Prevalence of bovine viral diarrhea virus from Korean native cattle farms in Jeju

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an RNA virus belonging to Pestivirus in the family Flaviviridae. BVDV has economic significance for the livestock industry because of its association with acute disease, fetal loss, and birth of persistently infected (PI) animals. This study aimed to investigate the BVDV infection rates in Korean native cattle farms in Jeju for further planning of a BVDV control program in the Jeju Province. BVDV antibodies and antigens were tested in 15,842 sera collected from 302 Korean native cattle herds between January 2014 and June 2017 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Viral antigen was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from 60 sera that were antigen ELISA-positive. BVDV antibodies were found in 90.7% (274/302) herds and 61.1% (9,678/15,842) cows. BVDV antigens were found in 13.2% (40/302) herds and 0.4% (61/15,842) cows. The oldest animal group (> 8 years) exhibited the highest sero-positive rates (91%), while the youngest animal group (< 1 years) had the highest antigen positivity rates (0.52%). Of the 60 antigen-positive sera, BVDV types 1 and 2 were found in 36 and 12 sera, respectively. Additionally, six animals were considered to be PI as BVDV was continually detected in annual examination.

Potential involvement of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β in a rat model of multiple sclerosis: evidenced by lithium treatment / 대한해부학회지

Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β has been known as a pro-inflammatory molecule in neuroinflammation. The involvement of GSK-3β remains unsolved in acute monophasic rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The aim of this study was to evaluate a potential role of GSK-3β in central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity through its inhibition by lithium. Lithium treatment significantly delayed the onset of EAE paralysis and ameliorated its severity. Lithium treatment reduced the serum level of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor a but not that of interleukin 10. Western blot analysis showed that the phosphorylation of GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β) and its upstream factor Akt was significantly increased in the lithium-treated group. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that lithium treatment also suppressed the activation of ionized calcium binding protein-1-positive microglial cells and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in the spinal cords of lithium-treated EAE rats. These results demonstrate that lithium ameliorates clinical symptom of acute monophasic rat EAE, and GSK-3 is a target for the suppression of acute neuroinflammation as far as rat model of human CNS disease is involved.

A morphological study of vomeronasal organ of Korean black goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) / 대한수의학회지

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) plays an important role in reproduction and social activities in ruminants including goats. A morphological study on the structure of VNO and its epithelial cells was carried out in Korean black goats. Grossly, the VNO of Korean goats opens into mouth through incisive ducts. Microscopically, the epithelium of VNO consisted of medial sensory epithelium and lateral non-sensory epithelium. Several blood vessels and nerve bundles were observed in the lamina propria encased by vomeronasal cartilage. Immunohistochemical staining showed that protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 was immunostained in the receptor cells of the sensory epithelium and in some cells of the non-sensory epithelium. Galectin-3 was mainly observed in the supporting cells of sensory and non-sensory epithelium. Lectins including wheat germ agglutinin, Ulex europaeus agglutinin, Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin Isolectin B4, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin and soybean agglutinin used in this study were bound in VNO sensory, non-sensory epithelia as well as in the lamina propria with varying intensity. Collectively, this is a first descriptive morphological study of VNO of Korean black goat with special reference to lectin histochemistry.

Histochemical study of lectin-binding patterns in the rat vomeronasal organ during postnatal development / 대한수의학회지

Histochemical patterns of lectin binding during development of the rat vomeronasal organ (VNO) were studied to determine whether glycoconjugates are differently expressed after birth. Three types of lectins, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I), were studied histochemically in the rat VNO at various stages post-birth: postnatal days 1 and 7, the preweaning period (4 weeks after birth), and at sexual maturity (8 weeks after birth). The free border of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium was positive for both WGA and UEA-I in rats of all ages; whereas, VNO receptor cells and supporting cells were positive only for both WGA and UEA-I from 4 weeks after birth. DBA reactivity was detected in the free border but less so in receptor cells and supporting cells. WGA and UEA-I, but not DBA, showed similar patterns in various ages. In the Jacobson's gland, WGA, UEA-I and DBA were detected in some acini from 4 weeks after birth but not at postnatal days 1 or 7. Collectively, reactivity for three lectins, WGA, UEA-I and DBA, increased in receptor cells and gland acini during postnatal development, possibly contributing to the enhanced chemoreception in rats.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase is involved in neuronal death induced by trimethyltin in the rat hippocampus / 대한수의학회지

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) has been used as a neurotoxin for inducing brain dysfunction and neuronal death. Neuronal death in the hippocampus by TMT may generate excessive nitric oxide, but there are few studies about nitric oxide synthase enzyme involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide. The purpose of present study is to analyze the TMT toxicity in each region of rat hippocampus. To evaluate the involvement of nitric oxide, we analyzed the effects of aminoguanidine known as a selective inhibitor for inducible nitric oxide synthase on behavioral changes and the hippocampus of rat by TMT toxicity. 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with a single dose of TMT (8 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) and the control group was similarly administered with distilled water. TMT + aminoguanidine-treated groups were administered with aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) for 3 days prior to TMT injection. The rats were sacrificed 2 days after TMT administration. In the TMT-treated group, a number of cell losses were seen in CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus. In the TMT + aminoguanidine-treated group, neuronal death was seen in CA1 and CA3, but reduced in the dentate gyrus compared to the TMT-treated group. Western blot analysis showed that cleaved caspase-3 expression was increased in the TMT-treated group compared to the control group. However, the expression significantly declined in the TMT + aminoguanidine-treated group. The present findings suggest that inducible nitric oxide synthase is involved in neuronal death induced by TMT.