Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) DNase (BGLF5) is an alkaline nuclease and has been suggested to be important in the viral life cycle. However, its effect on host cells remains unknown. Serological and histopathological studies implied that EBV DNase seems to be correlated with carcinogenesis. Therefore, we investigate the effect of EBV DNase on epithelial cells. Here, we report that expression of EBV DNase induces increased formation of micronucleus, an indicator of genomic instability, in human epithelial cells. We also demonstrate, using γH2AX formation and comet assay, that EBV DNase induces DNA damage. Furthermore, using host cell reactivation assay, we find that EBV DNase expression repressed damaged DNA repair in various epithelial cells. Western blot and quantitative PCR analyses reveal that expression of repair-related genes is reduced significantly in cells expressing EBV DNase. Host shut-off mutants eliminate shut-off expression of repair genes and repress damaged DNA repair, suggesting that shut-off function of BGLF5 contributes to repression of DNA repair. In addition, EBV DNase caused chromosomal aberrations and increased the microsatellite instability (MSI) and frequency of genetic mutation in human epithelial cells. Together, we propose that EBV DNase induces genomic instability in epithelial cells, which may be through induction of DNA damage and also repression of DNA repair, subsequently increases MSI and genetic mutations, and may contribute consequently to the carcinogenesis of human epithelial cells.

The objective of this study was to compare the physicochemical and nutritional properties of breast and thigh meat from commercial Chinese crossbred chickens (817 Crossbred chicken, 817C), imported commercial broilers (Arbor Acres broiler, AAB), and commercial spent hens (Hyline Brown, HLB). The crossbred chickens, commercial broilers and spent hens were slaughtered at their typical market ages of 45 d, 40 d, and 560 d, respectively. The results revealed that several different characteristic features for the three breeds. The meat of the 817C was darker than that of the other two genotypes. The 817C were also characterized by higher protein, lower intramuscular fat, and better texture attributes (cooking loss, pressing loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force [WBSF]) compared with AAB and HLB. The meat of the spent hens (i.e. HLB) was higher in WBSF and total collagen content than meat of the crossbred chickens and imported broilers. Furthermore, correlation analysis and principal component analysis revealed that there was a clear relationship among physicochemical properties of chicken meats. With regard to nutritional properties, it was found that 817C and HLB exhibited higher contents of essential amino acids and essential/non-essential amino acid ratios. In addition, 817C were noted to have highest content of microelements whereas AAB have highest content of potassium. Besides, 817C birds had particularly higher proportions of desirable fatty acids, essential fatty acids, polyunsaturated/saturated and (18:0+18:1)/16:0 ratios. The present study also revealed that there were significant differences on breast meat and thigh meat for the physicochemical and nutritional properties, regardless of chicken breeds. In conclusion, meat of crossbred chickens has some unique features and exhibited more advantages over commercial broilers and spent hens. Therefore, the current investigation would provide valuable information for the chicken meat product processing, and influence the consumption of different chicken meat.

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The aim of this research was to compare meat quality characteristics of Cherry Valley (CV), Spent Layer (SL) and Crossbred (CB) ducks. Meat quality, proximate and fatty acid composition were measured in breast and thigh muscles from CV, SL and CB, as well as sensory evaluation of duck soup made from three breeds. The results showed SL contained a highest percentage of protein but lowest moisture than those of CV and intermediate CB (P < 0.05). The L* and b* value of SL ducks were lowest among three breeds (P < 0.05). The breast of SL had higher water-holding capacity compared to CV (P < 0.05), although CV was the most tender among the three breeds (P < 0.05). SL had lower contents of saturated fatty acid and higher contents of unsaturated fatty acids with a more acceptable P/S ratio of 0.57 and n-6/n-3 ratio of 1.52 (P < 0.05). Intramuscular fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids were involved in producing intense aroma and flavor of duck meats. Differences of color and tenderness in meats were attributed to values of L* and cooking loss of muscles. In conclusion, it would be suggested that SL was more suitable for producing duck soup among the three breeds.

The effects of solid-state fermentation with (L.) Fr. on the nutritional, physicochemical, and functional properties as well as angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of red bean ( [Willd.] W.F. Wight.) flour were determined. Fermentation increased the amount of small peptides but significantly decreased large peptides. Fermentation also increased proteins and essential amino acids (by 9.31 and 13.89%, respectively) and improved the in vitro protein digestibility (6.54%) of red beans. Moreover, fermentation increased the water holding capacity (from 2.36 to 2.59 mL/g), fat absorption capacity (from 84.65 to 114.55%), emulsion activity (from 10.96 to 52.77%), emulsion stability (from 5.43 to 53.82%), and foaming stability (from 11.95 to 20.68%). Fermented red bean flour achieved a lower least gelation concentration of 14% than that of the control (18%). In contrast to the non-fermented red bean, the fermented red bean showed ACE inhibitory activity, with IC value of 0.63 mg protein/mL. Overall, fermentation improved the nutritional, physicochemical, and functional properties as well as the biological activity of red bean flour. Thus, fermented red bean flour may serve as a novel nutritional and functional ingredient for applications in food design.

The objective of this study was to prepare antioxidant peptides from duck meat hydrolysate (DMH) using Protamex. The DPPH(•) scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) scavenging activity, and Fe(2+)-chelating ability of DMH were investigated. DMH was separated into three groups, MWCO-1 (69.57%), MWCO-2 (9.53%), and MWCO-3 (8.21%), by ultrafiltration. MWCO-3 exhibited the highest DPPH(•) scavenging activity (83.17 ± 0.73%) and was subsequently fractionated by using gel filtration chromatography to obtain fraction B (40.90%). Fraction B5 (6.71%) obtained from ion exchange chromatography exhibited the highest DPPH(•) scavenging activity (93.63 ± 0.13%) and contained seven peptides which were characterized by LC-MS/MS. Among these peptides, LQAEVEELRAALE showed the highest DPPH(•) scavenging activity (93.36 ± 0.53%) and Fe(2+)-chelating ability (87.13 ± 0.47%) and IEDPFDQDDWGAWKK exhibited the highest (•)OH scavenging activity (46.51 ± 0.16%). The results presented here indicated that DMH could serve as a suitable source of antioxidant peptides.

Background: In this study, the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and related cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or cervical cancer and vaginal microbiome was evaluated in Chinese cohorts. Methods: The vaginal bacterial composition of five groups, HPV-infected women without CINs (HPV, n = 78), women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, n = 51), women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL, n = 23), women with invasive cervical cancer (Cancer, n = 9) and healthy women without HPV infection (Normal, n = 68), was characterized by deep sequencing of barcoded 16S rRNA gene fragments (V3-4) using Illumina MiSeq. Results: HPV infection increased vaginal bacterial richness and diversity regardless of the status of CINs. The vaginal bacterial richness and diversity were further augmented in women with cervical cancer. Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in all groups. HPV infection had a negative influence on the abundances of Lactobacillus, Gardnerella and Atopobium. Accordingly, HPV infection increased the relative abundance of Prevotella, Bacillus, Anaerococcus, Sneathia, Megasphaera, Streptococcus and Anaerococcus. The increased proportions of Bacillus, Anaerococcus and the reduced abundance of Gradnerella vaginalis were probably related with the progression of CINs severity. HPV infection without CINs or cancerous lesions was strongly associated with Megasphaera. The most abundant bacterium in the LSIL group was Prevotella amnii. However, Prevotella timonensis, Shuttleworthia and Streptococcaceae at the family level were three taxa related to HSIL. Furthermore, more taxa were associated with the Cancer group including Bacillus, Sneathia, Acidovorax, Oceanobacillus profundus, Fusobacterium, Veillonellaceae at the family level, Anaerococcus and Porphyromonas uenonis. Samples in the Normal group were mostly assigned to CST III. HPV infection converted the vaginal bacterial community structure from CST III to CST IV. Furthermore, the proportions of CST IV were gradually augmented with the progression of the severity of CINs.

Anti-renal cell carcinoma (RCC) agents with new mechanisms of action are urgently needed. Twenty-seven natural products of the piericidin class, including 17 new ones, are obtained from a marine-derived Streptomyces strain, and several of them show strong inhibitory activities against ACHN renal carcinoma cells. By exploring the mechanisms of two representative natural piericidin compounds, piericidin A (PA) and glucopiericidin A (GPA), peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1) is detected as a potential target by transcriptome data of PA-treated ACHN cells, as well as the paired RCC tumor versus adjacent nontumor tissues. PA and GPA induce cell apoptosis through reducing the reactive oxygen species level caused by upregulated PRDX1 mRNA and protein level subsequently and exhibit potent antitumor efficacy in nude mice bearing ACHN xenografts, with increasing PRDX1 expression in tumor. The interaction between PA/GPA and PRDX1 was supported by the docking analysis and surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, the translocation of PRDX1 into the nucleus forced by PA/GPA is proposed to be a key factor for the anti-RCC procedure. Piericidins provide a novel scaffold for further development of potent anti-RCC agents, and the new action mechanism of these agents targeting PRDX1 may improve upon the limitations of existing targeted drugs for the treatment of renal cancer.