Unexpected high frequency of neurofibroma in the celiac ganglion of German cattle.

In a study originally designed to find potential risk factors for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) we examined tissues from 403 Holstein Frisian cattle in total. These included 20 BSE cattle and their 236 birth- and feeding cohort animals plus 32 offspring, 103 age, breed and district-matched control cattle and further twelve cattle with neurological signs. In addition to the obex, we examined the celiac ganglion, cervical cranial ganglion, trigeminal ganglion and proximal ganglion of the vagus nerve using histological techniques. Unexpectedly, we found a high number of neurofibroma, a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor consisting of Schwann cells, fibroblasts and perineural cells. The neurofibroma were present only in the celiac ganglion and found during histologic examination. With a frequency of 9.91% in BSE cattle and their cohorts (case animals) and 9.09% in the age, breed and district matched control animals there seems to be no correlation between the occurrence of BSE and neurofibroma. Benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors have been described more often in cattle than in other domestic animals. Usually, they are incidental macroscopic findings in the thoracic ganglia during meat inspection. To our knowledge, there are no previous systematic histologic studies including bovine celiac ganglia at all. The high incidence of celiac ganglia neurofibroma may play a role in the frequently occurring abomasal displacements in Holstein Frisian cattle as the tumors might cause a gastrointestinal motility disorder. At present a genetic predisposition for these neoplasms cannot be ruled out.

Correction to: Unexpected high frequency of neurofibroma in the celiac ganglion of German cattle.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Draft Genome Sequences of Vibrio cholerae Non-O1, Non-O139 Isolates from Common Tern Chicks (Sterna hirundo) following a Mass Mortality Event.

Vibrio cholerae is an inhabitant of aquatic environments worldwide. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of eight V. cholera non-O1, non-O139 isolates that were recovered from the corpses of two seabird chicks (common terns) following a mass mortality event in a German breeding colony in 2019.

Morgagnian cataract resulting from a naturally occurring nonsense mutation elucidates a role of CPAMD8 in mammalian lens development.

To investigate the genetic basis of hereditary lens opacities we analyzed 31 cases of bilateral congenital cataract in Red Holstein Friesian cattle. A genome-wide association study revealed a significant association on bovine chromosome 7 at positions 6,166,179 and 12,429,691. Whole genome re-sequencing of one case and four relatives showed a nonsense mutation (g.5995966C>T) in the PZP-like, alpha-2-macroglobulin domain containing 8 (CPAMD8) gene leading to a premature stop codon (CPAMD8 p.Gln74*) associated with cataract development in cattle. With immunohistochemistry we confirmed a physiological expression of CPAMD8 in the ciliary body epithelium of the eye in unaffected cattle, while the protein was not detectable in the ciliary body of cattle with cataracts. RNA expression of CPAMD8 was detected in healthy adult, fetal and cataractous lenses.