Hyper-transcription of heat shock factors and heat shock proteins safeguard caprine cardiac cells against heat stress.

The present study was undertaken to document the transcriptional abundance of heat shock factors and heat shock proteins and their role in survivability of caprine cardiac cells during heat stress. Cardiac tissues were collected from different goats (n = 6) and primary cardiac cell culture was done in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% air at 38.5 °C. Cardiac cells accomplished 70-75% confluence after 72 h of incubation. Confluent cardiac cells were exposed to heat stress at 42 °C for 0 (control), 20, 60, 100 and 200 min. Quantitative RT-PCR for ß2m (internal control), heat shock factors (HSF1, HSF2, HSF4, HSF5), heat shock proteins (HSP10, HSP40), and Caspase-3 was done and their transcriptional abundance was assessed by Pfaffl method. Transcriptional abundance of HSF1, HSF2, and HSF4 did not change at 20 min, increased (P < 0.05) from 60 to 200 min and reached zenith at 200 min of heat exposure. However, transcriptional abundance of HSF5 was gradually escalated (P < 0.05) from 20 to 200 min and registered highest at 200 min of heat exposure. Transcriptional abundance of HSP10 and HSP40 followed an similar pattern like that of HSF5. Transcriptional abundance of Caspase-3 was significantly down-regulated at 200 min of heat exposure. It could be speculated that over-expression of HSFs and HSPs might have reduced Caspase-3 expression at 200 min of heat exposure suggesting their involvement in cardiac cells survival under heat stress. Moreover, hyper-expression of HSFs and HSPs could maintain the integrity and endurance of cardiac tissues of goats under heat stress.

Comparative therapeutic efficacy of oral administration of gluconeogenic precursors with nicotinamide and intravenous hypertonic dextrose solution for management of subclinical ketosis in Chilika buffaloes.

Ketosis in dairy animals originates from negative energy status, associated increased absorption, and production of ketone bodies exceeding their use by the ruminants as an energy source. The present therapeutic experiment was carried out in 29 herds of Chilika buffaloes in 16 villages of three adjoining districts of Chilika Lake, Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam. Twenty Chilika buffaloes, detected positive for subclinical ketosis, were randomly selected for the study and divided into 2 groups, groups II and III, and were treated with hypertonic dextrose solution intravenously or gluconeogenic precursors along with nicotinamide orally, along with other supportive drugs in both the groups. Ten lactating Chilika buffaloes with no signs of ketosis and detected negative on Rothera test were included in the study as healthy controls (group I). Blood and milk samples were collected from all the 30 recruited buffaloes on days 0 (pre-treatment), 7, 14, and 28 for haematological and biochemical analysis. The subclinical ketosis in Chilika buffaloes did not have overt clinical signs. However, close examination revealed gradual drop in milk yield (100%), inappetence (59%), debility (46%), and uncoordinated gait (10%) without excitatory nervous signs. On day 7 following treatment, blood glucose concentration increased significantly. The mean serum triglyceride concentration of group III, treated with gluconeogenic precursors with nicotinamide, continued to decline significantly on subsequent observations. The serum enzyme activity, indicating status of liver function, declined following treatment in both the therapeutic groups. The intravenous administration of hypertonic dextrose solution compared to use of oral gluconeogenic precursors along with nicotinamide efficiently restored recovery from the subclinical ketosis in Chilika buffaloes.

Molecular epidemiology, risk factors and hematological evaluation of asymptomatic Theileria annulata infected cattle in Odisha, India.

BACKGROUND: Theileria annulata is a tick-borne apicomplexan parasite that affects bovine and causes severe economic losses. Aims: Our study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence of T. annulata infection in asymptomatic carrier cattle in Odisha, India, to study the association of potential risk factors with theileriosis, and to investigate the effect of the parasite infection on hematological parameters in naturally affected animals. METHODS: A total of 226 cattle blood samples were collected from seven districts of Odisha, India. Molecular diagnoses of tropical theileriosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of isolated parasites were performed. Potential risk factors were investigated by univariable and multivariable logistic regression statistical analysis. Hematological parameters were compared between positive and negative animals. RESULTS: All animals included in our study were clinically normal, however, 54.86% (124/226) of examined animals were positive by PCR for T. annulata. The multivariable logistic regression showed that contact with other cattle from different herds during grazing (P<0.0001; OR: 12.75; 95% CI: 5.21-31.21), previous history of clinical signs (P=0.002; OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.53-6.31), and frequency of a ectoparasiticides application pre year (P<0.0001; OR: 9.22; 95% CI: 3.03-28.09) were the potential risk factors for the occurrence of tropical theileriosis. Nucleotide sequence identity data demonstrated that T. annulata strain (MN818858) Odisha shared homology of 99.6%, 99.49%, and 99.36% with Uttar Pradesh, India (MF346035), Bahrain (AF214797), and Hyderabad, India (MK034702), respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to gain insight into the molecular epidemiology, risk factors, phylogeny, and hematological analysis of asymptomatic T. annulata infected cattle from India.