It is a widely known that heat stress induces a reduction in milk production in cows and impairs their overall health. Studies have shown that taurine protects tissues and organs under heat stress. However, there have yet to be studies showing the functions of taurine in mammary alveolar cells-large T antigen (MAC-T) (a bovine mammary epithelial cell line) cells under heat shock. Therefore, different concentrations of taurine (10 mM, 50 mM, and 100 mM) were tested to determine the effects on heat-induced MAC-T cells. The results showed that taurine protected the cells against heat-induced damage as shown by morphological observations in conjunction with suppressed the translocation and expression of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). Moreover, taurine not only reversed the decline in antioxidase (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX)) activities but also attenuated the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Meanwhile, mitochondrial damage (morphology and complex I activity) resulting from heat exposure was mitigated. Taurine also alleviated the rates of cell apoptosis and markedly depressed the mRNA expressions of BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator (BAX) and caspase3. Furthermore, compared with the heat stress (HS) group, the protein levels of caspase3 and cleaved caspase3 were decreased in all taurine groups. In summary, taurine improves the antioxidant and anti-apoptosis ability of MAC-T cells thereby alleviates damage of cells due to heat insults.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of prolonged photoperiod on the serum lipids, carcass traits, and meat quality of Jinjiang cattle during winter.Methods: Thirty-four Jinjiang bulls aged between 14 and 16 months were randomly assigned to two groups that were alternatively subjected to either natural daylight +4 h supplemental light (long photoperiod, LP) or natural daylight (natural photoperiod, NP) for 96 days. The potential effects on the levels of serum lipids, carcass traits, meat quality, and genes regulating lipid metabolism in the intramuscular fat (IMF) of the cattle were evaluated.Results: Jinjiang cattle kept under LP showed significant increase in both dry matter intake and backfat thickness. the serum glucose and the plasma leptin levels were significantly reduced, while that of melatonin and insulin were observed to be increased. The crude fat contents of biceps femoris muscle and longissimus dorsi muscle were higher in LP than in NP group. In longissimus dorsi muscle, the proportions of C17:0 and C18:0 were significantly higher but that of the C16:1 was found to be significantly lower in LP group. The relative mRNA expressions in IMF of longissimus dorsi muscle, the lipid synthesis genes (proliferatoractivated receptor gamma, fatty acid-binding protein) and the fatty acid synthesis genes (acetyl-coa carboxylase, fatty acid synthetase, 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase) were significantly up-regulated in LP group (p<0.05); whereas the hormone-sensitive lipase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 were significantly down-regulated in LP than in NP group.Conclusion: Prolonged photoperiod significantly altered the growth performance, hormonal levels, gene expression and fat deposition in Jinjiang cattle. It suggested that the LP improved the fat deposition by regulating the levels of different hormones and genes related to lipid metabolism, thereby improving the fattening of Jinjiang cattle during winter.

Background/Objectives: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is driven by gut-liver axis dysfunction, including intestinal barrier disruption, dysbiosis, microbial translocation, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and malnutrition. Fermented dairy foods may modulate several of these domains, yet whether sheep yogurt, as an intact fermented dairy matrix, is relevant in ALD is unknown. This scoping review mapped evidence relevant to sheep yogurt, ALD, and gut-liver axis biology. Methods: A PRISMA-ScR-guided scoping review searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar from January 2006 to February 2026. Eligible sources were charted using a prespecified framework classifying evidence as direct, indirect, or mechanistic inference. Mapped domains included ALD pathophysiology; intestinal barrier integrity; bacterial and fungal microbial ecology; bile acid and tryptophan-aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling; nutritional vulnerability; fermented dairy interventions; and ovine dairy-matrix characteristics. Results: Of 1388 records identified, 121 sources were included after duplication and screening. No eligible study directly tested sheep yogurt or a defined sheep yogurt preparation in ALD-relevant experimental or clinical settings. Indirect evidence supported the relevance of gut-liver axis dysfunction to ALD and indicated that selected fermented dairy products, probiotics, postbiotics, and microbial preparations may influence intestinal permeability, inflammatory signaling, microbial ecology, oxidative stress, and liver-injury outcomes. Compositional data supported sheep yogurt as a distinct food matrix. However, findings from isolated components, probiotic-only interventions, and non-ALD models could not be interpreted as evidence of sheep yogurt efficacy in ALD. Conclusions: The current literature supports a hypothesis-driven research framework rather than any therapeutic claim for sheep yogurt in ALD. Any potential benefit of sheep yogurt in ALD remains hypothetical and cannot support clinical or dietary recommendations until validated experimentally. Future direct, comparator-controlled studies of intact sheep yogurt should assess liver injury, barrier integrity, microbial translocation, relevant metabolites, and nutrition-related outcomes.

Background: ADAMTS1 participates in ovarian extracellular matrix remodeling and ovulation, but its association with reproductive performance in Mongolian sheep requires further investigation. This study compared ovarian ADAMTS1 and PI3K/Akt pathway-associated gene expression between ewes with documented singleton and twin lambing histories and examined responses of cultured granulosa cells (GCs) to LY294002. Methods: Twenty-four Mongolian ewes were selected, comprising 12 with singleton and 12 with twin births over at least two consecutive lambing seasons. Each category included six ewes in estrus and six in diestrus. Ovarian gene expression was assessed using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Cultured GCs were examined by immunofluorescence and treated with 15 μmol/L LY294002 or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the vehicle control. Results: Ovarian ADAMTS1, PI3K, Akt, and PTEN mRNA levels were higher in both twin-history groups than in either singleton-history group (p < 0.05). Bcl-2 expression was highest in the twin-history estrus group, whereas BAX expression was higher in diestrus than in estrus in both lambing-history categories (p < 0.05). Following LY294002 treatment, growth-associated absorbance at 450 nm decreased, and ADAMTS1 and several pathway-associated transcripts were downregulated. BAX mRNA increased significantly in the twin-history groups (p < 0.05), but the increases in the singleton-history groups were not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate associations with documented lambing history and cellular responses to LY294002. They do not establish a direct regulatory relationship between ADAMTS1 and PI3K/Akt signaling or a causal role in twinning. Steroidogenic function, gonadotropin responsiveness, and apoptosis require direct functional validation.