Gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid) in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

A well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the stomach (gastric carcinoid) with transcoelomic and lymph node metastasis was confirmed on post-mortem examination of a 3-year-old, spayed female, domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo). The animal was initially presented with a history of persistent vomiting which progressed to weight loss, a palpable abdominal mass, and melena. The ferret received palliative treatment and was euthanized 9 mo after initial presentation. The clinical, ultrasonographical, cytological, gross pathological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings are described. Gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas are rarely reported in animals; this is the first description in a ferret. Key clinical message: Veterinary practitioners and diagnosticians should include neuroendocrine carcinoma as a differential diagnosis when encountering gastric neoplasms in ferrets and be aware of the potential for aggressive behavior and widely spread metastasis.

Carcinome neuroendocrine gastrique (carcinoïde) chez un furet ( Mustela putorius furo ). Un carcinome neuroendocrinien bien différencié de l'estomac (carcinoïde gastrique) avec des métastases transcoelomiques et ganglionnaires a été confirmé lors de l'autopsie d'une femelle furet domestique (Mustela putorius furo) stérilisée de 3 ans. L'animal a été initialement présenté avec des antécédents de vomissements persistants qui ont évolué vers une perte de poids, une masse abdominale palpable et un méléna. Le furet a reçu un traitement palliatif et a été euthanasié 9 mois après la présentation initiale. Les résultats cliniques, échographiques, cytologiques, de pathologie macroscopique, histopathologiques et immunohistochimiques sont décrits. Les carcinomes neuroendocriniens gastriques sont rarement rapportés chez les animaux; c'est la première description chez un furet.Message clinique clé:Les praticiens vétérinaires et les diagnosticiens doivent inclure le carcinome neuroendocrinien comme diagnostic différentiel lorsqu'ils rencontrent des néoplasmes gastriques chez les furets et être conscients du potentiel de comportement agressif et de métastases largement disséminées.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Bovine Adenovirus-3 Tropism for Bovine Leukocyte Sub-Populations.

A number of characteristics including lack of virulence and the ability to grow to high titers, have made bovine adenovirus-3 (BAdV-3) a vector of choice for further development as a vaccine-delivery vehicle for cattle. Despite the importance of blood leukocytes, including dendritic cells (DC), in the induction of protective immune responses, little is known about the interaction between BAdV-3 and bovine blood leukocytes. Here, we demonstrate that compared to other leukocytes, bovine blood monocytes and neutrophils are significantly transduced by BAdV404a (BAdV-3, expressing enhanced yellow green fluorescent protein [EYFP]) at a MOI of 1-5 without a significant difference in the mean fluorescence of EYFP expression. Moreover, though expression of some BAdV-3-specific proteins was observed, no progeny virions were detected in the transduced monocytes or neutrophils. Interestingly, addition of the "RGD" motif at the C-terminus of BAdV-3 minor capsid protein pIX (BAV888) enhanced the ability of the virus to enter the monocytes without altering the tropism of BAdV-3. The increased uptake of BAV888 by monocytes was associated with a significant increase in viral genome copies and the abundance of EYFP and BAdV-3 19K transcripts compared to BAdV404a-transduced monocytes. Our results suggest that BAdV-3 efficiently transduces monocytes and neutrophils in the absence of viral replication. Moreover, RGD-modified capsid significantly increases vector uptake without affecting the initial interaction with monocytes.