Expression of Neurotrophin 4 and Its Receptor Tyrosine Kinase B in Reproductive Tissues during the Follicular and Luteal Phases in Cows

Sun, Yongfeng,Li, Chunjin,Sun, Yanling,Chen, Lu,Liu, Zhuo,Ma, Yonghe,Wang, Chunqiang,Zhang, Wei,Zhou, Xu Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2011 Animal Bioscience Vol.24 No.3

The neurotrophins, required for the survival and differentiation of the nervous system, are known to be important for the development of the reproductive tissues. However, the signals initiating the growth of follicles, gamete development, and transport and the development of zygote in the reproductive system of cows remain ambiguous. The purpose of the present study was to identify the transcripts and proteins of Neurotrophin 4 (NT4) and its receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in bovine reproductive tissues. The transcripts and immunoreactivity of NT4 and TrkB proteins were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Using immunohistochemistry, the specific immunoreactivity of NT4 and TrkB were detected in the oocytes of primordial follicles and in the growing primary follicles. The NT4 and TrkB immunoreactivity was predominantly observed in granulosa cells, cumulus granulosa cells, cumulus oocyte complexes, theca cells of mature follicles, as well as in the oviduct epithelial cells, uterine gland cell, and epithelium cells of the uterus during the follicular and luteal phases in cows. Expressions of NT4 and TrkB mRNAs were not significantly different among the ovary, oviduct, and uterus of the follicular phase. For the luteal phase, the expression of NT4 mRNA in the ovary was significantly higher than that in the oviduct and uterus, and the expression of TrkB mRNA in the oviduct was significantly higher than that in the ovary and uterus, as determined by fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression of NT4 mRNA was significantly higher than that of TrkB mRNA in the ovary and uterus, whereas NT4 mRNA expression was lower than that of TrkB mRNA in the oviduct during the luteal phase. The present study hypothesizes that NT4 participates in the regulation of both gonads and extra-gonadal reproductive tissues in cows.

The role of CTNNB1 and LEF1 in feather follicles development of Anser cygnoides and Anser anser

Yue Sun,Yuxuan Zhou,Petunia Msuthwana,Jing Liu,Chang Liu,Cornelius Tlotliso Sello,Yupu Song,Ziqiang Feng,Shengyi Li,Wei Yang,Yunpeng Xu,Xiaomin Yan,Chuanghang Li,Yujian Sui,Jingtao Hu,Yongfeng Sun 한국유전학회 2020 Genes & Genomics Vol.42 No.7

Background Wingless-types/beta-catenin (Wnt/β-catenin) signaling pathway is one of the most extensively studied transcriptional cascades involved in various types of organogenesis including embryonic and postnatal development. Downy feather quantity is primarily affected by follicular development and gene regulations. Objective This research was aimed to investigate the role of catenin beta-1(CTNNB1) and lymphoid enhancerbinding factor-1 (LEF1) on feather follicles development at different developmental stages. Methods Fluorescence quantitative PCR, Western-blot and immunohistochemical methods were used in Anser cygnoides and Anser anser embryos (E12, E13 E18, and E28) and after birth gosling stages (G18, G48, G88) for gene expression analysis. Results CTNNB1 and LEF1 genes were expressed in Anser cygnoides and Anser anser at different embryonic and after-birth gosling developmental stages and the expression levels were significantly different in different stages (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of CTNNB1 and LEF1 genes reached the highest level at D88 in Anser cygnoides, while the highest expression levels were at D18 and D88 in Anser anser, and the expression levels of CTNNB1 genes at D88 in all embryonic stages were significantly lower than after-birth stages. CTNNB1 and LEF1 protein expression were the highest at E12 and E28 for Anser cygnoides feather follicles development. While at a similar stage for Anser anser, the expression of CTNNB1 and LEF1 protein was the highest at D48 and D18. Protein expression at embryonic stages was in the epidermis (E) and the hair basal plate (P), the expression site for after-birth stages was in the dermal papilla (DP). Conclusion Our study illustrated that CTNNB1 and LEF1 has an impact on Anser cygnoides and Anser anser feather follicles growth and development.

Detection of the SRY Transcript and Protein in Bovine Ejaculated Spermatozoa

Li, Chunjin,Sun, Yongfeng,Yi, Kangle,Li, Chengjiao,Zhu, Xiaoling,Chen, Lu,Zhou, Xu Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2011 Animal Bioscience Vol.24 No.10

The sex-determining region on the Y (SRY) gene is important in mammalian sex determination and differentiation. We report a study of the abundance of SRY gene products in bovine ejaculate. RT-PCR experiments using RNA extracted from bovine spermatozoa with SRY-specific primers yielded a 456 bp product, but the amount of SRY mRNA in sperm was lower than that in the testes (p<0.01). A protein of approximately 27 KDa was detected by western blotting. The SRY transcript was detected in the midpiece of approximately half the spermatozoa by in situ hybridization, and the SRY protein was detected in the heads of half the spermatozoa by immunofluorescence, indicating that SRY mRNA and protein may only be present in Y-bearing spermatozoa. These results suggest that the SRY transcript and protein are present in bovine ejaculated Y-sperm. The roles of the SRY gene in spermatogenesis, sperm motility, and the sperm-oocyte interaction merit further investigation.

Understanding of crystallization behavior under low melt temperatures of propylene-ethylene copolymer with different initial polymorphs

Jiayi Zhao,Yingying Sun,Yongfeng Men 한국고분자학회 2016 한국고분자학회 학술대회 연구논문 초록집 Vol.41 No.2

Characterization of high-alumina coal fly ash based silicate material and its adsorption performance on volatile organic compound elimination

Guojun Yuan,Jianbin Zhang,Yongfeng Zhang,Yinan Yan,Xinxin Ju,Junmin Sun 한국화학공학회 2015 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.32 No.3

A highly stable silicate material from high-alumina coal fly ash was prepared and characterized using X-raydiffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal analysis, Xrayphotoelectron spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The spectral results show that the silicate material was mainlycomposed of six elements, C, Ca, O, Si, Mg, and Al, in the form of Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+, SiO32−, and CO32− ions. Some adsorbedwater and/or water of crystallization was also observed. The silicate material showed exceptionally high capabilityto adsorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results of dynamic adsorption behavior show that the silicatematerial presents similar properties with commercial activated carbon and stronger absorption properties than commercialdiatomite for the adsorption of VOCs. The FTIR spectral results show weak hydrogen bonding interactions ofthe silicate material with three VOCs.

Preparation and characterization of a porous silicate material from silica fume

Yinmin Zhang,Haiping Qi,Yaqiong Li,Yongfeng Zhang,Junmin Sun 한국화학공학회 2017 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.34 No.12

A porous silicate material derived from silica fume was successfully prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetry and Differential thermal gravity (TG-DTG), N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Raw silica fume was analyzed by XRD, FT-IR and SEM. The analysis results of silica fume indicated that SiO2 in silica fume is mainly determined as amorphous state, and that the particles of raw silica fume exhibited characteristic spherical structure with a diameter of from 50 nm to 200 nm. The preparation of the porous silicate material involved two steps. The first step was the extraction of the SiO3 2− leachate from raw silica fume. The maximum value of SiO3 2− extraction yield was obtained under the following conditions: reaction temperature of 120 oC, reaction time of 120 min, NaOH concentration of 15%, and alkali to SiO2 molar ratio of 2. The second step was the preparation of the porous silicate material though the reaction of SiO3 2− leachate and Ca(OH)2 suspension liquid. The optimum preparation conditions were as follows: preparation temperature of 90 oC, preparation time of 1.5 h, Si/Ca molar ratio of 1 : 1, and stirring rate of 100 r/min. The BET surface area and pore size of the porous silicate material were 220.7m2·g−1 and 8.55 cm3/g, respectively. The porous silicate material presented an amorphous and unordered structure. The spectroscopic results indicated that the porous silicate material was mainly composed of Si, Ca, O, C, and Na, in the form of Ca2+, SiO3 2−, CO3 2− and Na+ ions, respectively, which agreed with the XRD, TG-DSC, and FT-IR data. The N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm mode indicates that the porous silicate material belonged to a typical mesoporous material. The porous silicate material presented efficiency for the removal of formaldehyde: it showed a formaldehyde adsorption capacity of 8.01mg/g for 140 min at 25 oC.

Inhibition of acetylation of histones 3 and 4 attenuates aortic valve calcification

Jia Gu,Yan Lu,Menqing Deng,Ming Qiu,Yunfan Tian,Yue Ji,Pengyu Zong,Yongfeng Shao,Rui Zheng,Bin Zhou,Xiangqing Kong,Wei Sun 생화학분자생물학회 2019 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.51 No.-

Aortic valve calcification develops in patients with chronic kidney disease who have calcium and phosphate metabolic disorders and poor prognoses. There is no effective treatment except valve replacement. However, metabolic disorders put patients at high risk for surgery. Increased acetylation of histones 3 and 4 is present in interstitial cells from human calcific aortic valves, but whether it is involved in aortic valve calcification has not been studied. In this study, we found that treating cultured porcine aortic valve interstitial cells with a high-calcium/high-phosphate medium induced calcium deposition, apoptosis, and expression of osteogenic marker genes, producing a phenotype resembling valve calcification in vivo. These phenotypic changes were attenuated by the histone acetyltransferase inhibitor C646. C646 treatment increased the levels of class I histone deacetylase members and decreased the acetylation of histones 3 and 4 induced by the high-calcium/high-phosphate treatment. Conversely, the histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid promoted valve interstitial cell calcification. In a mouse model of aortic valve calcification induced by adenine and vitamin D treatment, the levels of acetylated histones 3 and 4 were increased in the calcified aortic valves. Treatment of the models with C646 attenuated aortic valve calcification by restoring the levels of acetylated histones 3 and 4. These observations suggest that increased acetylation of histones 3 and 4 is part of the pathogenesis of aortic valve calcification associated with calcium and phosphate metabolic disorders. Targeting acetylated histones 3 and 4 may be a potential therapy for inoperable aortic valve calcification in chronic kidney disease patients.