piglets, and modified the growth pattern of the piglets depending on the growing period. The study also found that colostrum composition played a significant role in the growth patterns of the piglets.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Zurisaday Santos-Jimenez, Paula Martinez-Ros, Teresa Encinas, Juan Luis Morales-Cruz, Hugo Zuriel Guerrero-Gallegos, Ramiro Gonzalez-Avalos, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Juan Manuel Guillen-Munoz
Summary: There are significant differences in the response to CIDR/eCG protocols for estrus induction and synchronization between maiden sheep and multiparous sheep during the non-breeding season. Short-term treatments are effective, but maiden sheep show lower estrus activity and fertility rates.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)