Expression of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in degenerated and extruded intervertebral disks in chondrodystrophic dogs.

We analyzed the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), metalloproteinases with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTSs), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in degenerated and herniated intervertebral disks (IVDs) in chondrodystrophic dogs. In degenerated IVDs, MMP3, 7, 13, and 14; ADAMTS4 and 5; and TIMP1-3 expression was significantly higher vs healthy controls (P<0.05).

Hyperadrenocorticism Caused by a Pituitary Ganglioglioma in a Dog.

An 11-year-old castrated male Chihuahua dog was presented with complaints of polyuria, polydipsia, abdominal enlargement, and alopecia. Hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs, blood tests, adrenocorticotropin-stimulation test results, and an elevated serum adrenocorticotropin concentration. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed that the pituitary gland was enlarged, compatible with a pituitary macroadenoma.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in a cat.

Case Description: A 16-year-old 6.8-kg (15-lb) castrated male domestic shorthair cat was evaluated because of a 3 × 6-cm mass in the right medial lobe of the liver.

Clinical Findings: The cat had a history of frequent vomiting and anorexia along with 10% weight loss over the past year.

Impact of normothermic preservation with extracellular type solution containing trehalose on rat kidney grafting from a cardiac death donor.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate factors that may improve the condition of a marginal kidney preserved with a normothermic solution following cardiac death (CD) in a model of rat kidney transplantation (RTx).

Methods: Post-euthanasia, Lewis (LEW) donor rats were left for 1 h in a 23°C room. These critical kidney grafts were preserved in University of Wisconsin (UW), lactate Ringer's (LR), or extracellular-trehalose-Kyoto (ETK) solution, followed by intracellular-trehalose-Kyoto (ITK) solution at 4, 23, or 37°C for another 1 h, and finally transplanted into bilaterally nephrectomized LEW recipient rats (n = 4-6).

Plasma concentration and cardiovascular effects of lidocaine during continuous epidural administration in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane.

The cardiovascular effects of continuous epidural administration (CEA) of lidocaine were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Loading epidural injections of 2, 4, or 6 mg/kg of lidocaine were followed by CEA with 1, 2, or 3 mg/kg/hr lidocaine, respectively, for 2 hr under 2.0% isoflurane anesthesia.

Effects of lidocaine hydrochloride on canine granulocytes, granulocyte CD11b expression and reactive oxygen species production.

Lidocaine hydrochloride (Lido) is widely used for analgesia in veterinary medicine; however, in humans, it has been suggested that Lido attenuates granulocyte functions, such as adhesion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Thus, Lido may affect canine granulocyte function; however, there have been no reports on the effects of Lido on canine granulocyte function. Thus, we studied the effects of Lido on canine granulocyte CD11b expression and ROS production.

Priming effects of lipopolysaccharide and inflammatory cytokines on canine granulocytes.

Granulocytes play a pivotal role in natural immunity. Under inflammatory conditions, granulocytes are universally primed by several agents, such as endotoxins and inflammatory cytokines. Primed granulocytes exert potent adhesiveness, chemotaxis, phagocytosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, effectively eliminating invading agents.

Relative nerve blocking properties of bupivacaine and ropivacaine in dogs undergoing brachial plexus block using a nerve stimulator.

In the present study, the efficacy of a nerve stimulator in performing brachial plexus block (BPB) in dogs was investigated. The nerve blocking effects of bupivacaine and ropivacaine for BPB were also compared. Twelve beagles were allocated to groups based on the following treatments: conventional BPB with 0.

Evaluation of immunological status in tumor-bearing dogs.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate immunological status in dogs with cancers at different stages, in comparison with normal dogs. The population of canine peripheral blood lymphocytes (cPBL), lymphocyte phenotypes, interleukin (IL)-6 activity and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha(1)-AG) level were analyzed. The tumor-bearing dogs had higher numbers of leukocytes than normal dogs, the count being higher in dogs with more advanced tumors.

Bulk cultures of canine peripheral blood lymphocytes with solid phase anti-CD3 antibody and recombinant interleukin-2 for use in immunotherapy.

Interleukin (IL)-2 can induce large numbers of lymphokine-activated killer cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), but IL-2 alone cannot induce proliferation of a large number of canine (c) PBL. We used the solid phase anti-CD3 antibody and soluble recombinant (r) IL-2 in order to establish a large scale culture method for cPBL. The number of lymphocytes seeded (3 x 10 (7)) increased to 1 x 10(9) after incubation for 10 days.

Canine serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes detected by polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis.

Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymes were studied in normal dogs using a commercially available polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis kit (PAG/disk kit). Serum samples taken from the dogs were incubated with neuraminidase, after which most showed ALP isoenzymes as two characteristic stained bands. To determine the origin of each band, ALP isoenzymes of serum and tissue extracts (liver, intestine and bone) were characterized by heating, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and levamisole treatments.