Inhibitory effects of interleukin-10 plasmid DNA on the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice

Interleukin (IL)-10 exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects by suppression of both T-help (Th) 1 and Th2 cells. Previous studies have reported that IL-10 can ameliorate various inflammatory disorders. The present study was performed to examine whether IL-10 plasmid DNA could suppress development of atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice, as an initial step towards the development of an appliance for use in dogs with AD. Intradermal injection of IL-10 plasmid DNA markedly inhibited the development of AD-like skin lesions, as evidenced by a marked decrease in skin symptoms and reduced inflammation within the skin lesions. Efficacy was confirmed by significant decreases in eosinophil ratio and serum IgE concentration, and a reduction in the number of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from the ear. Moreover, relative mRNA expression levels of IL-4 and interferon-γ in the skin lesions of mice injected with IL-10 plasmid DNA were also decreased compared with those of control mice. Of note, higher serum IL-10 levels in mice injected with IL-10 plasmid DNA were maintained compared with those in control mice. Taken together, the results indicate that IL-10 plasmid DNA can suppress the development of AD-like skin lesions by suppressing both Th1 and Th2 cell responses. Beneficial effects of IL-10 plasmid DNA may be expected in dogs with AD.     

Cytotoxic Effects of Loperamide Hydrochloride on Canine Cancer Cells

Loperamide is a peripheral opiate agonist that can cause apoptosis and G2/M arrest in human cancer cell lines and may sensitize cells to chemotherapy. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of loperamide on viability, apoptosis and cell cycle kinetics in canine cancer cells and to establish whether the drug sensitizes cells to doxorubicin. Cell viability was assessed using Alamar Blue. Cell death and cell cycle were studied using flow cytometry with 7-Aminoactinomycin-D (7-AAD) and propidium iodide (PI), respectively. Loperamide decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent fashion and was most effective against canine osteosarcoma cells. In all cell lines, it induced a dose and time dependent apoptosis and resulted in accumulation in G0/G1. When co-incubated with doxorubicin, loperamide induced a synergistic cell kill in canine carcinoma cells. Investigation is warranted into the role of loperamide in the treatment of canine cancer.     

胎盘滋养层细胞分离培养研究进展

胎盘屏障是营养物质、药物、病毒等从母体进入胎儿的必经之路,与反复自然流产等多种产科疾病有关。滋养层细胞是胎盘屏障的重要组成成分,而滋养层细胞具有内分泌的功能,其增殖、功能调节失常与多种妊娠相关疾病的发生发展有密切关系。为了揭示产科疾病发生、发展的机制,建立滋养层细胞体外培养的模型是必要的,论文就滋养层细胞分离及培养方法进行了综述。     

Regulation of Innate Immune Function in Bovine Oviduct Epithelial Cells in Culture: The Homeostatic Role of Epithelial Cells in Balancing Th1/Th2 Response

This study aimed to investigate the role of epithelial cells in regulating innate immunity in bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) culture. We studied the effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and its interaction with ovarian steroids, estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), and luteinizing hormone (LH) at concentrations observed during the preovulatory period on immune responses in BOEC culture. Immunohistochemistry of oviduct tissue showed intensive expression of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) and TLR-2 in epithelial cells. A dose of 10 ng/ml LPS stimulated TLR-4, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor A (NFKBIA), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) expression, indicating an early pro-inflammatory response. A dose of 100 ng/ml LPS did not induce expression of these genes but stimulated TLR-2, IL-10,IL-4 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) expression and PGE2 secretion, indicating an anti-inflammatory response. Ovarian steroids and LH completely block LPS (10 ng/ml)-induced TLR-4, IL-1β and TNF-α expression as well as LPS (100 ng/ml)-induced TLR-2 expression. Taken together, this study suggests the existence of an early signaling system to respond to infection in the BOEC. In addition, ovarian steroids and LH may play a critical role in inducing homeostasis and in controlling hyperactive pro-inflammatory responses detrimental to epithelial cells, sperm and the embryo.     

Isolation of Streptococcus cuniculi from corneal lesion in laboratory-raised mice

Corneal lesions appearing as white mass beneath intact epithelium, with ocular discharge in one mouse, was observed in a batch of laboratory-raised BALB/c mice (n=9 of 56). The affected mice remained active, well-groomed and had normal appetite. Isolates recovered from swab cultures of the external and internal contents of the eye had partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of 99.1% similarity to Streptococcus cuniculi. No previous report of S. cuniculi infection in laboratory rodents has been presented. The isolate was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. We suggest S. cuniculi is an opportunistic bacteria in laboratory mice but are uncertain of its source. Our findings revealed that S. cuniculi is able to colonize laboratory mice and should be considered when mice present with eye lesion or ocular discharge.     

不同剂量精氨酸对孕鼠子宫肥大细胞的影响

为探索不同剂量精氨酸(Arg)对孕鼠子宫肥大细胞(MC)的影响,本试验将40只小鼠随机分为对照组、0.25%Arg组、0.5%Arg组和1.0%Arg组,妊娠16d时处死孕鼠,计数胎鼠;取孕鼠子宫组织经Carnoy′s液固定,甲苯胺蓝染色,观察并计数MC。结果显示:0.5%Arg组的MC较对照组显著减少(P0.05),1.0%Arg组的MC较对照组极显著减少(P0.01),0.25%Arg组的MC较对照组无统计学意义,0.5%Arg组的胎鼠数极显著高于对照组和1.0%Arg组(P0.01)。说明日粮中添加适量的Arg对胎儿生长有促进作用。     

间充质干细胞的免疫调节特性及其应用研究进展

间充质干细胞(MSCs)是一种具有自我复制和多向分化潜能的多能干细胞,具有低免疫原性和免疫抑制作用,并能优先归巢于损伤组织,促进组织修复.体内外研究显示MSCs可影响T细胞、B细胞、自然杀伤细胞、抗原提呈细胞等免疫细胞功能,减轻器官移植后免疫排斥,有望在移植免疫领域得到广泛应用.论文概述了间充质干细胞的生物学特性,免疫...     

日粮补充β-胡萝卜素对奶牛繁殖性能影响的研究

本试验研究日粮补充β-胡萝卜素对奶牛血液β-胡萝卜素浓度、产后发病率、产后70天内的配种率、受胎率及一次配种受胎率的影响。结果表明:添加300mg/头·天的β-胡萝卜素能显著提高奶牛产前7天、产后10天和产后60天的血液β-胡萝卜素浓度(p<0.05),降低产后胎衣不下和乳腺炎的发病率,提高产后70天内的配种率和配种受胎率,但对一次配种受胎率和配种天数无明显影响。     

四种抗冻剂20℃时对小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率的影响

将小鼠生精上皮单细胞置20℃含不同抗冻剂的冻存液中一定时间后，台盼蓝染色测定细胞存活率，以筛选冷冻保存小鼠生精上皮细胞的侯选抗冻剂及使用浓度。结果，20℃30min，10％浓度的二甲基亚砜（DMSO）、丙二醇（PG）及乙二醇（EG）对7日龄小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率均无显著影响，而10％甘油（G）则使细胞存活率显著下降；20℃ 30min,10%浓度的DMSO、PG、EG及G对成年小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率均无显著影响；20℃ 5min,25%浓度的DMSO、PG、EG及G均使7日龄及成年小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率显著下降。实验结果表明，10％DMSO、PG及EG可作为7日龄小鼠生殖细胞慢速冷冻保存时的侯选抗冻剂，10％DMSO、PG、EG及G可作为成年小鼠生殖细胞慢速冷冻保存时的侯选抗冻剂；在高浓度抗冻剂超速冷冻保存小鼠生殖细胞时，平衡时间应短于5min，或在4℃进行。     

Enhancement of Drug Resistance by Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor-3 in Mouse Mammary Tumor FM3A Cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) acts as a simple phospholipid that interacts with G protein-coupled transmembrane LPA receptors. Recently, it has been reported that each LPA receptor plays different biological roles in acquisition of the malignant property of tumor cells. In this study, to assess the involvement of LPA receptor-3 (LPA₃) in cell survival after treatment with anticancer drugs, we generated Lpar3-expressing FM3A-a3A9 cells from mouse mammary tumor FM3A cells and examined the cell survival rate after treatment with anticancer drugs compared with Lpar3-unexpressing cells. Cells were treated with 0.005 to 10 μM of cisplatin (CDDP) or doxorubicin (DOX) for 3 days. For the CDDP and DOX treatments, the cell survival rate of FM3A-a3A9 cells was significantly higher than that of Lpar3-unexpressing cells. The expression level of the Mdr1a gene in FM3A-a3A9 cells was higher than that of Lpar3-unexpressing cells, whereas no significant difference in multidrug resistance 1b (Mdr1b) and glutathione S-transferase mu1 (Gstm1) expressions was found. These results suggest that LPA₃ may enhance the cell survival rate after treatment with anticancer drugs in mouse mammary tumor cells, correlating with increased expression of the Mdr1 gene.     

不同培养液对体外培养的小鼠胸腺上皮细胞增殖的影响

分离纯化小鼠胸腺上皮细胞（mTEC）,以DMEM、DMEM/F12、RPMI 1640 3种基础培养液加10%胎牛血清完全培养液进行培养, MTT法和流式细胞术分别检测mTEC的增殖及细胞周期,筛选出最适合mTEC生长的培养液。结果表明,DMEM培养的mTEC增殖快,细胞增殖指数明显高于DMEM/F12、RPMI 1640培养液,表明DMEM是mTEC体外培养的最佳培养液。     

Generation of a uniform thymic malignant lymphoma model with C57BL/6J p53 gene deficient mice

Lymphoma is the third most common cancer diagnosed in children, and T-cell lymphoma has the worst prognosis based on clinical observations. To date, a lymphoma model with uniform penetrance has not yet been developed. In this study, we generated a p53 deficient mouse model by targeting embryonic stem cells derived from a C57BL/6J mouse strain. Homozygous p53 deficient mice exhibited a higher rate of spontaneous tumorigenesis, with a high spontaneous occurrence rate (93.3%) of malignant lymphoma. Because tumor models with high phenotypic consistency are currently needed, we generated a lymphoma model by a single intraperitoneal injection of 37.5 or 75 mg/kg N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to p53 deficient mice. Lymphoma and retinal degeneration occurred in 100% of p53^+/− mice administered with higher concentrations of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, a much greater response than those of previously reported models. The main anatomic sites of lymphoma were the thymus, spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Both induced and spontaneous lymphomas in the thymus and spleen stained positive for CD3 antigen, and flow cytometry detected positive CD4 and/or CD8 cells. Based on our observations and previous data, we hypothesize that mice with a B6 background are prone to lymphomagenesis.     

Oxytocin Cells in the Supraoptic Nucleus Receive Excitatory Synaptic Inputs from the Contralateral Supraoptic and Paraventricular Nuclei in the Lactating Rat

The present experiments were undertaken to examine whether oxytocin cells in the supraoptic nucleus receive synaptic inputs from the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus. Using urethane-anesthetized lactating rats, extracellular action potentials were recorded from single oxytocin or vasopressin cells in the supraoptic nucleus. Electrical stimulation was applied to the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus, and responses of oxytocin or vasopressin cells were analyzed by peri-stimulus time histogram or by change in firing rate of oxytocin or vasopressin cells. Electrical stimulation of the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus did not cause antidromic excitation in oxytocin or vasopressin cells but caused orthodromic responses. Although analysis by peri-stimulus time histogram showed that electrical stimulation of the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus caused orthodromic excitation in both oxytocin and vasopressin cells, the proportion of excited oxytocin cells was greater than that of vasopressin cells. Train stimulation applied to the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus at 10 Hz increased firing rates of oxytocin cells and decreased those of vasopressin cells. The results of the present experiments suggest that oxytocin cells in the supraoptic nucleus receive mainly excitatory synaptic inputs from the contralateral supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus. Receipt these synaptic inputs to oxytocin cells may contribute to the synchronized activation of oxytocin cells during the milk ejection reflex.