Immunolocalization of INSL3 in dog foetal Leydig cells and the LGR8 receptor in the gubernaculum testis

Oxidative stress parameters; thiobarbituric acid reaction substances (RBC-TBARS), catalase (RBC-CAT) and reduced glutathione (RBC-GSH)) and the intraerythrocytic concentrations of electrolytes; sodium and potassium (RBC-Na and RBC-K) were determined in 18 well- controlled (WC) and 22 poorly-controlled diabetic mellitus (DM). Dogs with DM had significant higher blood glucose concentration (P < 0.001), haemoglobin A1c (P < 0.01) and fructosamine (P < 0.001) compared to normal healthy dogs (n = 19). Diabetic dogs in both groups had higher RBC-CAT (P < 0.05) while RBC-TBARS were higher significantly only in poorly-controlled DM group (P < 0.05). The RBC-K was significantly higher in both DM groups (P < 0.001). No changes in RBC-GSH and RBC-Na were found between DM and control healthy dogs. By linear regression analysis, the relationship were found between degree of diabetic mellitus and RBC-CAT, RBC-TBARS, RBC-Na and RBC-K. The relationship was also found between oxidative stress parameters and intraerythrocytic K⁺. The results suggest that in diabetic dogs, oxidative stress occurs which related to the severity of disease and may affect potassium homeostasis.     

Time Course of In Vitro Maturation of Compact Cumulus Horse Oocytes after Roscovitine‐Induced Meiotic Inhibition: Effects on the Coordination Between Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Maturation

This study was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of a pre‐maturation step in improving the coordination between cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation of horse compact cumulus oocytes by the addition of roscovitine (ROSC). Oocytes were collected by scraping and pre‐cultured for 18 h in a maturation medium TCM199 supplemented with pyruvate, LH, FSH, insulin growth factor (IGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin, transferrin and selenium (IVM‐ROSC) or in a simple medium (M199‐ROSC). After pre‐maturation, oocytes from both the groups were in part denuded and fixed‐stained and in part in vitro matured to assess the kinetic of in vitro maturation (IVM). The nuclear progression and the cytoskeletal organization of microfilaments and cortical granules (CG) of treated and untreated oocytes were assessed by fluorescent probes. Oocytes immediately fixed after recovery and oocytes pre‐cultured in M199‐ROSC for 18 h did not show metaphase II (MII) plates, whereas in IVM‐ROSC group, 6/69 oocytes (8.7%) showed MII plates. After inhibition, during maturation kinetics at 11, 18 and 29 h, maturation rate of M199‐ROSC group progressively increased and at 29 h of IVM, reached the maturation rate of control group (13/66, 19.7% vs 31/125, 24.8%). No statistically significant differences in cytoplasmic maturation were found. The number of MII plates after 29 h of IVM, was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in IVM‐ROSC group (34/90) compared with M199‐ROSC (13/66) and control groups (31/125) as well as the number of oocytes with microfilaments and CG distributed in cortical region (25/34 vs 3/13 and 7/31 respectively). Our results showed that pre‐culturing in the presence of Roscovitine in a fully supplemented maturation medium containing gonadotropins and growth factors partially suppressed the meiotic maturation, but established a more suitable environment for improving cytoplasmic maturation of horse compact cumulus oocytes as defined by microfilaments and CG configuration.     

Seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus and Toxoplasma gondii in stray cat colonies in northern Italy and correlation with clinical and laboratory data

Stray cat colonies in urban and rural areas of Lombardy, northern Italy, were surveyed for seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) antigen and Toxoplasma gondii IgG. Of 316 cats tested, 6.6% were positive for FIV and 3.8% were positive for FeLV infection; 203 cats were tested for T gondii IgG antibodies and a prevalence of 30.5% was detected. Statistical analysis tested the influence of provenience, age, gender, health status and laboratory results on seroprevalence and found male gender and adult age were risk factors for FIV infection. FIV-infected cats were more likely to have a decreased red blood cell count than FIV seronegative cats. No predictors were significantly associated with FeLV and T gondii seropositivity. Colony cats in this study posed a limited risk for retrovirus infection to pet cats allowed outdoors, whereas toxoplasmosis exposure was comparable with the worldwide data.     

Development of DNA Extraction and PCR Amplification Protocols for Detection of Mycoplasma bovis Directly from Milk Samples

Veterinary Research Communications - Cremonesi, P., Vimercati, C., Pisoni, G., Perez, G., Miranda Ribera, A., Castiglioni, B., Luzzana, M., Ruffo, G. and Moroni, P., 2007. Development of DNA...     

Development of a microarray platform for detection of milk pathogens: preliminary results

Veterinary Research Communications -     

Characterization of a population of unique granular lymphocytes in a bitch deciduoma, using a panel of histo- and immunohistochemical markers

The ovaries and uterus were collected after ovariohysterectomy from a 16-month-old Labrador bitch in diestrus that never mated. Discrete swellings were found in the uterine horns, with the macroscopic appearance of normal early pregnancy. At histologic examination, the endometrium, devoid of any conceptus and chorion, showed a marked proliferation, on the basis of which a diagnosis of deciduoma was made. A remarkable population of stromal eosinophilic granular lymphocytes was present, especially in the axis of the endometrial folds. Periodic acid-Schiff and Dolichos biflorus-lectin histochemical reaction and a panel of 10 immunohistochemical markers were used to characterize eosinophilic granular cells. Our findings allowed us to compare these granular cells with the granulated decidual cells, whose presence was until now described only in primates, rodents, or a few other epitheliochorial species. On the basis of our results, the importance of eosinophilic granular cells in a decidualization process is hypothesized to occur also in the bitch.     

Immunohistochemical study of the pre- and postnatal innervation of the dog lower urinary tract: morphological aspects at the basis of the consolidation of the micturition reflex

Immunohistochemical studies were performed on male and female bladder and urethra collected from 4 adults dogs and 10 foetal specimens with crown-rump length from 53 to 155 mm (medium-sized breeds, presumptive 38 days of gestation to term). A panel of antisera was tested, including PGP 9.5 to describe the general intramural innervation, ChAT and TH to depict the cholinergic and nor-adrenergic components and NOS1, CGRP, SP, NPY, VIP, SOM, GAL, 5-HT to investigate the possible nitrergic, peptidergic and aminergic ones. A rich cholinergic innervation was present in adult bladder and urethra, along with a lesser number of adrenergic nerves and a small number of nitrergic ones. Either bladder or urethra received numerous CGRP-, SP-, NPY-, VIP-containing nerve fibres which were distributed throughout the muscle layers. All over the lower urinary tract strong to weak ChAT-, CGRP-, SP- and NPY-immunoreactivity was detected in intramural ganglia, in peripheral nerve bundles and around blood vessels. 5-HT-immunoreactive endocrine cells were present in the urethral epithelium. Early foetal organs were supplied only by cholinergic nerve fibres. Few NOS-, CGRP- and SP-ergic components appeared at the end of pregnancy. It can be guessed that sensory mediators such as CGRP and SP increase in postnatal ages while other neuropeptides, such as NPY and VIP, appear only after birth, as the urinary reflex consolidates.