Evaluation of serum interleukin 2 receptor and beta-2-microglobulin as prognostic factors for canine lymphoma: A pilot study

Interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) is released from activated T cell lymphocytes and related to proliferation of B cells and T cells. Beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) is synthesized from all nucleated cells and constitutes a major histocompatibility complex class I antigen. In human medicine, high concentrations of these two factors have been found to be related to prognosis in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess the correlation between the serum concentration of IL-2R and B2M and the diagnosis and prognosis of canine lymphoma. This study included 8 healthy dogs and 17 dogs with lymphoma. To measure the serum concentration of IL-2R and B2M, a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. In dogs with lymphoma, IL-2R concentrations were significantly high at the time of diagnosis, but B2M concentrations were not. In relapsed dogs, both IL-2R and B2M concentrations were significantly higher than those in the control and chemotherapy response groups. When the serum concentrations of IL-2R and B2M during chemotherapy were monitored in four relapsed dogs, B2M levels were more closely related with relapse. This study demonstrated that serum IL-2R and B2M concentration can be a diagnostic or prognostic tool for canine lymphoma. Monitoring of serum B2M concentration seems to be useful for predicting relapse.     

Isolation and characterization of equine amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are able to differentiate into multi-lineage cells such as adipocytes, chondroblasts, and osteoblasts. Amniotic membrane from whole placenta is a good source of stem cells in humans. This membrane can potentially be used for wound healing and corneal surface reconstruction. Moreover, it can be easily obtained after delivery and is usually discarded as classified waste. In the present study, we successfully isolated and characterized equine amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (eAM-MSCs) that were cultured and maintained in low glucose Dulbecco''s modified Eagle''s medium. The proliferation of eAM-MSCs was measured based on the cumulative population doubling level (CPDL). Immunophenotyping of eAM-MSCs by flow cytometry showed that the major population was of mesenchymal origin. To confirm differentiation potential, a multi-lineage differentiation assay was conducted. We found that under appropriate conditions, eAM-MSCs are capable of multi-lineage differentiation. Our results indicated that eAM-MSCs may be a good source of stem cells, making them potentially useful for veterinary regenerative medicine and cell-based therapy.     

Confirmed cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in companion cats with a history of tick exposure in the Republic of Korea

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a zoonotic disease, and its clinical information and prevalence are important. This study was conducted on 22 feline patients from the Republic of Korea (ROK), suspected to suffer from a tick-borne disease. Four cats were positive for SFTS, and genotypes B-1, B-3, D, and F were identified. Clinical symptoms, such as anorexia, jaundice, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and hyperbilirubinemia, were detected. This is the first report of SFTS virus genotypes B-1, D, and F from cats in the ROK. Moreover, our results suggest that jaundice may be an indicator of SFTS in cats.     

Inhibition of the pathogenicity of Magnaporthe grisea by bromophenols, isocitrate lyase inhibitors, from the red alga Odonthalia corymbifera

Magnaporthe grisea is a fungal pathogen of rice that forms appressoria that penetrate the outer cuticle of the rice plant. Data from recent studies indicate that M. grisea isocitrate lyase (ICL), a key enzyme in the glyoxylate cycle, is highly expressed during appressorium-mediated plant infection. Bromophenols isolated from the red alga Odonthalia corymbifera exhibited potent ICL inhibitory activity and blocked appressoria formation by M. grisea in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, these compounds protected the rice plants from infection by M. grisea. Rice plants infected with wild-type M. grisea Guy 11 exhibited significantly lower disease severity with bromophenol treatment than without, and the treatment effect was comparable to the behavior of the Deltaicl knockout mutant I-10. The protective effect of bromophenols and their strong inhibition of appressorium formation on rice plants suggest that ICL inhibitors may be promising candidates for crop protection, particularly to protect rice plants against M. grisea.     

Prevalence of a gene encoding adhesin involved in diffuse adherence among Escherichia coli isolates in pigs with postweaning diarrhea or edema disease.

A total of 604 Escherichia coli strains isolated from weaned pigs with diarrhea or edema disease on 653 swine farms were screened for the presence of the adhesin involved in diffuse adherence (AIDA) gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Escherichia coli isolates that carried AIDA genes were also tested by PCR for the detection of 5 fimbriae (F4, F5, F6, F18, and F41), 3 heat-stable (STa, STb, and EAST1) and 1 heat-labile (LT) enterotoxin, and Shiga toxin 2e (Stx2e) genes. Forty-five (7.5%) of the 604 E. coli isolates carried the gene for AIDA. Of these 45 isolates, 5 (11.1%) carried EAST1 genes only, 1 (2.2%) carried genes for at least one of the fimbrial adhesins, 12 (26.7%) carried genes for at least one of the toxins, and 27 (60%) carried genes for at least one of the fimbrial adhesins and toxins. Fifty-one percent of strains that carried AIDA genes carried Stx2e genes, and 40% of strains that carried AIDA genes carried F18ab. The isolation rate of enterotoxigenic E. coli strain carrying genes for AIDA was 87%, and the isolation rate of Shiga toxin-producing E. coil strain carrying genes for AIDA was 49%. AIDA may represent an important virulence determinant in pigs with postweaning diarrhea or edema disease.     

Polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer/MWNT composites: Rheological, thermal, and electrical properties

Polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer (Hytrel®) was melt-compounded with multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) using an internal mixer and the changes in the thermal, electrical and rheological properties were investigated using a range of nanotube contents (from 0.1 to 7 wt%). Even at nanotube concentrations as low as 0.1 wt%, the crystallization temperature was remarkably elevated by 15 °C and it increased further up to 22 °C with a 5 wt% loading. On the contrary, the melting temperature increased by 2 °C with 0.1 wt% MWNTs and it was slightly decreased by further additions of MWNTs. Electrical conductivity measured by the four probe method was detected from the 1 wt% MWNTs, indicative of electrical percolation. In addition, MWNTs starting from 4 wt% and above had no significant effect on the electrical conductivity, while it rapidly increased with nanotube contents below 4 wt%. Dynamic rheological properties were measured using a strain controlled rotational rheometer. The complex viscosity increased with MWNT contents giving an abrupt increase between 0.5 and 1 wt% loadings. In addition, the storage and loss modulus increased in a different manner depending on the range of the nanotube concentration. In the Cole-Cole plot, the slope of the nanocomposites decreased from 1.63 to 0.74 with increasing nanotube contents. In the Casson plot, the addition of MWNTs up to 0.5 wt% did not show any yield behavior giving an extremely low value for the yield stress, but further additions of nanotubes increased it notably. The presence of nanotubes in the elastomer increased the relaxation time with nanotube contents and their effect became weak as the frequency increased.     

Optimized protocol for multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction to detect and differentiate Haemophilus parasuis,Streptococcus suis,and Mycoplasma hyorhinis in formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded tissues from pigs with polyserositis

An optimized protocol was developed for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of Haemophilus parasuis, Streptococcus suis, and Mycoplasma hyorhinis in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues with multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This method also determines the prevalence of these bacteria in pigs with polyserositis. DNA extraction with a combination of a commercial reagent and proteinase K resulted in more frequent detection of the pathogens than DNA extraction with proteinase K alone. Among FFPE tissue samples from 312 cases of polyserositis in which at least 1 bacterial species was detected, multiplex nested PCR detected H. parasuis in 239 (77%), S. suis in 124 (40%), and M. hyorhinis in 40 (13%). The disease was caused by a single pathogen in 224 (72%) of the cases and multiple pathogens in 88 (28%). Among the pigs positive for H. parasuis, S. suis, and M. hyorhinis by multiplex nested PCR, the pathogen was isolated from only 11%, 35%, and 28%, respectively. Therefore, the PCR protocol developed in this study is a useful diagnostic method when samples are negative after isolation methods and even for samples in which only 1 pathogen was isolated.     

Decreased activity of brush border membrane-bound digestive enzymes in small intestines from pigs experimentally infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

Brush border membrane-bound digestive enzymes such as disaccharidases (lactase, sucrase, and maltase), leucine aminopeptidase N, and alkaline phosphatase were measured in jejunum from pigs experimentally infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). Three piglets from the infected and control groups were euthanized by electrocution and subjected to necropsy at 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours post-inoculation (hpi). The infection of PEDV to jejunum resulted in significant decreases in brush border membrane-bound digestive enzymes such as disaccharidases (lactase, sucrase, and maltase), leucine aminopeptidase N, and alkaline phosphatase. PEDV replication results in massive destruction of villous enterocytes leading to a marked reduction of intestinal epithelial surface and brush border membrane-bound digestive enzyme activity. Reduced enzymatic activity and villous atrophy in the small intestine is thought to result in a maldigestive and malabsorptive diarrhea.