Characterization of an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in calves with respect to the acute-phase response

Our objective was to develop a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in calves to evaluate the acute-phase response with respect to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, fever development and sickness behaviour. Fourteen 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves were included and randomly assigned to a negative control group (n = 3) and an LPS-challenged group (n = 11). The latter received an intravenous bolus injection of 0.5 μg of LPS/kg body weight. Blood collection and clinical scoring were performed at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, 32, 48, 54 and 72 h post LPS administration (p.a.). In the LPS group, the following clinical signs were observed successively: tachypnoea (on average 18 min p.a.), decubitus (29 min p.a.), general depression (1.75 h p.a.), fever (5 h p.a.) and tachycardia (5 h p.a.). Subsequent to the recovery from respiratory distress, general depression was prominent, which deteriorated when fever increased. One animal did not survive LPS administration, whereas the other animals recovered on average within 6.1 h p.a. Moreover, the challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, with peaking levels at 1, 3.5, 24 and 18 h p.a., respectively. The present LPS model was practical and reproducible, caused obvious clinical signs related to endotoxemia and a marked change in the studied inflammatory mediators, making it a suitable model to study the immunomodulatory properties of drugs in future research.     

Identification of the tet(B) resistance gene in Streptococcus suis

The tetracycline resistance gene, tet(B), has been described previously in Gram negative bacteria. In this study tet(B) was detected in plasmid extracts from 17/111 (15%) Streptococcus suis isolates from diseased pigs, representing the first report of this resistance gene in Gram positive bacteria.     

Transmission of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among pigs during transportation from farm to abattoir

The prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pigs at abattoirs is higher than in pigs sampled on farms. This study investigated whether MRSA negative pigs can become MRSA positive during transportation from the farm to the abattoir after exposure to other pigs and environmental sources of MRSA. Nasal swabs were collected from four batches of pigs during loading at the farm, on arrival at the abattoir and after stunning. Environmental wipes were taken from lorries after transporting pigs and from lairages after holding pigs. All pigs (n = 117) tested MRSA negative before transportation. On arrival at the abattoir, 12/117 (10.3%) pigs in two batches tested MRSA positive. In lorries that tested positive after transportation, the prevalence of MRSA positive pigs was 21.1%, whereas no MRSA was detected in pigs that had been transported in lorries that tested negative after transportation. At stunning, all batches and 70/117 (59.8%) pigs tested MRSA positive. Pigs can become MRSA positive in the short period of time during transportation from the farm to stunning at the abattoir.     

Serum biomarker profiling in cancer studies: a question of standardisation?

Companion animals are exposed to similar environmental conditions and carcinogens as humans. In some animal cancers, there also appears to be the same genetic changes associated as in humans. However, little work has been carried out in cancer biomarker identification in animals. The recent dramatic advances in molecular medicine, genomics, proteomics and translational research will allow biomarker identification, which may provide the best strategies for veterinarians and clinicians to combat disease by early diagnosis and administration of effective treatments. Proteomics may have important applications in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and predictive clinical outcome that could directly change clinical practice by affecting critical elemen‐ts of care and management. This review summarizes the advances in proteomics that has propelled us to this exciting age of clinical proteomics, and highlights the future work that is required for this to become a reality. In this review, we will discuss the available proteomic technologies and their limitations, and highlight the key areas of research and how they have been used to discover cancer biomarkers. The principles described here are equally applicable to human and animal disease, but implementation of ‘omic’ technologies requires stringent guidelines for collection of clinical material, the application of analytical techniques and interpretation of the data.     

绵羊多羔主效基因BMPR1B的研究进展

骨形态发生蛋白受体1B(Bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1B,BMPR1B)是一种重要的跨膜受体蛋白,主要参与转化生长因子β(TGF-β)通路,其在调控成骨分化、细胞扩散以及卵巢卵泡发育等过程中起重要作用,并直接影响如绵羊等动物的繁殖性状。绵羊BMPR1B基因发生A746G突变(命名为FecB突变),导致第249位氨基酸由谷氨酰胺(Q)转变为精氨酸(R),进而使得绵羊排卵数和产羔数显著增加,因此BMPR1B成为目前最受关注的绵羊多羔主效基因。论文就绵羊BMPR1B基因定位、功能机制研究进展及其对高繁殖力绵羊的影响进行了综述,同时也对BMPR1B功能研究中一些亟待解决的问题展开了讨论。     

雏鸡中枢免疫器官内B淋巴细胞变化规律

为了研究雏鸡在正常发育过程中免疫器官内B淋巴细胞的变化规律,以不同日龄的SPF鸡为研究对象,用流式细胞术检测鸡脾脏、胸腺及法氏囊内IgA+、IgG+及IgM+B淋巴细胞含量的变化情况。结果显示,在脾脏中,4日龄时B淋巴细胞含量比较多,7日龄时B淋巴细胞含量下降,随后,7至21日龄细胞含量逐渐升高;胸腺内则是在4日龄时IgM+B淋巴细胞含量相对较高,而IgA+、IgG+B淋巴细胞几乎没有;在法氏囊中,IgA+、IgG+及IgM+B淋巴细胞含量在4至14日龄时逐渐升高,并且IgA+和IgG+细胞含量在21日龄时基本趋于稳定,但是IgM+B细胞含量则在21日龄时有所下降。试验结果表明,雏鸡出壳后各免疫器官B淋巴细胞始终以IgM+细胞含量最多。     

牛GM-CSF与金黄色葡萄球菌黏附素FnBPB共表达质粒的构建与原核表达

采用PCR方法对牛粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子(GM-CSF)和金黄色葡萄球菌FnBPB的D区进行特异性的扩增,并通过重叠延伸PCR扩增GM-CSF-FnBPB串联基因,构建了克隆质粒pMD19-GM-CSF-FnBPB。利用表达载体pET-32a(+)对该融合基因片段进行原核表达,SDS-PAGE分析表明,在1mmol/L IPTG诱导浓度下,在39ku处出现了与目的蛋白一致的外源蛋白带,Western blot分析表明,该蛋白具有反应原性,进而证明该融合基因成功在原核细胞中表达。     

Preliminary Study on NF-κB Signaling Pathway Regulating Brucella Intracellular Survival Molecular Mechanisms

By the infection of Brucella virulent strain and attenuated strain in mice macrophage RAW264.7,the assay was aimed to explore the relationship between NF-κB signaling pathways and Brucella virulent strain and attenuated strain in intracellular survival.Use different MOI Brucella (2308,RB51,16M and M5) to infect mice macrophage RAW264.7,after 0,4,8 and 24 h infected,cracking cell and collecting supernatant,we detected the effect of Brucella on activation of NF-κB signaling pathway by Western blotting.Different concentrations of NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor were incubated with mice macrophage RAW264.7,with different multiplicities of infection (MOI) of Brucella infecting cells,ELISA kits to detect the expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 cytokine;At the same time,count the number of intracellular bacteria of CFU.The results showed that rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 could strongly activate NF-κB signaling pathway,smooth cattle Brucella strains 2308 was weak in the activation;At the same time,the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway was concentration dependent.When the MOI was 80,infection time was 8 h,NF-κB activation degrees of rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 and smooth cattle Brucella strains 2308 were the strongest,and this pathway was involved in producing TNF-α and IL-6;NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor BAY11-7082 affected Brucella intracellular survival.So rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 intracellular survival and NF-κB signaling pathway activity were closely related.The results laid the foundation for the further study of Brucella intracellular pathogenesis,also provided scientific basis for the research of new drugs to Brucella,and prevention and treatment of brucellosis.     

网状内皮组织增生病病毒特异性杂交瘤细胞培养液中单克隆抗体的效价动态

为获取网状内皮组织增生病病毒(REV)单克隆抗体的最高抗体滴度,在含10%胎牛血清的DMEM培养液中培养对REV特异性的杂交瘤细胞株11B154。每1 mL培养液中平均含0.65×106 个活细胞,于37 ℃在含7% CO2的培养箱中继续培养。在24、48、72和96 h后,每1 mL培养液中的平均总细胞数和活细胞数分别是:1.13×106和1.03×106 (活细胞占94.5%)、3.42×106和2.48×106(活细胞占72.5%)、2.6×106和0.98×106 (活细胞占37.7%)、2.47×106和0.53×106(活细胞占21.5%)。同时用细胞培养上清液对REV感染的鸡胚成纤维细胞作间接荧光抗体试验,在培养24、48、72和96 h后上清液中平均抗体效价分别是1:67、1:133、1:67及1:33。结果表明,培养48 h后,当细胞总数及活细胞总数最高但活细胞百分比开始下降时的培养液中抗体效价最高。该研究结果可作为用细胞培养方法大批量生产抗REV单抗的技术参数。     

Nisin 对 Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 和 Bifidobac

在MRS平板上，采用琼脂扩散法测定了Nisin对Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5和Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-12生长的抑制作用。当Nisin浓度≥50ug/ml时，对Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5表现出强烈的抑制作用，而Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-12则几乎不生长，即使Nisin的浓度仅为25ug/ml，当L.acidophilus La-5和B.bifidum Bb-12单独或两者共同在37℃发酵10％（w/w)还原脱脂奶时，脱脂奶中添加的50ug/ml Nisin对B.bifidum Bb-12表现出杀菌作用，而对L.acidophilus La-5则为抑菌作用。当延长培养时间后。L.acidophilus La-5的存在可以降低Nisin对B.bifidum Bb-12的致死作用。