Broiler breeder feeding programs and trace minerals on maternal antibody transfer and broiler humoral immune response

Breeder feed restriction may negatively affect broiler progeny immunity. Sources of trace minerals (TM) with higher bioavailability in breeder diets have been reported to enhance humoral and cellular immunity in broiler progeny. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of breeder feeding programs and TM dietary sources on maternal antibody transfer and humoral immune response of progeny to a live vaccine against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Cobb 500 breeders were fed according to 2 feed allocation programs, sigmoid late fast and sigmoid late slow, from 14 to 29 wk of age. From 56 to 62 wk of age, breeders were fed with either inorganic TM or an organic source (OTM) to replace 30% of Cu, Zn, and Mn. Progeny broilers were vaccinated intraocularly with La Sota NDV vaccine at 7 d of age. Blood samples were collected at hatching, 4, and 14 d postvaccination. Serum antibody levels against NDV were assessed by ELISA and cytokine expression by real time PCR. At hatching, late slow breeder progeny fed diets with 30% OTM had higher antibody titers as compared with progeny of breeders fed 100% inorganic TM. Similar results were observed 2 wk postvaccination. Breeder feeding programs and TM sources affected the expression level of IL-4 in NDV vaccinated broiler progeny. It was concluded that breeder feeding programs influenced humoral immune response to NDV vaccine in the broiler progeny, and 30% OTM may increase these responses. © 2013 Poultry Science Association, Inc.

Environmental influences on antibody-enhanced dengue disease outcomes

Because an enriched environment (EE) enhances T-cell activity and T-lymphocytes contribute to immunopathogenesis during heterologous dengue virus (DENV) infections, we hypothesised that an EE increases dengue severity. To compare single serotype (SS) and antibody-enhanced disease (AED) infections regimens, serial intraperitoneal were performed with DENV3 (genotype III) infected brain homogenate or anti-DENV2 hyperimmune serum followed 24 h later by DENV3 (genotype III) infected brain homogenate. Compared AED for which significant differences were detected between the EE and impoverished environmental (IE) groups (Kaplan-Meyer log-rank test, p = 0.0025), no significant differences were detected between the SS experimental groups (Kaplan-Meyer log-rank test, p = 0.089). Survival curves from EE and IE animals infected with the AED regimen were extended after corticoid injection and this effect was greater in the EE than in the IE group (Kaplan-Meyer log-rank test, p = 0.0162). Under the AED regimen the EE group showed more intense clinical signs than the IE group. Dyspnoea, tremor, hunched posture, ruffled fur, immobility, pre-terminal paralysis, shock and death were associated with dominant T-lymphocytic hyperplasia and presence of viral antigens in the liver and lungs. We propose that the increased expansion of these memory T-cells and serotype cross-reactive antibodies facilitates the infection of these cells by DENV and that these events correlate with disease severity in an EE.

Prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus-I (HTLV-I) antibody among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil (preliminary report)

Prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus-I (HTLV-I) antibody among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil (preliminary report)NakauchiC. M.LinharesA. C.MaruyamaK.KanzakiL. I.MacedoJ. E.AzevedoV. N.CassebJ. S. R. Fundação Serviços de Saúde Pública, Seção de Vírus, Instituto Evandro Chagas Belém Brasil Chiba Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology Chiba Japan Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Brasil Instituto Offir Loyola Belém Brasil Faculdade Estadual de Medicina Belém Brasil 0319908512933Forty-tree (31.4%) out of 137 serum samples obtained from two Indian communities living in the Amazon region were found to be positive for HTLV-I antibody, as tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa). Eighty-two sera were collected from Mekranoiti Indians, yielding 39% of positivity, whereas 11 (20.0%) or the 55 Tiriyo serum samples had antibody to HTLV-I. In addition, positive results occurred in 10 (23.2%) out of 43 sera obtained from patients living in the Belem area, who were suffering from cancer affecting different organs. Five (16.7%) out of 30 Elisa positive specimens were also shown to be positive by either Western blot analysis (WB) or indirect immunogold electron microscopy (IIG-EM).

Prevalence of HTLV-I antibody among two distinct ethnic groups inhabiting the Amazon region of Brazil

Soroprevalências para HTLV-I de 3,63% (02/55), 12,9% (10/82) e 13,88% (10/72) foram demonstradas entre os Tiryió, Mekranoiti e Xicrin, respectivamente - indígenas habitantes da Amazônia -, utilizando-se a técnica de "Western Blot" (WBEI). Por outro lado, a imunomicroscopia eletrônica indireta (IIME) revelou como positivos 2 Tiryió, 9 Mekranoiti e 6 Xicrins. Das 44 amostras de soro oriundas de migrantes japoneses, nenhuma resultou positiva pelas duas técnicas antes mencionadas. Foram reativos por ambos os métodos, 1, 8 e 6 amostras dos índios Tiryió, Mekranoiti e Xicrin, respectivamente. Nossos resultados representam uma forte evidência de que o HTV-I e/ou variante(s) antigenicamente similar(es) circula(m) entre populações que habitam a região amazônica do Brasil.

Evaluation of canine and feline leishmaniasis by the association of blood culture, immunofluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction

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

Thyroid Hormone Stimulates the Proliferation of Sertoli Cells and Single Type A Spermatogonia in Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Testis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Rumen microbial diversity under influence of a polyclonal antibody preparation against lactate-producing and proteolytic bacteria in cows fed different energy sources

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

Proposed method for agglutinating antibody titer analysis and its use as indicator of acquired immunity in pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus

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

Low expression of sodium iodide symporter identifies aggressive thyroid tumors

A decreased radioiodine uptake is frequently detected in differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) and is associated with high recurrence rate and reduced survival. We investigated the correlation between NIS mRNA expression levels in the primary tumor and patient outcome using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR method. NIS expression was decreased in 17 DTC (21.04 +/- 39.66 pg Eq) compared to four autoimune thyroid disease (180.51 +/- 92.63 pg Eq) and 14 normal tissues (75.71 +/- 66.98 pg Eq) (p < 0.0001). The 17 thyroid differentiated carcinoma patients were submitted to surgery complemented by radioiodine ablation and had at least 24 months of follow-up, under levothyroxine continued suppressive therapy. According to their outcome, we could characterize a group of papillary carcinoma patients with aggressive carcinomas, whose NIS mRNA levels were markedly lower than a group with non-aggressive carcinomas (0.62 +/- 0.79 versus 54.87 +/- 53.79: p < 0.005). We suggest that the quantification of NIS mRNA relative levels in the primary tumor may predict poor outcome. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal Thyroid and Glucocorticoid Hormone Interactions in Larval Fish Development, and Their Applications in Aquaculture

Thyroid hormones (THs) have long been known to have regulatory roles in the differentiation and maturation of vertebrate embryos, beginning with the knowledge that hormones of maternal origin are essential for human fetal central nervous and respiratory system development. Precise measurements of circulating THs led to insights into their critically important actions throughout vertebrate growth and development, initially with amphibian metamorphosis and including embryogenesis in fishes. Thyroid cues for larval fish differentiation are enhanced by glucocorticoid hormones, which promote deiodinase activity and thereby increase the generation of triiodothyronine (T-3) from the less bioactive thyroxin (T-4). Glucocorticoids also induce the expression of thyroid hormone receptors in some vertebrates. Maternally derived thyroid hormones and cortisol are deposited in fish egg yolk and accelerate larval organ system differentiation until larvae become capable of endogenous endocrine function. Increases in the T-3/T-4 ratio during larval development may reflect the regulatory importance of maternal thyroid hormones. Experimental applications of individual hormones have produced mixed results, but treatments with combinations of thyroid and corticoid hormones consistently promote larval fish development and improve survival rates. The developmental and survival benefits of maternal endocrine provisioning are increased in viviparous fishes, in which maternal/larval chemical contact is prolonged. Treatments with exogenous thyroid and corticoid hormones consistently promote development and reduce mortality rates in larval fishes, with potential hatchery-scale applications in aquaculture.

Do Thyroid Ultrasonographic Features Change According to Age in Euthyroid Dogs?

The thyroid gland was assessed by ultrasound in healthy euthyroid mixed-breed medium size dogs in different age groups. The objective was to verify ultrasonographic imaging patterns in these groups, as well as to identify possible changes in imaging features resulting from ageing. Thirty dogs - 10 young (<1 year), 10 adult and 10 elderly - without clinical signs or history of thyroid gland disease with complete blood count and thyroid function tests within the reference values were evaluated. Each thyroid lobe was examined by ultrasound for shape, size, echogenicity and echotexture. The analysis of echogenicity and echotexture was made by histogram. Thyroid volume was estimated by the equation for ellipsoid (length x width x height) pi/6. The thyroid volume of the young dogs in this study had a tendency to be higher than in adult dogs (P = 0.068) and older dogs (P = 0.120). The height of the thyroid lobe in the longitudinal plane was significantly higher (P = 0.026) in young dogs compared with the other dogs. The echotexture and echogenicity had no significant differences between groups, but the echogenicity was greater in older dogs. The results point out that ultrasound imaging of the thyroid volume is influenced by age in euthyroid dogs.

Collaboration of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of thyroid gland carcinoma in a dog - case report

The sonographic evaluation of thyroid glands in veterinary medicine presents challenges due to the complexity of the anatomical region, professional experience and type of ultrasonography equipment. The technique is considered a versatile diagnostic method that is noninvasive and has a low cost indicated in different clinical situations. Thyroid carcinoma is a malignant tumor that is often invasive and frequently metastatic to regional lymph nodes and lungs. The prognostic indicators for survival after surgery include tumor size, histological type, mobility and presence or absence of metastasis. The objective of the present report is to demonstrate the importance of ultrasound as a complementary method in the evaluation of thyroid carcinoma in dogs. At the Dr. Halim Atique Veterinary Hospital, an eight-year-old male Pit Bull was examined due to a history of firm painless swelling, approximately six inches in diameter, in the ventral cervical region, for about two months. The sonogram showed a nodular area, with defined and regular margins, and heterogeneous hypoechoic parenchyma, with areas of cavitation and swelling of the thyroid. Histopathology of the nodule was consistent with carcinoma. After thyreoidectomy and hormone replacemet, the patient is in good clinical condition.

Multiscale sensing of antibody - antigen interactions by organic transistors and single-molecule force spectroscopy

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