Mercati Francesca, Maranesi Margherita, Dall'Aglio Cecilia, Petrucci Linda, Pasquariello Rolando, Tardella Federico Maria, De Felice Elena, Scocco Paola
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1683 Campus delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2018 Nov 28;8(12):223. doi: 10.3390/ani8120223.
Sheep are the most bred species in the Central Italy Apennine using the natural pastures as a trophic resource and grazing activity is fundamental to maintain the grassland biodiversity: this goal can be reached only ensuring an economical sustainability to the farmers. This study aimed to investigate the apelin/apelin receptor system in ovine mammary gland and to evaluate the differences induced by food supplementation, in order to shed light on this system function. A flock of 15 Comisana x Appenninica adult dry ewes were free to graze from June until pasture maximum flowering (MxF). From this period to pasture maximum dryness (MxD), in addition to grazing, the experimental group (Exp) was supplemented with 600 g/day/head of cereals. Apelin and apelin receptor were assessed by Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry on the mammary glands of subjects pertaining to MxF, MxD and Exp groups. They were detected in alveolar and ductal epithelial cells. The pasture maximum flowering group showed significant differences in apelin expression compared with experimental and MxD groups. Apelin receptor expression significantly differed among the three groups. The reduced apelin receptor expression and immunoreactivity levels during parenchyma involution enables us to hypothesize that apelin receptor plays a modulating role in the system control.
绵羊是意大利中部亚平宁地区养殖最多的物种，它们以天然牧场作为营养资源，放牧活动对于维持草地生物多样性至关重要：只有确保农民的经济可持续性，才能实现这一目标。本研究旨在调查绵羊乳腺中的apelin/apelin受体系统，并评估食物补充所引起的差异，以便阐明该系统的功能。一群15只成年干奶期的科米萨纳×亚平宁卡杂交母羊从6月开始自由放牧，直至牧场达到最大花期（MxF）。从这个时期到牧场达到最大干燥度（MxD），除放牧外，实验组（Exp）每天每头补充600克谷物。通过实时定量PCR和免疫组织化学方法，对处于MxF、MxD和Exp组的绵羊乳腺进行apelin和apelin受体评估。在腺泡和导管上皮细胞中检测到它们。与实验组和MxD组相比，牧场最大花期组的apelin表达存在显著差异。三组之间的apelin受体表达存在显著差异。在实质退化过程中，apelin受体表达和免疫反应水平降低，这使我们推测apelin受体在系统控制中起调节作用。
