Expression of genes encoding inflammasome sensor subunits in the duodenal and colonic mucosae of dogs with chronic enteropathy

Inflammasomes play a pivotal role in gastrointestinal homeostasis and inflammation. However, it remains elusive whether the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family inflammasomes, such as NLR family pyrin domain-containing (NLRP) 3, NLRP6, and NLRP12, are involved in the pathogenesis of canine chronic enteropathy (CE), which includes antibiotic-responsive enteropathy (ARE), food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy (IRE), and non-responsive enteropathy (NRE). Thus, we measured mRNA expression of NLRP3, NLRP6, and NLRP12 in the intestinal mucosa of 35 dogs with CE (ARE, four dogs; FRE, 11 dogs; IRE and NRE, 20 dogs) and seven healthy dogs. As per real-time PCR analysis, significant increases in mRNA expression of NLRP3 and NLRP12 were noted in the colonic but not in the duodenal mucosa of dogs with FRE compared to healthy dogs. These findings suggested that the NLRP3 and NLRP12 inflammasomes might contribute to the development of colitis in dogs with FRE.     

Isolation and partial characterization of prolactin from equine pituitary gland (hypophysis)

Highly purified equine prolactin was prepared from equine pituitary glands (hypophysis) by serial extractions with water at pH 5.5, 0.1 M (NH4)2SO4 at pH 4.0, and 0.25 M (NH4)2SO4 at pH 5.5 to remove other hormones, and then finally with 70% ethanol at pH 9.3 to 10.0 to extract prolactin. Preliminary purification of the extract involved salting out other substances with 0.1% NaCl at pH 9.0. Prolactin was precipitated out by adding three times the volume of 95% ethanol at 4 C. This prolactin preparation had a biological potency of 24 IU/mg. Further purification by isoelectric focusing on a pH gradient of 5 to 7 gave three prolactin components with the following characteristics: isoelectric point 5.8, 5.7, and 5.25; biological potencies (IU/mg) 35.6, 19.6, and 11.3. The major component had a molecular weight of 25,000, an isoelectric point of 5.8, and a biological potency of 35.6 IU/mg. Antiserum produced against this component did not cross-react with equine follicular stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and growth hormone, but did cross-react with ovine and bovine prolactin. Human and murine prolactin had little cross-reactivity with the equine prolactin antiserum.     

脂肪细胞定向和分化因子1(ADD1)基因研究概述

脂肪细胞定向和分化因子1(Adipocyte Determination and Differentiation factor-1,ADD1),又称固醇调节元件结合蛋白1-c(Sterol Regulatory Element-binging Proteins-1c,SREBP1-c),是一种重要的核转录因子,作为固醇调节元件结合蛋白家族成员与SREBP-1α和SREBP-2一起调控脂肪酸和胆固醇的合成,并通过对葡糖激酶(GK)转录调控介导胰岛素,参与肝脏的碳水化合物和脂质代谢动态平衡.研究表明,ADD1基因多态性与猪肌内脂肪、皮脂率和屠宰率显著相关,ADD1基因很可能是影响猪肉质、胴体性状的候选基因.     

Effects of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) on pituitary responsiveness to progesterone and LHRH in the hen,Gallus domesticus

Laying hens were primed once daily with either pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) or saline until spontaneous ovulations were suppressed (PMSG-treated birds) or for 5–7 days (controls). PMSG-primed hens and saline-primed hens were subsequently injected with vehicle, 500 μg progesterone or 20 μg [Arg⁸]-LHRH. Twelve hr following the injection, PMSG-treated hens were found to lack a normal follicular hierarchy and to have a significantly greater number of follicles larger than 2.5 cm compared to saline-primed hens. Treatment with PMSG also increased basal plasma concentrations of estradiol-17β and decreased plasma LH compared to controls. Finally, challenge with progesterone or LHRH failed to either stimulate LH release or to overcome the ovulation-suppressing effect of PMSG. Results suggest that the action of PMSG in the hen can be attributed, at least in part, to the unresponsiveness of the pituitary to the normal LH-stimulating hormone(s).     

荷斯坦乳牛乳腺和乳腺上皮细胞中Toll样受体及辅助因子编码基因的检测

参照牛TLR4、TLR2、CD14、MD-2基因序列设计了相应基因的引物。采用RT-PCR技术检测了体外培养的荷斯坦乳牛乳腺和乳腺上皮细胞中Toll样受体TLR4、TLR2及辅助因子CD14、MD-2基因。结果显示,乳腺上皮细胞中存在TLR4、TLR2、CD14和MD-2四个基因的表达,而乳腺中除MD-2未检测到外,其余3个基因均扩增成功。说明该受体及辅助因子可能参与了乳腺的先天性免疫防御。该研究为探讨乳腺的先天性免疫及乳腺上皮细胞在乳腺先天性免疫中的作用奠定了基础。     

Blood supply of the ovine adrenal gland and its relevance in adrenal autotransplantation

SUMMARY The arterial supply and venous drainage of 62 left and 5 right ovine adrenal glands is described, and the contribution of individual arteries to successful adrenal gland autotransplantation was evaluated. Arterial flow was measured by direct collection from the draining adrenal vein. Assessment of function of the transplanted adrenal gland was made from survival of the sheep and by the cortisol response to infusion of ACTH and the aldosterone secretory response to infusion of angiotensin II or potassium. For the left adrenal, the principal arterial supply was from the renal artery in 21 (34%), a lumbar artery in 32 (52%), and the anterior mesenteric artery in 3. The total blood flow was 5.0 ± SEM 0.4 mL/min, the flow from the renal branch 2.3 ± 0.3 mL/min, and the principal lumbar branch 2.6 ± 0.3 mL/min. Venous drainage from the left adrenal was via a major adrenal vein to the left renal vein, but additional tributaries to the renal vein were present in 26% . The arterial supply to the adrenal is regional and omission of a branch at transplantation could result in infarction of portion of the gland. By defining arterial supply and measuring blood flow, selection of the appropriate artery or multiple arteries can achieve an adrenal gland autotransplant survival of 90% .     

Comparison of virulence of ovine respiratory mycoplasmas in the mouse mammary gland

The virulence of isolates of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and M. arginini from pneumonic and unaffected ovine lungs was compared in a mouse mammary gland model. The isolates varied in their ability to induce a neutrophilic response in the mammary gland. A moderate to severe form of mastitis was induced by 3 M. ovipneumoniae isolates recovered from pneumonic lungs, while the remaining M. ovipneumoniae isolates from pneumonic lungs and those from unaffected lungs induced a very mild histopathological response. The severity of the mastitis could not be increased by the simultaneous inoculation of a mixture of 5 mycoplasma isolates. Mycoplasma arginini isolates induced only a very mild histopathological response despite having been isolated from pneumonic lungs. The finding that the 3 most virulent M. ovipneumoniae isolates were initially recovered from pneumonic ovine lungs suggested that these virulent isolates may contribute to ovine pneumonia. However, the isolation of M. ovipneumoniae from pneumonic ovine lungs does not necessarily imply that these organisms are the causal agents, since M. ovipneumoniae isolates may vary in virulence.     

Effects of ovine growth hormone and other anterior pituitary hormones on lipolysis of rat and ovine adipose tissue in vitro

Ovine growth hormone ( oGH ) was tested for its effects on lipolysis of rat and ovine adipose tissue in vitro. Ovine growth hormone at 1, 5 and 25 micrograms/ml stimulated lipolysis (P less than .05) of chopped rat adipose tissue and isolated rat adipocytes incubated in the presence of 100 mU/ml adenosine deaminase and .2 micrograms/ml dexamethasone, but had no effect on lipolysis of chopped ovine adipose tissue or isolated ovine adipocytes. Isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, stimulated lipolysis (P less than .05) of both rat and ovine adipose tissue. Contaminants of the oGH preparation used were examined for lipolytic effects. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) content in oGH were measured by radioimmunoassay. When quantities of these hormones contaminating 5 and 25 micrograms oGH were tested for lipolysis in rat adipose tissue, the TSH contamination could account for some (30%) of the lipolysis observed with oGH , while the other hormones had no effect. Also, preincubation of oGH with anti-GH, but not with anti-TSH or anti-LH, removed the principle in oGH responsible for the lipolytic effect on rat adipose tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Morphological,histological and histochemical studies of the pituitary glands of ovine freemartins

Freemartins are XX/XY chimaeras that develop as a result of the fusion of the placental circulation of at least one male and one female fetus. The pituitary glands of eight normal ewes at various stages of the oestrous cycle and three rams were compared with those of two male-type and three undifferentiated-type freemartins. The pituitaries were heaviest in the male-type freemartins, and their pattern of gonadotrophs, assessed by differential staining, was more intense than in the normal males. The pituitaries of the undifferentiated-type freemartins weighed less than those of the normal ewes but had more stained gonadotrophs than the normal ewes or rams. In both types of freemartins the pattern of cells resembled that of a castrated male.