9 research outputs found
Application of a bacteriological on-farm test to reduce antimicrobial usage in dairy cows with purulent vaginal discharge
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a selective antibiotic treatment strategy based on a quick bacteriological on-farm test (Petrifilm, 3M Corp., St. Paul, MN) compared with the conventional antibiotic treatment of all cows having clinical endometritis (CE) defined by the presence of purulent vaginal discharge on both clinical cure rate and reproductive performance. The study was simultaneously conducted with dairy cows reared under a highly supplemented rotational grazing system in Argentina and in a freestall system in Slovakia. Cows having an abnormal vaginal discharge (VD, indicative of clinical endometritis) on 21 to 35 d in milk (DIM) were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 study groups: selective treatment (ST) or conventional treatment (CT). All cows in the CT group (n = 174) received a single intrauterine administration of 500 mg of cephapirin. In the ST group (n = 178), treatment decision was made according to the results of the bacteriological on-farm test. For this test, we collected intrauterine samples with the cytobrush technique and stroke the brushes onto 2 different Petrifilm plates, one for aerobic count and another for Enterobacteriaceae count, incubated the plates, and counted the number of colonies after 24 h. Positive cows (≥5 colonies in one or both plates) received a single intrauterine treatment with 500 mg of cephapirin, whereas negative cows (<5 colonies) remained untreated. Clinical cure rate was assessed by direct vaginal inspection at 14 d after treatment (VD-0). The odds for conception at first artificial insemination, artificial insemination by 80 DIM, pregnancy by 100 DIM, and for nonpregnancy by 200 DIM were estimated with mixed logistic regression models. The hazard of conception was also assessed with proportional hazard regression model. The selective antibiotic treatment strategy based on the outcome of Petrifilm test reduced the number of required treatments (57%) and maintained similar efficacy in terms of clinical cure and reproductive performance as the conventional antibiotic treatment of all endometritic cows.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria
Aterosclerosis y amiloidosis: Âżdos patologĂas crĂłnicas interrelacionadas?
A fin de poder llevar a cabo las distintas funciones biológicas, es esencial que las proteínas conserven su conformación nativa. Algunas proteínas son estructuralmente inestables, y entonces pequeños cambios en el microambiente en el que se encuentran pueden ser clave para alterar el equilibrio hacia una conformación patológica. Las amiloidosis se caracterizan por la presencia de depósitos extracelulares de proteínas que adoptan estructura fibrilar. La apolipoproteína A-I humana no está normalmente asociada a esta patología, aunque fueron detectados agregados de la misma con la secuencia nativa en placas ateroscleróticas seniles. A pesar de ser frecuente, se conoce relativamente poco de la patogénesis y significancia de la agregación patológica de la apoA-I
Role of plasma membrane lipid composition on cellular homeostasis: learning from cell line models expressing fatty acid desaturases
Experimental evidence has suggested that plasma membrane (PM)-associated signaling and hence cell metabolism and viability depend on lipid composition and organization. The aim of the present work is to develop a cell model to study the endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) effect on PM properties and analyze its influence on cholesterol (Chol) homeostasis. We have previously shown that by using a cell line over-expressing stearoyl-CoA-desaturase, membrane composition and organization coordinate cellular pathways involved in Chol efflux and cell viability by different mechanisms. Now, we expanded our studies to a cell model over-expressing both Δ5 and Δ6 desaturases, which resulted in a permanently higher PUFA content in PM. Furthermore, this cell line showed increased PM fluidity, Chol storage, and mitochondrial activity. In addition, human apolipoprotein A-I-mediated Chol removal was less efficient in these cells than in the corresponding control. Taken together, our results suggested that the cell functionality is preserved by regulating PM organization and Chol exportation and homeostasis.Instituto de Investigaciones BioquĂmicas de La PlataFacultad de Ciencias MĂ©dica
Propiedades de la membrana y viabilidad celular: importancia de la fluidez
Numerosos estudios sugieren que las vĂas de señalizaciĂłn y por ende la funcionalidad celular dependen de la organizaciĂłn de dominios en la membrana, que a su vez está determinada por la composiciĂłn lipĂdica de la misma. El colesterol (Col) interviene en la regulaciĂłn de la fluidez al particionar de manera selectiva en dominios especĂficos de la membrana, y se ha demostrado que su homeostasis es crucial para la viabilidad celular. Además, se sabe que el exceso de Col puede resultar citotĂłxico. Este lĂpido no puede ser degradado o utilizado como combustible, por lo que su exceso debe ser removido por aceptores o almacenado en compartimientos intracelulares. Las lipoproteĂnas de alta densidad (HDL) y en particular su apolipoproteĂna mayoritaria, la apoA-I, cumplen un rol fundamental en el transporte reverso del Col, que consiste en transportar el excedente desde los tejidos perifĂ©ricos hacia el hĂgado para su eliminaciĂłn en forma de sales biliares, o para ser redirigido desde los hepatocitos hacia los tejidos esteroidogĂ©nicos.Universidad Nacional de La Plat
Application of a bacteriological on-farm test to reduce antimicrobial usage in dairy cows with purulent vaginal discharge
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a selective antibiotic treatment strategy based on a quick bacteriological on-farm test (Petrifilm, 3M Corp., St. Paul, MN) compared with the conventional antibiotic treatment of all cows having clinical endometritis (CE) defined by the presence of purulent vaginal discharge on both clinical cure rate and reproductive performance. The study was simultaneously conducted with dairy cows reared under a highly supplemented rotational grazing system in Argentina and in a freestall system in Slovakia. Cows having an abnormal vaginal discharge (VD, indicative of clinical endometritis) on 21 to 35 d in milk (DIM) were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 study groups: selective treatment (ST) or conventional treatment (CT). All cows in the CT group (n = 174) received a single intrauterine administration of 500 mg of cephapirin. In the ST group (n = 178), treatment decision was made according to the results of the bacteriological on-farm test. For this test, we collected intrauterine samples with the cytobrush technique and stroke the brushes onto 2 different Petrifilm plates, one for aerobic count and another for Enterobacteriaceae count, incubated the plates, and counted the number of colonies after 24 h. Positive cows (≥5 colonies in one or both plates) received a single intrauterine treatment with 500 mg of cephapirin, whereas negative cows (<5 colonies) remained untreated. Clinical cure rate was assessed by direct vaginal inspection at 14 d after treatment (VD-0). The odds for conception at first artificial insemination, artificial insemination by 80 DIM, pregnancy by 100 DIM, and for nonpregnancy by 200 DIM were estimated with mixed logistic regression models. The hazard of conception was also assessed with proportional hazard regression model. The selective antibiotic treatment strategy based on the outcome of Petrifilm test reduced the number of required treatments (57%) and maintained similar efficacy in terms of clinical cure and reproductive performance as the conventional antibiotic treatment of all endometritic cows.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria
Role of plasma membrane lipid composition on cellular homeostasis: learning from cell line models expressing fatty acid desaturases
Experimental evidence has suggested that plasma membrane (PM)-associated signaling and hence cell metabolism and viability depend on lipid composition and organization. The aim of the present work is to develop a cell model to study the endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) effect on PM properties and analyze its influence on cholesterol (Chol) homeostasis. We have previously shown that by using a cell line over-expressing stearoyl-CoA-desaturase, membrane composition and organization coordinate cellular pathways involved in Chol efflux and cell viability by different mechanisms. Now, we expanded our studies to a cell model over-expressing both Δ5 and Δ6 desaturases, which resulted in a permanently higher PUFA content in PM. Furthermore, this cell line showed increased PM fluidity, Chol storage, and mitochondrial activity. In addition, human apolipoprotein A-I-mediated Chol removal was less efficient in these cells than in the corresponding control. Taken together, our results suggested that the cell functionality is preserved by regulating PM organization and Chol exportation and homeostasis.Instituto de Investigaciones BioquĂmicas de La PlataFacultad de Ciencias MĂ©dica
Aterosclerosis y amiloidosis: Âżdos patologĂas crĂłnicas interrelacionadas?
A fin de poder llevar a cabo las distintas funciones biolĂłgicas, es esencial que las proteĂnas conserven su conformaciĂłn nativa. Algunas proteĂnas son estructuralmente inestables, y entonces pequeños cambios en el microambiente en el que se encuentran pueden ser clave para alterar el equilibrio hacia una conformaciĂłn patolĂłgica. Las amiloidosis se caracterizan por la presencia de depĂłsitos extracelulares de proteĂnas que adoptan estructura fibrilar. La apolipoproteĂna A-I humana no está normalmente asociada a esta patologĂa, aunque fueron detectados agregados de la misma con la secuencia nativa en placas aterosclerĂłticas seniles. A pesar de ser frecuente, se conoce relativamente poco de la patogĂ©nesis y significancia de la agregaciĂłn patolĂłgica de la apoA-I.Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dica
Human apolipoprotein A-I-derived amyloid: its association with atherosclerosis
Amyloidoses constitute a group of diseases in which soluble proteins aggregate and deposit extracellularly in tissues. Nonhereditary apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) amyloid is characterized by deposits of nonvariant protein in atherosclerotic arteries. Despite being common, little is known about the pathogenesis and significance of apoA-I deposition. In this work we investigated by fluorescence and biochemical approaches the impact of a cellular microenvironment associated with chronic inflammation on the folding and pro-amyloidogenic processing of apoA-I. Results showed that mildly acidic pH promotes misfolding, aggregation, and increased binding of apoA-I to extracellular matrix elements, thus favoring protein deposition as amyloid like-complexes. In addition, activated neutrophils and oxidative/proteolytic cleavage of the protein give rise to pro amyloidogenic products. We conclude that, even though apoA-I is not inherently amyloidogenic, it may produce non hereditary amyloidosis as a consequence of the pro-inflammatory microenvironment associated to atherogenesis.Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dica
Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19
BackgroundWe previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15-20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in similar to 80% of cases.MethodsWe report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded.ResultsNo gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5-528.7, P=1.1x10(-4)) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR=3.70[95%CI 1.3-8.2], P=2.1x10(-4)). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR=19.65[95%CI 2.1-2635.4], P=3.4x10(-3)), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR=4.40[9%CI 2.3-8.4], P=7.7x10(-8)). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD]=43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P=1.68x10(-5)).ConclusionsRare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old