Trichosporon asahii is a basidiomycete yeast that is pathogenic to humans and animals, and fluconazole-resistant strains have recently increased. Farnesol secreted by fungi is a factor that causes variations in fluconazole resistance; however, few studies have explored the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study aims to delineate the fluconazole resistance mechanisms of T. asahii and explore farnesol’s effects on these processes. A comparative metabolome–transcriptome analysis of untreated fluconazole-sensitive (YAN), fluconazole-resistant (PB) T. asahii strains, and 25 μM farnesol-treated strains (YAN-25 and PB-25, respectively) was performed. The membrane lipid-related genes and metabolites were upregulated in the PB vs. YAN and PB-25 vs. PB comparisons. Farnesol demonstrated strain-dependent mechanisms underlying fluconazole tolerance between the YAN and PB strains, and upregulated and downregulated efflux pumps in PB-25 and YAN-25 strains, respectively. Membrane lipid-related metabolites were highly correlated with transporter-coding genes. Fluconazole resistance in T. asahii was induced by membrane lipid bio-synthesis activation. Farnesol inhibited fluconazole resistance in the sensitive strain, but enhanced resistance in the resistant strain by upregulating efflux pump genes and membrane lipids. This study offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying fungal drug resistance and provides guidance for future research aimed at developing more potent antifungal drugs for clinical use.

Microsporum gypseum causes dermatomycoses in giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). This study aimed to investigate the immune response of M. gypseum following deep infection. The degree of damage to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys was evaluated using tissue fungal load, organ index, and histopathological methods. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detected the mRNA expression of receptors and cytokines in the lung, and immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry, were used to assess immune cells in the lung. The results indicated that conidia mainly colonized the lungs and caused serious injury with M. gypseum infection. Furthermore, dectin-1, TLR-2, and TLR-4 played a role in recognizing M. gypseum cells. Numerous inflammatory cells, mainly macrophages, dendritic cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and inflammatory cytokines (TGF-β, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-23), were activated in the early stages of infection. With the high expression of IL-22, IL-17A, and IL-17F, the Th17 pathway exerted an adaptive immune response to M. gypseum infection. These results can potentially aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by M. gypseum in giant pandas.

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), as an endemic and endangered species in China, has attracted much attention regarding its health issues. In recent years, certain diseases that affect giant pandas have gradually become important factors impacting their survival and breeding, including tumor diseases. Research on testicular cancer in giant pandas, in particular, has attracted the attention of scientific researchers because it poses a threat to individual reproductive function and population reproduction. This review systematically reviews the research progress of testicular cancer in giant pandas in recent years. Firstly, starting from case reports, the current research status of clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and molecular mechanisms of testicular cancer in giant pandas was analyzed. Secondly, the commonly used treatment methods at present were discussed, including surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, etc., and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods in practical applications were summarized. Furthermore, this article also conducts an in-depth exploration of the pathogenesis of testicular cancer in giant pandas, involving possible triggers such as genetic factors, environmental factors, and endocrine disorders. Based on the existing research results, this paper proposes a few future research directions, which will provide important support for the health management and population protection of giant pandas. Overall, although certain progress has been made in the research of testicular cancer in giant pandas, it still needs to be further deepened in order to provide a more powerful scientific basis for the healthcare and breeding of the endangered giant panda species.

A low reproductive rate coupled with human activities has endangered the giant panda, a species endemic to southwest China. Although giant pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, they retain carnivorous traits and suffer from carnivorous diseases. Additionally, their immune system is susceptible to aging, resulting in a reduced ability to respond to diseases. This study aimed to determine the genes and pathways expressed differentially with age in blood tissues. The differentially expressed genes in different age groups of giant pandas were identified by RNA-seq. The elderly giant pandas had many differentially expressed genes compared with the young group (3 years old), including 548 upregulated genes and 401 downregulated genes. Further, functional enrichment revealed that innate immune upregulation and adaptive immune downregulation were observed in the elderly giant pandas compared with the young giant pandas. Meanwhile, the immune genes in the elderly giant pandas changed considerably, including genes involved in innate immunity and adaptive immunity such as PLSCR1, CLEC7A, CCL5, CCR9, and EPAS1. Time series analysis found that giant pandas store glycogen by prioritizing fat metabolism at age 11, verifying changes in the immune system. The results reported in this study will provide a foundation for further research on disease prevention and the energy metabolism of giant pandas.

Hypertension threatens the health of aging captive giant pandas, yet its molecular signatures remain poorly characterized. Here, multi-omics sequencing was applied to explore the molecular regulatory process of hypertension and the pharmacodynamic effect of levamlodipine on this endangered species. Six aged giant pandas were divided into hypertensive and normotensive groups (three hypertensive and three normotensive pandas) based on clinical phenotypes and blood pressure measurements. A multi-omics approach was employed, including blood RNA-seq, Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and time-series RNA-seq following levamlodipine administration. Our transcriptomic analysis revealed a statistically significant decline in ACE2 transcript abundance (Padj < 0.05), which suggests a possible shift in renin–angiotensin system signaling linked to hypertensive status in giant pandas. Single-cell analysis of 88,693 cells revealed that hypertension-associated genes were predominantly enriched in monocytes and T cells, implicating immune cell activation. Time-dependent transcriptional changes after levamlodipine administration. Temporal gene dynamics showed early activation of metabolic pathways followed by delayed inhibition of ion channels and calcium signaling. This study provides a transcriptional molecular perspective into the pathogenesis of hypertension in giant pandas, which is conducive to developing more effective antihypertensive treatment strategies, thereby protecting the health of this endangered species.

This retrospective multicenter study integrated individual- and event-level records from 190 captive giant pandas managed at four study sites of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) during 2024 to characterize patterns of mucous stool excretion and associated phenotypic variation. Logistic and negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate individual-level associations with event occurrence and annual event frequency, while generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were applied to monthly and event-level analyses to account for repeated observations within pandas. Overall, 132 of 190 pandas (69.5%, 95% CI, 62.6–75.6%) experienced at least one mucous stool event, with 674 events recorded during the study year. Monthly event frequency differed significantly overall (Poisson GEE, p = 0.0015), with the largest observed event count occurring in July, although no individual month-versus-January comparison remained significant after Holm correction. The monthly probability of an individual panda experiencing at least one event did not differ significantly (p = 0.295). Mucous stool weight showed no significant monthly variation (p = 0.453) but differed markedly by physical phenotype, compared with jelly-like stools, lard-like and mixed jelly/lard stools were 1.318- and 2.133-fold heavier, respectively. An exploratory inverse association between body weight and event occurrence persisted after adjustment for age and sex (adjusted OR per kg = 0.961, 95% CI, 0.930–0.992, p = 0.015). Recurrently affected individuals contributed disproportionately to the annual event burden, but did not exclusively account for the elevated July count. These findings indicate that within-year variation primarily reflected changes in event burden rather than the proportion of affected pandas, while visible phenotype was strongly associated with the amount of mucous material excreted. The disproportionate contribution of recurrently affected individuals highlights the value of targeted longitudinal monitoring in veterinary and husbandry management, while multi-year prospective surveillance is needed to confirm reproducible temporal patterns and clarify underlying mechanisms.