Using advanced nano-delivery of micronutrients to enhance animal health

良好的动物健康对有利可图的畜牧业至关重要。健康的动物有很强的生长速度，可以保护自己免受致病微生物的伤害。支持健康动物的一种策略是通过营养。本项目的目的是提高重要养殖动物、艾伯塔省的牛和安大略省的彩虹鲑鱼的微量营养素的生物可获得性，以更好地支持它们的生长和免疫反应。我们计划如何做到这一点？通过将硒、饮食核苷酸和先天免疫刺激剂(DsRNA)连接到植酸菌(PHX)上，我们已经展示了一种可食用、食品安全的纳米技术，它可以有效地进入细胞，并可以作为载体发挥作用。各自领域的专家将执行拟议的工作。Anton Korenevski博士(On，Mirexus)将领导一个团队制造PHX结合物。DeWitte-Orr博士(On，WLU)将研究这些结合物如何在细胞水平上影响彩虹鲑鱼和牛，并在整个动物水平上影响彩虹鲑鱼。默尔·奥尔森博士(AB，AvetLabs)将在牛身上进行体内工作。Edan Foley博士(AB，U of A)将开始研究PHX结合物在遗传易驯化的动物模型--果蝇中的作用机制。总而言之，该项目提供了一种多方面的方法，以快速确定PHX作为新型营养支持平台的能力；这将使加拿大受益，因为它支持饲养动物的健康，并促进其境内两家公司的技术开发和随后的增长。

Good animal health is essential for economically profitable animal husbandry. Healthy animals have strong rates of growth and can defend themselves from disease-causing organisms. One strategy to support healthy animals is through nutrition. The present project's aims are to increase bioavailability of micronutrients for important farmed animals, cattle in Alberta and rainbow trout in Ontario, to better support their growth and immune response. How do we plan on doing this? By conjugating selenium, dietary nucleotides, and innate immune stimulants (dsRNA) onto Phytospherix (PHX), an edible, food-safe nanotechnology that we have already shown enters cells efficiently and can function as a carrier. Experts in their respective fields will perform the proposed work. Dr. Anton Korenevski (ON, Mirexus) will lead a team to make the PHX-conjugates. Dr. DeWitte-Orr (ON, WLU) will investigate how these conjugates affect rainbow trout and cattle at the cellular level and rainbow trout at the whole animal level. Dr. Merle Olson (AB, AvetLabs) will perform the in vivo work in cattle. Dr. Edan Foley (AB, U of A) will begin studies to understand the mechanisms of action for the PHX-conjugates in the genetically tractable animal model, the fruit fly. Together this project provides a multi-faceted approach to quickly ascertain PHX's ability to function as a novel nutrition support platform; which will benefit Canada by supporting farmed animal health and promoting the technology development and subsequent growth of two companies within its borders.