Missense Variant in a Lagotto Romagnolo Dog with Autosomal Recessively Inherited Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy.

An 8-month-old female Lagotto Romagnolo dog was presented for a 1-month history of an initial severe reluctance to move, rapidly progressing to a marked stiff gait and progressive muscular weakness and evolving to tetraparesis, which persuaded the owner to request euthanasia. A primary muscle pathology was supported by necropsy and histopathological findings. Macroscopically, the muscles were moderately atrophic, except for the diaphragm and the neck muscles, which were markedly thickened.

Evaluation of the Local Immune Response to Hydatid Cysts in Sheep Liver.

In order to characterize the inflammatory phenotype of livers of sheep naturally infected by cystic echinococcosis, 100 sheep livers have been macroscopically assessed for the presence of hydatid cysts and sampled for histopathological and molecular analysis. According to gross and microscopic examination, livers were subsequently classified into three groups: normal liver (Group A), liver with the presence of fertile hydatid cysts (Group B), and liver with the presence of sterile hydatid cysts (Group C). Immunohistochemical analyses were accomplished using primary antibodies anti-Iba1, anti-CD3, anti-CD20, anti-TGF-β, and anti-MMP9.

An Overview of Neoplasia in Captive Wild Felids in Southern Italy Zoos.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of neoplasms in captive wild felids in Southern Italy zoos over a 13-year period (2008-2021) and to investigate macroscopic and histologic tumor findings in these animals. A total of 24 cases were necropsied, 9 males and 15 females, with age ranging from 6 to 19 years, including 12 tigers (), 7 leopards (), 4 lions (), and 1 black jaguar (). Diagnosis of neoplasm was made in 14/24 cases (58.

Interleukin 6 reduces vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis via Prep1 and is associated with aging.

Aging exacerbates neointimal formation by reducing apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and induces inflammation within vascular wall. Prep1 is a homeodomain transcription factor which stimulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in aortic endothelial cell models and plays a primary role in the regulation of apoptosis. In this study, we have investigated the role of Prep1 in aorta of Prep1 hypomorphic heterozygous mice (Prep1 ) and in VSMCs, and its correlation with aging.

Curcumin Modulates Nitrosative Stress, Inflammation, and DNA Damage and Protects against Ochratoxin A-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Rats.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a fungal toxin of critical concern for food safety both for human health and several animal species, also representing a cancer threat to humans. Curcumin (CURC) is a natural polyphenol that has anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytoprotective effect of CURC against OTA-induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity through the study of the nitrosative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage.

Pathologic characterization of white striping myopathy in broiler chickens.

White striping (WS) is an emerging myopathy of broiler chickens characterized by white striation of muscle. Despite the recent advances, the pathomechanism underlying the WS remains elusive. The aim of this study was to characterize morphological and molecular features of WS in broiler chickens.

spp.-Infected Dogs Have Circulating Anti-Skeletal Muscle Autoantibodies Recognizing SERCA1.

spp. infection is associated with an inflammatory myopathy (IM) in dogs. The pathomechanism underlying this disorder is still elusive, however, the pattern of cellular infiltration and MHC I and II upregulation indicate an immune-mediated myositis.

Implication of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Bovine Age-Related Sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, and strength. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying sarcopenia are still not completely understood. The aim of this work was to evaluate, for the first time, the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in bovine skeletal muscle in order to investigate the hypothesis that inflammasome activation may trigger and sustain a pro-inflammatory environment leading to sarcopenia.

Fast Focus Ultrasound Liver Technique for the Assessment of Cystic Echinococcosis in Sheep.

A complete ultrasound examination (cUS) of the liver was performed on 172 female sheep and compared to the performance of a fast-focused ultrasound technique to diagnose echinococcal cysts. The scanned area was divided in: HYP (right hypocondrium), zone (Z)1 from HYP to the 11th intercostal space (IS), Z2 (10th-8th IS) and Z3 (7th-5th IS). Contiguous scans were also examined (HYP + Z1, Z1 + Z2, Z2 + Z3).

Pro-Inflammatory Effects of Indoxyl Sulfate in Mice: Impairment of Intestinal Homeostasis and Immune Response.

The intestines are recognized as the main source of chronic inflammation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and, among other cells, macrophages are involved in modulating this process as well as in the impaired immune response which also occurs in CKD patients. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Indoxyl Sulfate (IS), a protein bound uremic toxin poorly eliminated by hemodialysis, on inflammatory, oxidative stress and pro-apoptotic parameters, at the intestinal level in mice, on intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) and on primary murine peritoneal macrophages. C57BL/6J mice were treated with IS (800 mg/kg i.

The correlation between cardiac and skeletal muscle pathology in animal models of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders in which skeletal muscle is inappropriately targeted by the immune system. IIMs are characterized by inflammation of muscle and varying degrees of muscle dysfunction. Extra-muscular manifestations may involve heart, skin, joints, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract.

An ultrasound-guided subparaneural approach to the sciatic nerve in the dog: a cadaver study.

Objective: To describe the gross and microscopic anatomy of the sciatic nerve paraneural sheath and to report an ultrasound (US)-guided subparaneural approach to the sciatic nerve in dogs, comparing two different volumes of injectate.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, anatomical study.

Animals: A group of nine middle-sized adult Mongrel canine cadavers (18 limbs).

First report of Dirofilaria repens infection in a microfilaraemic cat from Romania.

The present study describes the first report of Dirofilaria repens infection with the presence of both microfilariae and adult nematodes in a cat from Northeastern Romania. Briefly, a 5-year-old male mixed breed cat was presented to a veterinary clinic in Iasi (Romania), for neutering, in early February 2020. During the surgery, two whitish worms were removed from the internal part of the scrotum.

New putative animal reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 in Italian fauna: A bioinformatic approach.

SARS-CoV-2 is a virus belonging to the betacoronavirus family, causing fatal respiratory disease in humans, which became pandemic in 2020. Italy is one of the most affected countries by COVID-19, particularly in the northern regions. Several studies consider COVID-19 a zoonotic disease and, since Italy is the repository of a high biodiversity, SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals can be considered as a reservoir of the virus or favor the spreading between animals and humans.

Analysis of XX -Negative Sex Reversal Dogs.

Impaired fertility associated with disorders of sex development (DSDs) due to genetic causes in dogs are more and more frequently reported. Affected dogs are usually of specific breeds thus representing a cause of economic losses for breeders. The aim of this research is to report the clinical, cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings of four XX -negative DSD dog cases.

Effects of Curcumin on the Renal Toxicity Induced by Ochratoxin A in Rats.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a powerful nephrotoxin and the severity of its damage to kidneys depends on both the dose and duration of exposure. According to the scientific data currently available, the mechanism of action still is not completely clarified, but it is supposed that oxidative stress is responsible for OTA-induced nephrotoxicity. Bioactive compound use has emerged as a potential approach to reduce chronic renal failure.

Autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome crosstalk in neuroinflammation in aged bovine brains.

NLRP3 inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that can sense several stimuli such as autophagy dysregulation and increased reactive oxygen species production stimulating inflammation by priming the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 in their active form. In the aging brain, these cytokines can mediate the innate immunity response priming microglial activation. Here, we describe the results of immunohistochemical and molecular analysis carried out on bovine brains.

Red orange and lemon extract prevents the renal toxicity induced by ochratoxin A in rats.

In this work, we investigated the effects of red orange and lemon extract (RLE) on ochratoxin A (OTA)-induced nephrotoxicity. In particular, we analyzed the change in renal function and oxidative stress in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with OTA (0.5 mg/kg body weight, b.

Muscular Sarcocystosis in Sheep Associated With Lymphoplasmacytic Myositis and Expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I and II.

Sarcocystosis is a protozoal disease affecting a wide range of animals. The aims of this study were to characterize the following in sheep: (1) the muscle pathology in infection, (2) the inflammatory infiltrate and its relationship to severity of infection, and (3) immune markers expressed by parasitized muscle fibers and parasitic cysts. Skeletal muscle samples from 78 sheep slaughtered in southern Italy were snap frozen and analyzed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence.

Diagnosis of Drowning and the Value of the Diatom Test in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.

The detection of diatoms into the organs is considered an important "biological marker" for the diagnosis of drowning in human pathology, but it still has a high possibility for false positive results. The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the contribution of pathological examination in drowning cases and (2) to investigate the differences in the number and location of diatoms between animals who died in drowning and non-drowning conditions. For these purposes, 30 dead adult dogs were selected for the study and subdivided into five groups.

Long term breeding of the Lmna G609G progeric mouse: Characterization of homozygous and heterozygous models.

The transgenic Lmna progeric mouse represents an outstanding animal model for studying the human Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) caused by a mutation in the LMNA gene, coding for the nuclear envelope protein Lamin A/C, and, as an important, more general scope, for studying the complex process governing physiological aging in humans. Here we give a comprehensive description of the peculiarities related to the breeding of Lmna mice over a prolonged period of time, and of many features observed in a large colony for a 2-years period. We describe the breeding and housing conditions underlining the possible interference of the genetic background on the phenotype expression.