Comparação de testes sorológicos e molecular para diagnóstico da Artrite Encefalite Caprina e avaliação clínica da glândula mamária de caprinos leiteiros infectados / Comparison of serological and molecular tests for diagnosis of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis and clinical evaluation of mammary glands of infected dairy goats

Background: Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) is a disease that causes productive losses in dairy goat flocks due to thereduction in milk production, followed by lesions in joints and mammary glands. An early diagnosis is essential, consideringthat there is frequent occurrence of asymptomatic animals. Hence, this study aimed to perform a comparison of immunological and molecular based diagnostic tests, represented by Agar Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID), Western Blot (WB) andnested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nPCR). In addition, the mammary glands (MG) of dairy goats were clinically evaluated.Materials, Methods & Results: Blood collection and clinical examination were performed in 1191 dairy goats of 12 farms locatedin Northeastern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. Serological (AGID, WB) and molecular (nPCR) test results were comparedand the data, along with MG alterations, were analyzed using Epi-info 7 and WinEpiscope 2.0. Seroprevalence in AGID test was41.14% (490/1191). In WB, 51.47% (613/1191) of animals were seropositive and nPCR detected 69.44% (827/1191) positiveanimals. Hence, WB was more sensitive (P < 0.001) than AGID. However, nPCR detected more positive animals than AGID (P< 0.001) and WB (P < 0.001). The analysis of mammary glands revealed that 105 out of 1096 nanny goats presented alterations,of which 101 presented altered consistency, 16 presented elevated temperatures and 60 had enlarged retromammary lymph nodes.There was significant statistic difference (P < 0.05) only when comparing the results of serological tests with MG alterations.Discussion: In general, AGID technique is most frequently used when screening flocks for the disease due to the practicalityand low cost this test presents. However, the results demonstrated that AGID detected the lowest number of positive animals.This low sensitivity that the test presented may be attributed to its antigen-antibody interaction mechanism...

Comparação de testes sorológicos e molecular para diagnóstico da Artrite Encefalite Caprina e avaliação clínica da glândula mamária de caprinos leiteiros infectados / Comparison of serological and molecular tests for diagnosis of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis and clinical evaluation of mammary glands of infected dairy goats

Background: Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) is a disease that causes productive losses in dairy goat flocks due to thereduction in milk production, followed by lesions in joints and mammary glands. An early diagnosis is essential, consideringthat there is frequent occurrence of asymptomatic animals. Hence, this study aimed to perform a comparison of immunological and molecular based diagnostic tests, represented by Agar Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID), Western Blot (WB) andnested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nPCR). In addition, the mammary glands (MG) of dairy goats were clinically evaluated.Materials, Methods & Results: Blood collection and clinical examination were performed in 1191 dairy goats of 12 farms locatedin Northeastern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. Serological (AGID, WB) and molecular (nPCR) test results were comparedand the data, along with MG alterations, were analyzed using Epi-info 7 and WinEpiscope 2.0. Seroprevalence in AGID test was41.14% (490/1191). In WB, 51.47% (613/1191) of animals were seropositive and nPCR detected 69.44% (827/1191) positiveanimals. Hence, WB was more sensitive (P < 0.001) than AGID. However, nPCR detected more positive animals than AGID (P< 0.001) and WB (P < 0.001). The analysis of mammary glands revealed that 105 out of 1096 nanny goats presented alterations,of which 101 presented altered consistency, 16 presented elevated temperatures and 60 had enlarged retromammary lymph nodes.There was significant statistic difference (P < 0.05) only when comparing the results of serological tests with MG alterations.Discussion: In general, AGID technique is most frequently used when screening flocks for the disease due to the practicalityand low cost this test presents. However, the results demonstrated that AGID detected the lowest number of positive animals.This low sensitivity that the test presented may be attributed to its antigen-antibody interaction mechanism...(AU)

Detection of proviral sequences of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus in saliva / Detecção de sequências do DNA proviral do vírus da artrite encefalite caprina em saliva

Background: Goats can be infected by a lentivirus called the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) that causes an infectious disease characterized by a chronic. For replication, the CAEV, integrate as a provirus in the DNA of the host cell genome. By consequence, infection of cells persistent life-long infection of the animal. The CAEV can be found in most body fluids, It has been demonstrated its presence in blood, milk, semen. However, the search for the CAEV in other body fluids besides blood is important to assess possible viral transmission. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of proviral DNA sequences in saliva of animals infected.Materials, Methods & Results: The study was carried out on the farm belonging to the Embrapa Goat and Sheep Research Center, located in the municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. To assess the oral fluid for the presence of CAEV, samples of saliva from eight infected breeders were collected by suctioning saliva from the oral cavity on the side region of the breeders lower molar teeth using a probe coupled to a plastic 5 mL syringe. And pro-viral DNA was extracted from the samples using NaCl and proteinase K. Two rounds of polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) were carried out to amplify the final 187 pb fragment of the pro-viral DNA. All the oligonucleotide primers were determined from the gag region...(AU)

Detection of proviral sequences of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus in saliva / Detecção de sequências do DNA proviral do vírus da artrite encefalite caprina em saliva

Background: Goats can be infected by a lentivirus called the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) that causes an infectious disease characterized by a chronic. For replication, the CAEV, integrate as a provirus in the DNA of the host cell genome. By consequence, infection of cells persistent life-long infection of the animal. The CAEV can be found in most body fluids, It has been demonstrated its presence in blood, milk, semen. However, the search for the CAEV in other body fluids besides blood is important to assess possible viral transmission. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of proviral DNA sequences in saliva of animals infected.Materials, Methods & Results: The study was carried out on the farm belonging to the Embrapa Goat and Sheep Research Center, located in the municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. To assess the oral fluid for the presence of CAEV, samples of saliva from eight infected breeders were collected by suctioning saliva from the oral cavity on the side region of the breeders lower molar teeth using a probe coupled to a plastic 5 mL syringe. And pro-viral DNA was extracted from the samples using NaCl and proteinase K. Two rounds of polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) were carried out to amplify the final 187 pb fragment of the pro-viral DNA. All the oligonucleotide primers were determined from the gag region...

Análise da expressão diferencial de genes do folículo ovariano de fêmeas pré-púberes e púberes Bos primigenius indicus (Nelore) por meio da Análise Serial de Expressão Gênica (SAGE) / Analysis of differential gene expression of ovarian follicle from prepubertal and pubertal Bos primigenius indicus (Nelore) females by Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE)

A puberdade é o momento quando um mamífero, macho ou fêmea, se torna capaz de produzir gametas viáveis e exibir comportamento sexual completo. Trata-se do resultado do ajuste gradativo entre o aumento da atividade gonadotrófica e a habilidade das gônadas em assumir simultaneamente a esteroidogênese e a gametogênese. Um dos principais fatores que influenciam o início à puberdade é o genético. A puberdade é uma característica fisiológica originada por muitos fatores (orgânicos e ambientais), que relacionam-se com a expressão de diversos genes, muitos dos quais ainda com funções desconhecidas. Metodologias para a análise da expressão gênica diferencial em tecidos, em particular a Análise Serial de Expressão Gênica (SAGE), incluem ferramentas que permitem a análise global e simultânea de vários transcritos de um determinado tecido, sejam eles conhecidos ou não, fornecendo informações sobre o padrão de expressão gênica de um determinado tipo celular de maneira qualitativa e semi-quantitativa. O objetivo do presente projeto foi analisar, por meio da técnica de SAGE, a expressão gênica diferencial no folículo ovariano de fêmeas bovinas da raça Nelore púberes e pré-púberes, segundo o critério da apresentação ou não de ondas de crescimento folicular que culminavam com a ovulação.. Um total de 14.531 e 14.285 tags tiveram sua seqüência de DNA determinada, revelando a existência de 6.840 e 6.386 genes únicos (biblioteca das novilhas pré-púberes e púberes respectivamente). A comparação entre as duas bibliotecas revelou um total de 127 tags diferencialmente expressos (P<0,05). Os folículos ovarianos de novilhas púberes apresentaram expressão mais elevada de algumas enzimas esteroidogências (CYP11A1 e CYP19) e do transportador de colesterol para a mitocôndria (StAR) indicando intensa atividade esteroidogência (produção de estrógeno) quando comparada ao folículo das bezerras pré-púberes. Além disso, o CTGF (fator de crescimento do tecido conectivo) e o TIMP2 (inibidor tecidual de metaloproteinases) foram mais abundantes nos folículos dos animais púberes, indicando que os mesmos já iniciaram o processo de luteinização, sem entrentanto iniciar o processo de ruptura da matriz extracelular que ocorre na ovulação. A maior expressão de genes relacionados ao metabolismo da matriz extracelular e do citoesqueleto (como por exemplo a osteonectina, a actina e proteínas relacionadas à actina) sugere que os folículos dos animais púberes estão se preparando para a remodelação tecidual. A maior expressão de conexina 43 (gap junction protein) nos folículos dos animais púberes sugere uma intensa comunicação das células da granulosa entre si e com o oócito quando comparadas aos folículos das bezerras pré-púberes. Dentre os genes diferencialmente expressos e mais abundantes no folículo das bezerras pré-púberes, destacou-se o gene da proopiomelanocortina (POMC), que codifica vários fatores hipofisários. Os conhecimentos gerados por este trabalho poderão ser úteis para a identificação de marcadores genéticos para aplicação em programas de seleção assistida por marcadores

Puberty is the stage where any mammal, male or female, becomes able to produce viable gametes and manifest complete sexual behavior. These are results from the gradative adjustment between the increase in gonadotrophic activity and the ability of gonads in undergoing simultaneously both steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. One of the major factors interferring with puberty initiation is the genetics. Puberty is a physiological process controlled by several factors (organic and environmental) related with the expression of several genes, most of them with unknown function. Differential gene expression approaches, in particular the Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE), include tools that allow the global and simultaneous analysis of several transcripts from a given tissue, being known or unknown, providing qualitative and semi-quantitative information about the genetic profiles of any cellular type of interest. Using the SAGE approach, the aim of the present study was to analyse the differential gene expression profiles of ovarian follicles from pubertal and pre-pubertal Nelore breed females, observed for the presence or not of follicular growth waves ending in an ovulation, A total of 14,531 and 14,285 tags had their DNA sequences determined, revealing the existence of 6,840 and 6,386 unique tags (pre-pubertal and pubertal follicle libraries respectively). Comparison between the two SAGE libraries revealed 127 differentially expressed genes (P<0,05). Follicles from pubertal heifers showed increased expression of some steroidogenic enzymes (CYP11A1 and CYP19) and StAR, the mitochondrial cholesterol transporter, which together indicates a marked steroidogenic activity (oestrogen production), when compared with follicles from pre-pubertal heifers. Furthermore, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and TIMP2 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2) were shown to be increased in pubertal follicles, indicating the starting of luteinization proccess, without however initiating the rupture of extracellular matrix, which takes place in ovulation. Higher levels of expression presented by extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal related genes (as examples osteonectin, actin and actin-related proteins) also indicate that the follicle from pubertal heifers is at the verge of tissue remodelation. The higher expression of connexin 43 (gap junction protein) indicated that this follicle shows a more intense communication among granulosa cells and between these and the oocyte, as compared to the pre-pubertal calves follicle. Among the differentially expressed genes more abundant in the pre-pubertal follicle is the proopiomelanocortin gene (POMC), which codifies to some hypophiseal factors. The knowledge generated by this study may contribute to the identification of genetic markers to be used in marker assisted selection programmes