Biology-Basel最新文献

{"title":"Mechanistic Study of NT5E in Reg3β-Induced Macrophage Polarization and Cooperation with Plasma Proteins in Myocarditis Injury and Repair.","authors":"Shichao Zhang, Peirou Zhou, Fanfan Zhu, Yingying Wang, Xuesong Wang, Jingwen Chen, Yumeng Li, Xiaoyi Shao","doi":"10.3390/biology14081017","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> We aimed to explore the mechanism by which extracellular-5'-nucleotidase (NT5E) regulates macrophage polarization via regenerating islet-derived protein 3 beta (Reg3β) and other plasma proteins that mediate immune-cell effects on myocarditis. Methods: The involvement of NT5E in Reg3β-induced macrophage polarization was first analyzed using RNA sequencing, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Mendelian randomization was employed to identify NT5E and various plasma proteins as potential therapeutic targets for myocarditis. Mediation analysis, enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network analysis, drug prediction, molecular docking, and single-cell RNA sequencing were integrated to further evaluate the biological functions and pharmacological potential of the identified targets. Finally, phenome-wide association studies were conducted to assess the safety of targeting these proteins. <b>Results:</b> NT5E expression was elevated in Reg3β-stimulated M2 macrophages. The expression of Arg-1, a marker of M2 macrophages, decreased upon NT5E knockdown, suggesting that NT5E is involved in the Reg3β-mediated polarization of macrophages to the M2 phenotype. Mendelian randomization analysis identified NT5E and 80 other plasma proteins as being causally associated with myocarditis. Mediation analysis revealed 12 immune-cell types were mediators of the effects of plasma protein on myocarditis progression. Drug prediction identified candidates such as ICN 1229 and chrysin, which showed strong binding affinities in molecular docking analyses. These findings may contribute to the development of effective treatments for myocarditis. <b>Conclusions</b>: NT5E plays a dual role in Reg3β-induced macrophage polarization and in interacting with plasma proteins that influence the onset and progression of myocarditis through immune-cell pathways.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383428/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144993526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bidirectional Hypoxic Extracellular Vesicle Signaling Between Müller Glia and Retinal Pigment Epithelium Regulates Retinal Metabolism and Barrier Function.","authors":"Alaa M Mansour, Mohamed S Gad, Samar Habib, Khaled Elmasry","doi":"10.3390/biology14081014","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081014","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The retina is highly sensitive to oxygen and blood supply, and hypoxia plays a key role in retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Müller glial cells, which are essential for retinal homeostasis, respond to injury and hypoxia with reactive gliosis, characterized by the upregulation of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin, cellular hypertrophy, and extracellular matrix changes, which can impair retinal function and repair. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) supports photoreceptors, forms part of the blood-retinal barrier, and protects against oxidative stress; its dysfunction contributes to retinal degenerative diseases such as AMD, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and Stargardt disease (SD). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in intercellular communication, protein homeostasis, and immune modulation, and have emerged as promising diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Understanding the role of extracellular vesicles' (EVs') signaling machinery of glial cells and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is critical for developing effective treatments for retinal degeneration. In this study, we investigated the bidirectional EV-mediated crosstalk between RPE and Müller cells under hypoxic conditions and its impact on cellular metabolism and retinal cell integrity. Our findings demonstrate that RPE-derived extracellular vesicles (RPE EVs) induce time-dependent metabolic reprogramming in Müller cells. Short-term exposure (24 h) promotes pathways supporting neurotransmitter cycling, calcium and mineral absorption, and glutamate metabolism, while prolonged exposure (72 h) shifts Müller cell metabolism toward enhanced mitochondrial function and ATP production. Conversely, Müller cell-derived EVs under hypoxia influenced RPE metabolic pathways, enhancing fatty acid metabolism, intracellular vesicular trafficking, and the biosynthesis of mitochondrial co-factors such as ubiquinone. Proteomic analysis revealed significant modulation of key regulatory proteins. In Müller cells, hypoxic RPE-EV exposure led to reduced expression of Dyskerin Pseudouridine Synthase 1 (DKc1), Eukaryotic Translation Termination Factor 1 (ETF1), and Protein Ser/Thr phosphatases (PPP2R1B), suggesting alterations in RNA processing, translational fidelity, and signaling. RPE cells exposed to hypoxic Müller cell EVs exhibited elevated Ribosome-binding protein 1 (RRBP1), RAC1/2, and Guanine Nucleotide-Binding Protein G(i) Subunit Alpha-1 (GNAI1), supporting enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function and cytoskeletal remodeling. Functional assays also revealed the compromised barrier integrity of the outer blood-retinal barrier (oBRB) under hypoxic co-culture conditions. These results underscore the adaptive but time-sensitive nature of retinal cell communication via EVs in response to hypoxia. Targeting this crosstalk may offer novel therapeutic strategies to preserve retinal structure and function in is","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383891/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization and Functional Analysis of the <i>FBN</i> Gene Family in Cotton: Insights into Fiber Development.","authors":"Sunhui Yan, Liyong Hou, Liping Zhu, Zhen Feng, Guanghui Xiao, Libei Li","doi":"10.3390/biology14081012","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fibrillins (FBNs) are indispensable for plant growth and development, orchestrating multiple physiological processes. However, the precise functional role of <i>FBNs</i> in cotton fiber development remains uncharacterized. This study reports a genome-wide characterization of the <i>FBN</i> gene family in cotton. A total of 28 <i>GhFBN</i> genes were identified in upland cotton, with systematic analyses of their phylogenetic relationships, protein motifs, gene structures, and hormone-responsive <i>cis</i>-regulatory elements. Expression profiling of <i>GhFBN1A</i> during fiber development revealed stage-specific activity across the developmental continuum. Transcriptomic analyses following hormone treatments demonstrated upregulation of <i>GhFBN</i> family members, implicating their involvement in hormone-mediated regulatory networks governing fiber cell development. Collectively, this work presents a detailed molecular characterization of cotton <i>GhFBN</i>s and establishes a theoretical foundation for exploring their potential applications in cotton breeding programs aimed at improving fiber quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383549/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population Dynamics of the Florida Softshell Turtle (<i>Apalone ferox</i>) in a Protected Spring Ecosystem.","authors":"Eric C Munscher, Zachary A Siders, Andrew S Weber, Jessica Munscher, Madeleine Morrison, Wayne Osborne, Shannon Letcher, Brian P Butterfield, Michael Skibsted, Andrew D Walde","doi":"10.3390/biology14081018","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Florida softshell turtle, <i>Apalone ferox</i>, is considered common and found in many different types of freshwater habitats throughout its range. However, despite its prevalence where it occurs, little is understood about the species' life history and population dynamics due to difficulties with capture and long-term marking. Building on a foundational study of the Florida softshell turtle at Wekiwa Springs State Park (WSSP) from 2007 to 2012, we present findings from an extended 16-year mark-recapture study spanning from 2007 to 2023. A total of 31 sampling events were conducted with a median of two capture events per year. Sampling events were spread over a median of 5 days each year (range, 2-11 days), with a total of 88 capture days. One hundred and twenty individual <i>A. ferox</i> were captured over 225 encounters. We estimated an average population size of 135.6 individuals using an annual Schumacher-Eschmeyer ratio estimator. Using a state-space Jolly-Seber model, we estimated that 204 individuals entered the population over the 16 years (the superpopulation), while the average current population size was 40 individuals. The median survival probability was 0.884 but the median detection probability was 0.10, reinforcing the perceived difficulty with capturing <i>A. ferox</i>. The continued influx of new juveniles, recapture of these individuals as adults, and strong female bias support the possibility that the WSSP and Rock Springs greater ecosystem functions as a potential nursery habitat for the Florida softshell. Though population estimates dropped 20% following a two-year sampling gap owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the population is currently growing slowly and highlights the value of continued, long-term monitoring of elusive freshwater turtle species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384039/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"VaccineDesigner: A Web-Based Tool for Streamlined Multi-Epitope Vaccine Design.","authors":"Dimitrios Trygoniaris, Anna Korda, Anastasia Paraskeva, Esmeralda Dushku, Georgios Tzimagiorgis, Minas Yiangou, Charalampos Kotzamanidis, Andigoni Malousi","doi":"10.3390/biology14081019","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Multi-epitope vaccines have become the preferred strategy for protection against infectious diseases by integrating multiple MHC-restricted T-cell and B-cell epitopes that elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses against pathogens. Computational methods address various aspects independently, yet their orchestration is technically challenging, as most bioinformatics tools are accessible through heterogeneous interfaces and lack interoperability features. The present work proposes a novel framework for rationalized multi-epitope vaccine design that streamlines end-to-end analyses through an integrated web-based environment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>VaccineDesigner is a comprehensive web-based framework that streamlines the design of protective epitope-based vaccines by seamlessly integrating computational methods for B-cell, CTL, and HTL epitope prediction. VaccineDesigner incorporates single-epitope prediction and evaluation as well as additional analyses, such as multi-epitope vaccine generation, estimation of population coverage, molecular mimicry, and proteasome cleavage. The functionalities are transparently integrated into a modular architecture, providing a single access point for rationalized, multi-epitope vaccine generation in a time- and cost-effective manner.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>VaccineDesigner is a web-based tool that identifies and evaluates candidate B-cell, CTL, and HTL epitopes and constructs a library of multi-epitope vaccines that combine strong immunogenic responses, safety, and broad population coverage. The source code is available under the academic license and freely accessible.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383782/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virulence of <i>Metarhizium robertsii</i> Strains Isolated from Forest Ecosystems Against Wax Moths (<i>Galleria mellonella</i>, <i>Achroia grisella</i>) and Pine Processionary (<i>Thaumetopoea pityocampa</i>) Larvae.","authors":"Spiridon Mantzoukas, Vasileios Papantzikos, Chrysanthi Zarmakoupi, Panagiotis A Eliopoulos, Ioannis Lagogiannis, George Patakioutas","doi":"10.3390/biology14081009","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are one of the most environmentally friendly ways to control a plethora of chewing insects such as <i>T. pityocampa</i>, <i>G. mellonella</i>, and <i>A. grisella</i>. Bioassay of EPF on these highly damaging pests is considered important in the face of climate change in order to research alternative solutions that are capable of limiting chemical control, the overuse of which increases insects' resistance to chemical compounds. In this study, the insecticidal virulence of <i>Metarhizium robertsii</i> isolates, retrieved from forest ecosystems, was tested on second-instar larvae of <i>T. pityocampa</i>, <i>G. mellonella</i>, and <i>A. grisella</i>. Bioassays were carried out in the laboratory, where experimental larvae were sprayed with 2 mL of a six-conidial suspension from each isolate. Mortality was recorded for 144 h after exposure. Mean mortality, lethal concentrations, sporulation percentage, and sporulation time were estimated for each isolate. <i>Metarhizium</i> isolates resulted in the highest mortality (89.2% for <i>G. mellonella</i> and 90.2% for <i>A. grisella</i>). Based on the LC₅₀ estimates determined by the concentration-mortality relationships for the tested fungal isolates, we demonstrated significant virulence on larvae of <i>G. mellonella</i>, <i>A. grisella</i>, and <i>T. pityocampa</i>. Our results indicate that entomopathogenic fungi have the potential to become a very useful tool in reducing chemical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383313/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Precipitation Change on Desert Steppe Aboveground Productivity.","authors":"Yonghong Luo, Jiming Cheng, Ziyu Cao, Haixiang Zhang, Pengcuo Danba, Jiazhi Wang, Ying Wang, Rong Zhang, Chao Zhang, Yingqun Feng, Shuhua Wei","doi":"10.3390/biology14081010","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Precipitation changes have significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem productivity. However, the effects of precipitation changes on species diversity have been the focus of most previous studies. Little is known about the contributions of different dimensions of biodiversity (species, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) in linking long-term precipitation changes to ecosystem functions. In this study, a randomized design was conducted in the desert steppes of Ningxia, which included three treatments: natural rainfall, precipitation reduced by 50%, and precipitation increased by 50%. After 4 years of treatment, the effects of precipitation changes on aboveground productivity and its underlying mechanisms were explored. The results showed that (1) reduced precipitation significantly decreased phylogenetic diversity and species diversity, but had no significant effect on functional diversity; (2) reduced precipitation significantly decreased aboveground productivity, while increased precipitation significantly enhanced aboveground productivity; and (3) changes in precipitation primarily regulated aboveground productivity by altering soil nitrogen availability and the size of dominant plant species. This study provides important theoretical and practical guidance for the protection and management of desert steppe vegetation under future climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383943/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144993989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dog-Stranger Interactions Can Facilitate Canine Incursion into Wilderness: The Role of Food Provisioning and Sociability.","authors":"Natalia Rojas-Troncoso, Valeria Gómez-Silva, Annegret Grimm-Seyfarth, Elke Schüttler","doi":"10.3390/biology14081006","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most research on domestic dog (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) behavior has focused on pets with restricted movement. However, free-ranging dogs exist in diverse cultural contexts globally, and their interactions with humans are less understood. Tourists can facilitate unrestricted dog movement into wilderness areas, where they may negatively impact wildlife. This study investigated which stimuli-namely, voice, touch, or food-along with inherent factors (age, sex, sociability) motivate free-ranging dogs to follow a human stranger. We measured the distance (up to 600 m) of 129 free-ranging owned and stray dogs from three villages in southern Chile as they followed an experimenter who presented them one of the above stimuli or none (control). To evaluate the effect of dog sociability (i.e., positive versus stress-related or passive behaviors), we performed a 30 s socialization test (standing near the dog without interacting) before presenting a 10 s stimulus twice. We also tracked whether the dog was in the company of other dogs. Each focus dog was video-recorded and tested up to three times over five days. Generalized linear mixed-effects models revealed that the food stimulus significantly influenced dogs' motivation to follow a stranger, as well as a high proportion of sociable behaviors directed towards humans and the company of other dogs present during the experiment. Juveniles tended to follow a stranger more than adults or seniors, but no effects were found for the dog's sex, whether an owner was present, the repetition of trials, the location where the study was performed, or for individuals as a random variable. This research highlights that sociability as an inherent factor shapes dog-stranger interactions in free-ranging dogs when food is given. In the context of wildlife conservation, we recommend that managers promote awareness among local communities and tourists to avoid feeding dogs, especially in the context of outdoor activities close to wilderness.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383303/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Ubiquitous Volatile in Noctuid Larval Frass Attracts a Parasitoid Species.","authors":"Chaowei Wang, Xingzhou Liu, Sylvestre T O Kelehoun, Kai Dong, Yueying Wang, Maozhu Yin, Jinbu Li, Yu Gao, Hao Xu","doi":"10.3390/biology14081007","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural enemies commonly probe larval bodies and frass with their antennae for prey hunting. However, the attractants to natural enemies emitted directly from hosts and host-associated tissues remained largely unknown. Here, we used two generalist noctuid species, <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> (Hübner) and <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> (JE Smith), along with the larval endoparasitoid <i>Microplitis mediator</i> (Haliday) to address the question. Extracts of larval frass of both the noctuid species were strongly attractive to <i>M. mediator</i> females when hosts were fed either maize, cotton, soybean leaves, or an artificial diet without leaf tissues. By using a combination of electrophysiological measurements and behavioral tests, we found that the attractiveness of frass mainly relied on a volatile compound ethyl palmitate. The compound was likely to be a by-product of host digestion involving gut bacteria because an antibiotic supplement in diets reduced the production of the compound in frass and led to the decreased attractiveness of frass to the parasitoids. In contrast, extracts of the larval bodies of both the noctuid species appeared to be less attractive to the parasitoids than their respective fecal extracts, independently of types of food supplied to the larvae. Altogether, larval frass of the two noctuid species was likely to be more important than their bodies in attracting the endoparasitoid species, and the main attractant of frass was probably one of the common metabolites of digestion involving gut microbes, and its emission is likely to be independent of host plant species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383394/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144993872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin E Enhances Immune Function and the Intestinal Histological Structure by Regulating the <i>Nodal</i>-Mediated Signaling Pathway: A Case Study on the Sea Cucumber <i>Apostichopus japonicus</i>.","authors":"Zitong Wang, Yan Wang, Xianyu Wang, Guangyao Zhao, Haiqing Zeng, Haoran Xiao, Lingshu Han, Jun Ding, Yaqing Chang, Rantao Zuo","doi":"10.3390/biology14081008","DOIUrl":"10.3390/biology14081008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The histological integrity of the intestine depends on the tight and orderly arrangement of epithelial cells within the intestinal villi. <i>Nodal</i>, a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family member, has been reported to promote epithelial cell proliferation. Collagen not only establishes physical connections between adjacent cells but also serves as an anchoring platform for cell adhesion and regeneration processes. Therefore, a 21-day feeding trial was conducted using RNA interference to investigate the role of the <i>Nodal</i> gene in regulating intestinal collagen synthesis and histological structure integrity in juvenile <i>A. japonicus</i> fed diets containing graded levels of vitamin E (VE) (0, 200, and 400 mg/kg). The results showed that the addition of 200 mg/kg VE significantly improved the growth rate, immune enzyme activities and related gene expression, as well as intestinal villus morphology. Additionally, the addition of 200 mg/kg VE upregulated the expression of <i>Nodal</i>, which activated the expression of collagen synthesis-related genes and promoted collagen deposition in the intestines of <i>A. japonicus</i>. After <i>Nodal</i> gene knockdown, <i>A. japonicus</i> presented a decreased growth rate, damage to the intestinal histological structure, and impaired collagen synthesis, with the most notable findings observed in <i>A. japonicus</i> fed diets without VE addition. However, these detrimental effects were eliminated to some extent by the addition of 200 mg/kg VE. These findings indicate that VE improves immune function and intestinal histological structure in <i>A. japonicus</i> through a <i>Nodal</i>-dependent pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":48624,"journal":{"name":"Biology-Basel","volume":"14 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12383922/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144994276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}