Search Results (4,656)

The aim of this study was to provide the first characterization of selected components of innate immunity (lysozyme and complement component C3) and adaptive humoral immunity (immunoglobulin Y) in seven Italian autochthonous chicken breeds and two turkey breeds. A total of 70 chickens (10 animals per breed) and 20 turkeys (10 animals per breed), equally distributed by sex, were sampled. The concentrations of immune traits were determined using avian-specific ELISA kits. In chickens, significant breed effects were detected for all traits, whereas sex influenced lysozyme and complement component C3 levels. Males generally showed greater lysozyme and complement component C3 levels than females. Higher lysozyme levels were found in Bionda Piemontese (920.8 ng/mL) and Bianca di Saluzzo (766.5 ng/mL), while the highest complement component C3 values were observed in Bionda Piemontese (315.2 µg/mL) and Bianca di Saluzzo roosters (287.4 µg/mL) and in Siciliana hens (329.1 µg/mL). Immunoglobulin Y showed limited variation among breeds and sexes. In turkeys, only lysozyme levels differed between breeds. Overall, these preliminary results, obtained from a limited number of individuals, reveal measurable differences in immune traits among Italian autochthonous poultry breeds, particularly for innate immune parameters, suggesting that genetic background may contribute to variation in immune responsiveness. These findings provide baseline data to support genetic conservation strategies and sustainable breeding programs for resilient poultry systems. Full article

Background: Borderline dengue immunoglobulin M (IgM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results create diagnostic and epidemiological uncertainty. Collapsing the manufacturer’s three qualitative categories into a binary outcome changes the effective decision rule and may materially alter the apparent positivity proportion. This Data article describes an anonymized laboratory dataset from Trinidad and Tobago and evaluates both category-handling uncertainty and test-misclassification uncertainty. Methods: The dataset comprises 161 consecutive serum specimens submitted for routine dengue IgM testing between 1 September 2025 and 28 February 2026 and processed in four analytical batches. The results were analyzed under three prespecified scenarios: borderline classified as negative, borderline excluded, and borderline classified as positive. Exact Clopper–Pearson 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Rogan–Gladen adjustment was applied only to the borderline-excluded scenario because the ELISA test validation estimates of sensitivity and specificity were calculated after excluding borderline results. Results: Twenty specimens (12.4%) were positive, 29 (18.0%) borderline, and 112 (69.6%) negative. The apparent IgM positivity was 12.4% (20/161; 95% CI 7.8–18.5%) when borderline results were classified as negative, 15.2% (20/132; 95% CI 9.5–22.4%) when they were excluded, and 30.4% (49/161; 95% CI 23.4–38.2%) when they were classified as positive. For determinate results, the conditional Rogan–Gladen estimates were 13.2% using a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 97.7%, and 15.1% using a sensitivity of 82.2% and specificity of 96.8%. Conclusions: Misclassification adjustment is informative but remains conditional on the transportability of external assay-performance estimates. The dataset supports transparent category-level reanalysis, while the absence of continuous index values, confirmatory testing, and detailed clinical metadata limits numerical cut-off recalibration and patient-level inference. Full article

Broiler production keeps intensifying, and the environmental cost of the protein sources that feed it, principally soybean meal and fishmeal, has become harder to justify. Insect meal, derived chiefly from black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and housefly larvae (Musca domestica), has emerged as a candidate able to address nutritional, immunological, and ecological goals at once. This review evaluates the evidence on the nutritional composition, digestibility, growth performance, immunomodulatory mechanisms, and gut health effects of insect meal in broiler diets, and weighs these findings against sustainability and economic considerations. The amino acid profile of insect meal is favorable, the fatty acid composition is distinctive, and bioactive compounds, chitin, antimicrobial peptides, and lauric acid among them, shape both innate and adaptive immune responses, reshape the gut microbiota, and reinforce mucosal integrity. Growth performance at partial replacement levels of soybean meal or fishmeal (5–15%) is broadly encouraging, although results differ across insect species, inclusion rate, and processing method. The immunomodulatory pathways involved, Toll-like receptor signaling, cytokine regulation, macrophage polarization, and immunoglobulin synthesis, converge on chitin acting simultaneously as a prebiotic substrate and an immune adjuvant. Critical knowledge gaps persist, including substantial variability in biological outcomes across insect species and rearing substrates, the absence of standardized processing protocols, limited mechanistic data from avian in vivo challenge models, and insufficient long-term validation under commercial production conditions. Cost and regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions still constrain commercial uptake. Realizing the full potential of insect meal in sustainable broiler production will depend on multi-omics research, precision nutrition tools, and rigorous life-cycle assessment. Full article

As the main byproduct of edible mushroom processing, mushroom stems are often discarded due to their rough texture and poor palatability, resulting in resource waste. However, as a ruminant animal, sika deer has good fiber digestion ability, providing the possibility for the resource utilization of mushroom stems. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with Lentinus edodes stem powder (LESP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical parameters, immune responses, and gut microbiota composition in sika deer fawns. A total of 120 weaned fawns (120 ± 10 days old; 35.0 ± 1.0 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, receiving a basal diet supplemented with 0% (control), 2.5% (LE1), 5% (LE2), or 7.5% (LE3) LESP for 35 days. Growth performance did not differ significantly among treatments (p > 0.05). However, apparent digestibility of ether extract and crude protein was significantly higher in the LE1 group (p < 0.05), while LE3 exhibited reduced digestibility of organic matter, ether extract, and crude protein (p < 0.05). Serum total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) levels increased with LESP inclusion, with the highest values observed in LE3 (p < 0.05). Serum glucose (GLU) decreased dose-dependently (p < 0.05). Immunoglobulin A (IgA), G (IgG), and M (IgM) concentrations were significantly elevated in LE2 and LE3 groups (p < 0.05). Gut microbiota analysis revealed that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla. LE3 supplementation altered beta diversity and reduced microbial evenness. At the genus level, LE2 and LE3 increased the abundance of beneficial taxa such as Planomicrobium and Psychrobacter, while decreasing Ruminococcus and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium. In conclusion, adding 5% LESP to the diet can increase the digestibility of nutrients, enhance humoral immunity, and regulate the composition of the gut microbiota. This study promotes the transformation of mushroom stems from agricultural waste into functional feed additives, which helps reduce breeding costs, improve animal health, and provide a practical path for the coordinated and sustainable development of the edible mushroom industry and animal husbandry. Full article

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a major complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Natural killer (NK) cells help control CMV through killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their HLA ligands, but donor-derived CMV-specific T-cells may confound the interpretation of NK-mediated effects. Methods: We analyzed 276 HLA-matched (10/10) adults receiving ATG-based T-cell-depleted myeloablative HSCT with a known donor and recipient CMV serostatus. The donor and recipient KIR genotypes were scored by the Cooley B-content score (0–4; ≥2 = high). Clinically significant CMV reactivation (plasma viral load > 25,000 IU/mL, the institutional threshold for pre-emptive therapy) was analyzed with Fine–Gray competing-risks regression, stratified by the donor–recipient serostatus. Results: In seronegative-donor/seropositive-recipient (D−R+) pairs (n = 68), a high donor KIR B-content score was associated with a significantly lower reactivation risk (sub-hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24–0.91; p = 0.024). No effect was seen in D+R+ pairs (n = 82; SHR, 0.65; p = 0.241); D+R− (n = 28) had too few events to model. A donor Tel-AA/recipient Tel-B+ mismatch was independently associated with a higher reactivation risk (adjusted HR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.33–4.37; p = 0.004). The overall survival was unaffected in either stratum. Conclusions: A high donor KIR B-content score protects against CMV reactivation in D−R+, but not D+R+, HSCT recipients, consistent with NK dominance when CMV-specific donor T-cells are sparse. A specific donor–recipient telomeric mismatch independently modifies the risk. Donor KIR profiling warrants prospective evaluation in donor-selection algorithms. Full article

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) imposes a substantial burden on individuals worldwide. Local allergic rhinitis (LAR) patients exhibit symptoms similar to those of AR without a positive skin prick test (SPT) or the presence of sIgE specific to one or more allergens. Our study evaluated specific and total grass pollen IgE in the nasal secretions of patients with suspected LAR, examining the effects of natural pollen exposure and nasal provocation testing (NPT). Methods: Twenty-nine subjects (18 with suspected LAR and 11 with AR) were included in this study. The total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and visual analog scale (VAS) were used for subjective assessment. NPT was performed using grass pollen allergen. Nasal lavage was used to obtain nasal secretions, and the levels of sIgE and total IgE were measured. Results: During the exposure vs. the off-exposure period, the TNSS and VAS were significantly higher in LAR (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0061, respectively). sIgE and total IgE were significantly higher in the AR group than in the LAR group during the exposure period (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0491, respectively). LAR diagnosis was confirmed in seven subjects. TNSS and VAS scores were higher after a positive NPT. The median level of sIgE was lower in the negative and positive NPT. A higher median total IgE level was observed post-provocation in both groups. A significantly higher median relative sIgE level was noted after positive and negative provocation (p = 0.0156 and p = 0.0143, respectively). Conclusions: The assessment of local sIgE levels in nasal secretions can be used as a method for the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected LAR. Achieving a well-defined and standardized protocol for the assessment of sIgE concentrations in nasal secretions of LAR is a goal of future larger studies. Full article

This study evaluated the impact of fermented palm kernel meal (FPKM) on the lactation performance, blood biochemical indices, rumen microbiota, and metabolic functions of Holstein dairy cows, aiming to enhance the nutritional value of palm kernel meal (PKM) through solid-state fermentation. A 3 × 3 Latin square design was used, involving 12 multiparous Holstein cows (parity = 3; body weight = 625 ± 25.8 kg; days in milk = 103 ± 19.6 day(s); milk yield = 32.6 ± 1.58 kg/d) over three 28-day periods. Cows were randomly assigned to three isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets: a basal diet with wheat bran (WB group), a diet with wheat bran replaced by PKM (PKM group), and a diet with wheat bran replaced by FPKM (FPKM group). Solid-state fermentation improved PKM’s nutritional profile by reducing fiber and β-mannan content while increasing protein availability and ruminal degradability. Compared to the WB group, the PKM group showed lower dry matter intake, milk yield, and nutrient digestibility. In contrast, the FPKM group had higher DMI and milk yield than the PKM group, improved nutrient digestibility, and the highest energy-corrected milk yield due to increased milk protein and lactose production. The FPKM group also had higher concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, propionate, acetate, and microbial protein synthesis than the PKM group. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-8) were elevated in the PKM group but were reduced to levels similar to the WB group in the FPKM group. Plasma immunoglobulin G levels were higher in both the FPKM and WB groups compared to the PKM group. The FPKM group also showed increased relative abundances of Prevotella, Fibrobacterota, and Verrucomicrobiota, while Bacillota and Ruminococcus were reduced compared to the WB group. Metabolomic profiling revealed that FPKM upregulated energy metabolism and inflammation-related pathways, increasing metabolites such as riboflavin and adenine and decreasing succinic acid and guanine compared to the PKM group. In conclusion, FPKM improved the feeding value of PKM-based material and showed more favorable responses than PKM, with generally comparable responses to WB, supporting its potential as an alternative feed ingredient for lactating dairy cows. Full article

Raw and fermented Astragalus membranaceus (AM) serve promising herbal additives for small ruminants, yet their integrated regulatory functions across lactating ewes and suckling lambs are insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to elucidate how dietary supplementation with raw and fermented Astragalus membranaceus modulates ruminal microbial communities, circulating metabolites, redox homeostasis, and lactation performance in postpartum Turpan black ewes, and to characterize the consequent effects on immune development and body weight gain in their offspring. The findings are intended to inform evidence-based strategies for herbal supplementation in sheep production. Forty-five postpartum Turpan black ewes were randomly allocated to three groups (n = 15): control (basal diet), AM and FAM groups. Ewe plasma, rumen fluid, milk yield, milk composition and serum antioxidant indices were sampled periodically. Lamb body weight, plasma antioxidants, immunoglobulins, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured every 15 days. Rumen 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted plasma metabolomics were performed on day 45 post-partum. The group of FAM significantly increased milk yield (p < 0.05) and markedly improved total antioxidant capacity in ewes (p < 0.01). In the AM group, metabolites such as linoleic acid were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05), with enrichment in the linoleic acid metabolism pathway, while flavonoid metabolites, including quercetin 4′-isobutyrate, were strongly upregulated (p < 0.01). In the FAM group, tetradecanoic acid, palmitoleic acid, and related metabolites were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and these differential metabolites showed significant enrichment in fatty acid biosynthesis (p < 0.05). Flavonoid compounds represented by melilotocarpan E were also significantly upregulated (p < 0.05). Rumen microbial diversity was significantly higher in the FAM group (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the FAM group showed enrichment of fiber-degrading bacteria, including Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, unclassified_Muribaculaceae, and unclassified_F082. In newborn lambs, plasma GH and IGF-1 levels increased markedly in both the FAM and AM groups (p < 0.01). In the FAM group, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations were also markedly elevated (p < 0.01). In addition, lambs in the FAM group exhibited substantially higher plasma catalase (CAT) activity and nitric oxide (NO) concentration (p < 0.01), whereas plasma total antioxidant capacity was significantly lower (p < 0.01). In conclusion, AM and FAM supplementation increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, regulated fatty acid synthesis through modulation of plasma metabolites, enhanced antioxidant capacity in ewes, increased milk fat percentage, and improved immune function, antioxidant status, and growth performance in lambs. To provide a theoretical basis and data support for its application in ewes after lambing and for improving the growth and development of lambs. Overall, FAM produced superior effect. Full article

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare metabolic disorder caused by homogentisic acid accumulation and characterised by ochronosis, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and progressive connective tissue damage. This study aimed to define the circulating proteomic alterations associated with AKU and assess their relationship with nitisinone treatment. Plasma samples from 11 patients with AKU and 6 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry using label-free quantification. Differentially abundant proteins were identified using thresholds of |log₂FC| ≥ 1 and Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate ≤ 0.01, followed by functional enrichment and treatment-stratified analyses. Twenty-two proteins were differentially abundant between AKU patients and controls. Complement components (C1R, C1S, C9, C4BPA, CPN2), fibronectin, clusterin, PGLYRP2, and haemoglobin subunits showed increased abundance, whereas most immunoglobulin chains, kallikrein, apolipoprotein A2, and alpha-1-antitrypsin showed decreased abundance. Functional enrichment highlighted complement activation, B-cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, immunoglobulin-related functions, platelet activation, and erythrocyte gas-exchange pathways. Correlation analysis linked several proteins, particularly CPN2, APOA2, C1R and C1S, to core biochemical parameters of disease activity. Treatment-stratified analysis identified fourteen proteins that remained significantly altered in both treated and untreated patients, forming a treatment-resistant core of the signature, while several complement-, coagulation-, and lipid-related proteins were significant only in one treatment subgroup. These findings define an AKU plasma proteomic signature dominated by complement activation and humoral immune alterations, together with extracellular matrix, erythrocyte-, and coagulation-associated changes. The persistence of most alterations across treatment groups suggests that residual systemic proteomic dysregulation remains despite nitisinone treatment. Full article

The study evaluated the effects of dietary compound enzyme preparations (CEPs) supplementation on antioxidant capacity, immune response, and intestinal health of pigeons. A total of 288 White King parent pigeons were randomly assigned to four treatments, with six replications of 12 pigeons each. The control (CK) group received a basal diet, whereas the CEP groups were fed a basal diet with 0.25 g/kg (low compound enzyme preparation group, LCEP), 0.5 g/kg (middle compound enzyme preparation group, MCEP), and 1.0 g/kg (high compound enzyme preparation group, HCEP) CEPs. Results showed that supplementation with 0.25 g/kg of CEPs significantly increased duodenal crypt depth (CD), as well as jejunal villus height (VH) and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VCR) (p < 0.05). It also increased the immunoglobulins of serum, such as IgA, IgG, and IgM, as well as enhanced antioxidant capacity by increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities of serum (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we found that CEPs altered ileum content microbiota composition, increasing the relative abundance of p_Bacteroidota and g_Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05). In addition, untargeted metabolomics analysis identified 92 upregulated and 95 downregulated metabolites. Pathway enrichment analysis of these differential metabolites revealed that CEP supplementation altered the metabolomic profile of the ileum contents, with differential metabolites mainly enriched in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis pathways. These results demonstrated that dietary supplementation with CEPs at different doses improved antioxidant capacity to varying degrees and maintained intestinal immune balance by modulating microbiota, which provides a theoretical basis for the rational application of compound enzyme preparations in breeding pigeon feed. Moreover, this study provides mechanistic evidence that CEPs can improve intestinal health, immunity, and antioxidant capacity. It also fills a key knowledge gap in pigeon nutrition by linking enzyme use with gut microbiota and metabolic regulation. Full article

Aquaculture production of Asian seabass is increasingly threatened by recurrent bacterial diseases, while practical vaccination strategies that provide protection against bacterial challenges involving multiple pathogens during extended grow-out periods remain limited. This study evaluated the immunological and protective effects of a sequential mucosal vaccination strategy in juvenile Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer; 200 fish per treatment, distributed among four replicate tanks of 50 fish) against four major bacterial pathogens: Flavobacterium covae, Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio vulnificus, and Photobacterium damselae. The vaccination regimen consisted of two nanoemulsion-based immersion vaccination events administered 14 days apart, followed by three oral chitosan–alginate hydrogel vaccination courses administered for 7, 5, and 3 consecutive days. Bacterial challenge experiments were conducted at three post-vaccination time points using immersion and intraperitoneal injection models. Growth performance and feed conversion were evaluated using replicate-tank means as the experimental units. Sequential vaccination did not significantly affect final body weight, weight gain, average daily gain, specific growth rate, or feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). Vaccinated fish showed significantly higher antigen-specific IgM levels in skin mucus, intestinal mucus, and serum across the evaluated challenge conditions. Correspondingly, ighm, ighd, and ight expression was increased in the gills, skin, head kidney, and intestine, indicating enhanced immunoglobulin-associated responses in mucosal and lymphoid tissues. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed vaccine-associated changes in gill and intestinal bacterial community composition, including a lower relative representation of several challenge-associated taxa and a higher relative representation of selected commensal-associated taxa. Vaccinated fish showed significantly higher cumulative survival following F. covae immersion, mixed V. harveyi/V. vulnificus/P. damselae immersion, and mixed-pathogen injection challenges (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that sequential nanoemulsion immersion priming and oral hydrogel boosting enhanced pathogen-specific humoral responses and increased immunoglobulin-gene expression. The sequential vaccination strategy improved survival following a separate Flavobacterium covae challenge and a combined Vibrio harveyi/Vibrio vulnificus/Photobacterium damselae challenge during the experimental period without adversely affecting growth. This needle-free strategy warrants further evaluation under commercial aquaculture conditions. Full article

Background: Dengue fever remains a major mosquito-borne viral disease in tropical and subtropical regions and continues to represent an important public health challenge in the Caribbean. Despite endemic transmission in Trinidad and Tobago, limited laboratory-based studies have evaluated serological markers associated with recent dengue infection. Objective: To evaluate serological and immunological markers associated with recent dengue virus infection through the detection of anti-dengue virus immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in serum samples obtained from Trinidad and Tobago using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Methods: Anti-dengue virus IgM antibodies were detected using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results were classified as positive, borderline or negative according to manufacturer-recommended criteria. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed to determine seroprevalence in anonymized serum samples. Results: A total of 161 serum samples were analyzed. Twenty samples (12.4%) demonstrated positive anti-dengue IgM reactivity, while 29 samples (18.0%) showed borderline reactivity and 112 samples (69.6%) were negative. Under the conservative analytical approach, the estimated dengue IgM seroprevalence was 12.4% (20/161; 95% CI: 7.7–18.6%). Conclusions: The estimated seroprevalence of dengue IgM in this pilot study was highly dependent on the analytical treatment of borderline ELISA results. Conservative classification provided the most cautious and reproducible estimate of recent dengue infection, while liberal interpretation substantially increased the apparent disease burden. Early viral replication triggers inflammation that progresses to cytokine-driven vascular damage, while cross-reactive humoral responses and host factors ultimately shape dengue severity. Ultimately, understanding the drivers of IgM cross-reactivity is essential for accurate dengue surveillance, outbreak detection, and clinical decision-making. Full article

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the treatment of multiple malignancies by restoring antitumor T-cell activity. Their clinical identity is therefore that of immune-enhancing therapies. However, the biology of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis is more complex than simple immune inhibition. Human inborn errors of PD-1 or PD-L1 signaling indicate that this pathway contributes to immune homeostasis, tolerance, protection against selected infections, and the development of memory B cells and antibody responses. These observations raise an important translational question: Can prolonged pharmacologic blockade of PD-1 or PD-L1 can, in selected clinical contexts, induce or reveal acquired humoral immune dysfunction? This review synthesizes evidence linking PD-1/PD-L1 disruption to altered class-switched memory B-cell biology, antibody responses, vaccine immunogenicity, infection susceptibility, and secondary antibody deficiency. It also incorporates emerging evidence that checkpoint blockade may expand age-associated B cells, a population associated with impaired neutralizing antibody responses after vaccination, and counterbalances evidence that vaccination during ICI therapy may enhance antitumor immunity and survival. Current clinical evidence does not establish the incidence, prevalence, reversibility, dose dependence, or causality of an ICI-induced antibody-deficiency syndrome. Instead, the available data support a hypothesis-generating model of heterogeneous humoral remodeling, ranging from preserved or enhanced vaccine-associated immune activation to qualitative antibody failure and secondary antibody deficiency in susceptible patients. Future studies should incorporate baseline and longitudinal measurements of immunoglobulins, vaccine-specific and neutralizing antibodies, class-switched memory B cells, age-associated B cells, plasmablasts, infection burden, and exposure to immunosuppressive treatment. Full article

Polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) are ubiquitous in our daily lives, but their toxicological effects on mammals remain poorly understood. This study investigated the toxicity effects of PP-MPs on C57BL/6 mice using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and transcriptome sequencing. Female and male mice were randomly classified into the control and PP-MPs-treated groups, respectively, and the experiment lasted for 5 weeks. We found that PP-MPs exposure did not affect the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), indicating that humoral immunity and inflammatory levels were not influenced by PP-MPs treatment. However, PP-MPs exposure reduced the PHA response in female mice, but not in male mice. It also did not alter the wet mass of testicles and ovaries, nor the levels of testosterone and estradiol. Exposure to PP-MPs altered the expression of the testicular genes. G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways, olfactory receptor activity, and protein digestion and absorption were downregulated in the PP group. Collagen genes (Col9a3, Col11a2, Col27a1, Col26a1, Col7a1) play a significant role in downregulating protein digestion and absorption. In addition, PP-MPs exposure caused a change in beta diversity of gut microbiota, indicating the alteration of their community structure. PP-MPs exposure reduced the relative abundance of the probiotic Lactobacillus. Changes in the gut microbiota may be related to the expression levels of testicular genes. Overall, PP-MPs exposure altered both the community structure of the gut microbiota and the expression levels of testicular genes in mice, and collagen genes may serve as a critical factor influencing testicular function. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Pulmonary crystal-storing histiocytosis (CSH) without an associated haematological malignancy, lymphoproliferative disorder, plasma cell disorder, or other identifiable underlying condition is exceptionally rare. Long-term radiological data from published cases remain limited, and this case, contextualised by a narrative review of the literature, may expand the recognised imaging spectrum of localised pulmonary CSH. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 59-year-old man with incidental multiple pulmonary lesions identified on CT thorax imaging. The lesions demonstrated an unusual combination of cystic change, cavitation, and surrounding ground-glass opacities. His medical history was significant for bipolar disorder treated with lithium and a 50-pack-year smoking history. Interval imaging showed progression, prompting further investigation and ultimately right upper lobectomy. Histopathological analysis confirmed pulmonary CSH; lesional cells contained crystalloid material and showed CD68 and PAS positivity, with dual kappa and lambda expression on immunohistochemistry. Markers for other differential diagnoses, including Congo red, birefringence, Langerin, and CD1a were negative. Following diagnosis and resection, serial imaging demonstrated fluctuating yet slowly progressive pulmonary abnormalities. No lymphoproliferative or plasma cell disorder has emerged after more than seven years of post-diagnostic surveillance and more than ten years since the initial imaging abnormality. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that the radiological spectrum of localised pulmonary CSH may include cystic, cavitary and ground-glass abnormalities, with subsequent fluctuating yet slowly progressive post-resection evolution. Pulmonary CSH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained or atypical pulmonary nodules, particularly when histiocyte-rich pathology with intracytoplasmic crystalloid material is identified. Long-term multidisciplinary surveillance is warranted. Full article