An international seroprevalence survey of the IgE sensitisation to the Dermatophagoides farinae house dust mite and two of its major allergens (Der f 2, Zen 1) in atopic dogs.

BACKGROUND: Dogs with atopic dermatitis are often immunoglobulin (Ig)E-sensitised to Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) house dust mites, yet limited data exist on the sensitisation rates to the individual Df allergens, Der f 2 and Zen 1. OBJECTIVES: To determine the IgE sensitisation rates to Df, Der f 2 and Zen 1 in atopic dogs from geographically diverse countries. ANIMALS: Serum was collected from 32 laboratory dogs in Japan, and 837 atopic dogs from 11 countries from five continents: Asia (Japan, Thailand, Taiwan), Europe (Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, UK), North America (USA), South America (Argentina, Brazil) and Africa (South Africa). METHODS AND MATERIALS: We determined Df-, Der f 2- and Zen 1-specific IgE levels by ELISA. Correlations between the IgE values for these three allergens were calculated. RESULTS: The IgE seropositivity rates for Df varied between 74% (Argentina) and 100% (the Netherlands, Thailand, South Africa), those for Der f 2 between 12% (Argentina) and 88% (South Africa), and for Zen 1 between 70% (Argentina) and 100% (the Netherlands). Apart from the especially low seropositivity rate for Der f 2-specific IgE in Argentina, the percentage of IgE sensitisation varied little between countries. There was significant correlation between the IgE levels to these three allergens which was highest between Df and Zen 1, and lowest between Zen 1 and Der f 2. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The IgE sensitisation to Df is geographically widespread. Der f 2 and Zen 1 are major allergens for dogs in almost all countries where this was evaluated.

Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and linoleic acid increases the production of epidermal ceramides in in vitro canine keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the effects of essential fatty acids on the production of epidermal ceramide (CER) in canine keratinocytes. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and linoleic acid (LA) supplementation on the production of CERs using an in vitro canine keratinocyte culture system. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Canine keratinocyte cells (MSCEK) were incubated with high Ca2+ [1.8 mM calcium chloride (CaCl2 )] serum-free medium, supplemented with 3 µM EPA and 15 µM LA when the cells showed confluency. On Day 8 of application, lipid analysis using high-performance thin layer chromatography and real-time PCR for detecting glucosylceramide synthase and ceramidase were performed. RESULTS: It was revealed that the amounts of CER (EOS) (combination of ω-hydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines), CER [EOP] (combination of ω-hydroxy fatty acids and phytosphingosines) and a mixture of CER [NS] (combination of nonhydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines) and [NDS] (combination of nonhydroxy fatty acids and dihydrosphingosines), as well as total CERs, were significantly increased in cells incubated with EPA and LA compared to those of the vehicle, with increased mRNA expression of glucosylceramide synthase. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These findings suggest that EPA and LA can potentially alter the CER profile of the skin and this may contribute to its epidermal barrier function in canine skin.

Predictive factors influencing pregnancy rate in frozen embryo transfer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of embryo transfer (ET) and to identify the parameters influencing pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: This study included 938 ET cycles involving single frozen and thawed good-quality blastocyst (Gardner grade ≥3BB) between August 2017 and January 2018. The significance of several parameters including endometrial thickness, position of the transferred air bubble, self-evaluation score by physicians, and uterus direction at ET as predictors of clinical pregnancy was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Among 938 ET cycles, 462 (49.3%) resulted in a clinical pregnancy. Endometrial thickness was positively associated with clinical pregnancy in a linear trend. Between the variable position of the transferred air bubble and clinical pregnancy rate showed a curvilinear relationship. Clinical pregnancy rate was higher in cases with good self-evaluation score, whereas there was no difference between groups with different uterus directions. Univariate analysis of predictive parameters identified endometrial thickness, self-evaluation score by physicians, and position of air bubbles as significant predictors of clinical pregnancy, of which endometrial thickness and position of air bubbles appeared to be independently related to clinical pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Endometrial thickness and the position of transferred air bubbles influenced clinical pregnancy in ET cycles.

Spontaneous regression of canine papillomavirus type 2-related papillomatosis on footpads in a dog.

Persistent papillomatosis on footpads related to canine papillomavirus type 2 (CPV-2) infection has been described in dogs with immunocompromised condition. A 9-year-old, male French bulldog was presented with cauliflower-like nodules on the footpads of his left front leg. Histopathological examination revealed multiple finger-like projections of squamous epithelium with intranuclear inclusion bodies. Immunohistochemistry using an anti-bovine papillomavirus antibody demonstrated immunostaining in the keratinocytes. Partial genome DNA of CPV-2 was amplified from the lesion. Full genome sequence of CPV-2 in the subject showed 99.95% nucleotide identity with that of CPV-2 from the reference data. Two weeks after a biopsy, the skin lesion spontaneously regressed without any specific treatment. In non-immunocompromised dogs, CPV-2-related footpad papillomatosis could spontaneously resolve after a biopsy.

Effectiveness of high-dose transvaginal progesterone supplementation for women who are undergoing a frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of high-dose progesterone supplementation for women who are undergoing a frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). METHODS: Among the 2010 FET cycles that were included in the present study, 1188 were 1200 mg/d of vaginal progesterone, while 822 were 900 mg/d. The dose of progesterone that was used was decided by the treatment period and additional progesterone supplementation was used when the serum progesterone levels were <9 ng/mL on luteal day 5. RESULTS: The clinical pregnancy rate was higher in the 1200 mg group than in the 900 mg group. The mean serum progesterone level on luteal day 5 in the 1200 mg and 900 mg groups was 12.6 ng/mL and 13.4 ng/mL, respectively. The rate of additional progesterone supplementation was higher in the 1200 mg group. A logistic regression analysis identified a younger age (≤37 years) and the use of 1200 mg progesterone as independent predictive factors for the clinical pregnancy outcome. The analysis of the infant outcomes revealed no significant difference in the distribution of birth ages and weights. CONCLUSION: High-dose transvaginal progesterone of 1200 mg/d as luteal support contributed to good pregnancy outcomes.

Tolerance induction by the blockade of CD40/CD154 interaction in pemphigus vulgaris mouse model.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune blistering disease caused by IgG autoantibodies against desmoglein 3 (Dsg3). We have recently developed an active disease mouse model for PV by adoptive transfer of splenocytes from Dsg3(-/-) mice. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of CD40/CD154 interaction in the pathogenic antibody production and development of the disease in PV model mice. When anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was administered to recipient mice prior to adoptive transfer, anti-CD154 mAb almost completely blocked the anti-Dsg3 IgG production and prevented blister formation. The blockade of CD40/CD154 interaction induced tolerance against Dsg3 as the suppression of antibody production was observed through day 70, and it was maintained even after challenge by immunization with recombinant mouse Dsg3 or by adoptive transfer of immunized Dsg3(-/-) splenocytes. Furthermore, the tolerance to Dsg3 was transferable because cotransfer of splenocytes from anti-CD154 mAb-treated mice and naïve Dsg3(-/-) splenocytes significantly suppressed anti-Dsg3 IgG production in recipient mice. In contrast, when anti-CD154 mAb was injected after the mice had developed the PV phenotype, no significant suppression of the production of anti-Dsg3 IgG was observed. These findings indicate that the CD40/CD154 interaction is essential for the induction of pathogenic anti-Dsg3 IgG antibodies and that antigen-specific immune-regulatory cells induced by anti-CD154 mAb would hold a therapeutic option for autoimmune diseases.