Project description:Current antibiotic regimen to treat tuberculosis (TB) is ineffective in fully eliminating the bacterial load and in alleviating disease pathology. We examined the usefulness of a phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor (CC-11050) as an adjunctive to anti-TB drug Isoniazid (INH) to improve the outcome of treatment in a rabbit model of active pulmonary TB. Control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) growth, disease pathology and the global transcriptional response in Mtb-infected lungs of rabbits with or without CC-11050 treatment were studied. The microarray experiments involves comparison of changes in gene expression between uninfected and Mtb-HN878 infected (Untreated) or CC-11050 treated rabbit lungs at 8 weeks post-treatment, starting at 4 weeks of infection (i.e, 12 weeks post infection).
Project description:In our rabbit model of pulmonary tuberculosis, infection with Mtb HN878, a hyper-virulent W-Beijing strain, results in progressive cavitary disease. However, infection of rabbit lungs with Mtb CDC1551, a hyper-immunogenic strain is effectively controlled overtime, establishing latent Mtb infection. Using these two Mtb strains, we tested the hypothesis that the initial host response in the lungs within hours of infection determines later outcome. The microarray experiments was performed to identify gene expression changes in the Mtb-HN878 or CDC1551- infected rabbit lungs at 3 hours post infection, compared to uninfected naïve rabbit lungs.
Project description:A greater understanding of the proteins involved in reproduction can benefit animal production. New advances in proteomics are having a major impact on our understanding of how spermatozoa acquire their capacity for fertilization [1]. Sperm proteomics aims at the identification of the proteins that compose the sperm cell and the study of their function [2]. The sperm cell is one of the most highly differentiated cells and is composed of a head with a highly compacted chromatin structure and a large flagellum with midpiece that contains the required machinery for movement and therefore to deliver the paternal genetic and epigenetic content to the oocyte [3]. By being so highly differentiated, spermatozoa are advantageous cells to study proteomics of specific compartments such as the membrane, which basically is the area of major importance for its role in interacting with the surroundings and the oocyte [4]. The fusion of a sperm and an oocyte is a sophisticated process that must be preceded by suitable changes in the sperm's membrane composition [5]. Recent studies of spermatozoa from the proteomic point of view have allowed the identification of different proteins in spermatozoa that are responsible for the regulation of normal/defective sperm functions [6]. While several techniques are available in proteomics, LC-MS based analysis of complex protein/peptide mixtures has turned out to be a mainstream analytical technique for quantitative proteomics [7]. Using this method, detailed proteomic data are now available for human [8], macaque [9,10], mouse [11], rat [12], bull [13-15], stallion [16], fruit fly [17], Caenorhabditis elegans [18], carp [19], rainbow trout [20], mussel [21], ram [22], honeybee [23] and rooster [24] sperm membrane proteins. Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is an important mammalian species worldwide, being at the same time of commercial interest and a research model animal. European rabbit meat production is approximately 500 thousand tons, corresponding to a 30% share of world production [25]. Besides, rabbits account for the seventh highest number of animals slaughtered per year in the European Union-27, with 347,603 × 1000 head in 2014 [26]. In a previous work, we identified and quantified rabbit seminal plasma proteins between two different genotypes [27], concluding the clear effect of genotype in the abundance of certain seminal plasma proteins. However, it is unknown at present whether these differences also exist at sperm proteome level. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterise rabbit sperm membrane proteins through NanoLC-MS/MS analysis focusing on the influence of the genetic origin.
Project description:Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is an exquisitely adapted human pathogen capable of surviving for decades in the lungs of immune competent individuals in absence of disease. The World Health Organization estimates that 2 billion people have latent TB infection (LTBI), defined by positive immunologic response to Mtb antigens with no clinical signs of disease. A better understanding of host and pathogen determinants of LTBI and subsequent reactivation would benefit TB control efforts. Animal models of LTBI have been hampered mainly by an inability to achieve complete bacillary clearance. We have characterized a rabbit model of LTBI in which, similar to most humans, complete clearance of pulmonary Mtb infection and pathology occurs spontaneously. The evidence that Mtb-CDC1551-infected rabbits achieve LTBI, rather than sterilization, is based on the ability of the bacilli to be reactivated following immune suppression. The microarray experiments involves comparison of: 1) Changes in rabbit gene expression between Mtb-CDC1551 infected and uninfected animals at 2,4,8 and 12 weeks post infection. New Zealand White rabbits were infected with Mtb CDC1551 at 3.5log10 (on day 0). Lung tissue from Mtb-infected rabbits were isolated from uninfected (control) and at 2, 4, 8 and 16 weeks post infection and used for total RNA extraction. Total rabbit lung RNA was used for microarray analysis to determine infection induced changes in host gene expression.