Large granular lymphoma in an FIV-positive and FeLV-negative cat

The clinical course of a feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)-negative and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive cat affected with a large granular lymphocyte lymphoma is presented. Cyto-logical examination showed neoplastic cells in the pleural effusion and in two abdominal masses. Bone marrow and peripheral blood were moderately involved and chemotherapy was used to control the tumour. Cytochemistry, immunohis-tochemistry and ultrastructural studies were applied to define the cellular lineage; cytochemistry suggested a T-cell lineage.     

A recombinant-based feline immunodeficiency virus antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

We have developed an antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the identification of animals infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). The ELISA solid-phase antigen consists of recombinant FIV gag proteins expressed in bacteria. The proteins are purified from bacterial lysates as insoluble inclusion bodies. In the case of bacterially expressed p24gag, it is shown that all of the linear, sequential epitopes presented by viral p24 during infection are retained. Purified preparations can be substituted for solid-phase whole virus in the IDEXX PetChektm immunoassay. The antibody ELISA duplicates the sensitivity and specificity of the whole virus based PetChek plate assay.     

Immunocytochemical Study of the Ultimobranchial Tubule in Wistar Rats

A systematic immunohistochemical study of the ultimobranchial tubule (UBT) has been carried out in 45 Wistar rats of different ages (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60 and 120 days). The existence of calcitonin immunoreactive cells in the UBT wall has been demonstrated in a 5-days old rat. In addition, immunohistochemical studies for thyroglobulin revealed positive staining in follicular cells connected to the UBT and, occasionally, in isolated cells lying within solid clusters from the UBT. These last results together with the continued and repeated existence of numerous mitosis and PAS (+) microfollicles, apparently rising from the UBT, support the hypothesis that the ultimobranchial body (UBB) may contribute partially to the formation of a part of the follicular component.     

Maturation of functional antibody affinity in animals immunised with synthetic foot-and-mouth disease virus.

A good correlation exists between specific neutralising antibody titre and protection against challenge with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in infected or virus-vaccinated cattle, but not in the case of animals immunised with synthetic FMDV peptides. Therefore, mechanisms other than simple neutralisation are likely to be important in vivo. Antibody affinity may influence the protective capacity of sera from immunised animals and experiments were carried out to measure the functional affinity for synthetic FMDV peptide of sera from guinea pigs and cattle given various synthetic vaccines. In guinea pigs given a single dose of synthetic vaccine, antibody affinity increased with time after immunisation. In cattle, however, administration of a second dose of peptide 21 days after the first markedly retarded the process of affinity maturation. For guinea pig sera of equivalent neutralising activity, those of higher functional affinity had higher protective indices than those of lower functional affinity. Knowledge of the importance of antibody affinity in protection against FMD is important for an improved understanding of the mechanisms of protection and for the design of novel vaccines.     

Dietary preferences of domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) grazing on natural Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian ranges. IV. Attempted description of the diet by micro-histological analyses of samples collected by shepherds, esophageal boluses and feces from cattle and sheep

A research program to study tropical pastures used by domestic livestock was implemented in Senegal. During field studies, numerous information was collected together with many samples with three main aims: pasture composition, diet composition and relationship between each other. The so-called method of epiderms, more often used in temperate areas, was chosen for analyzing and comparing the botanical composition of 105 samples, e.g., shepherd's hand-picking, alimentary bolus and faeces collected during a twelve-month period. In view of the results, some methodological problems are raised and discussed.     

Use of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) in the detection of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), antibodies to Edwardsiella ictaluri

Abstract. The use of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) for the detection of channel catfish antibody to Edwardsiella ictaluri is described. Changes in agglutination titre in fish immunized with Edwardsiella ictaluri heat killed whole bacterins or lipopolysaccharides were reflected by corresponding changes in elisa readings. Relatively high correlations were observed among elisa OD readings, computed elisa titres and corresponding agglutination titres.     

Serum amyloid A protein (SAA) in horses: objective measurement of the acute phase response

A sensitive and precise immunoassay for equine serum amyloid A protein (SAA) was established and used to determine, for the first time, the circulating concentration of this protein in health and disease. As in other species, equine SAA was present only at trace levels in healthy animals but behaved as an extremely sensitive and rapidly responding acute phase reactant following most forms of tissue injury, infection and inflammation, objectively reflecting the extent and activity of disease. Measurements of SAA should make a significant contribution to diagnosis and management of viral and bacterial infection in horses, and routine serial assays could provide an objective criterion for monitoring prospectively the general health of horses in training and racing.     

Host immune response to northern fowl mite: immunoblot and lectin blot identification of mite antigens

White leghorn hens were experimentally infested with northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and antibody responses to mite immunogens were monitored over 12 weeks. Mite burdens increased during the early phase of infestation and declined over the latter weeks of the study. Antigen was prepared from homogenized whole mites, which were then sonicated and extracted with non-ionic detergent. Antigen extract was fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and antibody-reactive polypeptides were identified by immunoblotting. At the start of infestation, hens had natural, pre-existing antibodies that reacted with several mite-extract components. Individual hens had different natural antibody reactivities; however, all birds had immunoglobulins reactive with extract polypeptides of 117,000, 77,000 and 36,000 molecular weight. A variety of mite extract components reacted with hen antibodies generated in response to experimental infestation. The number of antibody-reactive mite polypeptides increased through week 8 of infestation and then decreased by week 12. Fifteen polypeptides of northern fowl mite extract were reactive with antibodies developed by the majority of infested birds. These commonly reactive polypeptides had molecular weights ranging from 40,000 to 160,000. Glycoconjugates of fractionated mite extract were identified by blotting with lectins that have different carbohydrate binding specificities. Also identified were lectins that bound extract components with the same molecular weights as those moieties complexed by immunoglobulins of infested birds.     

Antitumor effect of adriamycin entrapped in liposomes conjugated with anti-bovine tumor antigen monoclonal antibody in leukemic cows

Monoclonal antibody c143 against tumor-associated antigen (TAA) expressed on bovine leukemia cells was conjugated to liposomes containing adriamycin (ADM), and therapeutic effects of conjugates were examined in leukemic or preleukemic cows to prevent the progression of the disease. Five cows with TAA-positive in their peripheral blood lymphocytes were divided into two groups. Each group of cows received 4 injections of ADM alone (0.4 mg/kg) or c143-conjugated liposomes containing the same dose of ADM (L-AMD-c143) through the jugular vein at about 4 day intervals. In three animals treated with L-ADM-c143, the TAA-positive cells gradually decreased with treatment and finally two animals became TAA-negative during a 6 week period and a 14 week period after treatment, respectively. In the control, two animals treated with ADM alone showed only a slight decrease of TAA-positive cells.     

Impact of postovulatory food deprivation on the ova transport, hormonal profiles and metabolic changes in sows.

The effect of food deprivation on ova transport, hormonal profiles and metabolic changes was studied in 20 crossbred multiparous sows during their second oestrus after weaning. To determine the time of ovulation, transrectal ultrasonographic examination was performed. The sows were divided into 2 groups, one control group (C-group), which was fed according to Swedish standards, and one experimental group (E-group). The E-group sows were deprived of food from the first morning meal after ovulation until slaughter. Blood samples were collected every second hour from about 12 h before expected ovulation in the second oestrus after weaning until slaughter and were analysed for progesterone, prostaglandin F2 alpha-metabolite, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids and triglycerides. All sows were slaughtered approximately 48 h after ovulation and the genital tract was recovered. The isthmic part of the oviduct was divided into 3 equally long segments and flushed separately with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Uterine horns were also flushed with PBS. A significantly greater number of ova were found in the first and second part of the isthmus in the E-group (p = 0.05) while in the C-group most of the ova were found in the third part of the isthmus or the uterus (p = 0.01). The level of prostaglandin F2 alpha-metabolite was significantly higher in the E-group compared with the C-group. The concentration of progesterone increased in both groups after ovulation but there were no significant differences between the groups. The other blood parameters showed that the food-deprived sows were in a catabolic state. The 48 h period of fasting results, directly or indirectly in an delayed ova transport, which may be due to a delayed relaxation in the smooth circular muscle layer of the isthmus.