Expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, its receptor I, II and receptor-associated factor 2 in the porcine corpus luteum during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy.

We examined the gene and protein levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, its receptors (types I and II, designated TNF-RI and TNF-RII, respectively), TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and morphological features in the porcine corpus luteum (CL), on Days 13 and 17 (Day 0 = the last day of estrus) of the estrous cycle or of early pregnancy. Gene expression levels of TNF-α, TNF-RI, TNF-RII and TRAF2 were unaffected by the day or reproductive status. TNF-α concentration was significantly higher in the CL on Day 17 of pregnancy than on Day 13 of pregnancy and on day 17 of the estrous cycle. The TNF-RI protein level was significantly higher in the CL on Days 13 and 17 of pregnancy than those of the estrous cycle, significantly increasing on Day 17 compared with those on Day 13 in pregnancy. In relation to TNF-RII protein levels, although there were no change during pregnancy, there was a tendency (P = 0.0524) to up-regulate as pregnancy proceeded. In estrous cycle, TNF-RII protein levels decreased significantly as luteolysis proceeded. TRAF2 protein level was significantly higher in the CL on Days 13 and 17 of pregnancy than during estrous. There were few apoptotic bodies in the CL between Days 13 and 17 of pregnancy than during esrous. There were few apoptotic bodies in the CL between Days 13 and 17 of pregnancy. The number of apoptotic bodies was much greater than the CL on Day 17 of the estrous than those of pregnancy. Thus, the TNF-α and TNF-RI and TNF-RII pathways including the TRAF2 protein, known to control of cell differentiation, tissue renewal and apoptosis, might participate in maintaining the porcine CL during early pregnancy.

Development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bovine surfactant protein D in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a pattern recognition molecule that has an important role in pulmonary host defense. In this study, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for bovine SP-D and determined the concentration of SP-D in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from calves. Bovine SP-D was purified from BALF using a mannose-Shepharose 6B column. The obtained 44 kDa protein was identified as bovine SP-D by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis and SDS-PAGE analysis. The peptides corresponding to bovine SP-D amino acid residues SDTRKEGT, which have little homology across bovine serum collectins, were synthesized and used to raise an antibody in rabbits. The obtained antibody was specific for bovine SP-D and did not react with collectins in serum. The anti-bovine SP-D antibody was purified and an ELISA system was developed. The detection range of this assay was 4-125 ng/ml, and the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 5.6 and 9.7%, respectively. The concentrations of SP-D in BALF collected from calves experimentally infected with bovine adenovirus type-3 or Mannheimia haemolytica were determined by the ELISA. Elevation of SP-D was found in BALF from inoculated lobes of infected calves compared with those of non-inoculated lobes and those from control animals. These data suggest that the ELISA developed in this study may be available to investigate the physiological role of bovine SP-D in bovine lung.

Differential expression of mucin core proteins and keratins in apocrine carcinoma, extramammary Paget's disease and apocrine nevus.

BACKGROUND: Apocrine carcinomas are rare, the immunohistochemical characterizations that are incomplete. The purpose of this study was to determine the immunohistochemical characteristics of mucin core proteins and keratins in apocrine carcinoma, extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) and apocrine nevus. METHODS: We report four cases of apocrine carcinomas along with immunohistochemical analyses: (i) an axillary apocrine carcinoma with an apocrine nevus, (ii) an inguinal apocrine carcinoma, (iii) a vulvar apocrine carcinoma with EMPD and (iv) an axillary apocrine carcinoma with EMPD and an apocrine nevus. RESULTS: The tumor cells of apocrine carcinomas, EMPD and apocrine nevi displayed a positive reaction to MUC-1 and CK7 and a negative reaction to CK20. Apocrine carcinomas had high molecular weight (HMW) cytokeratin(+)/CK5(+)/CK14(-)/MUC5AC(-), EMPD with underlying apocrine carcinoma had HMW cytokeratin(-)/CK5(-)/CK14(-)/MUCA5AC(-) and the apocrine nevi had HMW cytokeratin(+)/CK5(+)/CK14(+)/MUCA5AC(+). CONCLUSION: The immunohistochemical findings suggest that apocrine carcinomas, apocrine nevi and EMPD with underlying apocrine carcinomas are quite different, even though they are all derived from apocrine glands.

Nephroblastoma with transcoelomic metastasis in a Japanese black bull.

This paper describes a nephroblastoma with transcoelomic metastasis in a three-year-old Japanese black bull. At necropsy, a huge, oval neoplastic mass containing the residual right kidney was found. Moreover, severe transcoelomic metastasis occurred throughout the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Histologically, the mass was mainly composed of sheets, nests, islands and cords of polygonal blastemal cells with trabeculae of fibrous stroma. In some areas, epithelial elements composed of tubules and winding duct-like structures were also observed. Glomeruloid structures were scattered in these epithelial elements. Metastatic nodules were composed of blastemal and stromal elements, which were similar to those in the mass.

Lymphography of the thoracic duct by percutaneous injection of iohexol into the popliteal lymph node of dogs: experimental study and clinical application.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous administration of iohexol into the popliteal lymph node as a non-invasive technique for thoracic duct lymphangiography in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study and clinical report. ANIMALS: Normal adult dogs (n=4) and 1 dog with recurrent chylothorax. METHODS: For the experimental study, 4 dogs (weight, 8.4-12.3 kg) had 5-10 mL iohexol injected percutaneously into 1 popliteal lymph node and then thoracic radiographs were taken. Popliteal lymph nodes were examined by histopathology 8 days later. One 25-kg dog with recurrent chylothorax had 25 mL iohexol injected into the right popliteal lymph node followed by thoracic radiography. RESULTS: In experimental dogs, the thoracic duct was best visualized on thoracic radiographs after administration of 10 mL iohexol. Clinically, no abnormalities were identified in the injected limb and except for 1 dog that had large numbers of siderocytes and erythrophagocytic macrophages in the injected lymph node, the histopathologic findings in the other injected popliteal lymph nodes were not different from contralateral nodes. In the clinical case, the thoracic duct was visualized, but there was leakage of iohexol around the node. CONCLUSION: The thoracic duct in dogs can be visualized by lymphography after percutaneous injection of iohexol (1 mL/kg at 2 mL/min) into the popliteal lymph node. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Percutaneous popliteal lymph node administration of iohexol should be considered as an alternative to mesenteric lymph node injection for radiographic identification of the thoracic duct in dogs.

Ventilatory failure and successful management for a dog with severe cervical meningioma.

A 12-year-old intact male mongrel dog with a weight of 22 kg was referred with a complaint of progressive tetraparesis. Cervical myelography revealed an intradural-extramedullary mass at the second cervical vertebra. After computed tomography (CT) under general anesthesia, the patient showed dyspnea and cyanosis caused by insufficient movement of the chest wall. Positive pressure ventilation was therefore initiated. Hemilaminectomy and partial mass removal were performed 12 hr after the CT. The mass was histopathologically diagnosed as meningioma. Gradual weaning from the mechanical ventilation lasted for 80 hr after the operation. The patient eventually recovered from the ventilatory failure and the tetraparesis at approximately 6 and 14 days after the operation, respectively.

Emotion recognition from facial expressions in a temporal lobe epileptic patient with ictal fear.

Ictal fear (IF) is an affective aura observed in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. It has been suggested that the amygdala, a region implicated in emotion processing, is involved in generating IF. Several studies have reported that the patients with IF have disturbances in emotional experience, but there has been no testing of the emotional recognition in those patients. In this report, emotion recognition from facial expressions was investigated in a patient with IF. The patient suffered from IF due to temporal lobe epilepsy, and underwent hippocampectomy surgery which completely suppressed IF. We examined the patient before and after surgery. Before surgery, the patient tended to attach enhanced fear, sadness, and anger to various facial expressions. After surgery, such biases disappeared. As an underlying mechanism of the pre-surgical skewed perception of emotional stimuli, the abnormal epileptogenic circuits involving a hypersensitive amygdala possibly due to the kindling mechanism were suggested.

Three cases of canine gastrointestinal stromal tumors with multiple differentiations and c-kit-expression.

Three canine gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) were examined. Histopathologically, the tumor mass in the jejunum (Case 1) consisted of the proliferation of epithelioid cells with abundant eosinophilic or vacuolated cytoplasm. Gangliocyte-like or multinucleated giant cells were scattered. The tumor cells exhibited neural natures mimicking human gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumors, which were immunopositive for several neuronal markers. Another jejunal mass (Case 2) was composed by a solid proliferation of spindle-shaped cells, arranging in interlacing fascicles and occasional storiform pattern. The tumor seemed to be classified undifferentiated GISTs, that showed no apparent neural or muscular features by ultrastructural and immunohistochemical examinations. In the pyloric mass (Case 3), the spindle cells having eosinophilic processes and elongated nuclei were arranged in sheets. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed muscular natures as regards alpha smooth muscle actin and desmin expression.