Suppressive effect of deoxynivalenol, a Fusarium mycotoxin, on bovine and porcine neutrophil chemiluminescence: an in vitro study

We evaluated the immunotoxicity of deoxynivalenol (DON), a Fusarium mycotoxin, on bovine and porcine neutrophils in vitro by using two function parameters, luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and random migration under agarose. A 2-hr DON treatment suppressed the chemiluminescence of bovine and porcine cells by 42% and 35% (on average) at 10(-5)M, and by 19% and 26% at 10(-6)M. Slight suppression was observed at concentrations lower than 10(-6)M. However, after an 18-hr DON treatment, random migration of neutrophils of both species remained unaffected, even at the highest concentration (10(-5)M). Although further extensive studies are needed, to our knowledge this is the first study to have revealed in vitro that DON can affect neutrophil function.     

B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma with multinucleated giant cells in a cat

A 10-year-old male mixed breed cat died after six months history of intermittent vomiting and weight loss. At necropsy, large white-colored foci were found in both kidneys, and whitish thickening of the gastric wall was present at the pyloric part of the stomach. Histopathological examination revealed that both lesions consisted of proliferation of large-sized neoplastic lymphocytes intermingled with multinucleated giant cells. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for both B-cell antigen receptor complex (CD 79 alpha cy) and MHC class II, although multinucleated giant cells were negative. The present case was diagnosed as B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma with multinucleated giant cells.     

Antiallergic Effect of Picholine Olive Oil-in-Water Emulsions through β-Hexosaminidase Release Inhibition and Characterization of Their Physicochemical Properties

The inhibitory effect of Picholine olive oil from Montpellier in Southern France on the chemical mediator release in type I allergy, using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells, was investigated. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions prepared using Picholine olive oil showed an inhibitory effect on the chemical mediator release and decreased expressions of genes related to type I allergy in RBL-2H3 cells. We then measured the phenolic compounds present in Picholine olive oil using high-performance liquid chromatography and investigated some physical properties, such as droplet size, size distribution, viscosity, and surface tension of the resulting olive O/W emulsions. Our findings indicate that Picholine olive oil has high flavonoids content, especially apigenin, and the prepared emulsion of Picholine olive oil resulted in a considerable small size distribution, with an average droplet size of 170 nm.     

Toxicity of wild juvenile “komonfugu” Takifugu flavipterus in the Bay of Sanriku Coast,Tohoku Area,Northern Japan

To clarify the mechanism of tetrodotoxin (TTX) accumulation in pufferfish, we compared the toxicity of two sets of wild juvenile “komonfugu” Takifugu flavipterus. The first set was sampled from Onisawa Fishing Port (FP) located in Okirai Bay, the Pacific Coast of Sanriku, Tohoku Area, Northern Japan. The second set was collected from the Onisawa FP and reared in an outdoor laboratory tank supplied with different seawater (Yoshihama Bay). The fish were sampled regularly and on the same days. The amount of TTX (mouse unit (MU)/fish) in the fish at Onisawa FP increased until 20 days and thereafter it did not change, while the amount of TTX in the fish in the laboratory tank remained low, and the TTX concentration (MU/g fish) decreased. Next, we compared the toxicity of wild juvenile T. flavipterus collected from Okirai Bay (Onisawa FP and Okirai FP) and Yoshihama Bay (Yoshihama FP). Large differences in TTX levels were observed among the fish from the three FPs. The amounts and concentrations of TTX in the fish at Onisawa FP were higher than those in the fish from the other two FPs. These results indicate that a large variation in toxic activity exists in the juvenile T. flavipterus in the bay of the Sanriku Coast.

     

Proteome analysis of whole and water‐soluble proteins in masseter and semitendinosus muscles of Holstein cows

To assess both quantitative and qualitative differences between the slow‐ and fast‐type muscles, masseter (slow) and semitendinosus (fast) from four Holstein cows were analyzed by two‐dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE) and mass spectrometry. The proteome analysis identified 27 spots as 20 proteins in the whole protein fraction extracted with 8 mol/L urea solution, and 16 spots were identified as 11 proteins in the water‐soluble protein fraction. Two slow‐type myofibrillar proteins (myosin light chain‐1 slow‐b and myosin light chain‐2 slow), and aconitase‐2 mitochondria were present at higher levels in the masseter muscle (P < 0.05). Four fast‐type myofibrillar proteins (myosin light chain‐1 fast, myosin light chain‐2 fast, myosin light chain‐3 fast and tropomyosin‐1), and three enzymes of glycolytic pathway (enolase‐3, aldolase‐A and triosephosphate isomerase), were present at higher levels in the semitendinosus muscle (P < 0.05). Our proteome analysis showed that the composition of sarcoplasmic proteins as well as myofibrillar proteins was clearly different between slow‐ and fast‐type muscles.     

Pharmacokinetics of fentanyl after single intravenous injection and constant rate infusion in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the plasma concentration and define the pharmacokinetic characteristics of fentanyl (10 microg kg(-1)) administered as a single intravenous (IV) injection followed by: (a) no further drug; or (b) a constant rate infusion (CRI) of fentanyl 10 microg kg(-1) hour(-1) lasting 1, 3 or 4 hours in dogs. Animals Fourteen healthy adult beagles (seven males and seven females). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Randomized cross-over design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs were randomly assigned to four treatment groups. Drugs were administered to each dog in a randomized cross-over design with at least a 14-day washout interval between experiments. All dogs received an IV loading dose of fentanyl (10 microg kg(-1)). One group received no further fentanyl. In others, the loading dose was followed by a CRI of fentanyl (10 microg kg(-1) hour(-1)) for 1, 3 or 4 hours. Blood samples were collected and plasma fentanyl concentrations determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Plasma pharmacokinetic estimates were obtained by plotting plasma concentrations versus time data and by fitting the change in concentration to a pharmacokinetic model, using a purpose-built program written by the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Kyoto University) in Visual Basic (VBA) on Excel (Microsoft Corporation). RESULTS: Plasma fentanyl concentration decreased rapidly after single IV injection: the plasma concentration-time curve best fitted a two-compartment model. Pharmacokinetic variables for IV injection were characterized by a short distribution half-time (t1/2alpha was 4.5 minutes), a relatively long elimination half time (t1/2beta was 45.7 minutes), a large volume of distribution (approximately 5 L kg(-1)) and high total body clearance (77.9 mL minute(-1) kg(-1)). Stable plasma fentanyl levels were obtained in all CRI groups although pharmacokinetic variables were influenced by the duration of administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: While this study clarified the pharmacokinetic features of rapid IV fentanyl injection and CRI in dogs, the plasma concentration achieving analgesia was not and so further research is needed. Further studies on the effects of other sedatives and/or anaesthetics on fentanyl's disposition are also required as the drug is commonly used with other agents.     

Quantitative trait loci for leg weakness traits in a Landrace purebred population

Leg weakness in pigs is a serious problem in the pig industry. We performed a whole genome quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to find QTLs affecting leg weakness traits in the Landrace population. Half-sib progeny ( n  = 522) with five sires were measured for leg weakness traits. Whole genome QTL mapping was performed using a half-sib regression-based method using 190 microsatellite markers. No experiment-wide significant QTLs affecting leg weakness traits were detected. However, at the 5% chromosome-wide level, QTLs affecting leg weakness traits were detected on chromosomes 1, 3, 10 and 11 with QTL effects ranging from 0.07 to 0.11 of the phenotypic variance. At the 1% chromosome-wide level, QTLs affecting rear feet score and total leg score were detected on chromosomes 2 and 3 with QTL effects of 0.11 and 0.13 of the phenotypic variance, respectively. On chromosome 3 and 10, some QTLs found in this study were located at nearby positions. The present study is one of the first reports of QTLs affecting fitness related traits such as leg weakness traits, that segregate within the Landrace population. The study also provides useful information for studying QTLs in purebred populations.     

Pathogenicity of Bordetella bronchiseptica isolated from apparently healthy rabbits in guinea pig,rat, and mouse

Bordetella bronchiseptica (B. bronchiseptica) is associated with respiratory tract infections in laboratory animals. In our laboratory animal facility, B. bronchiseptica was isolated from 21 of 27 apparently healthy rabbits obtained from a breeding farm contaminated with B. bronchiseptica. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed that the flagellin genotype of isolates from the laboratory animal facility and breeding farm was type A, which is seen relatively frequently in rabbits in Europe. To examine its pathogenicity, guinea pigs, rats, and mice were inoculated intranasally with a representative strain isolated in the laboratory animal facility. Following inoculation of 10⁷ colony forming unit (cfu), severe inflammation was observed in the lungs of guinea pig and mice, although the inflammation was less severe in rats. The strain was recovered from the trachea and lungs of these species after inoculation with lower dose such as 10³ or 10⁴ cfu. These results suggest that the isolated strain causes respiratory tract infection in guinea pigs, rats, and mice, and that its pathogenicity higher in mice than in rats. This study extends our knowledge of interpreting the microbiologic status of laboratory animals, which will contribute to the development of reliable and reproducible animal experiments.     

Experimental infection of pigs with different doses of the African swine fever virus Armenia 07 strain by intramuscular injection and direct contact

We experimentally infected pigs with the African swine fever virus (ASFV) Armenia 07 strain (genotype II) to analyze the effect of different dose injections on clinical manifestations, virus-shedding patterns, histopathology, and transmission dynamics by direct contact. Each three pigs and four pigs were injected intramuscularly with 0.1 fifty percent hemadsorbing doses (HAD₅₀)/ml, 10¹ HAD₅₀/ml and 10⁶ HAD₅₀/ml of ASFV Armenia 07 strain, respectively. Each two of three pigs injected with 0.1 HAD₅₀/ml and 10¹ HAD₅₀/ml died by 10 days post inoculation. All pigs had a gross lesion of splenomegaly. Perigastric and renal lymph nodes were enlarged and resembled blood clots in nine of ten pigs. It was revealed that 0.1 HAD₅₀/ml of this ASFV was sufficient to infect healthy pigs by intramuscular injection and caused sub-acute lethal disease. For the transmission study, two 8-week-old pigs were injected intramuscularly with 10³ HAD₅₀/ml of the same virus. Each of the experimentally inoculated pigs was co-housed with two 8-week-old naive pigs. All contact pigs exhibited clinical manifestations at 6 or 7 days after the experimentally inoculated pigs developed pyrexia. These findings suggest that this strain may spread slowly within a herd. Histologically, lymph nodes resembled blood clots were formed by severe blood absorption and followed hemorrhage result of disruption of the lymphoid sinus filling with absorbed red blood cells. The severity of the gross and histological lesions depended on duration after infection, regardless of the difference of injection doses in this study.