Culture of endometrial epithelial cells collected by a cytological brush in vivo.

In cattle, mechanistic studies of endometrial function rely on cell lines or primary culture of cells harvested postmortem. Understanding the endometrial physiology in dairy cows is essential, because approximately 50% of pregnancies are lost in the first 3 wk of gestation for unknown reasons. The objective was to validate an in vivo, minimally invasive, and estrous cycle stage-specific method to obtain endometrial luminal epithelial cells for culture. The uterine body of 26 cows was sampled using a cytology brush (cytobrush) 4 d after estrus. The viability of cells was measured by flow cytometry (80% live cells) and epithelial identity was determined by anti-vimentin and anti-cytokeratin immunofluorescence and quantitative PCR for KRT18 and VIM. A pool of cells from 15 animals was passaged 4 times in culture until confluent and then treated with 0, 0.1, 1, or 10 ng/mL of recombinant bovine interferon-tau (rbIFN-τ). The relative expression of transcripts related to IFN-τ signaling (IFNAR1), early (IRF2) and late (ISG15, OAS1) response to IFN-τ stimulus, and other IFN-τ-stimulated genes (CCL8, CXCL10, and FABP3) was measured by quantitative PCR. The relative expression of KRT18 transcripts was similar across passages; the relative expression of VIM increased at passage 2, and IFNAR1 transcripts decreased in cultured compared with that in fresh cells. The relative expression of ISG15, OAS1, CCL8, and FABP3 increased in response to rbIFN-τ. In conclusion, culture of endometrial luminal cells collected by cytobrush was feasible, generating a monolayer enriched in epithelial cells, and therefore constitutes a novel model by which to study endometrial luminal epithelial cell function, including responses to IFN-τ.

Early-life heat stress exposure impacts dairy calf feeding and thermoregulatory behavior.

Heat stress has well-known influences on dairy calf physiology, but less is understood about calf behavioral responses to heat stress. Herein, we evaluated milk replacer intake, standing activity, and lying behaviors of calves exposed to prenatal or postnatal heat stress or both. Holstein calves were born to dams experiencing heat stress (HT; shade of a freestall barn) or cooling (CL; shade, fans, and soakers) during late gestation [~44 d before calving, prenatal; mean daily temperature-humidity index (THI) = 78]. They were then subsequently exposed to postnatal heat stress (shade and natural ventilation of an open-sided barn) or cooling (shade of the barn and forced ventilation by fans) from birth to weaning (56 d; mean daily THI = 77; n = 12 per prenatal × postnatal treatment). Heat stress was confirmed by elevated respiration rate and rectal temperature of the prenatal dam and the postnatal calf. Calves were group-housed with automatic milk feeders, from which milk replacer (MR) intake was assessed. Calf behavior was monitored using loggers and video. Postnatal-HT calves tended to consume less MR per hour in the late morning and drank less MR per visit relative to postnatal-CL calves. Postnatal-HT calves spent more time lying laterally and less time lying sternally in a tucked position during overnight hours. Prenatal-HT calves stood longer across the day, particularly overnight, compared with prenatal-CL calves. This study characterized behavioral responses of preweaning dairy calves exposed to chronic heat stress or active cooling during early-life developmental windows.

Histological and transcriptomic analysis of adipose and muscle of dairy calves supplemented with 5-hydroxytryptophan.

In mammals, peripheral serotonin is involved in regulating energy balance. Herein, we characterized the transcriptomic profile and microstructure of adipose and muscle in pre-weaned calves with increased circulating serotonin. Holstein bull calves (21 ± 2 days old) were fed milk replacer supplemented with saline (CON, 8 mL/day n = 4) or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, 90 mg/day, n = 4) for 10 consecutive days. Calves were euthanized on d10 to harvest adipose and muscle for RNA-Sequencing and histological analyses. Twenty-two genes were differentially expressed in adipose, and 33 in muscle. Notably, Interferon gamma inducible protein-47 was highly expressed and upregulated in muscle and adipose (avg. log FC = 6.5). Enriched pathways in adipose tissue revealed serotonin's participation in lipid metabolism and PPAR signaling. In muscle, enriched pathways were related to histone acetyltransferase binding, Jak-STAT signaling, PI3K-Akt signaling and cell proliferation. Supplementation of 5-HTP increased cell proliferation and total cell number in adipose and muscle. Adipocyte surface area was smaller and muscle fiber area was not different in the 5-HTP group. Manipulating the serotonin pathway, through oral supplementation of 5-HTP, influences signaling pathways and cellular processes in adipose and muscle related to endocrine and metabolic functions which might translate into improvements in calf growth and development.

Chronic heat stress delays immune system development and alters serotonin signaling in pre-weaned dairy calves.

Exposure to heat stress can alter the development and immune system function in dairy calves. Serotonin is an immunomodulatory biogenic amine that functions as a neurotransmitter and as a stress-response mediator. Our objectives were to characterize the patterns of serum serotonin concentrations and the pattern of serotonin-related genes expressed by immune cells of calves exposed to chronic heat stress or heat stress abatement during early life, and to explore whether these might relate to immune system development. Dairy calves were exposed to chronic heat stress (HS; n = 6) or heat stress abatement (cooling, CL; n = 6) across the prenatal (late gestation, last 46 d) and postnatal (from birth to weaning, 56 d) developmental windows. Blood samples were collected to harvest serum (weekly, from d 1 to 49), to isolate of circulating leukocyte mRNA (at 1, 21 and 42 d of age) and characterize immune cell populations by flow cytometry (at 21 and 47 d of age). Calves exposed to chronic heat stress pre- and postnatally had lower red blood cell counts and lower circulating serotonin, immunoglobulin G, and B-lymphocytes compared to CL calves. Circulating blood leukocyte mRNA expression of serotonin receptors -1A, -1F, -4 and -5 was greater, while heat shock protein 70 and immune-related genes (i.e., TBX21, TLR4, and TGFß) were lower in HS relative to CL calves. Peripheral blood leukocytes from all calves secreted serotonin and interleukin-6 after in-vitro lipopolysaccharide stimulation. However, the HS calves produced more serotonin and less interleukin-6 than CL calves when activated in-vitro. Together, our data suggest that providing heat stress abatement to dairy calves across prenatal and postnatal developmental windows might modulate the serotonin synthesis pathway in ways that may benefit humoral immunity against microbial pathogens.

Endocrine Signals Altered by Heat Stress Impact Dairy Cow Mammary Cellular Processes at Different Stages of the Dry Period.

Hormonal alterations occurring under late gestation heat stress may disturb mammary gland remodelling, resulting in a reduced milk yield during the subsequent lactation. We investigated the effects of an altered endocrine environment on mammary gene expression at different stages of the dry period. Mammary gland biopsies from in vivo-cooled (CL) or heat-stressed (HT) cows were collected at d 3 and 35 relative to dry-off and divided into explants. Explants were incubated in vitro for 24 h in one of three media: Basal: no prolactin or estrogen; CL-mimic: Basal + low prolactin + high 17ß-estradiol, or HT-mimic: Basal + high prolactin + low 17ß-estradiol. Real time qPCR was used to quantify gene expression. We established that late-gestation heat stress changes the expression of prolactin and oestrogen receptors, downregulates genes involved in apoptosis, autophagy and proliferation at d 3 and upregulates genes related to those cellular processes at d 35. Moreover, compared with in vivo treatments, we showed that the expression of fewer genes was impacted by in vitro treatments which aimed to mimic the hormonal response of cows exposed to a different environment. Further research will continue to uncover the mechanisms behind the production impairments caused by late-gestation heat stress.

Reacción evocadora de radiación por trastuzumab: revisión y reporte de un caso / Radiation recall dermatitis induced by trastuzumab: review and case report

Se presenta un caso de reacción evocadora de radiación (RER) en una paciente de 37 años con cáncer de mama estadio IIIB, que realizó 6 ciclos de quimioterapia con epidoxorubicina y docetaxel, terapia radiante y trastuzumab. Diez días después definalizada la radioterapia, desarrolló una dermatosis ampollar en la mama irradiada, coincidiendo con un ciclo de tratuzumab. El trastuzumab, anticuerpo monoclonal humanizado contra el receptor HER2, fue aprobado en 1998 por la FDA como primera línea de tratamiento paliativo para el cáncer de mama avanzado con receptores HER2 positivos y, como terapia adyuvante, en 2006. Existen pocos casos de RER por trastuzumab comunicados hasta la fecha.

A 37-year-old female patient with radiation recall dermatitis (RRD) is reported. She held 6 cycles of chemotherapy with epidoxorubicin and docetaxel, radiant therapy and trastuzumab due to stage IIIB breast cancer. Ten days after finishing radiation therapy, she developed a blistering dermatitis on irradiated breast. Trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the HER2 receptor, was approved in 1998 by the FDA as a first-line palliative treatment for advanced breast cancer with positive HER2 receptors and, as adjuvant therapy, in 2006. There are only few cases reported of RRD by trastuzumab up to date.

Fibroqueratoma digital adquirido / Acquired digital fibroma

El fibroqueratoma digital adquirido es un tumor benigno hiperqueratósico, de baja frecuencia, generalmente localizado sobre la porción distal de los dedos de las manos o pies. Se presenta un caso de larga evolución que fue extirpado sin recurrencias. Se enfatiza en los diagnósticos diferenciales.

Síndrome de Sweet asociado a carcinoma de mama / Sweet`s Syndrome associated with breast carcinoma

El síndrome de Sweet es una entidad infrecuente definida como una dermatosis neutrofílica febril aguda. Puede asociarse a diferentes patologías, entre ellas,aunque escasamente, a tumores sólidos. Describimos un caso de síndrome de Sweet asociado a carcinoma de mama. Enfatizamos las características distintivas que presenta el síndrome de Sweet cuando se asocia a malignidad. Se realiza una revisión de esta asociación en la literatura nacional.

Sweet´s Syndrome is an uncommon entity defined as acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis. This syndrome can be associated with different diseases, among them and in few cases, solid tumors. We describe a case of Sweet´s syndrome associated withbreast carcinoma. We emphasize the distinctives clues of Sweet´s syndrome in the context of malignancy. A review of this association in the national literature is done.

Papilomatosis reticulada y confluente familiar / Reticulated and confluent familiar papillomatosis

La papilomatosis reticulada y confluente (Gougerot-Carteaud) es una entidad infrecuente caracterizada por la presencia de pápulas pardas queratósicas que coalescen formando placas de aspecto reticulado en la periferia. La afectación familiar es extremadamente rara. Se presenta un caso de PRC en 2 hermanos

Nevo de Spitz. Importancia de sus variedades clínicas / Spitz news. Importance of its clinical varieties

Se presentan seis pacientes de nevo de Spitz, cuatro en niños, uno en un adolescente y el sexto caso en un adulto joven. Cuatro pacientes presentan nevos deSpitz clínica e histológicamente típicos. Dos pacientes presentan nevos de Spitz clínicamente atípicos

Dermatomiositis y malignidad: a propósito de un caso de carcinoma mamario / Dermatomyositis and malignancy: case report associated with breast cancer

Se presenta una paciente de 56 años afectada simultáneamente de carcinoma de mama y dermatomiositis (DM) cuya sintomatología remitió con el tratamiento quirúrgico del tumor. En pacientes adultos con DM está justificada la búsqueda periódica de cáncer