Immunologic responses against hydrolyzed soy protein in dogs with experimentally induced soy hypersensitivity

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether dogs with experimentally induced type I hypersensitivity against soy protein would respond to soy hydrolysate and develop cutaneous or gastrointestinal tract reactions after intradermal and oral challenge exposure. ANIMALS: 12 na?ve Beagle pups (9 sensitized and 3 control dogs). PROCEDURE: 9 dogs were sensitized against soy protein by administration of allergens during a 90-day period. After the sensitization period, serum concentrations of soy-specific IgE were determined and an intradermal test was performed to confirm the dogs were sensitized against soy protein. An intradermal challenge test and an oral challenge test with native and hydrolyzed soy protein were conducted on 6 sensitized and 2 control dogs. RESULTS: High serum concentrations of soy-specific IgE and positive results for the intradermal test were observed for the 9 sensitized dogs after completion of the sesitization process. Sensitized dogs challenge exposed with hydrolyzed soy protein had a reduced inflammatory response after intradermal injection and no clinical response after an oral challenge exposure, compared with responses after intradermal and oral challenge exposure with native soy protein. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Soy-sensitized dogs did not respond to oral administration of hydrolyzed soy protein. Thus, hydrolyzed soy protein may be useful in diets formulated for the management of dogs with adverse reactions to food.     

Assessment of IgE binding to native and hydrolyzed soy protein in serum obtained from dogs with experimentally induced soy protein hypersensitivity

OBJECTIVE: To assess binding of IgE to native, whole hydrolyzed, and separated hydrolyzed fractions of soy protein in serum obtained from dogs with experimentally induced soy protein hypersensitivity. ANIMALS: 8 na?ve Beagles (6 experimentally sensitized to native soy protein and 2 control dogs). PROCEDURES: 6 dogs were sensitized against soy protein by administration of allergens during a 90-day period. After the sensitization protocol was completed, serum concentrations of soy-specific IgE were measured and intradermal skin tests were performed in all 6 dogs to confirm that the dogs were sensitized against soy protein. Serum samples from each sensitized and control dog underwent western blot analysis to assess the molecular mass band pattern of the different allergenic soy fractions and evaluate reactivities to native and hydrolyzed soy protein. RESULTS: In sera from sensitized dogs, a characteristic band pattern with 2 major bands (approx 75 and 50 kd) and 2 minor bands (approx 31 and 20 kd) was detected, whereas only a diffuse band pattern associated with whole hydrolyzed soy protein was detected in the most reactive dog. Reactivity was evident only for the higher molecular mass peptide fraction. In control dogs, no IgE reaction to native or hydrolyzed soy protein was detected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Data suggest that the binding of soy-specific IgE to the hydrolyzed soy protein used in the study was significantly reduced, compared with binding of soy-specific IgE to the native soy protein, in dogs with experimentally induced soy hypersensitivity.     

Antioxidant Properties of Fermented Soy during Shelf Life

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Glycine max (soybean) is a fundamental food in human nutrition, largely utilized by the consumers, and in particular, fermented soy is mainly used. However, health...     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. Sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">melonis-</Emphasis>melon interaction<Emphasis Type="Italic">:</Emphasis> Effect of grafting combination on pathogen gene expression

Bread wheat (BW) and durum wheat (DW) are both strongly affected by Septoria tritici blotch caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Zymoseptoria tritici. However, only the BW-Z. tritici pathosystem has been well studied so far. Here, we compared compatible interactions between Z. tritici and both BW and DW species at the cytological, biochemical and molecular levels. Fungal infection process investigations showed close spore germination and leaf penetration features in both interactions, although differences in the patterns of these events were observed. During the necrotrophic phase, disease severity and sporulation levels were associated in both interactions with increases of the two cell-wall degrading enzyme activities endo-β-1,4-xylanase and endo-β-1,3-glucanase as well as protease. An analysis of plant defense responses during the first five days post inoculation revealed inductions of GLUC, Chi4, POX and PAL and a repression of LOX gene expressions in both wheat species, although differences in kinetics and levels of induction or repression were observed. In addition, peroxidase, catalase, glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and lipoxygenase activities were induced in both wheat species, while only weak accumulations of hydrogen peroxide and polyphenols were detected at the fungal penetration sites. Our study revealed overall a similarity in Z. tritici infection process and triggered wheat defense pathways on both pathosystems.     

Validation of the Italian version of the UNESP–Botucatu unidimensional composite pain scale for the assessment of postoperative pain in cattle

Objective

The aim of this study was to validate the Italian version of the UNESP–Botucatu Unidimensional Composite Pain Scale (UCPS-IV) for assessing postoperative pain in cattle.

Characterisation of canine parvovirus strains isolated from cats with feline panleukopenia

Unlike the original canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), CPV-2 variants have gained the ability to replicate in vivo in cats but there is limited information on the disease patterns induced by these variants in the feline host. During 2008, two distinct cases of parvoviral infection were diagnosed in our laboratories. A CPV-2a variant was identified in a 3-month-old Persian kitten displaying clinical sign of feline panleukopenia (FPL) (acute gastroenteritis and marked leukopenia) and oral ulcerations, that died eight days after the onset of the disease. Two pups living in the same pet shop as the cat were found to shed a CPV-2a strain genetically identical to the feline virus and were likely the source of infection. Also, non-fatal infection by a CPV-2c strain occurred in a 2.5-month-old European shorthair kitten displaying non-haemorrhagic diarrhoea and normal white blood cell counts. By sequence analysis of the major capsid protein (VP2) gene, the feline CPV-2c strain showed 100% identity to a recent canine type-2c isolate. Both kittens had been administered multivalent vaccines against common feline pathogens including FPL virus. Whether and to which extent the FPL vaccines can protect cats adequately from the antigenic variants of CPV-2 should be assessed.     

New flavonol glycosides from Aconitum burnatii Gáyer and Aconitum variegatum L.

Six flavonol glycosides, compounds 1-3 from A. burnatii Gáyer and 4-6 from A. variegatum L., were obtained from their methanol extracts of aerial parts. The identified structures were quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-(6-E-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (1), quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (2), quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-(6-E-caffeoyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside-7-O-α-l-arabinopyranoside (4), quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), and kaempferol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (6). Compounds 1, 2 and 4 were isolated for the first time. The antioxidant potential of the methanol extracts and pure compounds was tested with different assays.     

3-[4-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines,Nortopsentin Analogues with Antiproliferative Activity

A new series of nortopsentin analogues, in which the imidazole ring of the natural product was replaced by thiazole and the indole unit bound to position 2 of the thiazole ring was substituted by a 7-azaindole moiety, was efficiently synthesized. Two of the new nortopsentin analogues showed good antiproliferative effect against the totality of the NCI full panel of human tumor cell lines (~60) having GI₅₀ values ranging from low micromolar to nanomolar level. The mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of these derivatives, investigated on human hepatoma HepG2 cells, was pro-apoptotic, being associated with externalization of plasma membrane phosphatidylserine and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, the compounds induced a concentration-dependent accumulation of cells in the subG0/G1phase, while confined viable cells in G2/M phase.     

Control methods against invasive Aedes mosquitoes in Europe: a review

Five species of invasive Aedes mosquitoes have recently become established in Europe: Ae. albopictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. japonicus japonicus, Ae. koreicus and Ae. atropalpus. These mosquitoes are a serious nuisance for people and are also competent vectors for several exotic pathogens such as dengue and chikungunya viruses. As they are a growing public health concern, methods to control these mosquitoes need to be implemented to reduce their biting and their potential for disease transmission. There is a crucial need to evaluate methods as part of an integrated invasive mosquito species control strategy in different European countries, taking into account local Aedes infestations and European regulations. This review presents the control methods available or in development against invasive Aedes mosquitoes, with a particular focus on those that can be implemented in Europe. These control methods are divided into five categories: environmental (source reduction), mechanical (trapping), biological (e.g. copepods, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, Wolbachia), chemical (insect growth regulators, pyrethroids) and genetic (sterile insect technique and genetically modified mosquitoes). We discuss the effectiveness, ecological impact, sustainability and stage of development of each control method. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry