Lei Wang

Glucocorticoids (GCs) serve as first-line immunosuppressive therapy for alopecia areata (AA), yet physiologically suppress hair growth and cycling. The molecular basis of this paradoxical effect remains incompletely understood, hindering optimization of GCs as.effective depilatory agents. Using transcriptomic data and immunofluorescence staining, we detected robust expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, encoded by NR3C1 ) in caprine dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in vitro. At the cellular level, high-dose (10 ^− 4 M) dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic GC, reduced metabolic activity and proliferation, increased the proportion of cells displaying apoptotic nuclear morphology, and skewed the cell cycle toward S-phase with concomitant G ₂ decrease. At the transcriptomic level, RNA-seq identified a limited set of 373 Dex-responsive genes, including canonical GR targets (e.g., FKBP5 , PER1 , LEP ), which substantially overlapped with putative conserved targets of GR and/or the NF-κB p65 subunit ( RELA ) identified from cross-species ChIP-Atlas data. Upregulated genes featured inflammatory-response modulators (e.g., IL1R2 , CD163 , PTX3 ) and the entire cholesterol biosynthetic pathway (from HMGCS1 to DHCR24 ), whereas downregulated genes included well-characterized pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., IL6 , CXCL8 , GROα , HGF ). Functional enrichment analysis identified both inflammatory pathways (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) and cholesterol biosynthesis-related terms as significantly enriched. Notably, directional enrichment confirmed that inflammatory pathways were predominantly represented among downregulated DEGs, while cholesterol biosynthesis-related pathways were exclusively associated with upregulated DEGs. In addition, vascular development-related GO terms were also significantly enriched, with the contributing genes largely comprising the same set of inflammation-associated mediators-a pattern recapitulated in the PPI network, where classic inflammation genes (e.g., CXCL8 , IL6 , IL1R2 , CD163 ) clustered in a single independent network. These findings identify inflammation-associated gene expression as the predominant transcriptional signature in Dex-treated caprine DPCs. The concomitant enrichment of vascular development-related terms, driven by the same inflammation-associated mediators, represents a candidate correlate for future functional investigation. These observations provide a cellular and transcriptomic data-based insight for exploring GCs action in HF and for optimizing GCs-based depilatory strategies.

To develop green feed additives suitable for antibiotic-free livestock farming on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, this study used Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1, isolated from Tibetan black pigs, and Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2, isolated from wild boars in the Changbai Mountains, to prepare fermented feed. The study investigated the effects of these additives on the growth performance, slaughter performance, meat quality, immune and antioxidant functions, and gut microbiota composition of Duroc × Landrace × Large White crossbred finishing pigs (DLY finishing pigs). The experiment included 72 finishing pigs with an average body weight of 54.07 ± 1.02 kg, which were randomly divided into three groups, each with four replicates of 6 pigs. The control group (CK) was fed a basal diet, one treatment group (TB) was fed a diet consisting of 50% basal diet plus 50% Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1-fermented feed, and the other treatment group (CW) was fed a diet consisting of 50% basal diet plus 50% Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2-fermented feed. The pre-feeding period lasted 3 days, and the experimental period lasted 57 days. The results showed that, compared with the CK group, (1) the CW and TB groups had significantly higher levels of crude protein, lactic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid in the feed (p < 0.05), and significantly lower levels of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ammonium nitrogen, and pH (p < 0.05); (2) in the CW and TB groups, final body weight, average daily weight gain, and average daily feed intake were significantly higher (p < 0.001), while the feed-to-gain ratio was significantly lower (p < 0.01), with the CW group performing better than the TB group; (3) in both the CW and TB groups, carcass weight, eye muscle area, and meat redness significantly increased (p < 0.001), while backfat thickness and shear force significantly decreased (p < 0.001); (4) in both the CW and TB groups, serum immunoglobulin G, interleukin-2, and superoxide dismutase levels significantly increased (p < 0.05), malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced in the CW group (p < 0.05), and catalase activity was significantly increased in the TB group (p < 0.05); (5) the relative abundance of Escherichia spp. in the cecum was significantly reduced in both the CW and TB groups (p < 0.05), while beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp. were significantly enriched (p < 0.05). In summary, feed fermented with Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1 and Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2 can effectively improve the production performance of finishing pigs, enhance meat quality, strengthen immune and antioxidant capacities, and optimize the gut microbiota structure. Among these, CW13.2 was more effective in promoting weight gain, while TB2.1 was more effective in regulating protein and lipid metabolism. Fermented feed produced with both strains shows promising application prospects and can provide high-quality microbial strains and technical support for antibiotic-free swine farming on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Fermented Chinese herbal medicines (FCHMs) are considered a promising natural feed additive in livestock production. While their potential benefits for growth and health are recognized, the mechanisms underlying their effects on meat quality traits such as flavor, and the mediating role of the gut environment, remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to investigate the multifaceted effects of FCHMs on finishing pigs, with a focus on potential links between growth, cecal microbiota, metabolism, and muscle composition. A compound FCHM was prepared by fermenting 10 traditional herbs using selected lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Eighty Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs (30.0 ± 1.0 kg) were randomly assigned to a control group (CK, basal diet) or groups supplemented with 0.4% (GL), 0.6% (GM), or 0.8% (GH) FCHM. After a 110-day trial, FCHM supplementation was associated with improved growth performance. Pigs receiving FCHM showed significantly higher final body weight and average daily gain compared to the CK group, while the high-dosage group (GH) exhibited a reduced feed-to-gain ratio. Analysis of a subset of animals revealed that FCHM appeared to reshape the cecal microbiota structure, notably decreasing the relative abundance of Alloprevotella , Muribaculaceae , and Prevotella , while promoting genera such as Marvinbryantia , Veillonella , and Tyzzerella . Concomitant shifts in cecal metabolite profiles were observed, including altered levels of compounds like cytosine, hypoxanthine, L-malic acid, and uric acid. Furthermore, analysis of muscle tissue indicated that FCHM supplementation coincided with changes in the profile of fatty acids and volatile organic compounds, which are relevant to flavor. Preliminary integrative analysis suggested potential associations between specific microbial shifts, metabolite changes, and alterations in muscle flavor-related compounds. This exploratory study indicates that dietary FCHM supplementation can enhance the growth performance of finishing pigs and is associated with concurrent modifications in the cecal microbial ecosystem, metabolic profile, and muscle composition. The observed multi-level changes suggest potential associations between gut microbial alterations and muscle characteristics that may contribute to the effects of FCHMs. These findings provide a foundational framework for understanding the complex role of fermented herbs in animal nutrition and warrant further investigation to validate the proposed mechanisms.

Mycotoxin contamination is a major food safety issue worldwide, posing a serious threat to animal production performance and human health. Lactic acid bacteria are generally regarded as safe fermentation potential probiotics. They have the advantages of low toxicity, small pollution, strong specificity and high safety, and can reduce the contamination of microorganisms and mycotoxins. In this study, we compared the mycotoxin degradation capacity of 15 lactic acid bacteria strains from the rumen of Qinghai yak, through comprehensive analysis, we finally identified the strains as potential probiotics because they have a fast growth speed, strong acid production capacity (pH < 4.5), and they can grow normally in an environment with a pH of 3.5, bile salt concentration of 0.1%, and good self-agglutination and hydrophobicity. It was found that the fermentation group (Pediococcus acidilactici C2, Pediococcus acidilactici E28, Pediococcus pentosaceus A16 and Enterococcus lactis C16) could significantly reduce mycotoxin content, and both the nutritional and fermentation quality of the feed improved after 7 days of fermentation, meaning that the fermentation group can be used as a functional feed additive.

The growth of skeletal muscle involves complex developmental processes that play an important part in the determinization of pork quality. The investigation of skeletal muscle mRNA or miRNA profiles is especially important for finding molecular approaches to improve meat quality in pig breeding. Therefore, we studied the transcriptome (mRNA and miRNA) profiles of skeletal muscle with RNA-Seq in three developmental stages of pigs: 65-day embryonic (E65), postnatal 0 days (natal) and 10 months (adult). We found 10,035, 9050 and 4841 differentially expressed (DE) genes for natal vs. E65, adult vs. E65 and adult vs. natal, 55, 101 and 85 DE miRNA for natal vs. E65, adult vs. E65 and adult vs. natal, respectively. In addition, the target genes of DE miRNA that was in a negative correlation with the corresponding miRNA in the same comparison group were selected for enrichment analysis. Gene Ontology terms were mainly classified into developmental processes. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment in the Rap1 signaling pathway, citrate cycle and oxidative phosphorylation and carbon. Finally, RT-PCR was employed for validating the level of expression of 11 DE miRNA and 14 DEGs. The transcriptome profiles of skeletal muscle from the different developmental stages of the Bamei pigs were obtained. From these data, hundreds of DE miRNA and mRNA, and the miRNA–mRNA regulatory network can provide valuable insights into further understanding of key molecular mechanisms and improving the meat quality in pig breeding.