Antigenicity of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus studied by its reactivity with monoclonal antibodies.

A panel of anti-rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (anti-RHDV) monoclonal antibodies was produced and characterized. The ability of the MAbs to recognize epitopes present on RHDV capsids, European brown hare syndrome virus capsids and RHDV subunits was determined. Preliminary results on the neutralizing capacity of the MAbs were obtained by in vivo protection experiments. The antigenic map of RHDV obtained by this study is consistent with the current models of the calicivirus structure.

beta-Carotene storage in rat organs following carrier mediated supplementation.

One rat group was supplemented with beta-carotene (BC) both in beadlets and the crystalline form in arachidic oil as a carrier added to standard diet; another rat group was given 1 ml crystalline BC-arachidic oil by gavage twice a week. In both rat groups, each rat ingested 350 mg BC/week for 12 weeks. The animals were then sacrificed and BC levels together with retinyl palmitate presence were assessed by HPLC analysis in liver, lung, kidney, small intestine, mesenteric fat, brain, spleen, stomach and blood plasma. In the first group, high BC storage, ranging from 4.2 to 45.2 nmols/g wet tissue, was found in liver, small intestine, spleen; lesser BC levels were found in lung, kidney, stomach, blood serum; retinyl palmitate was found in liver and lung. In the second group BC levels ranging from 0.5 up to 5,763 nmols/g wet tissue were detected in all organs, except for brain and stomach; the highest levels were in the lung; retinyl palmitate was detected in liver. The lung appeared to be a target organ for BC, as confirmed by its presence in the lungs of control rats fed standard diet and given 1 ml of arachidic oil alone by gavage twice a week.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)