Distribution of K and L cells in the feline intestinal tract.

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and GLP-2 are hormones secreted from specialized K cells (GIP) and L cells (GLP-1, GLP-2) in the intestinal mucosa. These hormones play major roles in health and disease by modulating insulin secretion, satiety, and multiple intestinal functions. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of K cells and L cells in the intestines of healthy cats. Samples of duodenum, mid-jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were collected from 5 cats that were euthanized for reasons unrelated to this study and had no gross or histologic evidence of gastrointestinal disease. Samples stained with rabbit-anti-porcine GIP, mouse-anti-(all mammals) GLP-1, or rabbit-anti-(all mammals) GLP-2 antibodies were used to determine the number of cells in 15 randomly selected 400× microscopic fields. In contrast to other mammals (eg, dogs) in which K cells are not present in the ileum and aborally, GIP-expressing cells are abundant throughout the intestines in cats (>6/high-power field in the ileum). Cells expressing GLP-1 or GLP-2 were most abundant in the ileum (>9/high-power field) as in other mammals, but, although GLP-1-expressing cells were abundant throughout the intestines, GLP-2-expressing cells were rarely found in the duodenum. In conclusion, the distribution of GIP-secreting K cells in cats is different from the distribution of K cells that is described in other mammals. The difference in distribution of GLP-2- and GLP-1-expressing cells suggests that more than 1 distinct population of L cells is present in cats.

Serum inhibin concentration in dogs with adrenal gland disease and in healthy dogs.

BACKGROUND: Studies in humans identified the synthesis and secretion of inhibin from adrenocortical tumors, but not pheochromocytoma (PHEO). Inhibin has not been examined in dogs as a serum biomarker for adrenal gland tumors. OBJECTIVE: To determine serum inhibin concentration in dogs with adrenal gland disease and in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: Forty-eight neutered dogs with adrenal disease including pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH, 17), adrenocortical tumor (18), and PHEO (13), and 41 healthy intact or neutered dogs. METHODS: Prospective observational study. Dogs were diagnosed with PDH, adrenocortical tumor (hyperadrenocorticism or noncortisol secreting), or PHEO based on clinical signs, endocrine function tests, abdominal ultrasound examination, and histopathology. Inhibin concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay in serum before and after ACTH stimulation, and before and after treatment. RESULTS: In neutered dogs, median inhibin concentration was significantly higher in dogs with adrenocortical tumors (0.82 ng/mL) and PDH (0.16 ng/mL) than in dogs with PHEO and healthy dogs (both undetectable). Median inhibin concentration was significantly higher in dogs with adrenocortical tumors than in those with PDH and decreased after adrenalectomy. Median inhibin concentration was significantly higher in intact than in neutered healthy dogs and was similar in pre- and post-ACTH stimulation. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of serum inhibin concentration for identifying an adrenal tumor as a PHEO were 100, 88.9, and 93.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Adrenocortical tumors and PDH but not PHEOs are associated with increased serum inhibin concentration; undetectable inhibin is highly supportive of PHEO in neutered dogs with adrenal tumors.

Immunohistochemical characteristics of normal canine eyes.

Immunohistochemistry is widely utilized in diagnostic laboratories to study neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. Knowledge of the immunohistochemical characteristics of normal tissue is essential for interpretation of immunoreactivity in pathologic conditions. In this study, immunohistochemistry was performed with a broad panel of diagnostically relevant antibodies on 4 normal canine globes--namely, vimentin, pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 8/18, cytokeratin 20, α-smooth muscle actin, muscle specific actin, desmin, Melan-A, microphthalmia transcription factor, S-100, glial fibrillary acidic protein, triple neurofilaments, neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin A, synaptophysin, laminin and CD31. Results include cytokeratin immunoreactivity limited to the conjunctival epithelium, corneal epithelium, and retinal pigment epithelium; distinct patterns of immunopositivity of muscle markers; and widespread immunoreactivity for vimentin and most neural/neuroendocrine markers. These findings in normal eyes provide the basis for interpretation of ocular immunohistochemistry in dogs. Published immunophenotypes of primary ocular neoplasms are also reviewed.

Classification of canine malignant lymphomas according to the World Health Organization criteria.

A study was carried out to test the accuracy and consistency of veterinary pathologists, not specialists in hematopathology, in applying the World Health Organization (WHO) system of classification of canine lymphomas. This study represents an initiative of the ACVP Oncology Committee, and the classification has been endorsed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WASVA). Tissue biopsies from cases of canine lymphoma were received from veterinary oncologists, and a study by pathologists given only signalment was carried out on 300 cases. Twenty pathologists reviewed these 300 cases with each required to choose a diagnosis from a list of 43 B and T cell lymphomas. Three of the 20 were hematopathologists who determined the consensus diagnosis for each case. The 17 who formed the test group were experienced but not specialists in hematopathology, and most were diplomates of the American or European Colleges of Veterinary Pathology. The overall accuracy of the 17 pathologists on the 300 cases was 83%. When the analysis was limited to the 6 most common diagnoses, containing 80% of all cases, accuracy rose to 87%. In a test of reproducibility enabled by reintroducing 5% of cases entered under a different identity, the overall agreement between the first and second diagnosis ranged from 40 to 87%. The statistical review included 43,000 data points for each of the 20 pathologists.

Recommended guidelines for submission, trimming, margin evaluation, and reporting of tumor biopsy specimens in veterinary surgical pathology.

Neoplastic diseases are typically diagnosed by biopsy and histopathological evaluation. The pathology report is key in determining prognosis, therapeutic decisions, and overall case management and therefore requires diagnostic accuracy, completeness, and clarity. Successful management relies on collaboration between clinical veterinarians, oncologists, and pathologists. To date there has been no standardized approach or guideline for the submission, trimming, margin evaluation, or reporting of neoplastic biopsy specimens in veterinary medicine. To address this issue, a committee consisting of veterinary pathologists and oncologists was established under the auspices of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Oncology Committee. These consensus guidelines were subsequently reviewed and endorsed by a large international group of veterinary pathologists. These recommended guidelines are not mandated but rather exist to help clinicians and veterinary pathologists optimally handle neoplastic biopsy samples. Many of these guidelines represent the collective experience of the committee members and consensus group when assessing neoplastic lesions from veterinary patients but have not met the rigors of definitive scientific study and investigation. These questions of technique, analysis, and evaluation should be put through formal scrutiny in rigorous clinical studies in the near future so that more definitive guidelines can be derived.

Metastatic tumors to the adrenal glands in domestic animals.

Although metastases to the adrenals are common in humans, they have not been thoroughly studied in animals. The purpose of this retrospective study was to document the types of malignant tumors that metastasize to canine, feline, equine, and bovine adrenals, and the rate at which they do so. The average rate of adrenal involvement in metastatic cancer was 112/534 (21.0%) in dogs, 12/81 (14.8%) in cats, 18/67 (26.9%) in horses, and 5/16 (31.3%) in cattle. In dogs, 26 different tumor types metastasized to the adrenals. Pulmonary, mammary, prostatic, gastric, and pancreatic carcinomas, and melanoma had the highest rates of metastasis to the adrenal glands in dogs. Hemangiosarcoma and melanoma had high rates of adrenal involvement in horses. In cats and cattle, relevant data were only available for lymphoma. Adrenal metastases usually occurred in the late stages of the disease. One dog had developed Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism) secondary to lymphoma. Metastatic lesions represented 126/472 (26.7%) of canine, 12/20 (60.0%) of feline, 21/80 (26.3%) of equine, and 5/9 (55.5%) of bovine adrenal neoplasms. This study shows that adrenal glands should be thoroughly examined during both clinical work-up and postmortems when disseminated neoplasia is suspected.

Primary diffuse tracheobronchial amyloidosis in a dog.

Primary diffuse tracheobronchial amyloidosis was diagnosed at necropsy in an intact male Akita dog aged 11 years, a non-productive chronic cough having been the only related clinical sign. Histologically, eosinophilic hyalinized deposits were found as a band in the lamina propria underneath the epithelium of the trachea and bronchi. When stained with Congo red, apple-green birefringence was observed in the deposits viewed with polarized light. The amyloid did not lose sensitivity to Congo red staining after incubation with potassium permanganate, indicating that it was of the AL (amyloid light chain) type. Ultrastructural features of the amyloid included a typical fibrillar meshwork with individual fibrils measuring 9.5 to 10.5 nm in diameter. This is the first report of primary diffuse tracheobronchial amyloidosis in the dog.

Indicators of malignancy of canine adrenocortical tumors: histopathology and proliferation index.

Tumors of the adrenal cortex account for 10-20% of the naturally occurring Cushing's syndrome diagnosed in dogs. Differentiating between adrenocortical adenoma and carcinomas is often difficult. The purposes of this study were to determine which histopathologic criteria can be used as markers for malignancy in canine adrenocortical tumors and the relevance of the proliferation marker, Ki-67, for differentiation between cortical adenomas and carcinomas. Twenty-six adrenocortical carcinomas, 23 adenomas, and 11 normal adrenal glands were examined. Morphologic criteria significantly associated with adrenocortical carcinomas included a size larger than 2 cm in diameter, peripheral fibrosis, capsular invasion, trabecular growth pattern, hemorrhage, necrosis, and single-cell necrosis, whereas hematopoiesis, fibrin thombi, and cytoplasmic vacuolation were significantly associated with adrenocortical adenomas. The mean (+/- SD) proliferation index, measured by immunohistochemistry for the Ki-67 antigen, was 9.3 +/- 6.3% in carcinomas, 0.76 +/- 0.83% in adenomas, and 0.58 +/- 0.57% in normal adrenal glands. The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in carcinomas compared with adenomas and normal adrenal glands. A threshold value of the proliferation index of 2.4% reliably separated carcinomas from adenomas. Based on these results, it appears that thorough evaluation of morphologic features combined with immunohistochemical assessment of the proliferation index is extremely useful for differentiating between adrenocortical adenomas and carcinomas in dogs.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Canadian pinnipeds.

Sera (n = 328) collected from phocids (1995-97) from the east coast of Canada, including harp seals (Phoca groenlandica), hooded seals (Cystophora cristata), grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), were diluted 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500 and tested by a modified agglutination test for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Titers equal to or greater than 1:25 were considered evidence of exposure. Grey seal (11/122, 9%), harbor seal (3/34, 9%), and hooded seal (1/60, 2%) had titers of 1:25 and 1:50. Harp seals (n = 112) were seronegative. Probable maternal antibody transfer was observed in one harbor and one grey seal pup at 10 and 14 day of age, respectively. Transmission of T gondii in the marine environment is not understood. The discovery of T. gondii in marine mammals might indicate natural infections unknown because of lack of study or might indicate recent contamination of the marine environment from the terrestrial environment by natural or anthropogenic activities.

Adenomatous hyperplasia of the thyroid gland in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary and Hudson Bay, Quebec, Canada.

We evaluated thyroid gland lesions in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary (n = 16) and Hudson Bay (n = 14). Follicular cysts and nodules of adenomatous hyperplasia of the thyroid gland were found in eight and nine adults from the St. Lawrence Estuary (n = 10), respectively, and in four and six adults from Hudson Bay (n = 14), respectively. The total volume of the lesions of thyroid adenomatous hyperplasia was positively correlated with age in both populations. Comparison between populations could not be performed because of differences in age structures of sample groups. Beluga whales from both populations have unique thyroid lesions among marine mammals.

Ameloblastic carcinoma in a horse.

The clinical, gross morphological, histological and immunohistochemical characteristics of an ameloblastic carcinoma in a 30-year-old Quarter Horse mare are reported. This tumour was fast growing, locally invasive and destructive. Histologically, it showed an infiltrative pattern of large islands, broad sheets and, at the periphery, small cords of moderately pleomorphic round, oval to spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed positive labelling for vimentin, cytokeratin 5/6 and cytokeratin 14. In the oral cavity of human beings, this immunolabelling pattern is unique for the embryonal enamel organ and tumours of ameloblastomatous epithelial origin, which strongly supports the diagnosis of equine ameloblastic carcinoma.

Successful goniosynechialysis for angle-closure glaucoma after vitreoretinal surgery.

PURPOSE: To describe 2 cases of long-term successful clinical outcome after goniosynechialysis for secondary angle-closure glaucoma after vitreoretinal surgery. METHODS: Case reports. Goniosynechialysis was performed bilaterally in 1 patient and unilaterally in another for uncontrolled angle-closure glaucoma after vitreoretinal surgery. RESULTS: Angle reopening was performed 2 to 4 months after initial closure. After follow-up of between 3 and 5 years, intraocular pressure has remained below 21 mm Hg without medication in all three eyes. CONCLUSION: Goniosynechialysis should be considered a viable therapeutic alternative to filtration surgery in selected patients with a recent history of angle-closure glaucoma after vitreoretinal surgery.

Fibroleiomyomas of the tubular genitalia in female beluga whales.

Fibroleiomyomas of the tubular genitalia were diagnosed in 6 of 9 adult female beluga whales from the St. Lawrence estuary, Quebec, Canada. These tumors were located in the vagina (6 of 6), the cervix (2 of 6), and the uterus (1 of 6). Endogenous hormones or xeno-estrogens may be implicated in the occurrence of these tumors.

Effect of parathyroid hormone on random migration of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Derangements in leukocyte function occur in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and in those with uremia, which is a state of secondary hyperparathyroidism, suggesting that parathyroid hormone (PTH) may affect leukocyte function. We examined the interaction between PTH and random migration of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) utilizing a modified Boyden chamber. Intact 1-84 PTH but not its amino-terminal (1-34 PTH) or its carboxy-terminal (53-84 PTH) fragments produced marked and significant (p less than 0.01) stimulation of random migration in a dose-dependent manner. Inactivation of 1-84 PTH abolished its effect and other peptide hormones (calcitonin, glucagon, insulin and vasopressin) did not stimulate migration of PMNL. The effect of PTH on migration was not due to action of the hormone on chemotaxis. PTH did not enhance cAMP or cGMP production by PMNL. The stimulation of PMNL motility by PTH was independent of calcium concentration in media, was not mimicked by calcium ionophore and was not blocked by verapamil. Quinidine also produced significant (p less than 0.01) increase in random migration of PMNL and this effect was not additive to that of PTH. Prolonged exposure to PTH (16-20 h) was associated with significant inhibition of random migration of PMNL. The migration of PMNL from patients with advanced renal failure was significantly (p less than 0.01) reduced and there was a significant (p less than 0.01) inverse relationship between random migration of PMNL and serum levels of PTH. Also PTH produced only modest stimulation of random migration of PMNL in most patients with renal failure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prophylactic argon laser photocoagulation of the second eye in presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome.

Fifty-six patients with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome who exhibited a disciform macular detachment or macular scar in one fundus and one or more inactive atrophic lesions within the high-risk area of the second eye were seen at the Retina Service of Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Montreal, between 1972 and 1984. All 56 were followed for at least 10 months. Of the 56, 28 had received prophylactic argon laser photocoagulation of the inactive chorioretinal lesions. The rate of activation of the lesions was similar in the treated and untreated groups (10/28 over a mean follow-up period of 44.2 months and 11/28 over a mean period of 43.2 months respectively). In the untreated group there was an increased risk of activation with a higher number of lesions (t = 2.386). In both groups the risk of activation increased with the proximity of the lesions to the centre of the fovea (chi 2 = 29.97). Of the 10 treated eyes that showed activation, 4 did so within 1 month, which suggests that prophylactic photocoagulation may not be without risk of complications.

[Treatment of idiopathic scoliosis by the Harrington technique. Experience from the Ste-Justine Hospital, Montreal]. / Traitement de la scoliose idiopathique par la technique de Harrington. Expérience de l'hôpital Sainte-Justine, Montréal.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the first seven hundred and fifty cases of scoliosis treated surgically by the harrington technique at Ste-Justine Hospital for Children in Montreal since 1964, in regards to modifications of original technique. Five surgeons were involved in the treatment. The mean presurgical angulation was 57.9 degrees; the mean post-surgical angulation was 20 degrees representing an immediate gain of 37.9 degrees. Average loss of correction three years after surgery was 13.3 degrees. Hibbs and Moe type of posterior spine fusion with fresh autogenous iliac bone appears to be the best procedure for maintenance of initial correction, together with early ambulation in a well-molded Risser-Cotrel type of plaster jacket. Prognosis as related to percentage of retained correction is better in girls than boys and also when fused after the age of thirteen years. More correction was obtained and maintained in curves between 30 degrees and 50 degrees. Rate of neurological complications was 0.4%. There was no mortality. There were 3% rod fractures, 5% pseudarthrosis proven at surgery and 5% acute or subacute infections.

Retinal detachment after strabismus surgery.

Four nonmyopic eyes in three patients developed retinal detachment after strabismus surgery. Certain features common in all four eyes included the presence of a chorioretinal scar corresponding in location to the muscle operated on, proliferating fibrous tissue adjacent to the scar, and varying degrees of vitreous hemorrhage. These findings were similar to those in retinal detachments after perforation of the eye by foreign bodies. Penetration of the globe by the needle during muscle surgery was considered the etiologic factor. The use of spatula needles to prevent piercing of the globe is suggested, and in case such accident is suspected, diathermy or cryoapplication over the perforation site is advised.