Efeitos do citrato de sildenafila sobre a neuroproteção na neuropatia óptica, em ratos (Lewis/SsNHsd) com glaucoma agudo

Pós-graduação em Cirurgia Veterinária - FCAV

Hematological and biochemical changes in a Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) population in response to environmental stressors

Turtles are among the most endangered vertebrate groups, and the main threats to populations are environmental pollution and habitat degradation. The species Phrynops geoffroanus, popularly known as “Geoffroy’s side-necked turtle”, has proliferated in polluted environments, where adverse conditions could influence their living habits and physiological condition. Studies that monitor the effects of environmental pollution are key to understanding the species’ biology and designing effective conservation strategies. Thus, the analysis of hematological and biochemical parameters has been shown to be important in assessing the health of wild animals and risks for the animal and ecosystem. This study aimed to assess the environmental influence on the physiology of a P. geoffroanus population through the evaluation of antioxidant status and responses to environmental stressors, compared to specimens from a place under controlled conditions. Blood samples of 60 specimens were collected, 30 from the Felicidade Stream, polluted environment, within the city of São José do Rio Preto, and 30 from the “Reginaldo Uvo Leone” breeding farm, Tabapuã, SP, a place under controlled conditions, whose samples constituted the control group. They were evaluated by hemogram and by determining thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH). There was a wide variation in hematological parameters of P. geoffroanus from the urban environment. The red blood cell count and hemoglobin values were significantly less than those observed in animals from the breeding farm (P = 0.0004; P = 0.0371, respectively). There was a significant increase in the number of thrombocytes (P < 0.0001) and leukocytes (P < 0.0001) in the animals from Felicidade Stream. The stress indices were similar between the two groups (P = 0.4077). TBARS levels showed the cytotoxic potential of compounds in the urban environment, whose animals had elevated levels of lipid peroxidation (P < 0.0001), despite showing a response to environmental damages with increase in antioxidant capacity, as demonstrated by the TEAC assay (P = 0.0207). The lower catalase enzyme activity noted in individuals from the urban environment (P = 0.000184) could be due to the presence of inhibitory compounds. On the other hand, G6PDH activity was higher (P = 0.002962), where this enzyme acts in the generation of NADPH, which is used in several detoxification pathways. We conclude that environmental contamination can increase oxidative damages and generate physiological changes in this species. These data are very useful for the conservation of P. geoffroanus and turtles in general, and confirm that these techniques are effective in monitoring natural regions and that P. geoffroanus can serve as an environmental contamination bioindicator.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in splenic hemangiomas and hemangiosarcomas in dogs

Formation of new blood vessels is paramount for tumour growth and metastatic dissemination and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the key regulators of this process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of VEGF in 23 splenic hemangiosarcomas and 7 splenic hemangiomas in dogs. Blood tests performed previous to splenectomy were analysed for correlation with tumour VEGF expression. Results showed significantly higher VEGF expression in hemangiosarcomas than hemangiomas and lower hematocrit values and red cell count in dogs affected with malignant neoplasia (P < 0.05). These findings suggest the presence of high VEGF levels may be related to the malignant vascular proliferation seen in hemangiosarcomas.

Esplenomegalia em cães: estudo retrospectivo

The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of canine splenic disorders by means of a retrospectiveanalysis of histological diagnosis after splenectomy. The results were confronted with laboratory findings, clinical signs and presence of cardiac arrhythmia and hemoperitoneum, in an attempt to establish the differentialdiagnosis of splenomegaly. One hundred and nine dogs assisted at the Veterinary Hospital of theSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, were included in the retrospectivestudy, between 2002 and 2009. The average age was 10 years old ± 3, with no sexual predilection. Mixedbreed dogs was the most affected kind, and average weight was 22 kg ± 13. Overall, 52% (57/109) of dogswere splenectomized due to non-neoplastic diseases and 48% (52/109) to neoplastic diseases. Among thelatter, the most common diagnosis was hemangiosarcoma (28 dogs; 54%). Most frequent clinical signs includedanorexia, lethargy and vomiting. Results showed that dogs with low red blood cell count, low hematocritvalues and/or hemoperitoneum were more likely to have splenic malignant neoplasm. On the otherhand, sex, breed, size, age, cardiac arrhythmia and other laboratory parameters were not determining factorsin the differentiation of splenomegaly.

Aditivos alternativos aos antibióticos promotores de crescimento no desempenho de frangos de corte sob desafio sanitário

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FCAV

State of the art on animal embryonic chimeras

Embryonic chimerism is generally used in basic research and in vivo diagnosis of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESC), mostly using mice embryos, although there have been reports in the literature on using rat, rabbit, sheep, chicken, primate, bovine, goat and pig embryos. Several techniques can currently be used to produce chimeric embryos, including microinjection, co-culture with ESC, fusion and aggregation. Although microinjection is the most commonly used method in mice, the mere aggregation of embryos with ESC may result in viable chimeras and be as efficient as microinjection. In mice, this chimerism technique has been shown to have the advantage of aggregating embryos in different stages of development with different ploidy, in addition to using ESC in the tetraploid complementation assay. Compared to other techniques for producing chimeras, the aggregation technique is a cheaper, faster and easier methodology to be performed. Moreover, aggregation can be simplified by chemically removing the zona pellucida with pronase or acidic Tyrode’s solution and be enhanced by using the Well of the Well culture system in combination with adhesion molecules, such as phytohemagglutinin. The most commonly used stages for chimerism by aggregation are those that precede the full compaction of the morula. In these stages, embryos have low-tension adherent junctions at the tangential point between two blastomeres. During the embryonic development of mice, the inner cell mass differentiates into epiblast and hypoblast. These layers will originate the fetal tissues and a portion of the extraembryonic tissues (yolk sac, allantois and amnion), whereas the trophectoderm (TE) gives rise to the chorion. A functional TE is essential for the complex molecular communications that occur between the embryo and the uterus. Embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer, such as commercial cattle clones or endangered species, are subject to large fetal and neonatal losses. Hence embryo complementation with heterologous TE could be of assistance to decrease these losses and might as well assist development of high-value embryos in other approaches.

Toxicidade do cloridrato de doxorrubicina na dose de 120mg/m², em cadelas com tumor venéreo transmissível

Pós-graduação em Cirurgia Veterinária - FCAV

6-Dimethylaminopurine and cyclohexamide are mutagenic and alter reproductive performance and intrauterine development in vivo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro mucus transportability, cytogenotoxicity, and hematological changes as non-destructive physiological biomarkers in fish chronically exposed to metals

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Short communication: Variable number of tandem repeat polymorphisms in DGAT1 gene of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) is associated with milk constituents

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A longer time of exposure to antiretroviral therapy improves selenium levels

Background &aims: Selenium is an essential mineral for immunological function, performing crucial functions at the cellular level. This micronutrient has been determined to be frequently deficient in HIV infected patients, with correlations between reduced immunological function and greater susceptibility to opportunistic infections. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of time of exposure to antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the biochemical profile of selenium in HIV-infected patients.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 50 HIV-positive men with different quantitations of viral load and CD4+ T cells, who were either receiving or not receiving ART. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to determine body composition, biochemical analysis of selenium and albumin, anthropometric measurements were performed. The subjects were divided into groups according to the use of ART or not: The Control Group (CG) was 10 treatment-nave volunteers, Group G < 2 was 20 volunteers on ART for less than 2 years, and Group G > 2 was 20 volunteers on ART for >2 years.Results: The body mass index showed that all subjects were of normal weight. The group with a longer time of exposure to ART (G > 2) had undetectable viremia and a higher CD4+ T cell count: 593.1 +/- 234.6 mm(3). Selenium values (mu g/L) were 55.9 +/- 11.9 for CG, 52.1 +/- 10.5 for G < 2, and 66.9 +/- 20.8 for G > 2, with a significant difference between groups G < 2 and G > 2 (p < 0.05), and only G > 2 showed normal selenium values.Conclusions: Most of the men studied showed selenium deficiency, except for the subjects with a longer exposure to antiretroviral treatment. Thus, an adequate selenium concentration is related to better control of virology and of immunologic function. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Plasma Steroid Dynamics in Late- and Near-term Naturally and Artificially Conceived Bovine Pregnancies as Elucidated by Multihormone High-resolution LC-MS/MS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms and milk production traits in buffalo

The aim of this study was to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in buffaloes associated with milk yield and content, in addition to somatic cell scores based on the cross-species transferability of SNPs from cattle to buffalo. A total of 15,745 SNPs were analyzed, of which 1562 showed 1% significance and 4742 with 5% significance, which were associated for all traits studied. After application of Bonferroni's correction for multiple tests of the traits analyzed, we found 2 significant SNPs placed on cattle chromosomes BTA15 and BTA20, which are homologous to buffalo chromosomes BBU16 and BBU19, respectively. In this genome association study, we found several significant SNPs affecting buffalo milk production and quality. Furthermore, the use of the high-density bovine BeadChip was suitable for genomic analysis in buffaloes. Although extensive chromosome arm homology was described between cattle and buffalo, the exact chromosomal position of SNP markers associated with these economically important traits in buffalo can be determined only through buffalo genome sequencing.

Diazepam, em dose única, inibe a migração celular, a estimulação macrofágica e a atividade de TNF-α na reação inflamatória aguda induzida por LPS em camundongos

Benzodiazepines are one of the most frequently prescribed drugs due to their anxiolytic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diazepam on lipopolysaccharide-induced peritoneal acute inflammatory responses. Swiss mice were treated with diazepam in a single dose of 1 or 10 mg/kg- subcutaneously 1 h before an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide or sterile saline solution. The mice were killed 16 h after and the cells were washed from the peritoneal cavity to determine the total number of cells and the mononuclear and polimorfonuclear subpopulations, as well as the TNF-alpha activity and percentage of spread macrophages. Our results showed that the diazepam treatment (1 and 10 mg/kg) induced a significant reduction in the LPS-induced macrophage stimulation and TNF-α activity. Diazepam (10 mg/kg) also reduced the inflammatory cellular migration when compared to the control. It can be concluded that the diazepam treatment in a single dose is able to influence the inflammatory cellular influx, macrophage stimulation and TNF-α activity in the acute inflammatory response in mice, having possible implications on the anti-infectious response efficiency.

Production of autoantibodies associated with polyclonal activation in Yersinia enterocolitica 0:8-infected mice

Polyclonal lymphocyte stimulation is one of the immunomodulatory mechanisms induced by arthritogenic pathogens. In this study we examined the polyclonal activation potential of a virulent strain of Y. enterocolitica serotype O:8 (WA 2707+) and its plasmidless isogenic pair (WA 2707-). SPF Swiss mice were infected intragastrically and spleen cells were obtained on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 after infection. The number of cells secreting nonspecific immunoglobulins of IgG, IgM and IgA isotypes was determined by the ELISPOT technique. The presence of serum-specific antibodies was investigated by ELISA and the presence of autoantibodies by dot-blot assay. Although the patterns of infection of the two bacterial strains were almost the same, only the animals infected with the virulent strain presented clinical anomalies. Neither arthritic nor inflammatory signs were observed in the joints of the infected animals. The greatest activation observed was that of the nonspecific IgM-secreting cells, and their peak of secretion occurred between the 28th and the 42nd day after infection, for both strains of Y. enterocolitica O:8. Only the animals infected with the virulent strain (WA 2707+) produced IgG-specific antibodies in the serum, from the 28th day after infection. The serum of animals infected with either strain showed reactivity to all the autologous constituents tested, mainly on the 28th and 42nd day after infection. It was concluded that infection of mice with either the virulent strain of Y. enterocolitica O:8 or with its plasmidless isogenic pair resulted in the polyclonal activation of the splenic B lymphocytes including some autoreactive clones.