Our understanding of the post-transcriptional mechanisms involved in follicular atresia is limited; however, an important development has been made in understanding the biological regulatory networks responsible for mediating follicular atresia. MicroRNAs have come to be seen as a key regulatory actor in determining cell fate in a wide range of tissues in normal and pathological processes. Profiling studies of miRNAs during follicular atresia and development have identified several putative miRNAs enriched in apoptosis signaling pathways. Subsequent in vitro and/or in vivo studies of granulosa cells have elucidated the functional role of some miRNAs along with their molecular pathways. In particular, the regulatory roles of some miRNAs have been consistently observed during studies of follicular cellular apoptosis. Continued work should gradually lead to better understanding of the role of miRNAs in this field. Ultimately, we expect this understanding will have substantial benefits for fertility management at both the in vivo or/and in vitro levels. The stable nature of miRNA holds remarkable promise in clinical use as a diagnostic tool and in reproductive medicine to solve the ever-increasing fertility problem. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the involvement of miRNAs in follicular atresia, discuss the challenges for further work and pinpoint areas for future research.

L-carnitine (B-hydroxy-Y-N-trimethyl aminobutyrate) is a water-soluble product, found in animals, plants and microorganisms. Its synthesis takes place from two important amino acids, lysine and methionine. Essentially, L-carnitine has an intermediary role in metabolism. It promotes energy metabolism for cell and regulates co-enzyme A concentration in cystosol and mitochondria, which are important in glucose and lipid metabolism. L-carnitine was first isolated from the chicken embryo in a significant amount, but is absent in the egg. Under normal physiological conditions, the endogenously synthesised levels are sufficient for normal growth and functions. Its requirements are increased in stressful conditions and during metabolic and physiological higher demands, such as growth and laying periods. L-carnitine increases energy production, fat metabolism and improves immune status in birds, which is energy demanding. In this review, several aspects of the beneficial effects of dietary supplementation of L-carnitine on poultry health and production are briefly summarised.

In this Research Communication we describe the effect of temperature and humidity index (THI) on various physiological traits, the plasma heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and cortisol levels and other blood parameters in crossbred buffalo (Nili-Ravi × Murrah) and Mediterranean buffalo to compare their tolerance to heat stress. As expected, crossbred buffalo had a significantly higher rectal temperature (RT), body surface temperature (BT), respiratory rate (RR), HSP70 and HSP90 levels in summer compared to spring and winter. RT and BT were also significantly higher in spring compared to winter. A significant correlation existed between THI and RT (r = 0·81) and RR (r = 0·84). Importantly, in summer the crossbred buffalo had a significantly lower RT, BT and RR and higher HSP70, HSP90 and cortisol levels than the Mediterranean buffalo. In conclusion, higher THI was associated with significant increase in RT, RR, BT, HSP70, HSP90 and cortisol levels, and the crossbred buffalo were more heat tolerant than Mediterranean buffalo.

Achai is a small size cattle breed, resilient to harsh and cold environment. Cryopreservation of Achai bull semen may help to improve its genetics and preserve the germplasm. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) affects the structural and functional integrity of the spermatozoa. During freezing and thawing processes, the ROS make changes in the spermatozoa quality parameters and reduce total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC) of semen that is considered as marker of oxidative stress. This study was designed to determine the effect of glycine along with vitamin E on post‐thawed spermatozoa quality and total antioxidant capacity in Achai cattle. The semen collection was done twice a week from four mature fertile Achai cattle bulls (n = 4). The glycine was utilized as 0 mM, 5 mM, 10 mM, 15 mM, and 20 mM along with vitamin E @ 2.3 mM added constantly in each concentration. The control group contained all extenders except glycine. The results revealed that post‐thawed spermatozoa motility was found significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 10 mM as compared to 5 mM, 15 mM, and 20 mM. Compared with control group, glycine concentration at 10 mM and other concentrations increased progressive and fast motility (%), curvilinear, straight line, and average path velocity (μm/s). Moreover, beat cross frequency (Hz) was higher (P < 0.05), and post‐thaw viability (%), plasma membrane integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 10 mM of glycine concentration in comparison to control and other glycine concentrations. Besides, acrosome integrity (%) and DNA integrity (%) as well as post‐thawed T‐AOC were also significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 10 mM of glycine concentration as compared to other glycine concentrations and control group. It is concluded that 10 mM of glycine along with vitamin E @ 2.3 mM improved cryopreserved semen quality of Achai bull.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common environmental toxin that is secreted by fusarium fungi that frequently contaminates feedstuff and food. While the detrimental effects of DON on human and animal reproductive systems have been well recognized, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), which surround oocytes, are crucial for regulating oocyte development, mainly through the secretion of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Using an in vitro model of murine GCs, we characterized the cytotoxic effects of DON and profiled genome-wide chromatin accessibility and transcriptomic alterations after DON exposure. Our results suggest that DON can induce decreased viability and growth, increased apoptosis rate, and disrupted hormone secretion. In total, 2533 differentially accessible loci and 2675 differentially expressed genes were identified that were associated with Hippo, Wnt, steroid biosynthesis, sulfur metabolism, and inflammation-related pathways. DON-induced genes usually have a concurrently increased occupancy of active histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K27ac in their promoters. Integrative analyses identified 35 putative directly affected genes including Adrb2 and Fshr, which are key regulators of follicular growth, and revealed that regions with increased chromatin accessibility are enriched with the binding motifs for NR5A1 and NR5A2, which are important for GCs. Moreover, DON-induced inflammatory response is due to the activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Overall, our results provide novel insights into the regulatory elements, genes, and key pathways underlying the response of ovarian GCs to DON cytotoxicity.

Wound healing is a multifaceted biological process influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The ability of Wnt signaling to activate cell proliferation appears to serve a central role in wound healing. Therefore, the direct activation of Wnt or inhibition of the Wnt antagonist could be an ideal approach for the stimulation of wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of small molecule-loaded nanofibrous matrix in inducing wound healing. Herein, a naturally derived small molecule, curcumin, was used to inhibit the GSK3-β, which is considered a negative regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The docking results demonstrated that curcumin makes a complex with GSK3-β at seven specific sites, thereby inhibiting its activity. Moreover, the stabilization of β-catenin appeared to be increased with the treatment of curcumin. Next, curcumin was incorporated in poly ε-caprolactone nanofibrous matrices for controlled–sustained drug release to induce cell function. Curcumin-loaded nanofibrous matrix not only enhanced fibroblast cell proliferation, but also induced the expression of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in vitro. Moreover, the in vivo results showed that these nanofibrous mats significantly induced wound closure in 12 mm critical-sized defect. Collectively, these results suggest that the developed nanofibrous matrix promotes impaired wound healing by modulating cell proliferation and enhancing FGF expression that promotes wound closure.