Immunocytochemical evaluation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition in epithelial tumors of dogs and cats

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in metastasis of epithelial tumors; however, it is challenging to detect EMT by cytology. In the present study, EMT was visualized by fluorescence-immunocytochemistry (FICC). Air-dried smears from epithelial tumors of dogs (n=22) and cats (n=9) were stained using mouse monoclonal anti-E-cadherin and rabbit monoclonal anti‐vimentin antibodies. Enzymatic immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed that 51.6% (8/22 in dogs, 8/9 in cats) of the cases showed EMT. In dogs, FICC could detect EMT in 62.5% (5/8) of those cases. In cats, FICC could detect EMT in 100% (8/8) of the cases. In conclusion, the present FICC method could successfully detect EMT using conventional air-dried cytology smear slides.     

A visceral mycosis in ayu fry, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck & Schlegel, caused by a species of Phoma

Abstract. Epizootics and histopathology of a new visceral mycosis due to fungi impefecti which occurred in farmed ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck & Schlegel, in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan are described. Histopathological examination suggested that fungal infection occurred primarily in the airbladder. A fungus with characteristics of the genus Phoma isolated from diseased fish is described and its taxonomic position discussed.     

Mycobacterium infection in pejerrey, Odonthestes bonariensis Cuvier & Valenciennes

Abstract. Mycobacterium infection was found in pejerrey, Odonthestes bonariensis Cuvier & Valenciennes, with and without saprolegniasis, in Japan. Many typical focal mycobacterial granulomas were found in the kidney, spleen, liver and pancreas, but they were not found in lateral musculature at sites of fungal infection, or in the intestine, ovary, heart and gills of infected fish. The isolated bacterium was photochromogenic and was identified as a rapidly growing species of the genus Mycobacterium.     

Pathogenicity of Saprolegnia species associated with outbreaks of salmonid saprolegniosis in Japan

The present study was conducted to evaluate the pathogenicity and pathology of Saprolegnia salmonis NJM 9851 and Saprolegnia parasitica NJM 9868, isolated from outbreaks of saprolegniosis, against the immature stages of five species of salmonids. The cumulative mortalities of the tested fish groups that were exposed to 2 × 10 ⁵  spore/L concentrations of S. salmonis NJM 9851 were 90% for brown trout, 93.3% for sockeye salmon and 100% for rainbow tout, masu salmon, and Japanese char. In contrast, all salmonid species exposed to 2 × 10 ⁵  spore/L concentrations of S. parasitica NJM 9868 experienced cumulative mortalities of 100%. The histopathological changes of the saprolegniosis lesions found in all sites of infection were loss of the epidermis, edema of the hypodermis and different degrees of degenerative changes in the underlying musculature. It is clear from our results that S. salmonis NJM 9851 and S. parasitica NJM 9868 are highly pathogenic species to five species of salmonid fishes