No abstract

This study investigated the effects of an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), cLF36, on growth performance and the histophysiological changes of the intestine in E. coli-challenged broiler chickens. A total number of 360 day old male chicks were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 6 replicates as follows: T1) negative control diet based on corn-soybean meal without E. coli challenge and additives; T2) positive control diet based on corn-soybean meal and challenged with E. coli without any additives; T3) positive control diet challenged with E. coli and supplemented with 20 mg AMP (cLF36)/kg diet; T4) positive control diet challenged with E. coli and supplemented with 45 mg antibiotic (bacitracin methylene disalicylate)/kg diet. Results showed that T3 improved growth performance and the jejunal morphology of E. coli-challenged chickens similar to those of T4. While antibiotic non-selectively decreased the population of ileal bacteria, AMP increased the population of Lactobacillus spp. and decreased harmful bacteria in the ileum of E. coli-challenged chickens. Supplementing E. coli-challenged chickens with AMP improved the gene expression of immune cells and upregulated the expression of tight junction proteins compared to other challenged groups. In conclusion, although cLF36 beneficially affected growth performance and the intestinal morphology of E. coli-challenged chickens similar to those of the antibiotic group, this AMP drastically improved the intestinal microbiome, immune cells, and junctional proteins compared to other E. coli-challenged birds, and can be nominated as an alternative for growth promoter antibiotics.

Colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer mortality, constitutes a significant global health burden. An accurate, noninvasive detection method for cRc as complement to colonoscopy could improve the effectiveness of treatment. In the present study, SureSelectXT Methyl-Seq was performed on cancerous and normal colon tissues and CLDN1, INHBA and SLC30A10 were found as candidate methylated genes. MethyLight assay was run on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and fresh case and control tissues to validate the methylation of the selected gene. the methylation was significantly different (p-values < 2.2e-16) with a sensitivity of 87.17%; at a specificity cut-off of 100% in FFPE tissues. Methylation studies on fresh tissues, indicated a sensitivity of 82.14% and a specificity cut-off of 92% (p-values = 1.163e-07). The biomarker performance was robust since, normal tissues indicated a significant 22.1-fold over-expression of the selected gene as compared to the corresponding CRC tissues (p-value < 2.2e-16) in the FFPE expression assay. In our plasma pilot study, evaluation of the tissue methylation marker in the circulating cell-free DNA, demonstrated that 9 out of 22 CRC samples and 20 out of 20 normal samples were identified correctly. In summary, there is a clinical feasibility that the offered methylated gene could serve as a candidate biomarker for CRC diagnostic purpose, although further exploration of our candidate gene is warranted.Colorectal cancer (CRC) constitutes a significant global health burden, leading to over 862,000 deaths globally in 2018. It is the second main cause of cancer mortality in the world and currently stands as the third most common cancer, with a yearly incidence of over one million and eight thousand cases worldwide 1 . Its leading cause of death is due to liver metastasis with a median survival rate of approximately 30 months. Generally, half of the patients with CRC develop tumor recurrences 2 . For early-diagnosed CRC patients, the 5-year survival rates are approximately 90% but this lowers to less than 10% in patients with extensive metastases. Thus, the most effective approach to reduce CRC incidence and its mortality is early detection of colonic lesions 3 . Fortunately, because of implementation and growth of wide spread cancer screening assays, such as colonoscopy as well as increasingly effective therapies, the mortality rate of CRC is lowering in many countries 2 .

Clostridium perfringens -induced necrotic enteritis ( NE ) is an economically important disease of broiler chickens. The present study evaluated the effect of C. perfringens on the intestinal histomorphometry, enteric microbial colonization, and host immune responses using 3 experimental NE reproduction methods. The experimental groups consisted of 1) unchallenged Control diet (corn-soybean meal), 2) Control diet + Eimera inoculation at d 11 followed by C. perfringens challenge at d 15 ( ECp ), 3) Wheat-based diet + C. perfringens challenge ( WCp ), and 4) Wheat-based diet + Eimeria inoculation followed by C. perfringens challenge ( WECp ). The results showed that chickens receiving ECp and WECp had reduced ( P < 0.05) bird performance coupled with enteric gross lesions and epithelial damage at d 17 and 24 of age compared to unchallenged control birds. These ECp and WECp administered birds also had increased ( P < 0.05) ileal colonization by clostridia and E. coli at d 17 and 24, while the resident Lactobacillus counts were reduced ( P < 0.05) at d 24 of age. Furthermore, at d 24, jejunal transcription of IL-6, IL-10, annexin-A1 and IL-2 genes was upregulated ( P < 0.05) in the ECp group, whereas the transcription of TNF receptor associated factor (TRAF)-3 gene was increased ( P < 0.05) in WECp treated birds when compared to unchallenged control group. Additionally, stimulation of chicken splenocytes and cecal tonsilocytes with virulent C. perfringens bacilli or their secretory proteins resulted in a higher ( P < 0.05) frequency of T cells and their upregulation of MHC-II molecule, as determined by flow cytometry. These findings suggest that C. perfringens , while inducing epithelial damage and changes in microbiota, can also trigger host immune responses. Furthermore, NE reproduction methods using coccidia with or without the wheat-based dietary predisposition seem to facilitate an optimal NE reproduction in broiler chickens and thus, may provide better avenues for future C. perfringens research.