Evaluation of a human generic formulation of ciclosporin in the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis with in vitro assessment of the functional capacity of phagocytic cells

To compare the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a generic formulation of ciclosporin for human beings with prednisone in the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis), human generic ciclosporin A (hgCsA) (5 mg/kg daily) and prednisone (1 mg/kg daily for seven days, followed by 1 mg/kg every second day) were administered to 13 and seven dogs with atopic dermatitis, respectively, for 42 days. Skin changes were assessed using a modified canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (mCADESI-01) and a pruritus intensity scale system. The in vitro functional capacity of phagocytic cells was assessed using the tetrazolium reductase activity and zymosan-stimulated tetrazolium reductase activity tests, as well as measurements of the percentage phagocytic activity and the ingestion capacity of phagocytic cells. Haematological and biochemical parameters were also monitored. There was a greater than or equal to 50 per cent reduction from the baseline in mCADESI-01 scores in 84.6 and 100 per cent of dogs, and a greater than or equal to 50 per cent reduction from the baseline in pruritus scores in 76.9 and 85.7 per cent of dogs, treated with hgCsA and prednisone, respectively. No important adverse physical, haematological or biochemical effects occurred with either drug and no statistically significant changes were detected in any of the four tests assessing the functional activity of phagocytes. The generic formulation of ciclosporin was effective in reducing the severity of physical signs of canine atopic dermatitis and was well tolerated.     

Vitamin E supplementation does not mitigate the acute morbidity effects of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in nursery pigs

The objective of this study was to determine whether feeding a vitamin E-rich diet would benefit nursery pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Sixty-four pigs were subjected to one of four treatment combinations (2 x 2 factorial) of dietary vitamin E (adequate or excess) and PRRSV (medium or inoculation with VR-2385 isolate P-129). Pigs were fed experimental diets during a 3-wk period before inoculation as well as during a 12-d period after inoculation. Growth performance was determined throughout the study, and lipid peroxidation in liver, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in serum, circulating white blood cells, and serum interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were determined in samples collected from pigs killed 4 or 12 d after inoculation. Infection by PRRSV (P < 0.001) induced a marked decrease in both ADFI and ADG, but neither the main effect of diet nor the diet x PRRSV interaction was significant. Neither diet nor PRRSV affected feed efficiency. At 12 d after inoculation, lipid peroxidation in liver and GPX activity in serum were lower in pigs fed excess vitamin E than in those fed adequate vitamin E (P < 0.01), suggesting that the diet high in vitamin E bolstered the antioxidant status of the pigs. However, PRRSV did not affect lipid peroxidation in liver or serum GPX activity, and the diet x PRRSV interaction was not significant. White blood cell counts were decreased and IFN-gamma, and IL-1beta were increased (P < 0.05) 4 and 12 d after inoculation in PRRSV-infected pigs, but neither diet nor the diet x PRRSV interaction was significant. Collectively, these results indicate that increasing antioxidant defenses by feeding high levels of vitamin E did not ameliorate the effects of PRRSV on decreased growth, leukopenia, and increased serum IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. Thus, feeding nursery pigs a diet high in vitamin E may not be useful for mitigating the acute morbidity effects of PRRSV infection.     

Early exposure to probiotics in a canine model of atopic dermatitis has long-term clinical and immunological effects

Probiotics modulate the immune response and may have protective effects against atopic dermatitis (AD). Clinical trials using dogs with spontaneous disease are limited by confounding factors such as different diets, environments and sensitizations while a more controlled evaluation is possible using experimental models. A validated model of canine AD showed that early exposure to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) significantly decreases allergen-specific IgE and partially prevents AD in the first 6 months of life. This study is a follow-up three years after discontinuation of LGG. Clinical signs were evaluated after allergen challenge with ragweed, timothy, Dermatophagoides farinae. Allergen-specific IgE, IL-10 and TGF-β were measured on the 1st day of challenge, before allergen exposure. Normal dogs were included as controls. Analyses included seven dogs in the non-probiotic and nine in the probiotic litter. For clinical scores, a 2-Group × 9-Time Analysis of Variance showed significant effects of group (p=0.0003, probiotic相似文献   

Evaluation of laying-hen feed with varied vitamin E and antioxidant supplementation

In two experiments with 1,250 laying hybrids the influence of the elimination of vitamin E and antioxidant supplements to the laying hen feed was tested. With mixed feed according to official quality requirements but without vitamin E and antioxidant supplements laying hens achieved the same laying performance and individual weight as the control group. There was no influence on feed consumption, feed expenditure per 100 g egg, mortality, development of body weight, the tensile strength of the eggs and the fat quality of the body either. Vitamin E content in the yolk increases with the growing vitamin E content in the feed. The vitamin E requirement norm of laying hens for consumer egg production is achieved at a native vitamin E content of 7 mg/kg laying hen feed. The supplement of synthetic antioxidant is unnecessary.     

The ACVD task force on canine atopic dermatitis (XIII): threshold phenomenon and summation of effects.

The concepts of a threshold for pruritus and a threshold for canine atopic dermatitis (AD) are useful in the understanding of the development of clinical manifestations of this disease. Multiple flare factors, such as infections with bacteria and yeasts, can contribute to the severity of clinical signs in affected patients.     

Effects of dietary fish oil and vitamin E supplementation on canine lymphocyte proliferation evaluated using a flow cytometric technique

Lymphocyte proliferation and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) production of PGE(2) were assayed in 15 healthy dogs fed a basal diet supplemented with either sunflower oil (Group Sunflower oil), sunflower oil and menhaden fish oil (Group Fish oil), or sunflower oil and menhaden fish oil plus alpha-tocopherol acetate for 12 weeks (Group Fish oil + E). Lymphocyte proliferation was determined by a flow cytometric technique utilizing the fluorochrome carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE). The PBMC supernatant PGE(2) concentration was assayed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay. Group Fish oil had a significant decrease in lymphocyte proliferation at week 12. PBMC production of PGE(2) was decreased in all three groups but only significantly reduced in groups receiving fish oil supplementation. Based on these results, this level of fish oil supplementation appears to suppress the lymphoproliferative response in healthy, young dogs but this response can be attenuated by high levels of dietary vitamin E supplementation. Furthermore, fish oil-induced reduction in lymphocyte proliferation appears to manifest through a PGE(2)-independent mechanism and is not associated with increased lipid peroxidation.     

Characterization and quantification of ceramides in the nonlesional skin of canine patients with atopic dermatitis compared with controls

As in humans, there is mounting evidence in support of an abnormal skin barrier contributing to the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis (AD). Studies in people with AD have associated an abnormal skin barrier with deficiencies in ceramides, which represent important components of the stratum corneum (SC) intercellular lipid lamellae. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine if the SC of dogs with AD is deficient in ceramides compared to normal dogs. Samples of SC were obtained from nonlesional skin of the caudal abdomen of 14 patients with AD and 14 age-, breed- and sex-matched healthy controls using a cyanoacrylate stripping procedure, and the subclass and relative amount of ceramides were assessed blindly by thin layer chromatography. Paired t -tests using R statistical computer software revealed the percentage amounts of ceramides 1 and 9 were significantly lower in nonlesional skin of AD dogs compared to controls ( P = 0.034 and P = 0.047, respectively), and the cholesterol percentage amount was significantly higher in AD dogs than in controls ( P = 0.016). Furthermore, the cholesterol/ceramide ratio was significantly higher in the AD group with respect to controls ( P = 0.014). These findings suggest that decreased amounts of ceramides in the skin of dogs with AD may be involved in the impaired barrier function of their skin.     

Efficacy and side effects of radiation therapy in comparison with radiation therapy and temozolomide in the treatment of measurable canine malignant melanoma

Prognosis for unresectable canine malignant melanoma (MM) is typically poor, and therapeutic approaches remain largely palliative. A bi‐institutional trial was conducted to compare efficacy and safety of radiation therapy (RT) and RT with post‐radiation temozolomide in dogs with chemotherapy‐naïve, measurable MM. RT consisted of 5 × 6 Gy fractions over 2.5 weeks. Dogs whose owners wished to pursue chemotherapy received adjuvant oral temozolomide (60 mg m^?2 for 5 days every 28 days). Fifteen dogs were treated with RT only (Group 1) and 12 dogs subsequently received temozolomide (Group 2). Overall response rate was similar between Group 1 (86.7%) and Group 2 (81.1%). Median time to progression (TTP) was significantly longer in Group 2 (205 days) compared to Group 1 (110 days; p = 0.046). Survival time was not significantly different between groups. Both treatments were well tolerated. Post‐radiation temozolomide has a good safety profile, and may improve TTP in MM when compared to coarse fractionated RT.     

Therapeutic effects of vitamin E supplementation in 4 dogs with poor semen quality and low superoxide dismutase activity in seminal plasma

Four dogs with poor semen quality, low seminal plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and low blood plasma testosterone (T) levels were orally administered one vitamin E tablet containing 50 mg α-tocopheryl acetate per dog daily for 4 weeks. The mean values of semen quality were temporarily improved after the start of vitamin E treatment and the values of 4, and 5 weeks after that were significantly different from those before the treatment (P<0.05–0.001). The mean blood plasma T and seminal plasma SOD activity values slightly increased in the 4 dogs after the treatment. The results of the present study indicate that poor semen quality in dogs with low seminal plasma SOD can be improved by vitamin E treatment.     

Pilot investigation of a model for canine atopic dermatitis: environmental house dust mite challenge of high-IgE-producing beagles, mite hypersensitive dogs with atopic dermatitis and normal dogs

Although canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is common, few models are available. The aim of this study was to evaluate high-IgE beagles epicutaneously sensitized to house dust mite (HDM) as a possible model for cAD. Six high-IgE beagles were environmentally challenged with HDM using various doses and protocols. Similar challenge protocols were used in positive and negative control dogs: three dogs with naturally occurring cAD and positive intradermal skin test (IDT) to HDM and three normal dogs without history of skin disease and negative IDT to HDM. All high-IgE beagles and all atopic dogs developed severe cutaneous lesions and pruritus after challenge. Lesions were erythematous papules and macules in contact areas such as face, ears, ventral abdomen, groin, axillae and feet. They were first visible after 6 h and increased in severity over time. No normal dog developed pruritus or lesions. Biopsies of representative lesions in the high-IgE beagles were taken for histopathology and immunohistochemistry. There was superficial perivascular dermatitis with mononuclear infiltrates and spongiosis. Lymphocytes and eosinophils accumulated in small epidermal micro-abscesses with hyperplasia of epidermal IgE-bearing dendritic cells. These findings suggest that this colony of high-IgE beagles develops a dermatitis that clinically, histopathologically and immunologically resembles the naturally occurring canine disease. It is also concluded that this modality of challenge is not irritating to normal dogs but induces flare-ups in hypersensitive atopic dogs.