A Rare Case of Testicular Disorder of Sex Development in a Dog (78,XX; SRY-Negative) with Male External Genitalia and Detection of Copy Number Variation in the Region Upstream of the SOX9 Gene.

Testicular or ovotesticular disorder of sex development (DSD) in genetic females (78,XX; SRY-negative) has been reported quite frequently in numerous dog breeds and is usually diagnosed due to the presence of female external genitalia with an enlarged clitoris. The molecular background of this disorder, diagnosed also in human and other mammals, is not fully understood. However, it has recently been proposed that a copy number variation (CNV) in the region upstream of the SOX9 gene is associated with it. We described a rare case of this disorder in a French Bulldog with abdominal testes and male external genitalia (a slightly malformed penis). FISH studies showed a female karyotype, lack of a translocation involving the Y chromosome, and a distinct size variation in the CNV region (CNVR) upstream of the SOX9 gene, located on chromosome 9 (CFA9). A large FISH variant on a single CFA9 and a lack of the variant on its homologue was observed. Surprisingly, in the mother of this DSD dog, 2 normal-sized variants were identified which means that the CNV in the DSD dog was de novo. Our observations are in agreement with earlier suggestions that a high number of copies at the CNVR upstream of SOX9 may be associated with this type of DSD.

Adoptively transferred Tregs accumulate in a site-specific manner and ameliorate signs of less advanced collagen-induced arthritis progress in rats.

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the therapeutic effect and migration of adoptively transferred Tregs in the course of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats. METHODS: Sorted CD4(+)CD25(+) cells were cultured in the presence of 17-ß-estradiol, stained with CellTracker and then administered into the articular capsule of ankle joint of animals in different stages of CIA progression. RESULTS: Tregs diminished CIA signs only in animals with less advanced disease progress. Moreover, migration of transferred cells into the LN in the near proximity of the injection site and with distal location was almost completely stopped in animals with fully developed CIA. CONCLUSION: Disease progression-related differences in migratory potential of in vitro induced Tregs may be responsible for the failure of cellular therapy during the advanced stages of CIA.

Cases with manifestation of chemodectoma diagnosed in dogs in Department of Internal Diseases with Horses, Dogs and Cats Clinic, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.

In the period of 3 years, 9 tumours of chemodectoma were supravitally diagnosed and histopathologically verified in dogs. In this period 15 351 dogs were admitted to the Clinic of Dogs and Cats and 2 145 dogs were examined in the cardiological outpatient clinic for dogs. This tumour is located in a typical place--at the base of the heart. Most frequently the tumour manifested in older boxers. Only in one case such a tumour was diagnosed in another breed of dogs. The tumours ranged in size between 3 and 16 cm in diameter. The principal sign accompanying tumours of cardiac base involved dyspnoea but in 3 cases the tumours yielded no clinical signs. All the diagnoses were additionally verified using immunohistochemical examination. We used antibodies to chromogranin A (clone DAK-A3 1:100), synaptophysin (clone SY38 1:20) and neuron-specific enolase (clone BBS/NC/VI-H14 1:150). An immunohistochemical examination is vital for the diagnosis since it allows to differentiate histologically distinct types of neoplasia which may locate in the same site and may manifest a similar histological pattern.

Radiological imaging of the formation of regenerated bone in distraction osteogenesis: an experimental study.

Introduction. One of the biological factors affecting the formation of regenerated bone in distraction osteogenesis is the method used for osteotomy. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the course of bone regeneration using various types of osteotomy in an experimental setting.
Material and method. Our research involved 35 Merynos sheep. Single-level tibia lengthening was performed in all these sheep in the proximal segment using an Ilizarov fixator. The material was divided into 5 groups depending on the osteotomy method used: closed corticotomy, open corticotomy, the Cattaneo method, osteotomy, and osteoclasia. The regenerating bone was evaluated by x-ray examinations performed in two standard projections.
Results. The x-ray images were evaluated based on a descriptive analysis of the features of the course of bone regeneration in all the experimental groups. The regenerating bone the osteoclasia group was most abundant and homogeneous in structure.
Conclusions. The formation of regenerated bone in distraction osteogenesis is dependent on the method of osteotomy. Radiological images of the course of regeneration in the various experimental groups showed differences in the intensity and rate of formation of new bone tissue. The formation and reconstruction of regenerated bone was faster in the osteoclasia group than in the other experimental groups.