Immunohistochemical detection of tumor suppressor gene p53 protein in feline injection site-associated sarcomas

Sarcomas associated with injection sites are a rare but important problem in cats. Immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein may correlate to mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, a gene known to be important in oncogenesis. The expression of nuclear p53 protein in 40 feline injection site-assocated sarcomas was examined by immunohistochemical staining. In 42.5% (17/40), tumor cell nuclei were stained darkly; in 20% (8/40), tumor cell nuclei were stained palely; and in 37.5% (15/40), tumor cell nuclei were unstained. Immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein in a proportion of injection site-associated sarcomas suggests that mutation of the p53 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of these tumors.     

Mutational analysis of tumor suppressor gene p53 in feline vaccine site-associated sarcomas

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of tumor suppressor gene p53 mutation in feline vaccine site-associated sarcoma (VSS) development and to evaluate the relationship between p53 nucleotide sequence and protein expression. SAMPLE POPULATION: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of 8 feline VSS with dark p53 immunostaining (high p53 expression) and 13 feline VSS with faint or no staining (normal p53 expression). PROCEDURE: DNA was extracted from neoplastic and normal tissue from each paraffin block. The following 3 regions of the p53 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction: 379 base pair (bp) region of exon 5, intron 5, and exon 6, 108 bp region of exon 7, and 140 bp region of exon 8. Amplified p53 products were sequenced and compared with published feline p53. The p53 mutations identified were correlated with p53 mutations predicted by immunostaining. RESULTS: Neoplastic cells of 5 of 8 (62.5%) VSS that had high p53 expression harbored single missense mutations within the p53 gene regions examined.The p53 gene mutations were not detected in the 13 tumors with normal p53 immunostaining. Nonneoplastic tissues adjacent to all 21 VSS lacked mutations of these p53 gene regions. CONCLUSIONS: The p53 gene mutations were restricted to neoplastic tissue and, therefore, were unlikely to predispose to VSS. However, p53 mutations may have contributed to cancer progression in 5 of the 21 VSS. There was very good (kappa quotient = 0.67 with a confidence limit of 0.3 to 1.0), although not complete, agreement between prediction of mutation by p53 immunostaining and identification of mutations by sequencing of key p53 gene regions.     

Nutrient and water availability to and growth of young radiata pine plantations intercropped with lupins

Because the growth of Pinus radiata (D. Don) plantations on podzolized sandy soils can be increased by improving the content of organic matter and nitrogen in soil, the potential for improving these by intercropping with annual lupins (Lupinus angustifolius) in young plantations on first and second rotation sites was examined.Lupins can be grown as an intercrop along with transplanted pine seedlings without causing detrimental effects on the water relations of pines. Because the lupins self-seed, two to three crops can be grown before being shaded out by the pines. Lupins increased the amount of organic matter and concentrations of total nitrogen and mineral nitrogen in the soil, and increased the concentrations of nitrogen in pine needles. The benefit of lupins to tree growth was substantial (16–32% increase in stem growth) and nearly equaled that achieved by repeated additions of nitrogen fertilizer.The choice and management of legume intercrop should be based on an understandig of how site resources (especially water) are shared between young trees and the leguminous plant.     

Management of forests under nutrient and water stress

Management of forest nutrition through fertilization and other forestry practices has, undoubtedly, helped to increase the productivity of forests. Relatively little attention has been given to the potential for manipulating available water, although water relations of trees have been studied extensively. It is being increasingly recognized that, for fast-growing tree species, availability of water and its interaction with nutrients have overriding influences on growth, with major implications for the development of cost effective management practices to increase yield. For example, it has been argued that leaf area development is primarily controlled by available water and that in turn, determines the response to nutrient management. Crucial questions which need to be examined inlude:At the process level, how does the interplay between water and nutrients influence nutrient dynamics in forests? How do trees and associated vegetation interact with respect to the use of water and nutrients? How does water and nutrient availability influence leaf area development, assimilation and in particular assimilate partitioning? Does improved nutrition influence water use efficiency? An urgent need for the study of nutrition of trees under water stress also arises from the many problems encountered in reforesting arid and degraded land. This paper is an overview of these issues, emphasizing the mechanisms and processes that underly the response of trees and stands to manipulations of water and nutrient availability.     

Competition among strains of Bradyrhizobium and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae for groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) root infection and their effect on plant growth and yield

Summary Strains of Bradyrhizobium influenced root colonization by a species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM), and species of VAM influenced root nodulation by strains of Bradyrhizobium in pot experiments. In a field experiment, the effects of VAM on competition amongst inoculated bradyrhizobia were less evident, but inoculation with Bradyrhizobium strains increased root colonization by VAM. Certain VAM/Bradyrhizobium inoculum strain combinations produced higher nodule numbers. Plants grown without Bradyrhizobium and VAM, but supplied with ammonium nitrate (300 g ml^–1) and potassium phosphate (16 g ml^–1), produced higher dry-matter yields than those inoculated with both symbionts in the pot experiment. Inoculation with either symbiont in the field did not result in higher pod and haulm yields at harvest.ICRISAT Journal Article No. 886     

Foliar nutrient retranslocation in Eucalyptus globulus

We measured patterns of change in concentrations and contents of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium in fully expanded leaves of young Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.) trees growing in a plantation in southeastern Australia, over a 12-month period beginning at the onset of spring. There was significant net retranslocation of mobile nutrients on a seasonal basis from green leaves, coinciding with continued growth and production of foliage. There was a close positive relationship between initial nutrient content (N, P and K) of the leaf and amount retranslocated, and a tight coupling between N and P retranslocated from leaves. Net retranslocation was significantly correlated with basal area growth increments. Artificial shading of leaves resulted in senescence and reduction in leaf mass. It also induced retranslocation of N, P and K from leaves of different ages and from different position in the canopy. Although the mechanisms underlying the effects of shading intensity on these changes were not elucidated, shading provided an experimental tool for studying retranslocation. Comparison of the results with published data for Pinus radiata (D. Don) grown in the same environment indicated a similarity between the species in patterns of change in foliar nutrient contents and in factors governing foliar nutrient retranslocation, giving rise to unifying principles.