Article
Neurosciences
Shoko Nakamuta, Yoshio Yamamoto, Masao Miyazaki, Atsuhiro Sakuma, Masato Nikaido, Nobuaki Nakamuta
Summary: Lungfish have two distinct sensory epithelia in their olfactory organs, corresponding to the lamellar olfactory epithelium and primitive vomeronasal organ (VNO) found in teleosts and tetrapods, respectively. The expression of V1Rs, a type of olfactory receptor, in lungfish suggests an intermediate step in the segregation of V1R expression between the olfactory epithelium and VNO, reflecting the evolutionary position of lungfish between teleosts and amphibians.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Amelio, Filippo Garofalo
Summary: African lungfish undergo remarkable morphological and biochemical adjustments in the skin during aestivation, including reorganization of epidermal layers, decrease of mucous cells, regenerative processes, and changes in Heat Shock Proteins expression. Our findings suggest a protective role for these adjustments in response to the stressful conditions associated with aestivation.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Elska B. Kaczmarek, Samantha M. Gartner, Mark W. Westneat, Elizabeth L. Brainerd
Summary: The study found that the major cranial bones serve as valves or pumps during air breathing and suction feeding, controlling the pattern of fluid flow; both behaviors exhibit an anterior-to-posterior wave of expansion and compression; the pectoral girdle and cranial rib rotate consistently during air breathing and suction feeding, with the muscle between them shortening during buccal expansion.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Michaela Plaikner, Lukas Lanser, Christian Kremser, Guenter Weiss, Benjamin Henninger
Summary: The study compares the measurement of splenic and pancreatic iron content using a commercial 3D-Dixon sequence (qDixon) and an established fat-saturated R2* relaxometry method (ME-GRE). The results show good concordance between the two methods, with the qDixon sequence proving to be a reliable tool for non-invasive evaluation of iron content in the spleen and pancreas.
EUROPEAN RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Serafin Mirete-Bachiller, Francisco Gambon
Summary: Sarcopterygian fishes are a taxon of bony fishes that evolved adaptations such as lungs and paired lobed fins. The study of their immunoglobulin genes reveals two evolutionary lineages, one focused on IgM and the other on IgW, allowing for high variability. The animals that went from water to land have IgD formed only by domains originating from the W lineage, while IgA/X and IgY arose from recombination between the two lineages.
MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yuan-Huan Kang, Bin-Tong Yang, Ren-Ge Hu, Peng Zhang, Min Gu, Wei Cong
Summary: This study investigates the biological mechanisms of aestivation in Apostichopus japonicus from the perspective of gut microbiota and metabolites. The findings suggest that there are significant differences in the gut microbiota composition and metabolic pathways between aestivating and non-aestivating individuals. This work provides a new perspective for understanding the aestivation mechanism of A. japonicus.
Article
Biology
Samantha M. Gartner, Katrina R. Whitlow, J. D. Laurence-Chasen, Elska B. Kaczmarek, Michael C. Granatosky, Callum F. Ross, Mark W. Westneat
Summary: This study used XROMM to investigate the kinematics of cranial bones and muscles during feeding in West African lungfish. The results revealed the unique motion patterns of cranial elements and the contribution of muscle shortening to successful suction feeding.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Wenshen Zeng, Yang Chen, Huan Zhang, Luwei Peng, Yaqi Li, Bing Liu, Hongbo Liang, Bing Du, Pan Li
Summary: This study found that probiotic fermented Qushi decoction (FQD) can effectively improve spleen inflammation and apoptosis in spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS) rats by modulating gastrointestinal motility hormones and intestinal microbiota. In addition, FQD also reverses dysregulation of the gut microbiota by regulating bacterial metabolites. These findings highlight the potential therapeutic implications of FQD for the treatment of SDS.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Suchi Jain, Geeta Sikka, Renu Dhir
Summary: This study aims to automate the segmentation of the pancreas using CT images for early detection of pancreatic cancer. Due to the variability in shape, size, and position, the pancreas is challenging to segment automatically, especially with current CNN-based methods. To avoid the need for annotations, a novel unsupervised localization approach is proposed, utilizing the spatial locations of stable large organs like the liver and spleen. Experimental results show that this approach achieves good segmentation results.
MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Kailin Li, Yao Xiao, Ji Bian, Lin Han, Caian He, Emad El-Omar, Lan Gong, Min Wang
Summary: Urolithin A (Uro A) is a dietary metabolite with potential health benefits in various diseases. It has been found to improve pancreatic diseases by activating autophagy and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress, resulting in reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuen K. Ip, Charmaine W. Q. Leong, Mel Boo, Wai P. Wong, Siew H. Lam, Shit F. Chew
Summary: African lungfishes are highly ammonia-tolerant obligatory air-breathers. The study found that branchial vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (Vha) played a crucial role in regulating the acidification of the external medium in lungfishes. Furthermore, exposure to high ammonia concentrations resulted in increased expression and activity of Vha, enhancing its ability to acidify the external medium.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ciaran A. Shaughnessy, Khoa Le, Valorie D. Myhre, Robert M. Dores
Summary: Recent studies show that even the most basic ray-finned fishes have features of Mrap1 dependence and ACTH selectivity. However, there have been no studies on Mc2r function in lobe-finned fishes. This article provides the first molecular and functional characterization of Mc2r from a lobe-finned fish, the West African lungfish, demonstrating its selective response to ACTH.
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
I. Infantino, F. Tocchioni, M. Ghionzoli, R. Coletta, F. Morini, A. Morabito
Summary: In this study, a case of a 17-year-old female patient with a DYRK1A mutation is reported. The patient presented with language and cognitive delay, microcephaly, and an autistic disorder. She underwent surgery for spleen torsion with anomalous gut fixation.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Jea-Young Lee, Zhen-Jie Wang, Alexa Moscatello, Chase Kingsbury, Blaise Cozene, Jeffrey Farooq, Madeline Saft, Nadia Sadanandan, Bella Gonzales-Portillo, Henry Zhang, Felipe Esparza Salazar, Alma Rosa Lezama Toledo, German Rivera Monroy, Reed Berlet, Cyndy D. Sanberg, Paul R. Sanberg, Cesario Borlongan
Summary: This study focuses on the role of the gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology and treatment. The researchers found that gut dysbiosis is a major pathological source of PD and that transplantation of stem cells and plasma derived from human umbilical cord blood can ameliorate the symptoms of PD. In addition, the study also revealed the inflammatory signals and alpha-synuclein overload in the gut and the brain, which could be reduced through transplantation. Overall, this study highlights the importance of the gut-brain axis in PD and provides potential therapeutic targets.
CELL DEATH DISCOVERY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yimeng Fan, Qingyu Zhao, Yuanyuan Wei, Huiru Wang, Yu Ga, Yannan Zhang, Zhihui Hao
Summary: Through the experiment, it was found that Pingwei San (PWS) could increase body weight, reduce fecal water content, and decrease inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon. Additionally, PWS promoted the expression of AQPs and tight junction markers and prevented the loss of colonic cup cells. Furthermore, PWS significantly increased the abundance of Prevotellaceae, Eubacterium_ruminantium_group, and Tuzzerella, while decreasing the abundance of Ruminococcus and Frisingicoccus in the feces of SDD rats.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
John Ndegwa Maina, Jose Manuel Icardo, Giacomo Zaccone, Marialuisa Aragona, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Alessio Alesci, Marco Albano, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Antonino Germana, Jorge Manuel Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Gioele Capillo
Summary: This study focused on the immune cell network in the gill and air-breathing organs of the sharptooth catfish, highlighting the interactions between different immune cells, neurotransmitters, and antimicrobial peptides. The research revealed the presence of a cholinergic innervation network across the gas exchange barrier and the localization of Ach in specific cells, providing insights into the neuro-immune interactions at mucosal barrier surfaces in fish.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yuen K. Ip, Mel Boo, Miguel Mies, Shit F. Chew
Summary: The study found that after 30 days of exposure to darkness, giant clams showed significant changes in coloration and gene expression in the outer mantle. However, after returning to a normal photoperiod for just 11 days, the quantity of symbionts and coloration increased significantly, indicating that the giant clam-coccoid dinoflagellate holobiont is phototrophically plastic and particularly tolerant to bleaching.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Giacomo Zaccone, Gioele Capillo, Jorge Manuel Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Alessio Alesci, Patrizia Lo Cascio, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Jose Manuel Icardo, Atsushi Ishimatsu, Ryosuke Murata, Takafumi Amagai, Antonino Germana, Marialuisa Aragona
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are multifunctional peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. This review focuses on the molecular characterization of the fish-specific AMP piscidin1 and its role in the immune response against pathogens. The discovery of piscidins in the gill and skin and their potential as drug targets for antimicrobial barrier function and aquaculture therapy is important for future research.
Article
Zoology
Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Gioele Capillo, Jose Manuel Icardo, Jorge Manuel Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Marialuisa Aragona, Antonino Germana, Giacomo Zaccone
Summary: This study examined the expression patterns of neuronal markers and compounds in NECs of Heteropneustes fossilis gills and respiratory air sac, revealing a potential immunomodulatory function. NECs were found to express neuronal markers and antimicrobial peptides, suggesting a role in local immune regulation through Ach and GABA signaling. The extent of NECs' involvement in the immunobiological behavior of the gill/air-sac remains unclear and requires further investigation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mel Boo, Caryn Z. Pang, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: Giant clams require increased transport of Ca2+ and HCO3- for shell formation. This study identified two proteins involved in HCO3- transport and found that their expression levels increased significantly in response to light, suggesting their role in light-enhanced uptake of HCO3-.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caryn Z. Pang, Mel Boo, Yuen K. Ip, Shit F. Chew
Summary: Research on giant clams reveals that dinoflagellates utilize AMT2 to absorb ammonia in photosynthesis, particularly with a stronger absorption capacity in dinoflagellates residing in the outer mantle, enhancing the assimilation process of ammonia.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Germaine C. Y. Teng, Mel V. Boo, Siew H. Lam, Caryn Z. Pang, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: This study reports on the glycerol transport protein in the symbionts of giant clams and suggests potential differences in glycerol transport capabilities among different genetic types.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuen K. Ip, Charmaine W. Q. Leong, Mel Boo, Wai P. Wong, Siew H. Lam, Shit F. Chew
Summary: African lungfishes are highly ammonia-tolerant obligatory air-breathers. The study found that branchial vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (Vha) played a crucial role in regulating the acidification of the external medium in lungfishes. Furthermore, exposure to high ammonia concentrations resulted in increased expression and activity of Vha, enhancing its ability to acidify the external medium.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caryn Z. Pang, Yuen K. Ip, Shit F. Chew
Summary: This study used transcript levels of ammonia transporter in different genera of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates to estimate their potential of ammonia transport in the fluted giant clam. The results indicated that different phylotypes of Symbiodinium and Cladocopium have different potentials of ammonia transport, and Symbiodinium phylotypes might have higher potential of NO3- transport than ammonia transport. The study also revealed disparate potentials of ammonia transport among Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes residing in different organs of T. squamosa, suggesting functional diversity among these phylotypes.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Raagavi Mani, Mel Boo, Siow Y. Ng, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: Giant clams harbor symbiotic dinoflagellates that possess their own carbon concentration mechanism and are influenced by light exposure. The study indicates that light enhances the gene and protein expression levels of the symbiotic dinoflagellates in the clam's outer mantle, and different species may vary in their ability to generate CO2.
Article
Cell Biology
Giacomo Zaccone, Gioele Capillo, Marialuisa Aragona, Alessio Alesci, Camila Cupello, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Michal Kuciel, Kristina Zuwala, Antonino Germana, Jose Manuel Icardo
Summary: In this study, we conducted a morphological and immunohistochemical study of the gills of juvenile specimens of the obligate air-breathing fish Heterotis niloticus. The gills showed a reduced respiratory surface area by development of an interlamellar cellular mass (ILCM), which persisted under both normoxia and hypoxia. Neuroepithelial cells (NECs), the major oxygen and hypoxia sensing cell type, expressed 5HT, nNOS, and VAChT and were associated with nitrergic nerve fibers. The O2 levels did not affect the characteristics of NECs.
Article
Cell Biology
Alejandro Castilla-Ibeas, Sofia Zdral, Laura Galan, Endika Haro, Lila Allou, Victor M. Campa, Jose M. Icardo, Stefan Mundlos, Kerby C. Oberg, Marian A. Ros
Summary: Mammalian digit tip regeneration is dependent on the presence of nail tissue, and a nail-specific model is lacking. Nail-less double-ventral digits of DLARM1/2 mutants fail to regenerate, while double-dorsal double-nail digits can regenerate. Transcriptomic comparison reveals differential upregulation of vascularization and connective tissue functional signatures in wild-type digits versus upregulation of inflammation in the mutant, suggesting additional roles of Lmx1b in digit tip regeneration beyond nail formation.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jose M. Icardo, Alessio Alesci, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Maria C. Guerrera, Giacomo Zaccone
Summary: This study investigates the structure and relationships of the respiratory gas bladder and vertebrae in the osteoglossiform fish Heterotis niloticus. The gas bladder has a glottis-like opening and is lined with a highly vascularized parenchyma with alveolar-like structure. It exhibits good potential for respiratory gas exchange. The ventral wall of the gas bladder has a well-vascularized membrane and a richly innervated smooth muscle layer, implying adjustability. The trunk and caudal vertebrae have surface openings and intravertebral pneumatic spaces invaded by the bladder parenchyma. The findings suggest the exceptional role of the African Arowana in postcranial skeletal pneumaticity outside of Archosauria.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bjarke Jensen, Antoon Fransiscus Maria Moorman, Tobias Wang, Peter Rask Moller, Jose Manuel Icardo, Henrik Lauridsen
Article
Fisheries
Giacomo Zaccone, Alessio Alesci, Doaa M. M. Mokhtar, Marialuisa Aragona, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Gioele Capillo, Marco Albano, Jorge de Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Ramy K. A. Sayed, Marwa M. M. Hussein, Patrizia Lo Cascio, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Antonino Germana, Jose Manuel Icardo, Eugenia Rita Lauriano
Summary: The recognition and elimination of invading pathogens are essential for host survival. Macrophages, which function similarly to vertebrate macrophages, play a crucial role in host protection in all multicellular organisms. CD14 is a pattern responsible for bacterial recognition found on the surface of macrophages. These cells store antimicrobial molecules and display polarization states similar to mammalian macrophages. The present study reports the presence of various cell markers, including CD14, in the intestinal macrophages of catfish and bonytongue, providing insights into the in vivo function of macrophages in fish.
