Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is often a complication of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the most frequent disorder of the endocrine system, which affects women in their reproductive years. The etiology of OHSS is multifactorial, though the factors involved are not apparent. In an attempt to unveil the molecular basis of OHSS, we conducted transcriptome analysis of total RNA extracted from granulosa cells from PCOS patients with a history of OHSS (n = 6) and compared them to those with no history of OHSS (n = 18). We identified 59 significantly dysregulated genes (48 down-regulated, 11 up-regulated) in the PCOS with OHSS group compared to the PCOS without OHSS group (p-value < 0.01, fold change >1.5). Functional, pathway and network analyses revealed genes involved in cellular development, inflammatory and immune response, cellular growth and proliferation (including DCN, VIM, LIFR, GRN, IL33, INSR, KLF2, FOXO1, VEGF, RDX, PLCL1, PAPPA, and ZFP36), and significant alterations in the PPAR, IL6, IL10, JAK/STAT and NF-κB signaling pathways. Array findings were validated using quantitative RT-PCR. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest cohort of Saudi PCOS cases (with or without OHSS) to date that was analyzed using a transcriptomic approach. Our data demonstrate alterations in various gene networks and pathways that may be involved in the pathophysiology of OHSS. Further studies are warranted to confirm the findings.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early feeding with probiotic-fermented feed on growth performance, intestinal microbiota structure, immune responses, and gene expression. Two hundred and forty-one-day-old African ostrich chicks were randomly divided into three groups (eight replicates/group). The control group was fed a basal diet (CON), whereas the PELF3 and PELF6 groups were fed the probiotic-fermented feed for the first 3 or 6 days post-hatching, respectively, after which, all chicks were fed the basal diet for 56 days. The results showed that adding PELF3 or PELF6 significantly enhanced body weight gain and the feed conversion ratio. Chicks fed PELF had higher superoxide dismutase (SOD, p < 0.05), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and IL-10 levels and lower IL-6 and malondialdehyde (MDA, p < 0.05) levels than those fed CON. Plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), creatinine, uric acid, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels decreased; however, high-density lipoprotein (HDL, p < 0.05) levels increased in the PELF groups. The addition of PELF reduced the pathogenic counts in the intestines of chicks (p < 0.05). Moreover, increased expression of IGF-1 and MUC-2 genes was observed in the PELF3 and PELF6 groups, whereas the expression of SLC15A1 increased in the PELF6 group. In conclusion, growth performance, immunity, gene expression, oxidative stability, and gut microbiota can all be significantly enhanced by early feeding with PELF. This study demonstrated an effective technique for applying early feeding of PELF in ostrich chicks.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementing with an essential oil blend and ascorbic acid on performance, semen characteristics, antioxidant status, gut microbiota, immunity, and gene expression in heat-stressed male rabbits. One hundred and forty male New Zealand White rabbits, aged 6 months, were randomly distributed into four dietary groups: the control group receiving basal feed (CON), the group receiving an essential oil blend (EOB, 200 mg/kg), the group receiving ascorbic acid (ASA, 1000 mg/kg), and the group receiving an essential oil blend and ascorbic acid (MAO). The experimental period lasted for eight weeks. The MAO mixture supported rabbits’ tolerance to heat stress by enhancing stress markers, as demonstrated by decreased glucose and HSP70 and increased triiodothyronine (T3). In addition, increased body weight, carcass weight, and nutrient digestibility, but reduced mortality rate, were observed in rabbits fed the MAO mixture. Additionally, semen density and volume, as well as sperm progressive motility and normality, were enhanced in rabbits fed the MAO mixture. Furthermore, MAO mixture supplementation decreases plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, AST, urea, and creatinine levels, while raising HDL and total protein levels. Adding MAO mixture contributed to an increase in plasma SOD and GPx levels, as well as seminal fluid TAC and GSH levels. Additionally, the incorporation of MAO increases IgA, IgG, and IL-10 levels while decreasing IL-6 and TNF-α levels. Adding the MAO mixture reduced C. perfringens and E. coli, as well as increased the expression of the MUC-2, CAT-1, and CLDN-1 genes. Combining an essential oil blend and ascorbic acid may contribute to improvements in performance, semen quality, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and gut health in heat-stressed male rabbits.

Pregnancy toxemia (PT) represents a significant metabolic disorder affecting small ruminants that causes substantial economic losses due to reduced productivity, reproductive failure, and high mortality. This study investigated the clinical, ultrasonographic, hematobiochemical, oxidative stress, and immunological profiles, as well as the gene expression and nucleotide sequence variations, associated with PT susceptibility in Shami goats. Fifty late-pregnant does (33 healthy and 17 PT-affected) were examined. Clinical evaluation, complete blood count, biochemical analysis, cytokine profiling, antioxidant assays, hepatic ultrasonography, quantitative real-time PCR of immune (IL6, IL8), antioxidant (SOD3, HMOX1), and lipogenic (ACACA, FASN) genes, and PCR-DNA sequencing were performed. PT does exhibit significant hypoglycemia, hyperketonemia, elevated liver and kidney function biomarkers, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress (↑ MDA, ↓ GSH, GPx, SOD, CAT), increased pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1α, IL1β, IL6, TNFα), and reduced IL10. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of IL6 and IL8 and downregulation of SOD3, HMOX1, ACACA, and FASN in PT does. Sequencing identified multiple synonymous and non-synonymous SNPs significantly associated with PT. Ultrasonography indicated hepatic fatty infiltration. Discriminant analysis using SNPs achieved 100% classification accuracy between healthy and PT does. These findings suggested that combined clinical, biochemical, oxidative, immunological, and genetic markers could enhance early PT diagnosis and may provide a basis for future studies aimed at selective breeding for improved resistance.

Sheep pox, caused by sheep pox virus (SPV), is a transboundary disease that threatens sheep production and trade. This study aimed to identify genetic, immunological, and biochemical markers associated with susceptibility to SPV in Barki ewes. A total of 100 adult ewes were examined, including 50 clinically healthy and 50 naturally infected animals. PCR detected SPV DNA in 60% of suspected scab samples, highlighting diagnostic challenges in field investigations. Blood samples were analyzed for hematological indices, cytokine profiles, acute phase proteins, oxidative stress biomarkers, iron metabolism, and hormonal parameters. Expression profiles and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 15 immune and antioxidant genes were characterized from cDNA-derived sequences. Infected animals exhibited microcytic hypochromic anemia, leukocytosis, elevated proinflammatory cytokines, and reduced IL-10. Acute phase proteins, oxidative stress markers, and cortisol were increased, whereas antioxidant capacity and transferrin were reduced. Twenty-three SNPs were identified, including non-synonymous variants, which showed promising but unvalidated associations with disease status. These findings highlight immune, oxidative, and genetic alterations in SPV-infected sheep, but further longitudinal and cross-validated studies are needed to establish their diagnostic or breeding utility.

Background: Urothelial carcinoma exhibits molecular heterogeneity, high recurrence, and progression rates, and is poorly diagnosed and treated. Transcriptomic and systems-biology analyses can detect dysregulated genes, signaling pathways, and interactions of immune cells. Proposed biomarkers, however, have not been validated, evaluated, and confirmed to be cell-type specific, limiting their potential for clinical translation. Methods: The transcriptomic data in GSE13507 were used to identify features of differential expression, functional enrichment, protein interaction network, and hub genes. Findings were assessed by using external validation, ROC and machine learning models, immune-infiltration analysis, single-cell expression profiling, and survival analysis. Results: In total, 7459 differentially expressed probes were detected, and pathways involved in immunity and cytokines were noted to be enriched. The best diagnostic performance was observed with IL6ST (AUC 0.927), LIFR (AUC 0.921), and JAK1 (AUC 0.843). We found a correlation between hub genes and infiltration of immune cells, and a difference in single-cell distribution; however, none of them was shown to have a significant association with overall survival. Conclusions: The IL-6/JAK/STAT hub gene network was highly diagnostic and immune-relevant in urothelial carcinoma and had limited prognostic significance. The three most promising candidates were IL6ST, LIFR, and JAK1. The genes identified in this study could be validated in tumor-normal pairs and in prospective clinical samples of future studies, accompanied by protein levels and functional studies.