Nutritional Impact of Canola Meal on Performance, Blood Constituents and Immune Response of Broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) protein with canola meal (CM) protein on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, immune response, lymphoid organs, blood parameters, carcass fatty acids and cecum microbiota of broilers. A total of 160 one d-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments of 5 replicates, where, CM protein replaced SBM protein at 0, 30, 60, and 90% for a 39 days feeding trial. The results showed no significant differences in productive performance parameters among control, 30% and 60% treatment groups, while, at 90% replacement level, all values decreased (P < 0.0001) all over the experimental period. The 90% replacement group showed depression of crude protein (P < 0.001) and crude fiber (P < 0.001) digestibility and spleen relative weight (P = 0.0386) with increase of thymus (P = 0.0555), bursa (P = 0.0334) and thyroid relative weight (P = 0.0276) as well as thyroid hormones (P = 0.0034, 0339) for T3, T4, respectively, while, there were no significant differences among control, 30% and 60% treatment groups for those criteria. However, CM levels had no effect on serum haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer against Newcastle disease. CM significantly decreased serum cholesterol content (P = 0.0002) while increased HDL (P = 0.0532), compared to the control. CM levels showed an increase in carcass meat content of unsaturated fatty acids content (P < 0.0001) as the replacement level gradually increased. Erucic acid did not detected in carcass. All CM levels decreased cecum content of E. coli (P = 0.0051) while increased that of Lactobacillus (P = 4094). Conclusively, CM can be used safely in broiler diet to replace up to 60% of SBM protein without negative effects on growth and immune response of broilers.

Study of Human T21 Placenta Suggests a Potential Role of Mesenchymal Spondin-2 in Placental Vascular Development

Placental development is particularly altered in trisomy of chromosome 21 (T21)–affected pregnancies. We previously described in T21-affected placentae an abnormal paracrine crosstalk between the villus mesenchymal core and villus trophoblasts. T21-affected placentae are known to be characterized by their hypovascularity. However, the causes of this anomaly remain not fully elucidated. Therefore, the hypothesis of an abnormal paracrine crosstalk between fetal mesenchymal core and placental endothelial cells (PLECs) was evocated. Villus mesenchymal cells from control (CMCs) and T21 placentae (T21MCs) were isolated and grown in culture to allow their characterization and collection of conditioned media for functional analyses (CMC-CM and T21MC-CM, respectively). Interestingly, PLEC proliferation and branching ability were less stimulated by T21MC-CM than by CMC-CM. Protein array analysis identified secreted proangiogenic growth factors in CMC-CM, which were reduced in T21MC-CM. Combined mass spectrometry and biochemical analysis identified spondin-2 as a factor decreased in T21MC-CM compared with CMC-CM. We found that exogenous spondin-2 stimulated PLEC proliferation and established that T21MC-CM supplemented with spondin-2 recovered conditioned media ability to induce PLEC proliferation and angiogenesis. Hence, this study demonstrates a crosstalk between villus mesenchymal and fetal endothelial cells, in which spondin-2 secreted from mesenchymal cells plays a central role in placental vascular functions. Furthermore, our results also suggest that a reduction in spondin-2 secretion may contribute to the pathogenesis of T21 placental hypovascularity.

The influence of protein source and crossing system of lambs on wool quality parameters

The experiment included 30 lambs-crosses F1 generation: Pirot Pramenka (50%) x W?rttemberg (50%) and 30 crossbred F1 generations: Pirot Pramenka (12.5%) x W?rttemberg(37.5) x Ille de France (50%), weaned at 60 days of age, the average body weight of 18.0 kg. The mixtures varied in protein source: I - sunflower meal, II - soybean meal and III - fish meal. The share of undegradable protein was 43 : 51 : 58 %. The average diameter of the fibres in lambs on treatments I:II:III was 26.14 : 24.96 : 25.20 ?m, and of two-breed (PxW) and threebreed (PxWxIDF) crosses: 25.38 and 25.49 ?m. The average height of the wool fibre in lambs on treatments I:II:III was: 2.97 : 3.06 : 3.17 cm, and in two-breed (PxW) and three-breed (PxWxIDF) crosses 2.98 : 3.15 cm. The average length of the fibre in lambs on protein sources I:II:III was 4.62 : 5.08 : 5.11 cm and in twobreed (PXW) and three-breed (PxWxIDF) crosses 4.77 : 5.11 cm. Protein source in feed mixtures, and genotype of lambs significantly influenced the quality of wool expressed through diameter, height and length of the fibres.

Monitoring the fate of untreated and microwave treated canola (oilseed rape) meal protein in the rumen using SDS-PAGE

Canola meal (CM) proteins are extensively degraded in the rumen. Various physical and chemical treatments have been used to alter the rate of ruminal degradation of CM protein, thus decreasing rumen protein degradability and increasing the content of metabolizable protein. To our knowledge, little information is available concerning the effect of microwave treatment on the type of CM proteins that leaves the rumen undegraded. The main objective of our research was to evaluate the degradation of untreated and microwave treated CM proteins by using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

An albumin-like protein is the major secretory protein of ovarian epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro

Contemporary experimental techniques were used to evaluate the protein secretion of ovarian epithelium. The protein composition of 14 ovarian cyst fluids (OCF) from either cystadenomas or cystadenocarcinomas, and conditioned media (CM) from seven ovarian carcinoma lines in culture, were analyzed by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions, and Western immunoblots. The major protein common to all the above samples was a 65 kDa protein that, by densitometry, constituted between 43% and 77% of OCF protein and 19% and 38% of CM protein. By Western blot analysis, this band was immunologically related to human albumin. Moreover, immunoreactivity to albumin was demonstrated in ovarian epitheliumin vivo. Ovarian epithelium synthesizes and releases an albumin-like protein that constitutes the major secretory protein. This may suggest an osmotic mechanism for cyst enlargement in ovarian cystadenomas.

METHODS FOR PROTECTING SOYBEAN AND CANOLA PROTEINS FROM DEGRADATION IN THE RUMEN

Soybean and canola proteins were treated with heat, formaldehyde (HCHO), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), whole fresh blood (BL) or fish hydrolysate (FH). Effect of these treatments on in situ protein degradability was measured by the nylon bag technique using fisulated steers. All treatments with the exception of heat were effective in protecting protein of soybeans and soybean meal (SBM). Canola seed protein was protected with heat at 110 °C for 2 h and with chemical treatments; all treatments were effective in protecting canola meal (CM) protein. Essential amino acid profiles of these residues from HCHO- or NaOH-treated SBM were not different from untreated SBM residue but increases in some essential amino acids were found in BL-treated SBM residue. Rat bioassays of residues from nylon bag studies revealed that protein quality of SBM, as indicated by net protein ratio, was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by addition of HCHO, NaOH, BL or FH. Protein digestibility of SBM and CM was decreased by HCHO treatment but not by other treatments. NaOH treatment of CM had no effect on protein quality but HCHO, BL or FH treatments significantly improved (P < 0.05) protein quality of CM residue compared with untreated CM residue. These studies demonstrate that soybean and canola proteins can be effectively protected from degradation in the rumen by NaOH, BL or FH treatment without adverse effect on protein digestibility. Key words: Formaldehyde, sodium hydroxide, blood, fish hydrolysate, soybean, canola