Leading the pack: Best practices in comparative canine cancer genomics to inform human oncology

Pet dogs develop spontaneous cancers at a rate estimated to be five times higher than that of humans, providing a unique opportunity to study disease biology and evaluate novel therapeutic strategies in a model system that possesses an intact immune system and mirrors key aspects of human cancer biology. Despite decades of interest, effective utilization of pet dog cancers has been hindered by a limited repertoire of necessary cellular and molecular reagents for both in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as a dearth of information regarding the genomic landscape of these cancers. Recently, many of these critical gaps have been addressed through the generation of a highly annotated canine reference genome, the creation of several tools necessary for multi-omic analysis of canine tumours, and the development of a centralized repository for key genomic and associated clinical information from canine cancer patients, the Integrated Canine Data Commons. Together, these advances have catalysed multidisciplinary efforts designed to integrate the study of pet dog cancers more effectively into the translational continuum, with the ultimate goal of improving human outcomes. The current review summarizes this recent progress and provides a guide to resources and tools available for comparative study of pet dog cancers.     

Case-control study of late-term abortions associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome in central Kentucky

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with abortions of mares during late gestation attributed to mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 282 broodmares from 62 farms in central Kentucky, including 137 mares that had late-term abortions (LTAs) associated with MRLS, 98 mares from the same farms that did not abort, and 48 mares that aborted from causes other than MRLS. PROCEDURE: Farm managers were interviewed to obtain data on a wide range of management practices and environmental exposures for the mares. Data for case and control horses were compared to identify risk factors for a mare having a MRLS-associated LTA (MRLS-LTA). RESULTS: Several factors increased the risk of mares having MRLS-LTAs, including increased amount of time at pasture, less time in a stall, feeding concentrate on the ground, higher proportion of diet derived from grazing pasture, being fed in pasture exclusively during the 4-week period prior to abortion, access to pasture after midnight during the 4-week period prior to abortion, and drinking from a water trough or not having access to water buckets or automatic waterers. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Analysis indicates that exposure to pasture predisposed mares to having MRLS-LTAs and stillborn foals. Methods for limiting exposure to pasture (keeping mares in stalls longer) during environmental conditions similar to those seen in 2001 should reduce the risk of mares having MRLS-LTAs.     

Evaluation of Needle-free Injection Devices for Intramuscular Vaccination in Horses

Needle-free injection devices have been approved for the delivery of biologics with inherently low immunogenicity, such as plasmid DNA vaccines; however, no studies have described their use in equine patients. This article compares the use of two such devices (VitaJet-3 and Biojector2000) at typical vaccination sites in a cohort of six horses. After identifying the optimal device and vaccination site, a second cohort of five horses was used to document the biologic activity of a DNA plasmid vector delivered with the selected injector. Injector characteristics, including the amount of intramuscular drug deposition, residual skin dose, and pain responses, were evaluated following vaccination, with colored saline in the pectoral muscles and cervical region in six horses. The optimal device was then selected and used for intramuscular vaccination with the pING/tyrosinase plasmid vector in a group of five horses. Biological activity was measured through antibody response to the protein encoded by the plasmid on days 0, 14, 28, 42, and 56 postvaccination. Optimal intramuscular dose delivery was obtained in the pectoral muscle site using the VitaJet-3. No significant pain responses were noted. Dependent edema was seen at vaccination sites 24 hours after therapy. Antibody responses to the protein encoded by the DNA plasmid vector significantly increased after vaccinations in all horses. The VitaJet-3 is easy to use and is effective for delivering intramuscular vaccinations with DNA plasmid vectors in horses. This device allows for vaccination with vectors that exhibit low immunogenicity and/or that require targeted delivery to specific tissue planes.     

在四个西方蜜蜂品种的线粒体基因组中存在相同的CytB基因

为了探明在西方蜜蜂不同品种中是否存在相同的CytB基因,本研究以4个西方蜜蜂品种中的线粒体基因组为研究对象,通过体外聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)技术特异性扩增了CytB,结果发现4个西方蜜蜂品种的线粒体基因组具有相同的分子量为600-700(bp)的CytB基因片段,这提示在西方蜜蜂不同品种的线粒体基因组中存在相同的CytB基因。     

Hyperadrenocorticism associated with sex steroid excess

Diagnosis of sex steroid excess or hyperadrenocorticism in dogs may be challenging. Unlike Cushing's disease, sex steroid excess may have a multitude of manifestations that differ from standard hyperadrenocorticism. In particular, the clinical scenario of a dog with sex steroid imbalance involves one of three systems: dermatologic, reproductive, or hepatic. The history of a dog with hyperadrenocorticism manifesting as sex steroid imbalance often lacks the classical clinical signs of polydipsia and polyuria. Dogs with sex steroid imbalance will often be of specific breeds such as miniature poodles and exhibit trunkal hair loss as the only sign. There is often involvement of the reproductive system, manifested as the growth of perianal adenomas in neutered male or female dogs. The most common laboratory findings consist of elevations in serum alkaline phosphatase and serum alanine transferase. The following article reviews the etiology, common signalment, clinical signs, and laboratory findings associated with atypical hyperadrenocorticism caused by sex steroid imbalance and then explores the medical, surgical, and radiation treatment options.     

Occurrence of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep

Background

The rates of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep were determined by a questionnaire which was sent to 3,183 members of the Swiss Sheep Breeders’ Association.

Findings

A total of 993 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 31.2%. Of these, 862 questionnaires originated from farms keeping one of the predominant Swiss sheep breeds: Swiss White Alpine sheep, Brown-Headed Meat sheep, Swiss Black Brown Mountain sheep and Valais Blacknose sheep. During a 10-year-period, entropion was reported in 33.6% of the farms, brachygnathia inferior in 29.5%, abdominal/umbilical hernia in 15.9%, cryptorchidism in 10.5% and torticollis in 10.5%. The most significant difference between the four breeds (P < 0.001) occurred for entropion in Swiss White Alpine sheep and Brown-Headed Meat sheep, brachygnathia inferior in Swiss Black Brown Mountain sheep, and scrotal/inguinal hernia in Valais Blacknose sheep. The Swiss White Alpine breed showed a significantly higher animal prevalence of entropion (6.2% in 2011 and 5.5% in 2012) than other breeds (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

These findings indicate a breed-specific necessity for action, particularly regarding Swiss animal welfare legislation, especially entropion in Swiss White Alpine sheep is concerned. In general, careful selection of breeding stock is to be recommended.     

Nephropathogenesis of chickens experimentally infected with various strains of infectious bronchitis virus

Four-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were inoculated by eyedrop with four different strains (Gray, JMK, CV56b, and Wolgemuth) of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Birds were monitored clinically and euthanatized at 1, 4, 7, and 14 days postinfection and tissues were collected for virus isolation, histopathologic examination, in situ hybridization (ISH), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Clinical disease was severe in chickens infected with Wolgemuth, but no overt disease was observed with the other strains. Virus was isolated from the kidneys of chickens infected with the Gray-, CV56b-, and Wolgemuth-strains of IBV. Histologically, interstitial nephritis was evident in chickens infected with these same 3 strains. However, viral nucleic acid and antigen were detected only with Wolgemuth-infected kidneys by ISH and IHC. These results indicate that the pathological changes in kidneys from chickens infected with Gray and CV56b may not have resulted from the cytolytic action of the virus.     

Determination of the net energy content of canola meal from Brassica napus yellow and Brassica juncea yellow fed to growing pigs using indirect calorimetry

The net energy (NE) content of canola meals (CM; i.e. Brassica napus yellow and Brassica juncea yellow) in growing pigs was determined using an indirect calorimetry chamber or published prediction equations. The study was conducted as a completely randomized design (n = 6), with (i) a basal diet and (ii) 2 diets containing 700 g/kg of the basal diet and 300 g/kg of either of the two varieties of CM. A total of 18 growing barrows were housed in metabolism crates for the determination of digestible (DE) and metabolizable (ME) energy. Thereafter, pigs were transferred to the indirect calorimetry chamber to determine heat production (HP). The NE contents of diets containing Brassica napus yellow and Brassica juncea yellow determined with the direct determination technique and prediction equations were 9.8 versus 10.3 MJ/kg dry matter (DM) and 10.2 versus 10.4 MJ/kg DM, respectively. Retained energy (RE) and fasting heat production (FHP) of diets containing Brassica napus yellow and Brassica juncea yellow were 5.5 versus 5.7 MJ/kg and 4.3 versus 4.5 MJ/kg, respectively, when measured with the direct determination technique and prediction equations. The NE contents of Brassica napus yellow and Brassica juncea yellow were determined to be 8.8 and 9.8 MJ/kg DM, respectively, using the direct determination technique.