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A fetus changes immune responses in the uterus and the maternal immune system, and lymph nodes are associated with regulating maternal adaptive immunity. Complement activation is associated with abnormal pregnancy in mice and humans. The aim of the present study was to explore the expression levels of complement components in maternal lymph nodes during early pregnancy in sheep. Maternal inguinal lymph nodes were sampled on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation in ewes. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses were used to detect the expression levels of complement components C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C3, C4a, C5b and C9 in the lymph nodes. The results revealed that the protein and mRNA levels of C1q, C1s and C5b were enhanced during early pregnancy, and that C1r and C4a were upregulated at day 25 of pregnancy. The mRNA and protein levels of C2 and C9 peaked at day 16 of pregnancy, but C3 was decreased at day 25 of pregnancy. C3 protein was located in the subcapsular sinuses and lymph sinuses of the maternal lymph node. In summary, the present study detected changes in the expression levels of complement components in maternal lymph nodes, which may be associated with maternal immune regulation during early pregnancy in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymph nodes have functions in the adaptive immune response, and interferon-tau (IFNT), a primary pregnancy recognition signal in domestic ruminants has effects on immune regulation. It, however, is unclear whether early pregnancy induces an increase in the abundance of interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) mRNA transcripts and proteins in lymph nodes of sheep. In this study, lymph nodes were obtained on day 16 of the estrous cycle from non-pregnant ewes and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation from pregnant ewes, and the abundance of ISG mRNA transcripts, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), phosphorylated STAT1 (p-STAT1), 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS1), myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MX1) and C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), was analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR. Furthermore, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted to assess relative abundance of proteins encoded by these genes. The results indicated that there was a larger abundance of STAT1 mRNA transcript and protein, and p-STAT1 protein in the maternal lymph node at days 16 and 25 of gestation, and that abundances of OAS1, MX1 and CXCL10 mRNA transcripts and protein were greatest on day 16 of gestations. In addition, STAT1 protein was located in the subcapsular sinus, lymph sinuses, B cells and T cells. The larger relative abundances of STAT1, p-STAT1, OAS1, MX1 and CXCL10 mRNA transcripts and/or protein in the lymph nodes of ewes may be associated with maternal immunoregulation through blood circulation and lymph circulation during early pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane is the second largest anthropogenic greenhouse gas, and changes in atmospheric methane concentrations can reflect the dynamic balance between its emissions and sinks. Therefore, the monitoring of CH 4 concentration changes and the assessment of underlying driving factors can provide scientific basis for the government's policy making and evaluation. China is the world's largest emitter of anthropogenic methane. However, due to the lack of ground-based observation sites, little work has been done on the spatial-temporal variations for the past decades and influencing factors in China, especially for areas with high anthropogenic emissions as Central and Eastern China. Here to quantify atmospheric CH 4 enhancements trends and its driving factors in Central and Eastern China, we combined the most up-to-date TROPOMI satellite-based column CH 4 (xCH 4) concentration from 2018 to 2022, anthropogenic and natural emissions, and a random forest-based machine learning approach, to simulate atmospheric xCH 4 enhancements from 2001 to 2018. The results showed that (1) the random forest model was able to accurately establish the relationship between emission sources and xCH 4 enhancement with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.89 and a root mean-square error (RMSE) of 11.98 ppb; (2)The xCH 4 enhancement only increased from 48.21±2.02 ppb to 49.79±1.87 ppb from the year of 2001 to 2018, with a relative change of 3.27%±0.13%; (3) The simulation results showed that the energy activities and waste treatment were the main contributors to the increase in xCH 4 enhancement, contributing 68.00% and 31.21%, respectively, and the decrease of animal ruminants contributed -6.70% of its enhancement trend. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differences between the two global warming targets of the Paris Agreement, 1.5 °C and 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, have drawn much attention from the scientific community. However, there is a remaining gap to distinguish regional climate responses in these two most typical pathways, i.e., transient and stabilization simulations, toward specific warming levels. In this study, we discern the East Asia summer monsoon (EASM) responses between these two types of simulations at low-warming targets, based on the fully coupled community Earth system model (CESM). The two types of responses display a similar increase pattern in the EASM precipitation. However, the quantitative differences between these two types of responses are as large as those between the 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming scenarios. The moist budget analysis reveals that the EASM precipitation differences are mainly caused by the thermodynamic, dynamic, and transient eddy effects. Specifically, the thermodynamic effect contributes to the precipitation increment in the coastal area of East Asia in both types of responses, with the enhanced low-level specific humidity. The dynamic contribution shows tripolar and bipolar patterns in East Asia in the transient and stabilization responses, respectively. Remarkably, the transient eddy effect contribution emerges only in the stabilization responses. Further, we reveal the dominant role of the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) in determining the contributions from dynamic and transient eddy effects. The changes in the EASJ's position and intensity are greatly regulated by the temperature change patterns at the mid-high levels in response to different greenhouse gas emission pathways. Our study highlights the differences between transient and stabilization climate states on a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An inhibitor of the NF-κB (IκB) family is involved in regulating innate immune responses. In this study, early pregnancy induces upregulation of IκBα, but changes and downregulates the expression of BCL-3, IκBε, IKKγ and IκBNS, and changes expression of IκBβ and IκBζ in the maternal liver, which are related to maternal peripheral tolerance and pregnancy establishment. During normal pregnancy, there is a dynamic regulation of the maternal immune system, including the liver, to accommodate the presence of the allogeneic foetus in the uterus. However, it was unclear that the expression of the IkappaB (IκB) family was regulated in the ovine maternal liver during early pregnancy. In this study, sheep livers were collected at day 16 of the oestrous cycle (NP16), and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation (DP13, DP16 and DP25), and RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to analyse the expression of the IκB family, including B cell leukemia-3 (BCL-3), IκBα, IκBβ, IκBε, IKKγ, IκBNS and IκBζ. The results revealed that expression of BCL-3, IκBβ, IκBε and IKKγ peaked at DP16, and the expression of IκBα was increased during early pregnancy. In addition, the expression of IκBζ peaked at DP13 and DP16, and IκBNS peaked at DP13. IκBβ and IKKγ proteins were located in the endothelial cells of the proper hepatic arteries and portal veins, and hepatocytes. In conclusion, early pregnancy changed the expression of the IκB family, suggesting that the modulation of the IκB family may be related to the regulation of maternal hepatic functions, which may be favourable for pregnancy establishment in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early pregnancy modulates the maternal immune system, including the spleen and lymph nodes, which participate in maternal innate and adaptive immune responses. Methods: Ovine spleens and lymph nodes were sampled at day 16 of the estrous cycle, and at days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation, and qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to analyze the expression of the IκB family, including BCL-3, IκBα, IκBβ, IκBε, IKKγ, IκBNS and IκBζ. Early pregnancy induced expression of BCL-3, IκBα, IκBε, IKKγ and IκBζ, and expression of BCL-3, IκBβ and IκBNS peaked at day 16 of pregnancy in the spleen. However, early pregnancy suppressed the expression of BCL-3 and IκBNS, but stimulated the expression of IκBβ and IκBζ, and expression levels of IκBα, IκBβ, IκBε and IKKγ peaked in lymph nodes at days 13 and/or 16 of pregnancy. Early pregnancy changed the expression of the IκB family in the maternal spleen and lymph node in a tissue-specific manner, suggesting that the modulation of the IκB family may be involved in regulation of maternal functions of the spleen and lymph nodes, which are necessary for the establishment of maternal immune tolerance during early pregnancy in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pregnant maternal immunological tolerance that protects the fetus and promotes its growth, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) family participates in the regulation of innate immune and adaptive immune responses. The thymus is related to establishing central tolerance, and early pregnancy has effects on expression of a good number of genes and proteins in the maternal thymus in sheep. However, it is unclear whether early pregnancy changes expression of NF-κB subunits in the ovine thymus. In this study, the thymic samples were collected from day 16 of non-pregnant ewes, and days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnant ewes, and the expression of NF-κB members (NF-κB1, NF-κB2, RelA, RelB and c-Rel) was analyzed through real-time quantitative PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. The results showed that c-Rel mRNA and protein upregulated at day 25 of pregnancy, and NF-κB1 mRNA and proteins increased at days 16 and 25 of pregnancy, and RelB mRNA and proteins enhanced during early pregnancy. However, expression levels of NF-κB2 and RelA were decreased during early pregnancy, but upregulated from day 13 to 25 of pregnancy. In addition, the RelA protein was located in the epithelial reticular cells, capillaries and thymic corpuscles. This paper reported for the first time that early pregnancy induced expression of NF-κB1, RelB and c-Rel, but inhibited expression of NF-κB2 and RelA in the maternal thymus during early pregnancy, which is involved in the central immune tolerance, and helpful for successful pregnancy in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most of embryo losses occur before the day 16 after artificial insemination, but there is no low cost and easy operation that can detect pregnancy with high accuracy within three weeks post-insemination in cattle. In this study, blood samples were collected at day 18 of the estrous cycle, and days 18, 25 and 35 of pregnancy, and relative levels of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), Toll-like receptor (TLRs), complement components, early pregnancy factor (EPF) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPPA) proteins were analyzed through Western blot. In addition, a colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strip was developed using the selected antibody, and the test was used for early pregnancy diagnosis. The results showed that there were changes in relative levels of plasma ISGs, TLRs, complement components, EPF and PAPPA proteins during early pregnancy in cattle, and complement component 1q (C1q) could be used as an ideal marker to develop a colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strip for early pregnancy diagnosis. In addition, the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis by this test strip was 91.67% (11/12) for pregnant cows and 80% (8/10) nonpregnant cows at day 18 after insemination. In conclusion, the changes in plasma ISGs, TLRs, complement components, EPF and PAPPA proteins may be related to the maternal systemic immune modulation during early pregnancy, and a colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strip was developed for early pregnancy diagnosis using C1q as the ideal marker in cows. However, this colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strip needs further studies to improve the accuracy. • Early pregnancy induces changes in plasma ISGs, TLRs, complement components. • C1q can be used as an ideal marker for early pregnancy diagnosis in cows. • Development of an immunochromatographic test strip for early pregnancy diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two daily patterns of winter circulation responses to aerosols are identified. • Daily patterns are linked to tropical rainfall and extratropical transient eddies. • Seasonal mean changes can arise from certain daily response patterns. Anthropogenic aerosols (AA) have significantly caused anomalous winter mean atmospheric circulation over the Northern Hemisphere, but the main daily patterns of winter large-scale circulation change are not well understood. Here a self-organizing map analysis is applied to identify the leading patterns in AA-induced winter daily geopotential height (Z) anomaly fields simulated by three atmospheric general circulation models, with a focus on fast adjustments. Two winter daily circulation response patterns with a synoptic time scale are found: one pattern shows concurring Z anomalies over North America and North Asia with the same sign and the Bering Sea seeing the opposite, resembling the Asia–Bering–North American teleconnection; while the other is the Arctic Oscillation-like pattern with similar Z anomalies over North Pacific and North Atlantic and the opposite over the Arctic region. The AA-induced anomalous precipitation over the tropics and anomalous synoptic eddy activities over the extratropical oceans concur to support and maintain these circulation anomaly patterns. The winter-mean climate responses to AA can be understood as a result of these daily anomaly patterns, especially over the higher latitudes. Specifically, the associated changes in surface air temperature (SAT) over the mid-high latitudes are caused by the AA-driven meridional movements of polar (cold and dry) airmass and midlatitude (warm and moist) airmass in the regions, mainly through the relevant surface downward longwave radiation. This study highlights the role of AA in altering daily weather patterns, which is not sufficiently captured by seasonal mean responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the ensemble hindcasts of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) coupled model for the period of 1980–2005, spatiotemporal evolution in the covariability of sea surface temperature (SST) and low-level winds in the ensemble mean and spread over the tropical Atlantic is investigated with the month-reliant singular value decomposition (SVD) method, which treats the variables in a given monthly sequence as one time step. The leading mode of the ensemble mean represents a coevolution of SST and winds over the tropical Atlantic associated with a phase transition of El Niño from the peak to decay phase, while the second mode is related to a phase transition from El Niño to La Niña, indicating a precursory role of the north tropical Atlantic (NTA) SST warming in La Niña development. The leading mode of ensemble spread in SST and winds further illustrates that an NTA SST anomaly acts as a precursor for El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A north-tropical pathway for the delayed effect of the NTA SST anomaly on the subsequent ENSO event is identified; the NTA SST warming induces the subtropical northeast Pacific SST cooling through the modulation of a zonal–vertical circulation, setting off a North Pacific meridional mode (NPMM). The coupled SST–wind anomalies migrate southwestward to the central equatorial Pacific and eventually amplify into a La Niña event in the following months due to the equatorial Bjerknes feedback. Ensemble spread greatly increases the sample size and affords insights into the interbasin interactions between the tropical Atlantic and Pacific, as demonstrated here in the NTA SST impact on ENSO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymus is a primary lymphoid organ, must adapt to the presence of fetal alloantigens. Prostaglandins (PGs) have diverse effects to activate or inhibit the immune response, but effects of early pregnancy on the expression of PG synthases in ovine maternal thymus are unclear. In this study, ovine thymic samples were obtained at day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnancy. The expression of PG synthases, including cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), COX-2, PGE2 synthase (PTGES), and a prostaglandin F2α synthase (Aldo-keto reductase family 1, member B1, AKR1B1), was evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. In addition, the thymus/body ratio was also calculated. Our results showed that the expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein, AKR1B1 mRNA and dimer were up-regulated on day 25 of pregnancy (P < 0.05), and expression of COX-1, PTGES mRNA and protein, AKR1B1 monomer and thymus/body ratio were similar at different stages of pregnancy and the estrous cycle. The immunohistochemistry results showed that the COX-2 and AKR1B1 proteins were located in the stromal cells, capillaries and thymic corpuscles. This is the first study to report that expression of COX-2 and AKR1B1 dimer is up-regulated in the maternal thymus during early pregnancy, suggesting that early pregnancy exerts its effects on maternal thymus, which is involved in immunomodulation during early pregnancy in sheep. • Up-regulation expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein in the thymus on day 25 of pregnancy. • Up-regulation expression of AKR1B1 mRNA and dimer in the thymus on day 25 of pregnancy. • COX-2 and AKR1B1 proteins were limited to the stromal cells, capillaries and thymic corpuscles in the thymus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typical El Niño event often results in suppressed tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency (TCGF) over the North Atlantic (NA) and a distinct northwest-southeast dipole pattern in TCGF anomaly over the western North Pacific (WNP). The 2023 saw a strong El Niño event but surprisingly active NA and suppressed WNP TC activities. Here, we present that these unprecedented deviations were driven by the record-warm NA, a record-breaking negative phase of the Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM), and background global warming. Results from high-resolution global model experiments demonstrate that extraordinary Atlantic warming dominated the increased NA TCGF and contributed equally with the PMM to the suppressed WNP TCGF, overshadowing El Niño's impact. Global warming also contributed to the observed TCGF anomalies. Our findings demonstrate that the typical influence of strong El Niño events on regional TC activity could be markedly altered by other climate modes, highlighting the complexity of TC genesis in a warming world., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Embryonic interferon-tau (IFNT) and progesterone affect expression of interferonstimulated genes (ISGs), progesterone receptor (PGR) and progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in the ovine thyroid., Methods: Thyroids of ewes were sampled at day 16 of nonpregnancy, days 13, 16, and 25 of pregnancy, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect expression of ISGs, PGR, and PIBF., Results: Free ISG15 protein was undetected, but ISG15 conjugated proteins upregulated at day 16 of pregnancy, and expression levels of ISG15 conjugated proteins, PGR isoform (70 kDa), PIBF, interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 and myxovirusresistance protein 1 peaked, but expression level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 was the lowest at day 16 of pregnancy. In addition, the expression levels of PGR isoform (70 kDa) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) decreased, but levels of PGR isoform (43 kDa), 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase, IP-10 and MX1 increased at day 25 of pregnancy comparing with day 16 of the estrous cycle., Conclusion: Early pregnancy affects expression of ISGs, PGR, and PIBF in maternal thyroid through IFNT and progesterone, which may regulate thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid hormone secretion in ewes.

The liver and intestine play a critical role in nutrient absorption, storage, and metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate expression pattern of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway that included PI3K, AKT1, mTOR, FoxO1, SREBP-1, PPARα, PTEN and FXR in the maternal liver and duodenum. Ovine livers and duodenums were sampled at day 16 of the estrous cycle, and at days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation, and RT-qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to detect mRNA and protein expression. The results showed that expression of PI3K, AKT1, p-mTOR, FoxO1, SREBP-1 and PTEN upregulated in the maternal liver, and PPARα upregulated in the duodenum. However, expression of FoxO1, SREBP-1 and PTEN in the duodenum downregulated during early pregnancy. In addition, expression levels of SREBP-1, PTEN and PPARα in the maternal liver, and PI3K in the duodenum peaked at day 13 of pregnancy. In addition, expression levels of PI3K, p-mTOR and FoxO1 in the liver, and AKT1 and p-mTOR in the duodenum peaked at day 16 of pregnancy. Nevertheless, expression levels of FXR both in the maternal liver duodenum downregulated at days 13 and 16 of pregnancy. In conclusion, early pregnancy regulated expression pattern of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in the ovine liver and duodenum in a pregnancy stage-specific and tissue-specific manner, which may be necessary for the adaptations in maternal hepatic nutrient metabolism and intestinal nutrient absorption early pregnancy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no personal conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Nucleotide-binding domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are expressed in the endometrium, and involved in modulating the female innate immune responses. There are conceptus-endometrial interactions during pregnancy, which ensure immune homeostasis of the maternal-fetal interface. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of early pregnancy on NLR expression in the ovine endometrium., Methods: Endometrial tissues were collected at day 16 of the estrous cycle, and at days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnancy ( n  = 6 for each group), and RT-qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to analyze the expression of NLRs, including NOD1, NOD2, major histocompatibility complex class II transactivator (CIITA), neuronal apoptosis inhibitor protein (NAIP), NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 1 (NLRP1), NLRP3 and NLRP7., Results: Expression levels of NOD1, NOD2, NAIP, CIITA, NLRP1 and NLRP3 declined, but expression level of NLRP7 increased in the endometria during early pregnancy compared with nonpregnant ewes. In addition, NOD2 and CIITA proteins were located in the endometrium in a protein type-, cell type- and pregnancy status-specific manner., Discussion: Early pregnancy modulated expression of NLR family in the ovine endometrium, which may be essential for conceptus-endometrial interactions and maternal-fetal interface immune homeostasis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhang, Cai, Wang, Yang, Ding and Yang.)

The liver plays pivotal roles in nutrient metabolism, and correct hepatic adaptations are required in maternal nutrient metabolism during pregnancy. In this review, hepatic nutrient metabolism, including glucose metabolism, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, and protein and amino acid metabolism, is first addressed. In addition, recent progress on maternal hepatic adaptations in nutrient metabolism during pregnancy is discussed. Finally, the factors that regulate hepatic nutrient metabolism during pregnancy are highlighted, and the factors include follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, progesterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, prostaglandins fibroblast growth factor 21, serotonin, growth hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, melatonin, adrenal hormone, leptin, glucagon-like peptide-1, insulin glucagon and thyroid hormone. Our vision is that more attention should be paid to liver nutrient metabolism during pregnancy, which will be helpful for utilizing nutrient appropriately and efficiently, and avoiding liver diseases during pregnancy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Fang, Li, Wang, Ren, Zhang and Yang.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional Chinese medicine has gained significant attention in recent years owing to its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway advantages in treating various diseases. Forsythiae Fructus, derived from the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, is one such traditional Chinese medicine with numerous in vivo and ex vivo therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Forsythiae Fructus contains more than 200 chemical constituents, with forsythiaside, forsythiaside A, forsythiaside B, isoforsythiaside, forsythin, and phillyrin being the most active ingredients. Forsythiae Fructus exerts neuroprotective effects by modulating various pathways, including oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, NF-κB signaling, 2-AG, Nrf2 signaling, acetylcholinesterase, PI3K-Akt signaling, ferroptosis, gut-brain axis, TLR4 signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and PPARγ signaling pathway., Aim of the Study: This review aims to highlight the potential therapeutic effects of Forsythiae Fructus on the central nervous system and summarize the current knowledge on the active ingredients of Forsythiae Fructus and their effects on different pathways involved in neuroprotection., Materials and Methods: In this review, we conducted a comprehensive search of databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, China Knowledge Resource Integrated, local dissertations and books) up until June 2023 using key terms such as Forsythia suspensa, Forsythiae Fructus, forsythiaside, isoforsythiaside, forsythin, phillyrin, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, aging, and herpes simplex virus encephalitis., Results: Our findings indicate that Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients own therapeutic effects on the central nervous system by modulating various pathways, including oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, NF-κB signaling, 2-AG, Nrf2 signaling, acetylcholinesterase, PI3K-Akt signaling, ferroptosis, the gut-brain axis, TLR4 signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and PPARγ signaling pathway., Conclusion: Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients have demonstrated promising neuroprotective properties. Future in vivo and clinical studies of Forsythiae Fructus and its active ingredients should be conducted to establish precise dosage and standard guidelines for a more effective application in the treatment of neurological disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Prolonged exposure of bisphenol A (BPA) has adverse effects on in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes, but treatment with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) can improve the IVM and development of embryos. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of BPA and both BPA and TUDCA on IVM and parthenogenetic development of embryos. The results showed that BPA treatment adverse effects on the cumulus expansion index, survival rate, polar body rate, mitochondrial distribution of the oocytes after maturation culture, and that it also decreased the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of embryos after parthenogenetic develpoment. In addition, BPA treatment upregulated expression of genes related to endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis and increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, while it decreased expression of genes related to cumulus expansion. However, the supplementation of TUDCA relieved these adverse effects of BPA except polar body rate, blastocyst rate, and expression of BCL2 and PTGS1. In conclusion, the supplementation of TUDCA can partly attenuate the negative effects of BPA on IVM and parthenogenetic development of embryos, possibly by modification of the expression of genes related to endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis and cumulus expansion, intracellular ROS level, and mitochondrial distribution., (© 2024 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

The thymus is an essential component of maternal immune systems that play key roles in recognizing the placenta as immunologically foreign. The inhibitor of the NF-κB (IκB) family has essential effects on the NF-κB pathway; however, it is unclear whether early pregnancy modulates the expression of the IκB family in the thymus. In this study, maternal thymuses were sampled on day 16 of nonpregnancy and different gestation stages in the ovine, and the expression of IκB proteins was analyzed. The data showed that B cell leukemia-3 and IκBβ increased; however, IκBα, IκBε, and IKKγ deceased during gestation. Furthermore, there was an increase in IκBNS and IκBζ expression values on day 13 of pregnancy; however, this decreased on day 25 of gestation. In summary, the expression of the IκB family was modulated in the thymus during early gestation, suggesting that the maternal thymus can be associated with maternal immunologic tolerance and pregnancy establishment in ewes.

The liver plays pivotal roles in immunologic responses, and correct hepatic adaptations in maternal immunology are required during pregnancy. In this review, we focus on anatomical and immunological maternal hepatic adaptations during pregnancy, including our recent reports in this area. Moreover, we summarize maternal pregnancy-associated liver diseases, including hyperemesis gravidarum; intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy; preeclampsia, specifically hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome; and acute fatty liver of pregnancy. In addition, the latest information about the factors that regulate hepatic immunology during pregnancy are reviewed for the first time, including human chorionic gonadotropin, estrogen, progesterone, growth hormone, insulin like growth factor 1, oxytocin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, adrenal hormone, prolactin, melatonin and prostaglandins. In summary, the latest progress on maternal hepatic anatomy and immunological adaptations, maternal pregnancy-associated diseases and the factors that regulate hepatic immunology during pregnancy are discussed, which may be used to prevent embryo loss and abortion, as well as pregnancy-associated liver diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Yang, Meng, Shi, Fang and Zhang.)

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain receptors (NOD-like receptors, NLRs) have critical effects on interfaces of the immune and reproductive systems, and the spleen plays a key role in both innate and adaptive immune functions. It is hypothesized that NLR family participates in maternal splenic immune regulation during early pregnancy in sheep. In this study, maternal spleens were collected on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation (n = 6 for each group) in ewes. Expression of NLR family, including NOD1, NOD2, class II transactivator (CIITA), NLR family apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, Leucine rich repeat and Pyrin domain containing 1 (NLRP1), NLRP3 and NLRP7, was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. The results revealed that expression levels of NOD1, NOD2, CIITA and NLRP3 were downregulated at days 13 and 16 of pregnancy, but expression of NLRP3 was increased at day 25 of pregnancy. In addition, expression values of NAIP and NLRP7 mRNA and proteins were improved at days 16 and 25 of pregnancy, and NLRP1 was peaked at days 13 and 16 of pregnancy in the maternal spleen. Furthermore, NOD2 and NLRP7 proteins were limited to the capsule, trabeculae and splenic cords. In summary, early pregnancy changes expression of NLR family in the maternal spleen, which may be related with the maternal splenic immunomodulation during early pregnancy in sheep., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

China is the largest CO 2 emitting country on Earth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China implemented strict government control measures on both outdoor activity and industrial production. These control measures, therefore, were expected to significantly reduce anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. However, large discrepancies still exist in the estimated anthropogenic CO 2 emission reduction rate caused by COVID-19 restrictions, with values ranging from 10% to 40% among different approaches. Here, we selected Nanchang city, located in eastern China, to examine the impact of COVID-19 on CO 2 emissions. Continuous atmospheric CO 2 and ground-level CO observations from January 1st to April 30th, 2019 to 2021 were used with the WRF-STILT atmospheric transport model and a priori emissions. And a multiplicative scaling factor and Bayesian inversion method were applied to constrain anthropogenic CO 2 emissions before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found a 37.1-40.2% emission reduction when compared to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with the same period in 2019. Carbon dioxide emissions from the power industry and manufacturing industry decreased by 54.5% and 18.9% during the pandemic period. The power industry accounted for 73.9% of total CO 2 reductions during COVID-19. Further, emissions in 2021 were 14.3-14.9% larger than in 2019, indicating that economic activity quickly recovered to pre-pandemic conditions., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pregnancy-induced immunological changes contribute to the maternal immune tolerance. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway participates in regulating both innate and adaptive immunities, and lymph nodes play key roles in adaptive immune reaction. However, it is unclear whether early pregnancy changes the expression of NF-κB family in maternal lymph node in sheep., Methods: In this study, the samples of inguinal lymph nodes were collected from ewes on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and on days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnancy, and expression of NF-κB family, including NF-κB p105 (NFKB1), NF-κB p100 (NFKB2), p65 (RELA), RelB (RELB) and c-Rel (REL), were analyzed through real-time quantitative PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis., Results: The expression levels of NF-κB p105 and c-Rel downregulated, but NF-κB p100 upregulated on day 25 of pregnancy. The expression levels of p65, RelB and c-Rel peaked at day 13 of pregnancy, and expression level of RelB was higher during early pregnancy comparing to day 16 of the estrous cycle. In addition, p65 protein was located in the subcapsular sinus and lymph sinuses., Conclusion: This paper reported for the first time that early pregnancy has effects on the expression of NF-κB family, which may contribute to the maternal immunoregulation through blood circulation and lymph circulation during early pregnancy in sheep., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Resection of brain tumors frequently causes injury to the surrounding brain tissue that exacerbates cerebral edema by activating an inflammatory cascade. Although corticosteroids are often utilized peri-operatively to alleviate the symptoms associated with brain edema, they increase operative morbidities and suppress the efficacy of immunotherapy. Thus, novel approaches to minimize cerebral edema caused by neurosurgical procedures will have significant utility in the management of patients with brain tumors. We have studied the role of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligands on inflammatory responses to neurosurgical injury in mice and humans. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and neuroinflammation were characterized by Nanostring, flow cytometry, qPCR, and immunoblotting of WT and RAGE knockout mice brains subjected to surgical brain injury (SBI). Human tumor tissue and fluid collected from the resection cavity of patients undergoing craniotomy were also analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing and ELISA. Genetic ablation of RAGE significantly abrogated neuroinflammation and BBB disruption in the murine SBI model. The inflammatory responses to SBI were associated with infiltration of S100A9-expressing myeloid-derived cells into the brain. Local release of pro-inflammatory S100A9 was confirmed in patients following tumor resection. RAGE and S100A9 inhibitors were as effective as dexamethasone in attenuating neuroinflammation. However, unlike dexamethasone and S100A9 inhibitor, RAGE inhibition did not diminish the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in glioma-bearing mice. These observations confirm the role of the RAGE axis in surgically induced neuroinflammation and provide an alternative therapeutic option to dexamethasone in managing post-operative cerebral edema., (© 2022. The American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, Inc.)

The complement system is crucial for the innate immune system, and complement activation is related to abnormal pregnancy in mice and humans. It is hypothesized that the complement system participates in maternal thymic immune regulation during early pregnancy in sheep. In this study, maternal thymuses were sampled on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation in sheep. Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to analyze the expression of the complement components C1q, C1r, C1s, C2, C3, C4a, C5b and C9 in the maternal thymus. The results revealed that the mRNA and protein expression of C1r, C1s, C2, C3 and C4a was inhibited by early pregnancy, and the pregnancy recognition signal induced upregulation of C1q, C5b and C9 expression at day 16 of gestation. Furthermore, C3 protein was mostly located in epithelial reticular cells and thymic corpuscles, which may be involved in immune regulation. In summary, early pregnancy inhibits the complement system in the maternal thymus, which may be essential for the maternal immune regulation and successful pregnancy in sheep., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Pseudouridine is the most frequent epitranscriptomic modification. However, its cellular functions remain largely unknown. Here, we show that pseudouridine synthase 7 (PUS7) is highly expressed in glioblastoma versus normal brain tissues, and high PUS7 expression levels are associated with worse survival in patients with glioblastoma. PUS7 expression and catalytic activity are required for glioblastoma stem cell (GSC) tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, we identify PUS7 targets in GSCs through small RNA pseudouridine sequencing and show that pseudouridylation of PUS7-regulated transfer RNA is critical for codon-specific translational control of key regulators of GSCs. Moreover, we identify chemical inhibitors for PUS7 and show that these compounds prevent PUS7-mediated pseudouridine modification, suppress tumorigenesis and extend the life span of tumor-bearing mice. Overall, we identify an epitranscriptomic regulatory mechanism in glioblastoma and provide preclinical evidence of a potential therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) participates in regulation of the maternal immune tolerance during pregnancy, and the thymus is critical for the adaptive immune system. This study hypothesized whether early pregnancy affected the expression of toll-like receptor pathway in the thymus of ewes. In this study, expression of TLRs, tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) was detected in maternal thymus during early pregnancy in sheep. Ovine thymuses were collected on day 16 of the estrous cycle, and days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnancy, and expression of TLR members was analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. The results revealed that there were decreases in the expression of the mRNA and proteins of TLR2, IRAK1, TRAF6 and MyD88, but increase in TLR5 mRNA and protein. Furthermore, expression of TLR3 and TLR4 proteins peaked at days 13 and 16 of gestation, and MyD88 protein was located in the epithelial reticular cells and thymic corpuscles. In summary, TLR signaling is implicated in regulation of maternal thymic immune, which may be via downregulation of TLR2, IRAK1, TRAF6 and MyD88 during early pregnancy in sheep., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Nanomedicine is a growing field with a great potential for introducing new generation of targeted and personalized drug. Amongst new generation of nano-vectors are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be produced as single or multi-walled. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can be fabricated as biocompatible nanostructures (cylindrical bulky tubes). These structures are currently under investigation for their application in nanomedicine as viable and safe nanovectors for gene and drug delivery. In this chapter, we will provide you with the necessary information to understand the synthesis of MWCNTs, functionalization, PKH26 labeling, RNAi, and DNA loading for in vitro experimentation and in vivo implantation of labeled MWCNT in mice as well as materials used in this experimentation. We used this technique to manipulate microglia as part of a novel application for the brain cancer immunotherapy. Our published data show this is a promising technique for labeling, and gene and drug delivery into microglia.

The development of novel drug delivery systems is essential for the improvement of therapeutics for most human diseases. Currently used cellular delivery systems, such as viral vectors, liposomes, cationic lipids, and polymers, may have limited clinical efficacy because of safety issues, low gene transfer efficiency, or cytotoxicity. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered much interest as possible biological vectors after the recent discovery of their capacity to penetrate cells. Inspite of the prominence of CNT studies in the nanotechnology literature, exploration of their application to central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics is at a very early stage. Before CNTs are used for treatment of brain and spinal cord disorders, however, several issues such as their CNS penetration and toxicity need to be addressed. Here, we discuss methods by which CNT uptake and toxicity can be assessed in animal models.