Immunopathology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dirofilaria immitis</Emphasis> Infection

Heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis affects canine and feline hosts, with infections occasionally being reported in humans. Studies have shown that both dirofilarial antigens and those derived from its bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, interact with the host organism during canine, feline and human infections and participate in the development of the pathology and in the regulation of the host’s immune response. Both innate and acquired immune responses are observed and the development of the acquired response may depend on the host and, or on its parasitological status. This review aims at illustrating current research on the role of both D. immitis and Wolbachia, in the immunology and immunopathology of dirofilariosis.     

DIPHOSPHONATE TREATMENT OF A PRIMARY OSTEOSARCOMA IN A DOG: A CASE REPORT

The following sequence of treatments was administered to a Saint Bernard dog with a primary distal right radius osteosarcoma: 54 days of daily disodium 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonate (HEDP) subcutaneous injections; 53 days of HEDP per os ; one ³²P-HEDP intravenous injection. During the pretreatment period, there was an extensive increase in calcific tumor growth and osteoblastic proliferation. After the subcutaneous HEDP treatment, almost complete tumor necrosis was seen. After the oral HEDP treatment, only the deepest tumor portion contained active osteoblasts, calcific growth of the tumor was completely blocked, and uptake of ^99mTc-Sn-HEDP was reduced to one fourth of the pretreatment uptake. After a single ³²P-HEDP dose, large areas of tumor necrosis were evident histopathologically. However, subsequent resumption of cellular activity occurred in the tumor, and the uptake of ^99mTc-Sn-HEDP increased to pretreatment values. These data suggest that systemically administered HEDP should be studied further for its possible therapeutic potential in the treatment of osteosarcoma and indicate a need for further study of ³²P-HEDP or possibly ³³P-HEDP.     

mRNA差异显示技术、PCR技术及其在动物营养研究中的运用

21世纪将是生命科学的世纪。当前,世界各国都将分子生物学纳入本国科技发展的重点。分子生物学技术的迅速发展为营养科学探索必需营养缺陷的分子基础提供了强有力的实验工具。本文旨在对mRNA差异显示技术、PCR技术等两种最常用的生物技术手段的原理、特点及其在动物营养研究中的应用作一综述。     

安氏隐孢子虫ITS-1序列的PCR扩增、克隆及分析

通过对国内三株安氏隐孢子虫(Cryptosporidium andersoni)即GD株、HN株和AH株的rDNA的内转录间隔区Ⅰ(ITS_1)序列进行PCR扩增、克隆、测序和序列分析,旨在确定ITS_1是否可作为C.andersoni分子分类的遗传标记。结果表明:GD株、HN株和AH株的ITS_1序列基本一致,仅AH株有三个碱基的差异;但与GenBank注册的C.muris和C.parvum存在种间差异,而且差异显著。说明ITS_1可作为C.andersoni种的遗传标记,从而为隐孢子虫属的种间鉴定以及进一步的分子流行病学调查和分子诊断学研究奠定了基础。     

O型口蹄疫病毒VP1 T细胞与B细胞表位基因双拷贝串联表达产物的免疫应答

以一株O型口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)外壳蛋白VP1基因为模板,合成与细胞免疫及体液免疫相关抗原表位肽基因:21-40肽(20AA)和141-160肽(20AA)基因序列,运用基因工程技术构建了含有串联结构21-40(20AA)～141-160(20AA)～21-40(20AA)～141-160(20AA)的2020-2020VP1融合基因表达载体r2020-2020,转化宿主菌BL21(DE3)RIL后诱导表达,表达产物经SDS-PAGE及Western Blot分析显示重组融合蛋白的分子量约为18Ku.动物实验表明,较小剂量的融合蛋白就能诱导豚鼠产生特异性T淋巴细胞增殖反应及抗FMDV中和抗体,证明该融合蛋白可同时激活细胞免疫及体液免疫反应,具有开发成为抗FMDV疫苗的应用价值.     

家蚕P450基因CYP305B1的基因组序列克隆及结构分析

为了研究家蚕P450基因CYP305B1的结构,采用反向PCR技术克隆了家蚕CYP305B1基因的基因组序列,经序列测定,拼接得到家蚕CYP305B1全基因序列,发现家蚕CYP305B1的第1内含子位于5′端非翻译区序列(5′-UTR)中间。将家蚕CYP305B1与野桑蚕P450基因CYP305B1V1序列进行同源性比较的结果表明,二者在5′-UTR上游-400～-770 bp序列间的同源性只有40.4%,序列差异最大的是第1内含子和第6内含子。在第1内含子中,野桑蚕CYP305B1V1在翻译起始密码ATG上游-340之前存在330 bp的插入序列,在-110～-340 bp间二者的同源性也只有46.9%;在第6内含子中,家蚕CYP305B1比野桑蚕CYP305B1V1多了一段约300 bp的插入序列。研究结果有助于进一步探究该基因的转录和调控机制。     

中国华东地区猪生殖-呼吸道综合征病毒(S_1株)ORF_(5～7)基因特征研究

本研究对我国华东地区猪生殖和呼吸综合征病毒（ＰＲＲＳＶ）分离株Ｓ１主要结构蛋白基因（ＯＲＦ５～７）进行了ＰＣＲ扩增和ＤＮＡ测序分析。结果表明，长度为１５２０ｂｐＤＮＡ序列含有３个阅读框ＯＲＦｓ，即ＯＲＦ５、ＯＲＦ６和ＯＲＦ７，ＯＲＦ５和ＯＲＦ６及ＯＲＦ６和ＯＲＦ７间有部分碱基重叠，且与欧洲型和美洲型ＰＲＲＳＶ相似。ＯＲＦｓ推导的氨基酸序列与美国ＶＲ２３３２和欧洲ＬＶ毒株同源性分析为９９％～１００％和５９％～７８％。ＯＲＦｓ预测的蛋白质分子量、等电点、糖基化位点、亲水性分布图及跨膜螺旋区与ＶＲ２３３２毒株相似。     

Present Concepts on the Inflammatory Modulators with Special Reference to Cytokines*

The pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines create a network of interactions between cells that lead to both stimulatory and inhibitory responses that maintain an effective homeostatic regulation. The anti-inflammatory cytokines are a family of peptides that modulate the pro-inflammatory cytokine response. Cytokines act in concert with non-cytokine mediators, such as prostaglandin E₂, glucocorticosteroids, lipocortins, and catecholamines. This review highlights new developments in our understanding of the pathophysiology of inflammation and gives an example of a more recent approach to the modulation of acute systemic inflammatory disorders: activation of ₂-adrenergic receptors on macrophages. In this respect the potent ₂-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol seems of therapeutic interest.     

Mdivi-1, mitochondrial fission inhibitor,impairs developmental competence and mitochondrial function of embryos and cells in pigs

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo constant fusion/fission as well as activities orchestrated by large dynamin-related GTPases. These dynamic mitochondrial processes influence mitochondrial morphology, size and function. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of mitochondrial fission inhibitor, mdivi-1, on developmental competence and mitochondrial function of porcine embryos and primary cells. Presumptive porcine embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with mdivi-1 (0, 10 and 50 μM) for 6 days. Porcine fibroblast cells were cultured in growth medium with mdivi-1 (0 and 50 μM) for 2 days. Our results showed that the rate of blastocyst production and cell growth in the mdivi-1 (50 μM) treated group was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in the mdivi-1 (50 μM) treated group was increased relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Subsequent evaluation revealed that the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the apoptotic index were increased by mdivi-1 (50 μM) treatment (P < 0.05). Finally, the expression of mitochondrial fission-related protein (Drp 1) was lower in the embryos and cells in the mdivi-1-treated group than the control group. Taken together, these results indicate that mdivi-1 treatment may inhibit developmental competence and mitochondrial function in porcine embryos and primary cells.     

3株鸡传染性贫血病毒的全基因组序列分析

通过对3株鸡传染性贫血病毒(CIAV)的全基因组序列比较分析,部分表明广西南宁鸡群CIAV毒株的遗传变异特征。将阳性CIAV的组织样品进行DNA抽提后,运用PCR方法分段扩增CIAV的全基因组,将获得的PCR产物进行基因克隆并进行阳性克隆菌鉴定后送测序。将所获得的基因序列进行拼接成CIAV基因组全长后,应用LaserGene7.1和MEGA4.1软件对CIAV全基因、Viral protein 3(VP3)、Viral protein 1(VP1)和Viral protein 2(VP2)基因序列进行核苷酸、氨基酸同源性分析和遗传进化分析;并对VP1、VP2和VP3蛋白上与毒力、蛋白磷酸酶活性和细胞凋亡相关的氨基酸位点进行分析。结果获得3株CIAV的全基因序列,分别命名为GX1801、GX1804和GX1810;CIAV全基因遗传进化分析表明GX1801、GX1804和GX1810均同属于Group A群,与国内强毒株GD-103和GD-104毒株的亲缘关系较近;基于VP1基因构建的遗传进化树与全基因构建的进化树最相似;GX1801、GX1804和GX1810 VP1蛋白上与毒力相关位点的第75、89、125、141、144、394位氨基酸位点与日本强毒株C368株、国内强毒株GD-103和GD-104株在同一位点保持一致;GX1801、GX1804和GX1810 VP2蛋白上与磷酸酶活性相关的基序(I^94CNCGQFRKH^103)均未发生变异;GX1801、GX1804和GX1810 VP3蛋白与诱导细胞凋亡相关的重要区域(VP3蛋白N端结构域的第1~69位氨基酸)均高度保守。本研究对3株CIAV全基因组进行测定并进行基因分析,获得了其基因组特征,为进一步研究广西CIAV的分子流行和致病性提供参考。