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Heat stress (HS) negatively affects human health, animal welfare, and livestock production. We analyzed the hepatic proteomes of finishing pigs subjected to chronic heat stress (HS), thermal neutral (TN), and restricted feed intake conditions, identifying differences between direct and indirect (via reduced feed intake) HS. Twenty-four castrated male pigs were randomly allocated to three treatments for three weeks: (1) thermal neutral (TN) (22 °C) with ad libitum feeding; (2) chronic HS (30 °C) with ad libitum feeding; and (3) TN, pair-fed to HS intake (PF). Hepatic proteome analysis was conducted using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Both HS and PF significantly reduced liver weight (p < 0.05). Forty-five hepatic proteins were differentially abundant when comparing HS with TN (37), PF with TN (29), and HS with PF (16). These proteins are involved in heat shock response and immune defense, oxidative stress response, cellular apoptosis, metabolism, signal transduction, and cytoskeleton. We also observed increased abundance of proteins and enzymes associated with heat shock response and immune defense, reduced the redox state, enhanced multiple antioxidant abilities, and increased apoptosis in HS liver. Heat-load, independent of reduced feed intake, induced an innate immune response, while food restriction caused stress and cellular apoptosis. Our results provide novel insights into the effects of chronic HS on liver.

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Background Anti-synthetase syndrome (ASSD) is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by antibodies directed against an aminoacycl transfer RNA synthetase (ARS) along with a group of clinical features including the classical clinical triad: inflammatory myopathy, arthritis, and interstitial lung disease (ILD). ASSD is highly heterogenous due to different organ involvement, and ILD is the main cause of mortality and function loss, which presents as different patterns when diagnosed. We designed this retrospective cohort to describe the clinical features and disease behaviour of ASSD associated ILD. Methods Data of 108 cases of ASSD associated ILD were retrospectively collected in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from December 2017 to March 2019. Data were obtained from the Electronic Medical Record system. Patients were divided into 5 groups according to distinct aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibodies. Results Overall, 108 consecutive patients were recruited. 33 were JO-1 positive, 30 were PL-7 positive, 23 were EJ positive, 13 were PL-12 positive and 9 were OJ positive. The JO-1 (+) group had a significant higher rate of mechanic’s hand (57.6%) than other 4 groups. Polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) was diagnosed in 25 (23.1%) patients and no difference was observed among the 5 groups. The PL-7 (+) group had a higher frequency of UIP pattern (13.3%) than the other 4 groups but the difference was not significant, and the EJ (+) group had the most frequent OP pattern (78.2%), which was significantly higher than the PL-7 (+) (P < 0.001) and PL-12 (+) groups (P = 0.025). The median follow-up time was 10.7 months, during which no patients died. All received prednisone treatment, with or without immunosuppressants. At the 6-month follow-up, 96.3% of all patients (104/108) had a positive response to therapy, the JO-1 (+) and EJ (+) groups had a significantly higher improvement of forced vital capacity than the other 3 groups (P < 0.05), and the PL-7 group had the lowest FVC improvement (P < 0.05). The JO-1 (+) group and EJ (+) group had significantly higher anti-Ro-52 positive occurrence than the other 3 groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Anti PL-7 antibody had the same frequency as anti-JO-1 in ASSD-ILD, in which the ILD pattern was different with distinct anti-ARS antibodies. Most ASSD-ILD had a positive response to steroid therapies, with or without immunosuppressants. The PL-7 (+) group had the highest occurrence of UIP pattern, and a significantly lower response to therapy.