A dog with myelodysplastic syndrome: chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

An eleven-year-old female pug was referred to Yamaguchi University Animal Hospital for evaluation of anemia and thrombocytopenia. The cytological examination of the peripheral blood showed some giant monocytic lineage blast cells. A few granulocytes and platelets had dysplastic features. On day 7, in addition to increasing the monocytic lineage cells, the dysplastic features of the blood had also increased compared to the initial examination. We performed bone marrow aspiration upon her death. The bone marrow revealed dysplastic features in all three hematopoietic cell lines, and an increase in the monocytic cell line. Based on the features of the bone marrow and the peripheral blood, this case was confirmed to be myelodysplastic syndrome--Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (MDS-CMML).     

Matrix-metalloproteinases-2 and -9 production in bovine endometrial cell culture

In vitro cell culture is a convenient tool for studying cellular mechanisms. In the present study, production of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) in bovine endometrial (containing both epithelial and stromal cells) monolayer cells was examined. Blastocysts attached to the endometrial cells in a monolayer culture were examined for their effects on MMP-2 production. Initial attachment of blastocysts to the monolayer inhibited MMP-2 production by endometrial cells. But once trophoblast cells began to migrate into the endometrial cell layer, MMP-2 production increased, and at the same time MMP-9 production also became evident in the medium. In order to understand how blastocysts affected MMP-2 production, we examined the effect of progesterone, estradiol, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), tumor necrosis factors (TNFs), and interferon-tau (IFN-tau) supplementation. It was IFN-tau that inhibited the production of MMP-2. In addition, progesterone at a lower dose appeared to inhibit MMP-2 production. Both TNF-alpha and TNF-beta strongly stimulated the production of MMP-2 and MMP-9, whereas IGFs had no effect. Based on these findings, it appears that conceptus has the capacity to inhibit MMP activity.     

Change of plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration with early growth in Japanese beef cattle

The aim of the present study was to examine the change in plasma insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) concentration with early growth, changes of bodyweight (BW) and relative dairy gain (RDG) in the pre‐ (PRW) and postweaning periods (POW) in Japanese beef cattle, and relationships with metabolites. A total of 33 calves, 22 Japanese black, 6 Japanese shorthorn and 5 of their crossbreed were studied. Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 and metabolite (glucose, triacylglycerol, nonesterified fatty acid) levels in the plasma, from jugular vein blood taken every month, were measured along with BW. Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 in POW increased dramatically with increase of BW (P < 0.05), and the correlation was positive at 0.52 (P < 0.01). Glucose levels correlated significantly with BW, RDG and IGF‐1 (P < 0.01). Metabolic required calorie correlated positively with IGF‐1 (P < 0.01). Also, correlations of BW in POW, with BW and RDG in PRW were positive (P < 0.01). Growth in PRW would be influenced by maternal effects, while active self‐secretion of IGF‐1 in POW might contribute to POW growth. These factors suggested that to increase growth in PRW, maintaining enough maternal effect and IGF‐1 level in POW, was important for establishing better growth after weaning.     

Thyroid hormone augments GLUT4 expression and insulin-sensitive glucose transport system in differentiating rat brown adipocytes in culture

The effects of triiodothyronine (T3) on differentiation-dependent expression of GLUT and responses of glucose transport to insulin and norepinephrine (NE) were investigated. Precursor cells of brown adipocytes isolated from the interscapular brown adipose tissue of newborn rats were cultured in the absence or presence of various concentrations of T3. Western bolt analysis revealed that treatment with T3 resulted in an increased expression of GLUT4, in a dose-dependent manner, whereas GLUT1 contents were unchanged. In parallel with the increase in GLUT4 expression, T3 improved insulin sensitivity for glucose transport, being accompanied by an increase in maximal transport rate and a reduction of ED(50). In contrast, T3-treatment of the brown adipocytes during the differentiation process had little effect on NE-regulatable glucose transport system. These results suggest that T3 plays a predominant role in the development of insulin-sensitive glucose transport during differentiation of brown adipocytes.     

Post-exposure treatment of cats with mouse-cat chimeric antibodies against feline herpesvirus type 1 and feline calicivirus

In order to confirm the in vivo effectiveness of anti- feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) mouse-cat chimeric antibody (FJH2), and anti-feline calicivirus (FCV) mouse-cat chimeric antibody (F1D7), cats that had been experimentally infected with FHV-1 or FCV were administered intravenously with the chimeric antibodies, and observed for clinical manifestations. The symptoms due to FHV-1 or FCV infection in the cats administered FJH2 or F1D7 were obviously decreased when compared with those of the non-administered control cats. From these results, it was confirmed that both FJH2 and F1D7 were effective at reducing the appearance of symptoms due to FHV-1 and FCV infection, respectively.     

Relative parasitic fitness of isolates of Pyricularia oryzae Cav. with different sensitivities to fungicides

The relative parasitic fitness of isolates of Pyricularia oryzae with different sensitivities to isoprothiolane (di-isopropyl 1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemalonate) and IBP (S-benzyl O, O-di-isopropyl phosphorothioate) was studied in the absence of fungicides. Four field isolates (S-1,S-2,MR-1 and MR-2) and two in-vitro mutants (Rvt-1 and Rvt-2) were used for disease epidemics. S-l and S-2 were wild types; MR-1 and MR-2 were sensitive to isoprothiolane and moderately resistant to IBP, and Rvt-1 and Rvt-2 were resistant to both fungicides. Twelve epidemics were made by inoculating rice seedlings with mixed conidial suspensions of two isolates or mutants. The value of relative parasitic fitness (W = 0-1.0) was calculated for each isolate and epidemic. S-l and S-2 were stronger (W = 1.0) than MR-2, Rvt-1 and Rvt-2; but weaker (W = 0.75, 0.73, respectively) than MR-1. MR-1 was strongest among all isolates and mutants used. MR-2 was slightly weaker (W = 0.9-1.0) than S-l and S-2, but stronger than Rvt-1 and Rvt-2. Rvt-1 and Rvt-2 had smaller values of W, ranging from 0.25-0.58, in the epidemics with each field isolate. These results suggest that the proportions of in-vitro mutants do not increase unless intensive selection pressure is given, and would be expected to decrease rapidly after the selection pressure is removed. Isolates moderately resistant to IBP, such as MR-1 and MR-2, however, had high values of W, suggesting that they would increase or would not decrease rapidly in the absence of selection pressure. These results may well explain why isolates highly resistant to isoprothiolane and IBP have seldom been found, and why a large number of isolates moderately resistant to IBP but sensitive to isoprothiolane have been observed in the field.     

Porcine MHC classical class I genes are coordinately expressed in superantigen-activated mononuclear cells

The expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) classical class I genes is important for the adaptive immune response to target virus-infected cells and cancer cells. The up-regulation of the MHC is achieved by hormonal/cytokine signals including IFN-γ-inducible elements. The swine leukocyte antigen (SLA), the MHC class I region of pigs, consists of the duplicated classical class I genes, SLA-1, SLA-2 and SLA-3, but the molecular mechanisms involved in their up-regulation after T cell stimulation have not been fully elucidated. In order to better understand some of the putative regulatory mechanisms of SLA class I gene expression in activated T cells, we examined the coordinated expression of the SLA classical class I, IFN-γ and interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SLA homozygous Clawn miniature swine stimulated for 72h with either IFN-γ or an enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. This enterotoxin, toxic shock syndrome-1 (TSST-1), is known to act as a superantigen (sAG) to activate the T cells in various vertebrate species. We showed by using mAbs and flow cytometry that the CD4(+)CD25(+) cell number of swine PBMCs was also increased by TSST-1 and to a lesser degree by IFN-γ. Time course analyses of the expression of the IFN-γ, IRF-1 and the three classical class I genes, SLA-1, SLA-2, and SLA-3, in PBMCs by quantitative real-time PCR revealed a transitory response to TSST-1 or IFN-γ stimulation. The IFN-γ mRNA levels in the PBMCs were continuously up-regulated over the first 48h by TSST-1 or IFN-γ. In contrast, SLA class I expression moderately increased at 24h and then decreased to a baseline level or less at 72h of IFN-γ or TSST-1 stimulation. The three classical SLA class I genes showed similar expression kinetics, although SLA-3 mRNA level was consistently lower than those of SLA-1 and -2. The expression of IRF-1, a modulator of SLA expression, showed similar kinetics to those of the three classical SLA class I genes. The expression profiles detected by flow cytometry of the SLA molecules on the cell surface of PBMCs were maintained at a consistently high level during cell stimulation with either TSST-1 or IFN-γ, which was distinct from the kinetics of mRNA expression. These results showed that miniature swine SLA class I mRNA expression was effectively and equally up-regulated among the three loci and coordinately with IRF-1 gene expression after stimulation of T cell activation by sAG or IFN-γ.     

Root and crown rot of strawberry caused by Pythium helicoides and its distribution in strawberry production areas of Japan

Pythium species were isolated from seedlings of strawberry with root and crown rot. The isolates were identified as P. helicoides on the basis of morphological characteristics and sequences of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions. In pathogenicity tests, the isolates caused root and crown rot similar to the original disease symptoms. Multiplex PCR was used to survey pathogen occurrence in strawberry production areas of Japan. Pythium helicoides was detected in 11 of 82 fields. The pathogen is distributed over six prefectures.     

Induced resistance in tomato plants to the toxin-dependent necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria alternata

A necrotrophic pathogen, the tomato pathotype of Alternaria alternata (Aa) causes Alternaria stem canker on tomato. Its pathogenicity depends on the production of host-specific AAL-toxin. Pre-inoculation with nonpathogenic Aa or pretreatment an elicitor prepared from Aa reduced disease symptoms by the pathogen. Salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent defense responses in tomato are not involved in the resistance to the pathogen induced by nonpathogenic Aa. The results suggest that an alternative and unknown signaling pathway independent of SA- and JA-signaling might modulate the induced resistance by activating the expression of the multiple defense genes.     

Reproductive cycle and growth of the sand dollar Scaphechinus griseus inhabiting Japanese surf clam Pseudocardium sachalinense fishing grounds in Tomakomai,southwest Hokkaido,Japan

Fisheries Science - Bioturbation by the sand dollar Scaphechinus griseus is suspected to inhibit the recruitment of Pseudocardium sachalinense, a commercially important bivalve. This study aimed to...