Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Hippocampus oxytocin signaling promotes prosocial eating in rats

doi: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574101

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Diagram depicting viral vector-mediated OXTR shRNA for chronic knockdown of OXTR expression in the HPCd. (B-C) Following the infusion of scrambled sequence control (scrmb) or OXTR shRNA AAVs, dentate gyrus target sites and viral-induced GFP expression were confirmed using immunohistochemistry (representative photomicrographs from each group depicted). (D) Quantification of relative OXTR mRNA expression showed a significant reduction in knockdown animals of approximately 70-80% relative to controls (control n=7; KD n=7). (E-G) During the training phase of the social eating procedure, OXTR KD animals consumed significantly less food within the hour in the social arena compared to controls, with a trend towards a reduction in first meal size (p=0.057) but no effect on meal frequency. (H-J ) Control, but not OXTR KD animals consumed more food within the hour-long test in the presence of a familiar vs. an unfamiliar conspecific; an effect driven by an increased 1 st meal size with no change in meal frequency. (K-M) Knockdown of dorsal hippocampal oxytocin receptors did not yield long-term changes in daily caloric intake or body weight under isolated conditions in the home cage. (Between-subjects design for group; control n=6; OXTR KD n=9; Data are means ± SEM; *p<0.05; Abbreviations, DGmo = dentate gyrus molecular layer, DGsg = dentate gyrus granule layer, DGpo = dentate gyrus polymorph layer).

Article Snippet: OXTR mRNA levels were quantified using Taqman gene expression kits (OXTR: Rn00563503_m1; GapDH: Rn01775763_g1; Life Technologies) and PCR reagents (Applied Biosystems). qPCR was conducted using an Eppendorf Mastercycler ep realplex2 and the comparative threshold cycle method was used to quantify relative mRNA expression.

Techniques: Plasmid Preparation, shRNA, Knockdown, Expressing, Sequencing, Control, Immunohistochemistry, Isolation

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Hippocampus oxytocin signaling promotes prosocial eating in rats

doi: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574101

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A-C) During the training phase of the social eating procedure, OXTR KD animals saw a reduction in average meal size during the hour in the social arena compared to controls while there was no significant difference in either 1 st meal duration or average meal duration. (D-I ) Control, but not OXTR KD animals had a larger average meal size during the hour-long test in the presence of a familiar vs. an unfamiliar conspecific, while showing no effect of 1 st meal duration, average meal duration, bout frequency, average bout size or average bout duration. (J-P) Knockdown of dorsal hippocampal oxytocin receptors did not yield long-term changes in daily meal parameters or body weight under isolated conditions in the home cage. (Between subjects control n=6; OXTR KD n=9; Data are means ± SEM; *p<0.05).

Article Snippet: OXTR mRNA levels were quantified using Taqman gene expression kits (OXTR: Rn00563503_m1; GapDH: Rn01775763_g1; Life Technologies) and PCR reagents (Applied Biosystems). qPCR was conducted using an Eppendorf Mastercycler ep realplex2 and the comparative threshold cycle method was used to quantify relative mRNA expression.

Techniques: Control, Knockdown, Isolation

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Hippocampus oxytocin signaling promotes prosocial eating in rats

doi: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574101

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Diagram depicting STFP procedure in which an experimental or observer rat is exposed to a novel food flavor from the breath of a demonstrator that has recently consumed the flavored chow in a separate room. 24 hours after exposure to demonstrator rats, observer rats are tested in the two-choice preference consumption test. (B) There was no difference between Control and OXTR KD rats in the time spent investigating the demonstrator during social interaction. (C) Control animals successfully demonstrated a significant preference for the flavor their demonstrator had consumed, whereas OXTR KD rats showed no flavor preference. (D) The total amount of food consumed during the preference test did not differ by group. (Between-subjects design for group; control n=6; OXTR KD n=9; Data are means ± SEM; *p<0.05, ****p<0.0001).

Article Snippet: OXTR mRNA levels were quantified using Taqman gene expression kits (OXTR: Rn00563503_m1; GapDH: Rn01775763_g1; Life Technologies) and PCR reagents (Applied Biosystems). qPCR was conducted using an Eppendorf Mastercycler ep realplex2 and the comparative threshold cycle method was used to quantify relative mRNA expression.

Techniques: Control

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Hippocampus oxytocin signaling promotes prosocial eating in rats

doi: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574101

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Sociability is assessed by placing experimental animals into an arena for 5 min with an empty enclosure and another containing a stimulus animal. The time spent investigating each enclosure is measured. (B-C) Both control and HPCd OXTR KD animals spent significantly more time investigating the stimulus animal over the empty enclosure, indicating normal sociability in both groups. (D) Following an interval of 30 min, animals are placed back into the arena to assess social recognition memory, now with the previously experienced “familiar” stimulus animal or a new “novel” animal. (E-F) Control animals spent more time investigating the novel stimulus animal while the HPCd OXTR KD animals did not. (G) Animals were also tested in novel object recognition task to assess non-social recognition memory. (H-I) Control and OXTR KD groups performed similarly in the novel object recognition test. (Between-subjects for group; control n=7; OXTR KD n=7; Data are means ± SEM; *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, ****p<0.0001).

Article Snippet: OXTR mRNA levels were quantified using Taqman gene expression kits (OXTR: Rn00563503_m1; GapDH: Rn01775763_g1; Life Technologies) and PCR reagents (Applied Biosystems). qPCR was conducted using an Eppendorf Mastercycler ep realplex2 and the comparative threshold cycle method was used to quantify relative mRNA expression.

Techniques: Control

Journal: Immunobiology

Article Title: Clostridium butyricum attenuates LPS-induced myocardial injury in septic mice by modulating CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg.

doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2024.152857

Figure Lengend Snippet: Fig. 2. Inflammation in septic myocardial injury mice with marked changes in markers of myocardial injury. (A-C) After the successful construction of a mouse model of sepsis induced myocardial injury, plasma was diluted three-fold and ELISA was used to detect changes in myocardial injury markers and inflammatory markers in the LPS group and control group, respectively (n = 5 per group). The main biomarkers for myocardial injury are cTnI and LDH, while inflammatory biomarkers are IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. A: Changes in cTnI levels between two groups. B: Changes in LDH levels between two groups. C: Changes in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels between two groups. D: qPCR assay for mouse heart tissue mRNA levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α between two groups. n represents number of animals, *P represents P < 0.05; **P represents P < 0.01; ***P represents P < 0.001; ****P represents P < 0.0001;

Article Snippet: The standard preparation and related experimental steps were performed according to the instruction manual of the ELISA kits for IL-6 (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0308), IL-1β (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0274), TNF-α (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0477), cTnI (MM #0791 M1), and LDH (Cusabio #CSB-E11723m).

Techniques: Clinical Proteomics, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Control

Journal: Immunobiology

Article Title: Clostridium butyricum attenuates LPS-induced myocardial injury in septic mice by modulating CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg.

doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2024.152857

Figure Lengend Snippet: Fig. 5. Clostridium butyricum significantly reduced serum inflammation and myocardial markers in mice with septic myocardial injury. (A-C) After continuous gavage of Clostridium butyricum for 28 days and successful construction of a mouse model of sepsis induced myocardial injury, plasma was diluted three-fold and ELISA was used to detect changes in myocardial injury markers and inflammatory markers in the LPS group and control group, respectively (n = 5 per group). The main biomarkers for myocardial injury are cTnI and LDH, while inflammatory biomarkers are IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. A: Changes in cTnI levels between two groups. B: Changes in LDH levels between two groups. C: Changes in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels between two groups. D: qPCR assay for mouse heart tissue mRNA levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α between two groups. n represents number of animals, *P represents P < 0.05; **P represents P < 0.01; ***P represents P < 0.001; ****P represents P < 0.0001;

Article Snippet: The standard preparation and related experimental steps were performed according to the instruction manual of the ELISA kits for IL-6 (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0308), IL-1β (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0274), TNF-α (Sigma-Aldrich #RAB0477), cTnI (MM #0791 M1), and LDH (Cusabio #CSB-E11723m).

Techniques: Clinical Proteomics, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Control