Effects of genotype matching of feline major histocompatibility complex (FLA) class II DRB on skin-allograft transplantation in cats.

In order to confirm the effects of matching of expressed feline major histocompatibility complex (FLA) class II DRB genotype on transplantation immunity in cats, skin-allogeneic transplantation was carried out between cats, in which DRB genes expressed were genotyped by the RT-PCR-RFLP method using group-specific primers. Duration until grafts were rejected was 14.63 +/- 1.69 days (mean +/- standard deviation) in the pairs that had the same type of subgroups, 7.25 +/- 0.71 days in the pairs that had one different type of subgroup and 6.88 +/- 0.35 days in the pairs that had two different types of subgroups. The duration of graft survival in the pairs with the same type of subgroups was significantly longer (P<0.01) than those in the pairs with different types. Although FLA components involved in transplantation immunity should not only be DRB genes, it was suggested that the expressed FLA-DRB genotype might associate with feline transplantation immunity, and that typing and matching of expressed FLA-DRB genes might be one of the important factors in the control of feline transplantation immunity.     

Serum creatine kinase activities in dogs with dirofilariasis.

Total serum creatine kinase (CK) and its isozyme activities were determined in dogs with dirofilariasis. Before heartworm removal, total CK and isozyme activities in dogs of the mild group were not different from those in dogs of the heartworm-free group. BB activity was higher in dogs of the hemoptysis group. Dogs of the ascites group displayed a mild increase in MM activity. In dogs of the caval syndrome (CS) group, total CK and MM activities were highest among the heartworm-free and heartworm-infected dogs, and MM isozyme accounted for most (75%) of total CK activity. MB and BB activities were also higher. However, there were no significant differences in CK activities between the surviving and non-surviving cases. In dogs with pulmonary heartworm disease (mild and ascites groups), MM activity correlated significantly with the number of heartworms (r = 0.45), hematocrit value (Ht, r = -0.40), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, r = 0.42) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, r = 0.46) activities, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.64) and total pulmonary resistance (r = 0.50). In dogs with CS, MM activity did not correlate with any parameter, but BB activity correlated with the number of heartworms at the right atrium (r = 0.61), Ht (r = -0.53), ALT (r = 0.80), LDH (r = 0.73) and serum urea nitrogen (r = 0.47). At 1 week after heartworm removal, BB and MM activity decreased in dogs of the hemoptysis and ascites groups, respectively. In dogs of the CS group, total CK and MM isozyme activities decreased markedly (P less than 0.01) regardless of their prognosis.     

Cardiopulmonary values in dogs with artificial model of caval syndrome in heartworm disease.

Cardiopulmonary values were determined in dogs with an artificial model of heartworm caval syndrome, which was produced by insertion of heartworm-like silicone tubes into the tricuspid valve orifice and right atrium. Fifteen to 25 tubes with some knots were inserted in 6 dogs (knot group), and 7 to 11 tubes (small-number group) or 29 to 37 tubes (large-number group) without a knot in 3 dogs, respectively. After tube insertion, angiographic contrast medium infused into the right ventricle regurgitated to the right atrium in all cases, and the regurgitation was the most severe in the large-number group. On electrocardiographic findings, the atrial and/or ventricular premature beat developed. The height of a- and v-wave of right atrial pressure curves elevated in all groups. The elevation in v-wave was obvious in the large-number group. The pulmonary arterial pressure tended to fall or to elevate slightly, and total pulmonary resistance increased in all groups. The right cardiac output decreased significantly in all cases. The right heart hemodynamics of the model might resemble those in spontaneous cases without disturbed pulmonary circulation.