Transcriptional regulation of the MAIL gene in LPS-stimulated RAW264 mouse macrophages.

IkappaB inhibits nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), which is known to regulate the expression of various genes, including genes involved in inflammation. Recently, a novel IkappaB family protein, 'molecule possessing ankyrin repeats induced by lipopolysaccharide' (MAIL), was identified. MAIL is a nuclear-acting, inducible protein, unlike typical IkappaB proteins.

Quantitative changes in serum concentration of bovine gut chitinase in Theileria infection.

Bovine gut chitinase is exclusively produced in the liver and secreted into the blood. In the present study, we established a semi-quantitative method by Western blot analysis for measurement of the chitinase content in blood and examined its alteration during postnatal development and experimental infection with hemoprotozoan parasite in cattle. Its serum levels from 1 week to 1 year of age showed a significant increase only in 3-4-month-old group.

Properties of the tumor suppressor gene brca2 in the cat.

Mammary tumors are common in cats. As mutations in human Brca2 confer an increased risk of breast cancer, the full-length cDNA of the feline homologue of Brca2 was sequenced to obtain a basis for studying the relationship between its function and susceptibility to mammary tumors. The feline Brca2 cDNA is 10 kb long, and encodes 3,371 amino acids.

Role of CXCR4 and SDF-1 in mammary tumor metastasis in the cat.

It has recently been suggested that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1 (CXCL12) promote metastasis of various cancers in humans. Since feline mammary tumors also metastasize to distant organs frequently, we used real-time quantitative PCR to examine the expression of feline CXCR4 (fCXCR4) in ten feline mammary tumor cell lines and seven feline mammary tumor tissues, and also the expression of feline SDF-1 (fSDF-1) in various organs. Cell lines derived from metastatic regions expressed more fCXCR4 than those derived from primary tumors.

The plasma superoxide scavenging activity in canine cancer and hepatic disease.

To clarify the relationship between plasma antioxidant activity and diseases in dogs, plasma samples were collected from 6 healthy dogs and 16 diseased dogs (6 dogs with cancer, 5 dogs with hepatic disease, and 5 dogs with inflammation ), and measured superoxide anion scavenging activities. Antioxidant activities of canine plasma were evaluated by measuring their superoxide anion (O(2)(-.)) scavenging activities with electron spin response spectroscopy combined with spin trapping reagent, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO).