A NEW EIMERIAN SPECIES (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) FROM THE BLUE-FRONTED AMAZON PARROT AMAZONA AESTIVA L. (AVES: PSITTACIDAE) IN BRAZIL

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)The Neotropical psittacine species Amazona aestiva, commonly known as the blue-fronted Amazon, is one of the most common and best-known psittacine birds kept as a pet worldwide. However, very little is known about the diseases or parasites of these birds. In this study, we describe a new species, Eimeria aestivae, associated with these parrots. The new species is characterized by: ovoid smooth oocysts (n = 60), 36.8 (33.2-41.5) x 23.7 (21.7-25.7) mu m, length/width ratio = 1.55; polar granule present; ellipsoidal sporocysts (n = 25), 19.8 (17.5-21.6) X 9.3 (8.3-9.9) mu m; Stieda, sub-Stieda body, and sporocyst residuum present. Sporozoites (n = 20), 2 per sporocyst, elongate and curved, 17.6 (15.8-19.2) X 3.8 (3.2-4.8) mu m; each with 2 refractile bodies. The oocysts of the other 2 eimerian species described for Amazona are larger than those of the presented species, but they all seem to be closely related because of some similarities among them.97611401141Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Chromatin supraorganization and extensibility in mouse hepatocytes with development and aging

Background: Chromatin supraorganization and extensibility, which lead to the formation of extended chromatin fibers (ECF), are affected by starvation and refeeding in adult mouse hepatocytes. It is expected that they could also change with mouse development and aging. Methods: Methods used involved topochemistry image analysis, microspectrophotometry, gravity action, and polarization microscopy Results: Increased nuclear areas and Feulgen-DNA amounts with advancing hepatocyte polyploidy were found with development and aging. A slightly less packed chromatin with more heterogeneously distributed condensation levels was detected in young and old mice. Con-A responsiveness was almost absent in young mice but very deep in aged mice. ECFs formed from nuclei of adult and aged mice but not from nuclei of young mice. The frequency of ECF formation with the long lysis protocol increased with aging. Conclusions: in young mice, a less packed chromatin state may be associated with more intense gene activity, thus increasing the DNA-nuclear matrix interactions, and inhibiting ECF formation. Reduced DNA-nuclear matrix interactions besides defects in heterochromatin formation may induce higher ECF formation and chromatin unpackaging in old mice. We suggest that differences in Con-A staining relate to different gene activity with advancing development and aging. (c) 2007 international Society for Analytical Cytology71A1283

Fluorescence, birefringence and confocal microscopy of the abdominal aorta from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice

In this study, nonenzymatic glycosylation was assessed in aorta extracellular matrix (ECM) from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, using nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). Molecular and structural changes were investigated in elastic lamellae and collagen fibers of diabetic mice aortas after staining with dansyl chloride and anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS). Alterations in arterial autofluorescence and birefringence of collagen fibers were investigated in unstained aortas. Proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) was also investigated by Feulgen reaction staining assessed by confocal microscopy and image analysis. Assessment of nonenzymatic glycosylation demonstrated gtycosylation products in the aorta ECM of NOD mice. Elastic lamellae and collagen fibers from NOD mouse aortas presented less intense fluorescence after staining with dansyl chloride and ANS when compared to aortas of control nondiabetic mice. However, unstained NOD aortas showed more intense autofluorescence when compared to controls. Birefringence analysis suggests alterations in the higher molecular packing of the arterial collagen fibers in NOD aortas. In aortas stained by Feulgen reaction, no evidence of SMC proliferation was observed in diabetic aortas. (c) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.109324825

Nuclear phenotypes and DNA fragmentation in tendon fibroblasts of NOD mice

Changes in DNA/chromatin structure, ploidy degrees and cell death possibly caused by oxidative stress during the insulin-dependent diabetes have been reported for different,cell types. However, all these studies have been carried in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats or mice and showed contradictory results. In this work, nuclear phenotypes and DNA fragmentation were investigated in fibroblasts from mice spontaneously developing insulin-dependent diabetes (NOD) and compared with healthy (BALB/C) mice. Geometric, densitometric and textural parameters obtained for Feulgen-stained nuclei by image analysis were used to define nuclear phenotypes. Significant differences were observed for nuclear sizes and for densitometric and textural parameters of the tendon nuclei. Optical density, Feulgen-DNA values, transmittance variability per nucleus and nuclear entropy values were significantly higher in the NOD mice. The Feulgen-DNA amounts for the NOD and BALB/C mice were found to be distributed into several doubling Feulgen-DNA classes. The frequency of nuclei with the smallest Feulgen-DNA amounts, which may represent DNA fragmentation and loss, was lower in fibroblasts of the NOD mice (2.3%) in comparison to the BALB/C mice (38%). In contrast, the frequency of polyploid nuclei in NOD mice was higher (24.5%) than that in BALB/C mice (1.9%). Based on optical density, transmittance variability per nucleus, and nuclear entropy data, a larger contrast between highly and less densely packed states, was demonstrated for the fibroblasts of the NOD mice. Maybe the deeper condensation of the highly packed chromatin evident in NOD fibroblasts is related to silencing of some genes involved with changes in tendon supraorganization with the diabetes.59211612

Enhancement of natural killer cell function by titanocenes in mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumour

In the present work, we studied the effects of two titanocenes, biscyclopentadienyidichlorotitanium IV, (DDCT) and its derivative, biscyclopentadienylditiocianatetitanium IV (BCDT), on the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT)-bearing BALB/c mice. In order to investigate a more direct effect of these compounds on NK cell function, we performed experiments with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, which exhibit a normal NK cell response in the absence of T and B cells. The treatment consisted of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 15 mg/kg/day of DDCT for 2 days or 10 mg/kg/day of BCDT for 3 days. In addition, to verify whether the effects produced by the titanocenes were compound specific or related to a direct antitumour effect, we also investigated the effects of a 3-day treatment with 100 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide cyclophosphamide on NK cell activity. Our results demonstrated that, in BALB/c and SCID mice, NK cell function declined to subnormal levels after inoculation of the tumour. In these animals, although treatment with DDCT and BCDT significantly enhanced NK cell function, only DDCT restored NK cell activity to normal values in all stages studied. Conversely, treatment with cyclophosphamide reduced NK cell function in nontumour bearing SCID mice and was also unable to restore the decreased NK activity of tumour-bearing SCID mice, thus demonstrating that the enhancement of NK cell function by titanocenes is compound specific. The same effect of cyclophosphamide was observed with BALB/c mice. In the present study, the up-modulatory effects of these two compounds on NK cell function reveal a new aspect of the mechanism of antitumoural action of titanocenes. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.4734170019119

Enhancement of natural killer cell function by titanocenes in mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumour

In the present work, we studied the effects of two titanocenes, biscyclopentadienyidichlorotitanium IV, (DDCT) and its derivative, biscyclopentadienylditiocianatetitanium IV (BCDT), on the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT)-bearing BALB/c mice. In order to investigate a more direct effect of these compounds on NK cell function, we performed experiments with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, which exhibit a normal NK cell response in the absence of T and B cells. The treatment consisted of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 15 mg/kg/day of DDCT for 2 days or 10 mg/kg/day of BCDT for 3 days. In addition, to verify whether the effects produced by the titanocenes were compound specific or related to a direct antitumour effect, we also investigated the effects of a 3-day treatment with 100 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide cyclophosphamide on NK cell activity. Our results demonstrated that, in BALB/c and SCID mice, NK cell function declined to subnormal levels after inoculation of the tumour. In these animals, although treatment with DDCT and BCDT significantly enhanced NK cell function, only DDCT restored NK cell activity to normal values in all stages studied. Conversely, treatment with cyclophosphamide reduced NK cell function in nontumour bearing SCID mice and was also unable to restore the decreased NK activity of tumour-bearing SCID mice, thus demonstrating that the enhancement of NK cell function by titanocenes is compound specific. The same effect of cyclophosphamide was observed with BALB/c mice. In the present study, the up-modulatory effects of these two compounds on NK cell function reveal a new aspect of the mechanism of antitumoural action of titanocenes. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus in nonbarrier rat colonies

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), a member of the genus Cardiovirus, is an enteric pathogen of mice that causes acute encephalomyelitis followed by persistent central nervous system infection with chronic inflammation and demyelination after intracerebral. inoculation. Although TMEV is a mouse pathogen, antibodies against TMEV strain GDVII have been detected in conventional rat colonies. Natural infection of rats by Cardiovirus has not yet been described. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate TMEV infection of rat colonies by using serologic assays, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and clinical characterization. Indirect immunofluorescence assay of rat serum samples demonstrated antibodies against TMEV-GDVII in 86.3% of samples analyzed, and 77.2% of the antibody-positive samples had neutralizing antibodies. To determine whether rats can be infected experimentally with TMEV-GDVII, specific pathogen-free newborn mice and rats were inoculated intracerebrally with intestinal suspensions from seropositive rats. Both species showed the typical clinical signs of TMEV infection in mice, which is characterized by flaccid hindlimb paralysis and tremor. RT-PCR in brain tissue of experimentally infected animals detected RNA sequences corresponding to the 5'-noncoding region of Cardiovirus known as the 'internal ribosome entry site.' These results suggest that rats can be naturally infected with TMEV and related Cardiovirus. Therefore, continued health monitoring for TMEV infection should be included in rat colonies mainly because these animals are used for various experimental purposes.55545946

Seleção genética de Biomphalaria glabrata e Biomphalaria tenagophila visando a alteração da suscetibilidade e resistência ao Schistosoma mansoni Genetic selection of Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila seeking the alteration of the susceptibility and resistance to the Schistosoma mansoni

Gerações de Biomphalaria glabrata e Biomphalaria tenagophila selecionadas geneticamente para resistência e suscetibilidade ao Schistosoma mansoni das linhagens BH e SJ foram utilizadas no estudo da adaptação do trematódeo ao hospedeiro intermediário. As gerações dos planorbídeos foram obtidas por autofecundação dos moluscos que se apresentaram suscetíveis ou resistentes após a exposição aos miracídios de Schistosoma mansoni. Para Biomphalaria glabrata foram obtidas as gerações: Parental, F1S (Suscetível), F1R (Resistente), F2S e F2R. Para a Biomphalaria tenagophila foram estudadas as gerações: Parental, F1S, F1R e F50S. A comparação das taxas de infecção apresentadas pelas diferentes gerações mostrou que, em ambas as espécies, o aumento da suscetibilidade foi mais facilmente obtido do que o aumento da resistência. A dificuldade em aumentar a resistência do molusco ao S. mansoni tem fortes implicações epidemiológicas.<br>Generations of Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila selected genetically for resistance and susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni of strains BH and SJ were used in a study of the trematode adaptation to the intermediate host. Descendants of the planorbids were obtained by self-fertilization of the mollusks that became susceptible or resistant after exposure to the miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni. For Biomphalaria glabrata they were obtained from the following generations: Parental, F1S (Susceptible), F1R (Resistant), F2S and F2R. For Biomphalaria tenagophila the studied generations were: Parental, F1S, F1R and F50S. The comparison of the infection rates presented by the different generations showed that the increase in susceptibility was more easily obtained in both species. The difficulty in increasing the resistance of the mollusks to Schistosoma mansoni has important epidemiologic implications

Behavior in Mus musculus of Schistosoma mansoni from mollusks treated with hydrocortisone Comportamento em Mus musculus do Schistosoma mansoni oriundo de moluscos tratados com hidrocortisona

Twenty mice were exposed to cercariae from mollusks treated with hydrocortisone and another 20 mice received cercariae from non-treated mollusks. The behavior of the parasites from the two groups of mollusks was compared based on the ability of cercariae to penetrate mice, on the total number of worms recovered after eight weeks of infection, on the relationship between the number of penetrating cercariae and the number of recovered worms and on the number of eggs in the feces. Treating the mollusks with hydrocortisone did not alter the ability of cercariae to penetrate mice nor did it affect the total number of worms recovered. The number of female worms, the number of coupled worms and the number of eggs in the feces were greater in mice infected by cercariae from mollusks treated with hydrocortisone.<br>Vinte camundongos foram expostos a cercárias oriundas de moluscos tratados com hidrocortisona e outros vinte receberam cercárias de moluscos não tratados. O comportamento dos parasitas dos dois grupos foi comparado com base na habilidade das cercárias em penetrar nos camundongos, no número total de vermes recuperados, após oito semanas de infecção, na relação entre o número de cercárias penetrantes e o número de vermes recuperados e o número de ovos nas fezes. O tratamento dos moluscos com hidrocortisona não alterou a habilidade das cercárias em penetrar nos camundongos nem afetou o número total de vermes recuperados. O número de vermes fêmeas, o número de vermes acasalados e o número de ovos nas fezes aumentaram em camundongos infectados por cercárias de moluscos tratados com hidrocortisona