Suppressive effects of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine on rheumatoid arthritis mouse models.

We examined effects of N-acetyl-D: -glucosamine (GlcNAc) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) mouse models and effects of GlcNAc and glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcN) on several serum cytokine productions in RA mouse models. SKG/jcl mice were divided into control, GlcNAc, and GlcN groups. For 56 days, the control group received normal food, the GlcNAc group received 0.5 % GlcNAc-containing food, and the GlcN group received 0.5 % GlcN-containing food. GlcNAc and GlcN equally suppressed arthritis scores and histopathological scores compared to the control group. In the GlcN group, serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were significantly decreased compared to the control group. In the GlcNAc group, serum IL-10, transforming growth factor ß-1, and IL-2 concentrations were significantly increased compared to the control group. Our results indicated that GlcNAc also has suppressive effects on experimental RA in mouse models. The results of serum cytokine concentrations suggested that compared to GlcN, GlcNAc has a different suppressive mechanism in experimental RA models.

Inclusion body hepatitis caused by fowl adenovirus in broiler chickens in Japan, 2009-2010.

From January 2009 to June 2010, many broiler chicks suddenly died without clinical signs. The mortality rates were from 1.2% to 17.0% in affected flocks. Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) was detected in 13 prefectures (northern, eastern, western, and southern areas) in Japan. The livers were enlarged and pale. The bursa of Fabricius and thymus had not atrophied. Multifocal necroses of hepatocytes with basophilic intranuclear inclusions were seen in the liver. Eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes were rare. Focal necrosis of acinar cells with basophilic intranuclear inclusions was found in the pancreas. Basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were detected in intact surface epithelial cells of gizzard and epithelial cells of the small intestine. The intranuclear inclusions of liver, pancreas, gizzard, and small intestine were stained positively for immunohistochemistry of fowl adenovirus (FAV) antigen. Ultrastructurally, basophilic intranuclear inclusions consisted of viral particles approximately 70 nm in diameter and arranged in a crystalline array. FAV was isolated from the liver of chickens affected with IBH. The serotype of most isolates was 2. This study suggests that IBH produced by FAV is epidemic in broiler chicks in Japan and that the present cases occurred as the primary disease without the association of infectious bursal disease virus or chicken anemia virus.