Identification of guinea pig gammadelta T cells and characterization during pulmonary tuberculosis

Guinea pigs are an alternative small animal model for many disease studies. Here we describe a pan-gammadelta monoclonal antibody (anti-TCRdelta1) specific for the constant region of human T cell receptor delta chains that cross-reacts with a subpopulation of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) lymphocytes. The phenotype and distribution of this subpopulation is consistent with the guinea pig gammadelta T cell subset. FACS analysis of fresh PBMC and splenocytes from na?ve guinea pigs revealed the presence of a subset of cells that stained with the anti-TCRdelta1 mAb. The relative percentage of anti-TCRdelta1 positive cells in PBMC and tissues is similar to that described for gammadelta T cells in other species. Immunohistochemistry of tissues also revealed a distribution of anti-TCRdelta1 positive cells consistent with gammadelta T cells. These data are further supported by staining of a polyclonal guinea pig T cell line that became progressively CD4 and CD8 negative in long-term culture. Analysis of PBMC from guinea pigs following aerosol infection with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis revealed no apparent changes in the steady-state percentage of blood gammadelta+ T cells. Taken together, these data suggest that the anti-TCRdelta1 antibody recognizes the gammadelta T cell subset in guinea pigs. This reagent may be useful for examining gammadelta T cells in various disease models where the guinea pig is a more desirable model for study.     

Anaplastic ependymoma in the cervical spinal cord of a maltese dog

An 8-year and 6-month-old female Maltese dog showed a stoop with rigidity of her cervix and back. Neurologic examination showed loss of proprioception, and deficiency of pain response. Postmortem examination revealed the neoplastic mass replacing the central area in the cervical spinal cord at the level from 4th to 5th segments. Histologically, the mass was composed of neoplastic ependymal cells. The neoplastic cells showed marked atypism, and occasionally formed ependymal rosettes. Based on the morphologic features, the tumor was diagnosed as anaplastic ependymoma. Immunohistochemistry showed that the neoplastic cells were negative for glial fibrillary acid protein, and slightly positive for vimentin and cytokeratin.     

Optimal timing for canine artificial insemination with frozen semen and parentage testing by microsatellite markers in superfecundency

Parentage testing was performed in sixteen litters by canine artificial inseminations with frozen semen from different sires on Days 5 and 7 after the LH surge. It became apparent that only 25% of dams had superfecundation, but 43.8% of dams were whelped after insemination only on Day 5 after the LH surge and 31.3% of dams after insemination only on Day 7. Of the total 87 puppies, 46% were born after insemination on Day 5 after the LH surge and 54% after insemination on Day 7. This result strongly suggested that canine artificial insemination with frozen semen could be sufficiently successful also on Days 5 and 7 after the LH surge.     

Chronic myocardial infarction due to arteriosclerosis of coronary arteries followed by acute thromboembolism of caudal abdominal aorta in a cat

A 10-year-old cat with the paresis of hind limbs was initially diagnosed as a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy followed by acute thromboembolism of caudal abdominal aorta from the findings of the medical examinations. However, this case was proved to be an chronic myocardial infarction due to arteriosclerosis of coronary arteries by the pathologic diagnosis. In the left ventricular, the hypertrophy and the narrowing were slight, and a coagulative infarction was seen obviously. The intramural coronary arteriosclerosis showed thickening of the wall due to medial hyperplasia by fibrosis, and arterial stenosis. Myocardial infarction and arteriosclerosis are scarcely any reports of these lesions in cats. This case is valuable for an extremely rare case of myocardial infarction in the cat.     

Molecular Monitoring of the Main Changes in Bacterial Floral Diversity in the Gastrointestinal Tract of a Thoroughbred Foal with Catarrhal Enteritis by Using PCR-DGGE

In this study, the main changes in bacterial floral diversity in the gastrointestinal tract of a Thoroughbred foal were monitored by using polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The foal died of catarrhal enteritis of the cecum and large colon. Diarrheal feces and gastrointestinal contents were compared with normal feces. The closest relatives of the bacterium in the samples were Lactobacillus johnsonii (100% similarity), uncultured Bacteroides sp. (92.5% similarity), Bacteroides fragilis (96.3% similarity), and Enterococcus faecium/Enterococcus durans (100% similarity); these were detected by PCR-DGGE using a universal primer set. Monitoring revealed that the numbers of Escherichia coli/Shigella sonnei (97.9% similarity) were significantly higher in the diarrheal feces. Thus, PCR-DGGE is a useful tool for monitoring the main changes in bacterial floral diversity occurring in the gastrointestinal tracts of Thoroughbreds.