Corticosteroid hormone receptors and prereceptors as new biomarkers of the illegal use of glucocorticoids in meat production.

Despite the European ban on the use of growth promoters in cattle, veterinary surveillance reports indicate that the illicit use of corticosteroids persists both alone and in combination with anabolic hormones and β-agonists. Current control strategies should be informed by research into the effects of corticosteroids on bovine metabolism and improved through the development of specific, sensitive diagnostic methods that utilize potential molecular biomarkers of corticosteroid treatment. The actions of corticosteroids on target tissues are principally regulated by two receptors: the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR).

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type III in a simultaneous infection of Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis in a dog.

In this report a 9-year-old female German Shepherd dog with a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) type III associated with concomitant infection of Dirofilaria immitis and Leishmania infantum is presented. Light microscopic evaluation of kidney revealed a diffuse hypercellularity and thickening of glomerular basement membrane. Heavy and coarse granular complement C(3) deposition and a weaker positive reaction to immunoglobulin G were present along peripheral glomerular basement membrane and in the mesangium in the immunofluorescent study.