Loredana Horodincu

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is recognized as a neuroglial disorder in which dysregulated glial responses contribute to cognitive decline. We investigated whether intrahippocampal transplantation of primary glial cells modifies cognitive trajectories in an amyloid-induced rat model of AD. Sprague–Dawley rats received bilateral hippocampal injections of pre-aggregated Aβ_1–42, followed by transplantation of primary astrocytes (AA) or microglia (AM). Memory was assessed using the Y-maze and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. Body weight and serum IL-6 and TNF-α were monitored for adverse effects, and GFAP, S100, Iba1 and TREM2 immunolabeling was quantified with QuPath. Mixed-effects models showed significant session and group x session effects on Y–maze spatial novelty recognition. Both treated groups improved compared with AD animals, with a stronger late effect in the AM group and a significant group × session × sex interaction. In the NOR test, both treated groups outperformed AD animals at the final session, without differences between them. GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) immunoreactivity was reduced in the AM group but remained elevated in the AA group, while TREM2 increased after microglial and decreased after astrocyte transplantation. No adverse effects were detected in the monitored parameters. Intrahippocampal glial transplantation, particularly with microglia, may influence cognitive trajectories in established amyloid pathology.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a lighting system based on a combination of green-blue LED lights on body weight, stress, and the morphostructure of lymphoid organs in chickens. A total of 100 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to two homogeneous experimental groups (n = 50 chicks/group) based on the type of lighting technology used. The control group (WL) was exposed to white light-emitting diodes (LED) for a period of 42 days, while the second group (GBL) was exposed to a lighting regimen based on a controlled LED spectrum combination as follows: on days 1–14 exclusively green light, on days 15–28 green and blue light and on days 35–42, exclusively blue light. Our results demonstrated that the combination of blue-green LED lights significantly increased the final body weight (BW) of the chicks and reduced stress by significantly lowering the heterophiles H(%) and the heterophiles to lymphocites (H/L) ratio. Furthermore, the GBL group exhibited better structural development of the lymphoid organs, with significantly higher organ indices for the bursa, thymus, and spleen, a higher cortex/medulla (C/M) ratio in both follicles and lobules, and a larger surface area for the lymphoid sheaths (PALS and PELS) and lymphoid nodules (LN) in the spleen. Nevertheless, these results suggest that combined green-blue LED light has an immunostimulatory effect on lymphoid organs, reflected in better health of the chicks.

The use of colored LED lights is a tool for controlling the development of lymphoid organs and the immune system in general. This study aims to analyze the effects of using simple and combined colored LED lights throughout a 6 week period (1–42 days of age). In this study, 336 one-day-old chicks were used, separated randomly into four groups with different sex and lighting systems, with each group being divided into four separate replicates (4 × 21 birds). The chicks in the WL-Male and WL-Female were exposed to white LED light (WL, 400–760 nm) for 6 weeks, while the chicks in the G-GxB-BL-Male and G-GxB-BL-Female were exposed to a combination of monochromatic lights as follows: green (560 nm) from 1 to 14 days of age, green and blue (480–560 nm) for 15–28 days of age, and blue lights (480 nm) for 29–42 days of age. The use of a mixture of green and blue LED lights (G-GxB-BL) resulted in a significant decrease in the average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio compared to white light, without causing changes in the body weight of the chicks, average daily gain, mortality rate, and coefficient of variability. G-GxB-BL lights also improved the morphological development of the bursa of Fabricius (BF) compared to white light by significantly increasing the organ index and the lymphoid follicle area. At the same time, G-GxB-BL light compared to white light improved B lymphocytes proliferation in the BF by significantly increasing the lymphocyte density in lymphoid follicles, as well as the number of PCNA-positive cells. This light treatment had these results due to the activation of melatonin receptors, which led to a significant increase in Mel1a-positive cells and a significant decrease in the number of RORα-positive cells. These results demonstrate that G-GxB-BL lights improved the growth performance and immune response in the BF of broiler chickens.

Polyphenol-rich plant products are widely used as feed additives for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this research is to test the hypothesis that feeding grape pomace (GP) to fattening pigs modulates the intestinal immune and antioxidant response, promotes the morphostructure of the small intestine, and improves growth performance. Fifty Piétrain fattening pigs were randomly divided into five groups, each consisting of 10 pigs. The groups were fed a basal diet with no supplementation (control) or a diet supplemented with 1 gGP/kg (E1), 5 gGP/kg (E2), 10 gGP/kg (E3), or 15 gGP/kg (E4). The doses were selected based on preliminary tests. The pigs were slaughtered after 90 days, and their duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and caecum were sampled. We recommend a dose of 10 gGP/kg because it leads to many beneficial effects, including a significantly increased villous height, intestinal crypt depth, and V/C ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (p < 0.05). It also decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-1β in the ileum and caecum, TNF-α in multiple intestinal segments, and MHC-II in the duodenum, jejunum, and caecum. Additionally, antioxidant activity was promoted through the increased immunohistochemical expression of Nrf2 and reduced NF-kB p65 expression. Growth performance also improved, with significantly higher ADG (p = 0.01) and ADFI values (p < 0.01) than those in the control group. In conclusion, polyphenol-rich grape pomace can be used as a supplement in fattening pig diets to maintain their health and productive performance.

The recognition of the necessity for employing natural additives in animal feed has grown alongside the ban on antibiotics in the animal feed sector. Grapes, as well as by-products of the wine-making industry (grape marc and seed extracts), possess biologically active chemical constituents that can be used to improve animal production by incorporating them into animal feed. Grapes are a valuable resource of polyphenols, especially flavonoids, stilbenes and phenolic acids, most of them showing therapeutic or health-promoting properties. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the impact of polyphenols on animal gut health. The first section of the review discusses the chemical structure of the major polyphenols in grapes and the polyphenols’ bioavailability and metabolism in pigs. The second and major part of the review reviews the results of investigations into the antioxidant, antimicrobial and prebiotic effects of grape polyphenols in pig diets, as well as their regulation of intestinal barrier functions through signalling pathways and intestinal responses. All of this is supported by previous research, findings and conclusions. There are fewer recorded pig studies, but the inclusion of up to 9% grape by-products resulted in improved performance with an increased mean daily gain. Ultimately, this analysis concluded that supplementation of pigs with grape phenolic compounds as natural feed additives enhanced their antioxidant capacity, improved humoral and cellular immune responses, and promoted gut ecosystem biodiversity and the overall production performance in pigs.

The wound healing process is often slowed down as a result of complications from bacterial infections and inflammatory reactions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop dressings with fast antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity that shorten the wound healing period by promoting cell migration and proliferation. Chitosan (CS)-based hydrogels have been widely studied for their antibacterial and wound healing capabilities. Herein, we developed a composite hydrogel based on CS and PVA embedding silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antibacterial properties and ibuprofen (Ib) as an anti-inflammatory agent. The hydrogel prepared by double physical cross-linking, with oxalic acid and by freeze–thawing, loaded with 0.225 wt.% AgNPs and 0.264 wt.% Ib, displayed good mechanical properties (compressive modulus = 132 kPa), a high swelling degree and sustained drug delivery (in simulated skin conditions). Moreover, the hydrogel showed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae due to the embedded AgNPs. In vivo, this hydrogel accelerated the wound regeneration process through the enhanced expression of TNF alpha IP8, by activating downstream cascades and supporting the healing process of inflammation; Cox2, which enhances the migration and proliferation of cells involved in re-epithelization and angiogenesis; MHCII, which promotes immune cooperation between local cells, eliminating dead tissue and controlling infection; the intense expression of Col I as a major marker in the tissue granulation process; and αSMA, which marks the presence of myofibroblasts involved in wound closure and indicates ongoing re-epithelization. The results reveal the potential healing effect of CS/PVA/AgNPs/Ib hydrogels and suggest their potential use as wound dressings.

Since the banning of antibiotics in animal feeds (2006), there has been an increase in the number of studies looking for alternatives to stimulate the gut immune system. The main objective of our review article is to underline the nutraceutical properties of Curcuma longa and Spirulina platensis in the broiler chicken industry, and the experimental data were obtained by analyzing literature sources. Spirulina platensis is widely recognized as a valuable protein source, containing approximately 55–70% protein, 25% carbohydrates, essential amino acids, and 18% fatty acids. It is also rich in various vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, vitamin B12, vitamin C, gamma-linolenic acid, phycocyanins, tocopherols, chlorophyll, beta-carotenes, carotenoids, exhibiting positive effects on growth performance, gut integrity, and immunity. The anti-inflammatory effect of spirulina supplementation at different levels showed a decrease in caspase-3 and the TNF-α immunolabeling index; a reduction in IL-1β, IL-2 and IFN-γ; and an increase in the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4. Spirulina inhibits the synthesis of cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-gamma in addition to the activities of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) enzymes. Turmeric also positively influences the growth, egg production, and overall health of chickens. Curcumin, the most potent component of turmeric, possesses additional pharmacological activities, including hepatoprotective, immunostimulant, and anticancer effects. Its immunomodulatory properties greatly enhance the immune system response, acting as a natural antibiotic against pathogens and decreasing levels of proinflammatory interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, IL-2, IL-18, and TNF-α.

It is well known that the pineal gland in birds influences behavioural and physiological functions, including those of the immune system. The purpose of this research is to examine the endocrine–immune correlations between melatonin and immune system activity. Through a description of the immune–pineal axis, we formulated the objective to determine and describe: the development of the pineal gland; how light influences secretory activity; and how melatonin influences the activity of primary and secondary lymphoid organs. The pineal gland has the ability to turn light information into an endocrine signal suitable for the immune system via the membrane receptors Mel1a, Mel1b, and Mel1c, as well as the nuclear receptors RORα, RORβ, and RORγ. We can state the following findings: green monochromatic light (560 nm) increased serum melatonin levels and promoted a stronger humoral and cellular immune response by proliferating B and T lymphocytes; the combination of green and blue monochromatic light (560–480 nm) ameliorated the inflammatory response and protected lymphoid organs from oxidative stress; and red monochromatic light (660 nm) maintained the inflammatory response and promoted the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Melatonin can be considered a potent antioxidant and immunomodulator and is a critical element in the coordination between external light stimulation and the body’s internal response.