Association of tumor-associated antigen on the proliferation of bovine leukemia virus-infected lymphoblastoid B-cell lines.

The association of tumor-associated antigen (TAA) on the proliferation of BLV-infected lymphoblastoid B-cell lines (BL2M3 and BL312) was investigated. Flow cytometric analysis of the expression of TAA with monoclonal antibody (mAb) c143 showed high expression of TAA on the surfaces of BL2M3 and BL312 cells. A large amount of TAA was found in the culture supernatant of BL2M3 and BL312 cells as well as in the lysates of BL2M3 and BL312 cells. Culture supernatant but not lysates of BL2M3 and BL312 cells promoted the growth of either BL2M3 cells or BL312 cells. Furthermore, this growth promoting activity in culture supernatants of BL2M3 and BL312 cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when cultured with mAb c143. These results suggested that TAA may be involved in the growth factor-mediated cell growth of bovine B-lymphoblastoid cell lines expressing TAA on their cell surface.     

Anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies detected in sera of dogs naturally infected with Babesia gibsoni.

Due to the potential for anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies as possible enhancers of erythrocyte destruction, the presence of serum anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 31 dogs with Babesia gibsoni infection admitted to a veterinary hospital was investigated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting analyses. This infection resulted in an increase of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 84% (IgG) and 74% (IgM) of 31 infected dogs, respectively. This was confirmed by the similarity in the protein profiles of the erythrocyte membrane antigens immunoblotted with rabbit antiserum to dog erythrocyte membrane antigens and infected dog serum. These results suggest the production of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies was induced by B. gibsoni infection.     

Polypoid eosinophilic cystitis with pseudosarcomatous proliferative tissue in a dog

A dog presented with hematuria, and two small polypoid masses were detected in the urinary bladder. Histopathologically, the masses were located in the mucosal or submucosal layer. That tissue consisted of a random proliferation of spindle-shaped, round and pleomorphic cells with single or multiple large atypical nuclei and abundant cytoplasm, and eosinophil infiltration. These large cells were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining as fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and macrophages. Mitotic figure was rarely seen. These masses were diagnosed as eosinophilic polypoid cystitis with pseudosarcomatous proliferative tissue, since they consisted of a wide variety of cells and showed low growth activity.     

Identification of a resistant protein from scallop shell extract and its bile acid-binding activity

In this study, we showed that feeding rats the organic extract of scallop shells (scallop shell extract) caused a decrease in the weights of white adipose tissues in rats fed a high-fat diet. In addition, the cholesterol concentration in the serum of rats that received a diet containing scallop shell extract was significantly lower than that in the serum of rats on the control diet. Feeding this scallop shell extract to rats increased the fecal weight as well as the fecal excretion of bile acids. The amino acid composition of the feces from rats fed the scallop shell extract was different from that of feces from rats fed the control diet, and treatment of the extract with pepsin and pancreatin identified a protein with a molecular weight of 90 kDa (90-kDa protein) as one of the indigestible proteins. Interestingly the 90-kDa protein was found to be identical to a free radical-scavenging protein we previously identified and showed the ability to bind bile acids. These results suggest that indigestible proteins (resistant proteins) in the scallop shell extract, including the 90-kDa protein, inhibit the absorption of bile acid by binding to it and cause increased excretion of fecal bile acid, which subsequently may decrease the serum cholesterol level.     

Distribution of inclusion bodies in tissues from 100 dogs infected with canine distemper virus

One hundred dogs that were positive for canine distemper virus antigen and inclusion bodies in the tonsils were examined for the distribution of inclusion bodies in various tissues. Inclusion bodies were found in the lungs (70 dogs), brains (20 dogs), urinary bladders (73 dogs), stomachs (78 dogs), spleens (77 dogs), and lymph nodes (81 dogs) of the dogs. Based on these results, the tonsils may be the most suitable tissue for detection of inclusion bodies in canine distemper.     

Prognostic significance of surgical margin, Ki-67 and cyclin D1 protein expression in grade II canine cutaneous mast cell tumor

The prognosis for canine cutaneous mast cell tumor (CCMT) is thought to be correlated with histopathological grading. However, the wide variety of histopathologic types of grade II is one of the most troublesome and difficult points for prognosis. The objective of this study is to determine the prognostic value of surgical margin, ki-67 and cyclin D1 protein expression in grade II tumor. Surgically resected specimens of solitary grade II CCMT from 48 dogs with follow-up periods over 360 days (median was 1080 days) were used in this study. The expression of cyclin D1 and ki-67 proteins was determined by morphometrically using slides stained immunocytochemically, and the correlations among the results, survival rate, and recurrence and/or metastasis rate of each dog were analyzed statistically. The recurrence and/or metastasis and mortality rate in the incomplete surgical excision group within 30 months postoperatively were higher than that of the complete surgical excision group. In the incomplete surgical excision group, dogs with low positive staining of ki-67 had a significantly better survival, but the recurrence and metastasis rate and ki-67 positivity failed to show a significant correlation. Only a small number of cases showed cyclin D1-positive tumor cells, but most of them had a poor outcome with a high recurrence rate. In grade II CCMT, incomplete excision induced a relatively high metastasis rate and poor prognosis. Ki-67 positivity is a marker for the estimation of overall survival in incomplete surgical excision cases. Cyclin D1 positivity was low and may not have a prognostic role.     

A canine case of skull base meningioma treated with hydroxyurea

An 11-year-old female miniature schnauzer was tentatively diagnosed with the skull base meningioma, based on several examinations. Because surgical treatment was difficult, and outpatient radiation therapy was not available in the local area, chemotherapy with hydroxyurea combined with dexamethasone was selected. The patient's clinical symptoms improved after one week of treatment, and the tumor size was obviously reduced on MRI performed 37 days after treatment began. The patient received hydroxyurea for 7 months, with symptoms remaining stable, and the tumor re-increased to almost the same size at 7 months as that at the initial examination. At that time, hydroxyurea was discontinued. The patient died from pulmonary edema 14 months after treatment began. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a meningioma.     

Identification of domestic cat hepadnavirus from a cat blood sample in Japan

The hepatitis B virus (Hepadnaviridae) induces chronic hepatitis and hepatic cancer in humans. A novel domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) was recently identified in several countries, however, the DCH infection status of cats in Japan is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the DCH infection rate of 139 cat samples collected in Japan. We identified one positive blood sample (0.78%) from a 17-year-old female cat with chronically elevated alanine aminotransferase. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the DCH strain identified in this study is genetically different from strains in other countries. Further investigations are required to elucidate the evolution of DCH and the impact of DCH infection on hepatic diseases in domestic cats.