Ettefaghdoost M et al. · Jul 1, 2026
Background Natural carotenoids have gained considerable attention in aquaculture due to their potential to enhance growth performance, physiological status, and product quality in crustaceans. However, limited information is available regarding the dietary effects of norbixin on Macrobrachium nipponense. Objectives This study evaluated the effects of dietary norbixin supplementation on growth performance, haemato-biochemical indices, immune responses, antioxidant status, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal microbiota, carotenoid accumulation, and body composition in M. nipponense. Methods A 56-day feeding trial was conducted using juvenile prawns (initial weight: 1.48 ± 0.07 g) fed diets supplemented with 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g/kg norbixin. Growth indices, biochemical and immunological parameters, antioxidant capacity, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal bacterial populations, tissue carotenoid deposition, and proximate body composition were subsequently assessed. Results Dietary norbixin significantly improved growth performance, feed conversion ratio, hepatosomatic index, and survival rate, with the most pronounced effects observed at 0.15 g/kg (p 0.05). Norbixin supplementation further enhanced digestive enzyme activities, increased lactic acid bacteria abundance, reduced total bacterial counts, and promoted carotenoid accumulation in muscle, shell, and hepatopancreas (p Conclusions Dietary supplementation with 0.15 g/kg norbixin effectively enhanced growth, immunocompetence, antioxidant defence, intestinal microbial balance, carotenoid deposition, and nutritional quality in M. nipponense, suggesting its potential as a functional feed additive in freshwater prawn aquaculture.
Immunology and Microbiology
Özbek R et al. · Jul 1, 2026
Background and aim Orf virus (ORFV) is the etiologic agent of infectious ecthyma, a common worldwide disease that occasionally causes zoonotic infections. In this study, we aimed to detect and molecularly characterise circulating ORFV strains in goats from different provinces in eastern Türkiye. Materials and methods Skin lesion samples collected during ORFV outbreaks between 2022 and 2024 were analysed. Following DNA extraction, positive samples identified by real-time PCR were analysed using a multi-locus phylogenetic approach targeting the structural F1L, the major envelope protein B2L, and the virulence-related VIR gene regions. Sequencing was performed using the Sanger method, followed by phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood method in MEGA X. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed high genetic similarity (95.63% to 99.48%) between the Turkish strains and global isolates from countries such as China, India, Iran, and Malaysia. Notably, while most isolates shared 100% similarity, the isolate from one specific province (Tunceli) exhibited significant nucleotide substitutions and a separate clustering pattern, particularly in the VIR gene. Conclusion The results demonstrate that ORFV strains circulating in Türkiye display close phylogenetic clustering with Asian strains. The study highlights that multi-locus analyses, especially utilising the highly variable VIR gene, are essential for identifying regional genetic heterogeneity and monitoring microbial evolution. These findings provide a pilot reference for future epidemiological surveillance and vaccine development strategies in the region.
Immunology and Microbiology
Ciaglia E et al. · Jul 1, 2026
Long-living individuals (LLIs) possess remarkable genetic resilience, characterized by protective variants that confer immune robustness and resistance to age-related diseases. The longevity-associated variant of BPIFB4 (LAV-BPIFB4), enriched in centenarians, demonstrated pleiotropic benefits including reduced inflammation, cardiovascular protection, and immune system rejuvenation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these protective effects remain incompletely understood. Here, we revealed that LAV-BPIFB4 fundamentally reshaped the immune features of platelets to establish enhanced immunomodulatory capacity through CD47 upregulation. Of note, centenarians displayed an elevated percentage of circulating CD47 + reticulated platelets (RPs), a condition mimicked by LAV-BPIFB4 carriers which exhibited significantly elevated CD47 levels both on RPs and mature platelets' surface. In agreement with an early acquirement of CD47 overexpression, MEG-01 megakaryoblastic cells overexpressing LAV-BPIFB4 produced CD47-high platelet-sized particles. Functionally, platelets from LAV carriers suppressed monocyte activation and inflammatory cytokine production through CD47-dependent mechanisms, selectively reducing p38 MAPK activation while leaving NF-κB signaling largely unaffected in response to LPS. rhLAV-BPIFB4 administration in vivo increased CD47 on murine platelets and reduced, ex vivo, LPS-induced monocyte activation, validating cross-species therapeutic potential. Critically, rhLAV-BPIFB4 protein phenocopies genetic effects, rapidly increasing CD47 expression on wild-type platelets through cytoskeleton-dependent trafficking mechanisms and conferring enhanced anti-inflammatory capacity. This might represent a translatable strategy to replicate some of the biological features associated with a longevity-associated variant beyond genetic carriers. Our findings establish the platelet-CD47-monocyte axis as a pivotal pathway for healthy aging and reveal recombinant LAV-BPIFB4 as a promising therapeutic approach for managing inflammaging and cardiovascular disease by harnessing the immune-tuning capacity characteristic of exceptional longevity.
Immunology and Microbiology
Van Gundy T et al. · Jun 18, 2026
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play key roles in regulating gene expression across all domains of life. However, relatively few RBPs have been discovered and characterized in Borrelia ( Borreliella ) burgdorferi , the causative agent of Lyme disease. We utilized gradient profiling to identify putative RBPs that co-sediment with small RNAs (sRNAs) and nascent mRNAs. The previously hypothetical proteins BB0749, BB0713 and BB0796, as well as the chemotaxis-related protein CheY2 and the flagella-associated protein FlgV demonstrated RNA unwinding (structural remodeling), RNA annealing, and strand displacement activity. Moreover, in vivo co-IP assays demonstrated BB0749 binds RNA in B. burgdorferi .
Immunology and Microbiology