BMC Veterinary Research最新文献

Telocytes (TCs) are stromal cells characterized by unique long protrusions, known as telopodes (TPs), that establish extensive cellular networks within tissues. They are involved in various functions, including tissue metabolism, mechanical support, and immune regulation. This study aims to investigate the distribution patterns and potential functions of TCs in the myocardium and aortic bulb of young and adult Tibetan sheep by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting techniques. The results demonstrate the existence of TCs in Tibetan sheep hearts and the morphological features changed with age. Compared with the young Tibetan sheep, the TPs were longer and more extensively branched with developed protrusions both in the myocardium and aortic bulb of adult. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining confirmed that the phenotypic expression of TC markers such as CD34, CD117, α-SMA, and PDGFR-α. Moreover, protein expression analysis revealed that there was no significant differences in CD117 and CD34 between young and adult Tibetan sheep, while α-SMA and PDGFR-α expression was significantly higher in the myocardium of young sheep compared to the adults (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the aortic bulb. This study reveals that there are changes in the ultrastructural characterization and immunophenotypic features of TCs in the myocardium and aortic bulb of Tibetan sheep with age, suggesting that TCs play an important role in cardiac development, angiogenesis and functional stability. Therefore, the findings provides clues for further research on characteristics of TCs in plateau hypoxia environment and their potential role in cardiac development.

Background: This study evaluated the efficacy of levamisole against gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) in cattle, sheep and goats in five regions from South Darfur, Sudan, based on faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) and coprocultures. Levamisole efficacy was examined in 45 cattle (8 mg/kg dose) from Bulbul, 22 sheep (8 mg/kg dose) from Nyala Domaia and 117 goats (10 and 12 mg/kg doses) from Bulbul (n = 25), Kass (n = 21), Nyala Domaia (n = 40) and Tulus (n = 31), all naturally infected with GINs. Moreover, the efficacy was evaluated in goats (n = 10) experimentally infected with a local Haemonchus contortus Um Dafuq isolate and treated with an 8 mg/kg dose. Faecal samples were collected before treatment (day 0) and day 12 after treatment for natural infection trials, while different collection times were used for experimentally infected goats.

Results: A parametric FECRT model with individual efficacy and parametric and non-parametric models with common efficacy assigned levamisole susceptibility to strongyle nematodes in cattle. However, all three models classified strongyles in goats as resistant to 10 and 12 mg/kg in Bulbul, Kass and Nyala Domaia, with lower 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of 77.7 - 94.4% and upper 90% CIs of 86.6 - 97.5%. Discrepancies occurred between the models in sheep in Nyala Domaia and goats in Tulus. The experimental infection trial in goats supported findings from goat field trials. Host species and sex were significant factors in resistance (P < 0.05). Using simulated data, a power analysis to detect resistance or susceptibility showed a power above 80.0% if at least 10 animals were used, overdispersion was low and the true efficacy was < 97.0% or > 99.2%, respectively. Model fit comparisons revealed that the individual efficacy eggCounts models fitted the data significantly (P < 0.05) better than the common efficacy models. Mild cholinergic toxicity was recorded in one sheep and seven goats, particularly those that received the 12 mg/kg dose.

Conclusions: The GINs of cattle were levamisole susceptible, whereas those of sheep and goats were resistant. Caution is advised with dose adjustments in desert sheep and goats. Research into combination anthelmintics and targeted selective treatment is recommended to address resistance in South Darfur.

Background: Inactive ovaries (IO) are a common reproductive disorder in early lactating dairy cows. This condition significantly reduces reproductive efficiency and economic returns. Although many studies have explored the metabolic characteristics of postpartum IO, systematic proteomic analyses using multiple biological samples are still lacking. This study used data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics to systematically analyze protein expression profiles in serum, follicular fluid (FF), and ovarian tissues of dairy cows. The goal was to identify potential molecular regulatory mechanisms and key biological pathways involved in IO. Serum, FF, and ovarian tissue samples were collected from six healthy and six IO multiparous Holstein cows at 63 (± 3) days postpartum. These samples were analyzed using DIA-based quantitative proteomics.

Results: In total, 155, 171, and 157 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs, P < 0.05 and FC ≥ 1.2 or ≤ 0.83) were identified in serum, FF, and ovarian tissues, respectively. Among these, 67 DEPs were upregulated and 88 were downregulated in serum, 38 were upregulated and 133 downregulated in FF, and 71 were upregulated and 86 downregulated in ovarian tissue. Integrated analysis revealed seven consistently altered proteins (APCS, KLKB1, HRG, TTR, CTSS, RBP4, and CUTA), of which CTSS was upregulated, while the others were downregulated across all sample types. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that most metabolic pathways, particularly glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, carbon metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis and degradation (including branched-chain amino acid pathways), were markedly downregulated in IO cows, suggesting metabolic suppression. In contrast, cholesterol metabolism and complement and coagulation cascades showed a general upregulation trend.

Conclusions: This study, for the first time, systematically characterizes coordinated alterations in key metabolic and reproductive pathways of IO cows through integrated multi-tissue proteomics. The findings provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of IO and suggest potential biomarkers and targets for improving ovarian function.