Effects of estrous cycle on the mouse kidney morphology

Although mice kidney morphology shows various sexual dimorphisms, the effect of the estrous cycle has not previously been discussed. In this study, we investigated the effects of the estrous cycle on kidney morphology, including renin-positive areas, of female DBA/2 mice. No effects were confirmed in most of the histometrical parameters, however, the percentage of the renal corpuscles in which cuboidal epithelium covered under 50% of the parietal layer was significantly higher during estrus compared to that during anestrus.     

Immunogenicity of a soluble antigen against Pasteurella haemolytica-associated pneumonia in calves

Three experiments were performed to evaluate the immunogenic potency of a soluble fraction of Pasteurella haemolytica against pneumonic pasteurellosis in calves. A soluble antigen was extracted by a 2.5% saline solution from P. haemolytica. Weaned Holstein bull calves, seronegative for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus ( IBRV ) and the pasteurella antigen, were vaccinated either by repeated subcutaneous (SC) vaccination, or by exposure 3 times to the aerosol of P. haemolytica antigen. Challenge exposure to aerosol of P. haemolytica was preceded by infection with IBRV , or in experiments 2 and 3, the virus exposures were combined with a stress treatment. The lung lesions were examined at necropsy 3 to 8 days post infection. In the first experiment, all the vaccinated calves produced specific antibody response to the pasteurella antigen, and none of the calves including controls showed significant lesions in the lung. In the second experiment 2 aerogenically vaccinated calves had no lesions. One of the two SC-vaccinated calves had mild consolidated lesions. Two control calves, one of which died 3 days following the challenge, developed severe fibrinous pneumonia with consolidation of 50% or more of the lung surfaces. P. haemolytica was isolated only from the 2 control animals. In the third experiment, 2 of the 3 control calves developed moderate to severe consolidation, but P. haemolytica was isolated only from one of them. Two of the three aerosol-vaccinated calves also developed significant lesions and one of them yielded the bacteria from the lung. Three SC-vaccinated calves had slight lesions and the organism was not isolated from their lungs. The results did not consistently indicate an immunogenic potential of the soluble antigen against P. haemolytica-related pneumonia. The effect of stress on the pathogenesis of bovine viral pneumonia and correlation between pneumonic lesions and antibacterial resistance in situ are discussed.     

Effects of salivary gland extract from Rhipicephalus sanguineus on IgG subclass production and cytokine mRNA expression in mononuclear cells of canine peripheral blood

The effects of salivary gland extract (SGE) from R. sanguineus were examined on the production of IgG1 and IgG2 and the mRNA expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 in the mononuclear cells from canine peripheral blood, treated with concanavalin A (ConA) in vitro. SGE suppressed the ConA-induced production of IgG2. It also inhibited the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-5 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. No dose-dependent suppression was observed of IL-10 mRNA expression although a significant effect was observed at a SGE protein concentration of 25 microg/ml. SGE had no effect on the mRNA expression of IL-4. These results suggest that the suppression of IgG2 production by SGE from R. sanguineus was caused by the suppression of IFN-gamma production.     

Down regulation of a novel protein,PSP, in rat hepatoma cdRLh 84-beared tumor

Perchloric acid-soluble protein (PSP) is a members of a new hypothetical family (YER057c/YJGF family) of small proteins with presently unknown function. The high degree of evolutionary conservation of these proteins reflect an involvement in basic cellular regulation. The expression of PSP was examined in rat hepatoma cell dRLh 84-beared rats. The tumor weight increased to 4.24 g at 3 weeks after the transplantation of hepatoma cells and hepatoma which has less differentiated characteristics were observed in rat liver. The expression of PSP in rat hepatoma was down regulated as compared with intact tissue. Thus the expression of PSP seems to be associated with the differentiation process in these transformed cells. On the other hand, some positive cells against the PSP-antibody were observed in the central region of tumor tissue by immunohistochemistry. These cells were shown to be the lymphocytes and the macrophages. The involvement of PSP to cellular growth and differentiation is discussed.     

Increased plasma levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) associated with disease severity in a primate model for severe human malaria: Plasmodium coatneyi-Infected Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

In the present study, we investigated plasma levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in seven Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) infected with Plasmodium coatneyi. Concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were significantly elevated in the severe phase; the levels were maximally increased up to six times and three times those before infection, respectively. We subsequently examined kinetic profiles of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 concentration in plasma obtained from two infected monkeys. Both infected monkeys had markedly increased levels of these adhesion molecules when they exhibited severe clinical signs correlated with rapid increase in parasitemia. These results suggest that the elevation of levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 is a critical step in the pathogenesis of severe malaria in vivo.     

Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) recombinant expressing pseudorabies virus (PrV) glycoproteins B and C induces type 1 immune response in BALB/c mice

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) attached poorly and penetrated into a mouse cell line, BALB 3T3/A31, but a recombinant BHV-1/TF7-6, which expresses pseudorabies virus (PrV) gB and gC genes, did attach and penetrated into cells more efficiently. In this study the gene green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been integrated into genome of BHV-1/TF7-6 and its parental line of BHV-1. When the mouse mesenteries were incubated in vitro and infected with BHV-1/TF7-6/GFP, strong fluorescence was observed while BHV-1/GFP infection hardly demonstrated fluorescence, suggesting that BHV-1 recombinant expressing PrV gB and gC can infect mouse tissue cells more efficiently than the parental BHV-1 does. When BALB/c mice were inoculated with purified BHV-1/TF7-6 or its parental BHV-1, the former induced lower level of anti-BHV-1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) than the latter did. When sub-classes of anti-BHV-1 IgG were analyzed, it was found that mice immunized with BHV-1/TF7-6 or the parental BHV-1 demonstrated the same level of IgG2a. Since anti-BHV-1 IgG1 level was lower in mice inoculated with BHV-1/TF7-6, the IgG2a:IgG1 ratio was higher in BHV-1/TF7-6 inoculated mice than in the parental BHV-1 inoculated ones. These results indicate that BHV-1/TF7-6 induces type 1 predominant immune to BALB/c mice.     

Evaluation of isotonic sodium bicarbonate solution for alkalizing effects in conscious calves

After intravenous (i.v.) infusion of various volumes of 1.35%-isotonic sodium bicarbonate solution (ISB), acid-base equilibrium, blood pressure, plasma volume and biochemical parameters in healthy Holstein calves were studied. Four calves each were randomly assigned to the low-dose (LD; i.v. infusion of 5 ml/kg ISB), middle-dose (MD; i.v. infusion of 10 ml/kg ISB) and the high-dose groups (HD; i.v. infusion of 15 ml/kg ISB). Administration volumes of ISB in the LD, MD and HD groups were decided based on the first half volumes of 5, 10 and 15 mEq of base requirement by the acceptable equation. Systemic, pulmonary artery and central venous pressures, cardiac output and plasma osmotic pressure were not changed by ISB infusion and remained constant throughout the experiment for all groups. There was good correlation (r(2) = 0.950) between relative changes in base excess and infused volume of bicarbonate (y=2.491x). The coefficient of distribution for bicarbonate ions was calculated to be 0.401 (=1/2.491). Therefore, it is suggested that a value of 0.4 would be most appropriate when calculating the base requirements in calves. Therefore, the first half volumes of ISB correcting base deficits of 5, 10 and 15 mEq in calves were estimated to be 6, 12 and 18 ml/kg, respectively. On the basis of the findings in this study, ISB may be used to correct metabolic acidosis without altering the plasma osmotic pressure, hemodynamic status and respiratory function in the calves.     

Nonspecific innate immunity against Escherichia coli infection in chickens induced by vaccine strains of Newcastle disease virus

The objective was to test the hypothesis that vaccine strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) induce nonspecific immunity against subsequent infection with Escherichia coli. White leghorn chickens at 5 wk of age were vaccinated with a NDV vaccine at various days before challenge exposure with O1:K1 strain of E. coli via an intra-air sac route. Immunity was determined on the basis of the viable number of E. coli in the spleen 24 hr after the infection. Roakin strain induced significant (P < 0.05) immunity against E. coli at 4, 6, and 8 days, and La Sota strain at 2, 4, and 8 days, postvaccination. Secondary NDV vaccination administered 14 days later failed to induce immunity against E. coli when chickens were infected 1 or 5 days after the vaccination. Significant (P < 0.05) suppression of this nonspecific immunity was observed in birds treated with corticosterone, 40 mg/kg in feed, given for three consecutive days immediately prior to the bacterial exposure but not in those treated prior to the period. The results indicate that innate immunity induced by the primary NDV vaccination may significantly suppress the multiplication of E. coli in chickens for a period of 2-8 days postvaccination. The NDV-induced immunity was inhibited by corticosterone, which is known to mediate physiological responses to stress.     

Immunogenic properties of a bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) recombinant expressing major pseudorabies virus (PrV) glycoproteins in combination

A recombinant bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1), designated BHV-1/TF17-1, which expresses pseudorabies virus (PrV) glycoproteins gB, gC, gD, gE and gI in combination was constructed. To test the protective immunity, 10 mice were inoculated with BHV-1/TF17-1 and three weeks later 10 mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) challenged with 20 LD50 virulent PrV (YS-81). BHV-1/TF17-1 protected all the mice from the PrV lethal challenge while all the control mice died in around 3 days. Mice vaccinated with BHV-1/TF17-1 acquired high PrV-neutralizing antibody titers and demonstrated strong delayed type hypersensitivity responses and moderate in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses to PrV antigen. Since the major PrV glycoproteins were integrated into virions (probably into viral envelope), BHV-1/17-1 was neutralized with anti-PrV antiserum. However, the susceptibility of BHV-1/TF17-1 to anti-PrV antiserum is 2- to 4-fold lower than that of PrV vaccine lines. Our results demonstrated the possibility of BHV-1/17-1 as a vaccine to protect piglets from Audjesky's disease where maternal antibodies against PrV interfere attenuated live PrV vaccines.