Bartonella species, feline herpesvirus-1, and Toxoplasma gondii PCR assay results from blood and aqueous humor samples from 104 cats with naturally occurring endogenous uveitis.

Toxoplasma gondii, Bartonella henselae and feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) have been implicated as causative agents in feline uveitis. The usefulness of serum and aqueous humor (AH) antibody testing for these agents is limited as antibodies can be detected in both healthy cats and cats with uveitis. Very few studies using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to amplify organism DNA from samples from cats with uveitis have been performed.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of cyclooxygenase expression in corneal squamous cell carcinoma in horses.

Objective: To evaluate expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 in the cornea, eyelid, and third eyelid of healthy horses and those affected with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by use of immunohistochemical techniques.

Animals: 15 horses with SCC involving ocular tissues and 5 unaffected control horses.

Procedures: SCC-affected tissues were obtained from the cornea (n = 5 horses), eyelid (5), and third eyelid (5).

Immunohistochemical localization of citrullinated proteins in adult rat brain.

By using hybridoma technology, an IgM monoclonal antibody (F95) against multiple citrullinated synthetic and natural peptides was recently developed and used to stain immunohistochemically subsets of astrocytes and myelin basic protein (MBP) from selected regions of human brain (Nicholas and Whitaker [2002] Glia 37:328-336). With this antibody, the present study provides a more detailed localization of citrullinated epitopes in the central nervous system (CNS) by examining immunohistochemical staining patterns for F95 in the normal adult rat brain. Thus, immunohistochemical labeling for citrullinated epitopes was seen in white matter areas consistent with myelin staining; however, in general, it was more prominent and uniform in the caudal CNS (spinal cord, medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum) than in more rostral areas.

The fate of biodegradable microspheres injected into rat brain.

Biodegradable microspheres made with poly-[D,L-lactide-co-glycolide] represent an evolving technology for drug delivery into the central nervous system. Even though these microspheres have been shown to be engulfed by astrocytes in vitro, the purpose of the present study was to track the fate of biodegradable microspheres in vivo. This was accomplished using microspheres containing the fluorescent dye coumarin-6 followed 1 day, 1 week and 1 month after intracerebral injections of this material were made into the rat brain.