title: Effect of Boric Acid Supplementation on the Expression of BDNF in African Ostrich Chick Brain.
abstract: The degree of brain development can be expressed by the levels of brain brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF plays an irreplaceable role in the process of neuronal development, protection, and restoration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of boric acid supplementation in water on the ostrich chick neuronal development. One-day-old healthy animals were supplemented with boron in drinking water at various concentrations, and the potential effects of boric acid on brain development were tested by a series of experiments. The histological changes in brain were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining. Expression of BDNF was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR), and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Apoptosis was evaluated with Dutp-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction, and caspase-3 was detected with QRT-PCR. The results were as follows: (1) under the light microscope, the neuron structure was well developed with abundance of neurites and intact cell morphology when animals were fed with less than 160 mg/L of boric acid (groups II, III, IV). Adversely, when boric acid doses were higher than 320 mg/L(groups V, VI), the high-dose boric acid neuron structure was damaged with less neurites, particularly at 640 mg/L; (2) the quantity of BDNF expression in groups II, III, and IV was increased while it was decreased in groups V and VI when compared with that in group I; (3) TUNEL reaction and the caspase-3 mRNA level showed that the amount of cell apoptosis in group II, group III, and group IV were decreased, but increased in group V and group VI significantly. These results indicated that appropriate supplementation of boric acid, especially at 160 mg/L, could promote ostrich chicks' brain development by promoting the BDNF expression and reducing cell apoptosis. Conversely, high dose of boric acid particularly in 640 mg/L would damage the neuron structure of ostrich chick brain by inhibiting the BDNF expression and increasing cell apoptosis. Taken together, the 160 mg/L boric acid supplementation may be the optimal dose for the brain development of ostrich chicks.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. 783443066@qq.com.|Huangshi Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Huangshi Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Huangshi, 435000, HuBei, China. 783443066@qq.com.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xing-ting
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Kun-lun
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yun-xiao
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ke-li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Peng-Peng
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
authors.forename: Haseeb
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khaliq
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.|College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Juming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. kemeip@163.com.
authors.forename: Ke-Mei
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001888:Boric Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D020310:Struthioniformes
chemical_list: D001888:Boric Acids; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C032688:boric acid
keywords: Apoptosis; BDNF; Boric acid; Brain; Ostrich