Comparative lung pathology of inbred strain of mice resistant and susceptible to Sendai virus infection.

BALB/cA, DBA/2N and CDF1 (BALB/cA x DBA/2N) mice were inoculated intranasally with the Mol strain of Sendai virus (SV), and their mortality and histopathological lung lesions were compared. BALB/cA and CDF1 were resistant and DBA/2N was susceptible in terms of mortality. The lung lesions of the resistant strains were mild and focal, and limited to the bronchial regions, whereas those of the susceptible stain were severe and diffuse, extending to the alveoli. SV antigen was found mainly in the bronchial epithelium in the resistant strains, but in the susceptible strain, the antigen was found also in many alveolar epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages. SV antigen was detected in neither regenerated bronchial epithelium nor endothelial cells. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was detected immunohistologically in edematous perivascular regions and in some mononuclear cells infiltrating to the regions, suggesting that TNF is involved in the development of lung lesions by SV infection in the three mouse strains.     

Effect of PCB-126 on intracellular accumulation and transepithelial transport of vinblastine in LLC-PK1 and its transformant cells expressing human P-glycoprotein

The effects of 3, 3', 4, 4', 5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB-126), which is the most toxic congener of coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs), on intracellular accumulation and transepithelial transport of vinblastine were examined in porcine kidney cells, LLC-PK1, and its transformant cells expressing human P-glycoprotein (LLC-MDR1). The accumulation decreased less than one-tenth in LLC-MDR1 compared to LLC-PK1. In both cells, the accumulation increased with the addition of PCB-126 and cyclosporine A (CYA), which are P-glycoprotein modulators, though the magnitudes were different in these two cell groups as well as for these two chemicals. Thus, PCB-126 might inhibit extrusion of vinblastine through the drug extrusion system as does CYA. In both the cells, there might be an endogenous drug extrusion system other than P-glycoprotein that was inhibited by CYA or PCB-126. The net basal-to-apical transepithelial transport of vinblastine increased 1.7-fold more in LLC-MDR1 than in LLC-PK1. By adding PCB-126 on the apical side, the transport was greatly decreased by -76% in the monolayer of both cells. By adding PCB-126 and CYA on the basal side in LLC-MDR1 monolayer, the transports increased -1.7-fold, so that PCB-126 might inhibit the extrusion of vinblastine on both the apical and basal sides. One of the causes to be considered for the adverse effects of Co-PCBs, in addition to the binding with an aryl hydrocarbon receptor, might be the modification of drug transport by its interaction with the drug transport system.     

Allele frequency distribution of the canine dopamine receptor D4 gene exon III and I in 23 breeds

Various canine breeds are remarkably different from each other not only in their sizes and shapes but also in behavioral traits, suggesting that some of them are under genetic control. Although dopaminergic neurotransmission system is considered to affect animal behavior, little is known about related genes in canine. Relations between specific alleles in polymorphic regions of the dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4) and personality or psychiatric disorders have been reported in humans, and we first found polymorphism in exon III region of the gene in 4 canine breeds. In this study we surveyed allele frequency distribution in 23 breeds including a total of 1,535 unrelated individuals. In exon III, 8 alleles including a novel allele were identified. A group of breeds in which the alleles 447b, 498 and 549 were frequent tended toward high scores in aggression-related behavioral traits than that with frequent alleles 435 and 447a. Moreover, a polymorphism based on 24 bp insertion/deletion was found in exon I region for the first time in dogs. This information may be of use for candidate gene studies of behavioral variation in dogs.     

Distribution of protoporphyrin in female broiler chickens affected with protoporphyria

One hundred thirty-seven broiler chickens at a poultry meat processing plant had dark green to black livers. Thirty-one chickens of these were collected at random and examined pathologically and biochemically. All of thirty-one chickens were female. The chickens showed mild retarded growth and a remarkable atrophy of the gallbladders. Microscopically, the livers showed dark brown pigments in the Kupffer cells, hepatocytes, and portal triads. These pigments showed birefringence with a Maltese-cross pattern under polarized light. Hyperplasia of the cholangioles, fibrosis, and infiltration of inflammatory cells were present in the portal triads. All the examined samples showed the same dark brown pigments in alveolar walls of the lungs. A high concentration of protoporphyrin was detected in affected livers, marrow, and feces (489, 104, and 116 microg/g wet wt., respectively) by biochemical assay.     

Production of a transgenic pig expressing human albumin and enhanced green fluorescent protein

We introduced a fusion gene of human albumin and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into porcine oocytes using the sperm vector method, and produced a piglet that showed clear expression of GFP in the hooves and skin. PCR and Southern blotting analysis of genomic DNA extracted from the piglet's tissues, including the liver, showed that the tissues carried the transgene. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that both the human albumin and EGFP genes were expressed in the tissues. The fact that human albumin gene was integrated and expressed in the liver of the transgenic pig opened a way for us to achieve our goal, which was the use of transgenic pigs for the bioartificial liver support system.     

Green Tea Prevents Obesity by Increasing Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-1 in Adipose Tissue of High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

It is known that green tea has the ability to prevent obesity, but the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood to date. A preventive mechanism of green tea on obesity in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet was investigated by evaluating the expression levels of obesity-related proteins in mesenteric white adipose tissue by using protein array. An increase in the expression level of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1 by green tea was found in the white adipose tissues of both control and HF diet-fed mice by protein array and confirmed by Western blot. Moreover, the expression level was negatively correlated with adipose tissue weight. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, treatment with green tea and its major polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, induced the expression of IGFBP-1 in a dose-dependent manner by Western blot. In conclusion, IGFBP-1 in adipose tissue is a novel molecule target for the prevention of obesity by green tea.     

Hydrothermal decomposition of various crystalline celluloses as treated by semi-flow hot-compressed water

Various types of crystalline celluloses I, II, III_I, III_II, IV_I and IV_II that have been adjusted for their degree of polymerization were treated by semi-flow hot-compressed water (HCW) at 230–270 °C/10 MPa/15 min to study their hydrothermal decomposition. The treatments resulted in either partial or complete decomposition of the celluloses and the decomposed products were primarily recovered as hydrolyzed, dehydrated and fragmented ones as well as organic acids in the water-soluble (WS) portions. Their results of hydrothermal decomposition and its kinetics revealed that the celluloses decomposition is dependent on the types of crystalline celluloses as well as temperature of the HCW treatment. The outcome from the WS portions at 270 °C/10 MPa/15 min showed that the degree of difficulty for decomposition is lower in group II (cell II, cell III_II, cell IV_II) than group I (cell I, cell III_I, cell IV_I), indicating that group II is less resistant to decomposition by HCW treatment. Therefore, the decomposition behaviors of the cellulose are due to the inherent differences in the crystalline structures.     

Effects of mating on the termination of aggregation by the oak borer,Platypus quercivorus (Murayama) (Curculionidae: Platypodinae) during host colonization

We conducted a field experiment to determine whether logs bored by male Platypus quercivorus beetle were less attractive to conspecifics after beetles had mated. Bored (with male beetles) and unbored logs were placed in a beetle-infested forest and enclosed within a cage. For half of the bored logs, female beetles were released to mate with the male beetles. Log attractiveness was determined by assessing the number of beetles captured on adhesive paper placed on each cage enclosing the log. On the logs on which female beetles were released, the number of beetles captured decreased distinctly after release, and did not differ from the number captured on the unbored logs. In contrast, the number of beetles captured on logs with only unpaired males was higher than the number captured on the unbored logs. This result confirms that the attractiveness of logs bored by male P. quercivorus beetles declines after mating occurs. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for the relaxation of aggregation pheromone following mating for beetles in the subfamily Platypodinae.     

Prevalence of swine Torque teno virus genogroups 1 and 2 in Japanese swine with suspected post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome and porcine respiratory disease complex

Torque teno virus (TTV) was first isolated from a human hepatitis patient in 1997. TTV was also identified in several animals, including pigs, cattle, sheep, cats and dogs. In this study, we analysed the prevalence of swine TTV genogroups 1 (TTV1) and 2 (TTV2) in Japanese swine populations with suspected post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome and porcine respiratory disease by using a nested polymerase chain reaction method. Of 153 serum samples from 16 different herds in Japan, TTV1 was detected in 46 samples (30%), TTV2 in 47 samples (31%) and both in 15 samples (10%). There was no significant difference in the detection rate among geographical regions. The overall prevalence rate of TTV genogroups was significantly lower in ≤30-day-old pigs (11%) compared to that in older age groups (54–82%). These results suggest that swine TTV may be widespread in post-weaning pigs and could play aetiological roles in pig diseases in Japan. This is the first report on the prevalence of swine TTV in Japan.