Comparison of circulating CD4+, CD8+ lymphocytes and cytokine profiles between dogs with atopic dermatitis and healthy dogs.

INTRODUCTION: Canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by impaired immune function. Changes in the proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and the serum concentrations of cytokines in the pathogenesis of cAD have been described. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether the changes in the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of atopic dogs at the time of diagnosis are related to the severity of the disease. Furthermore, we determined whether the changes in the serum concentrations of the cytokines IL-31, IL-34, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were different between atopic and control dogs. PROCEDURES: Fifty-six client-owned dogs with atopic dermatitis and 53 healthy control dogs were used. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were determined by imaging flow cytometry. The index of CADESI-03 was calculated. Serum cytokine levels were analyzed using ELISA. RESULTS: Atopic dogs showed a higher percentage of CD8+ lymphocytes, a lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio than healthy dogs, and a positive correlation with CADESI-03. Atopic dogs also showed higher serum IL-31 and IL-34 levels and lower IL-10 levels. A moderate positive correlation was found between serum IL-31 and CADESI-03. CONCLUSIONS: The CD4+/CD8+ ratio may be a sensitive parameter that positively correlates with the severity of cAD, and elevated serum levels of IL-31 and IL-34 may facilitate diagnosis of the disease.

Effects of allergen-specific immunotherapy on peripheral blood regulatory T cells and serum concentrations of cytokines and immunoglobulins in horses with allergic dermatitis.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) on the immunological responses of horses. Blood samples were taken from thirty-two horses with allergic dermatitis treated with ASIT and 10 healthy control horses at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months to investigate the evolution of the percentage of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the peripheral blood and the serum levels of cytokines and immunoglobulins. Clinical improvement was appreciated by the majority of the horses' owners (56.6%). No effect of ASIT on CD4+CD25High Treg cells was found during the one year treatment period. No differences in the percentage of CD4+ T cells were observed between the groups, and no effects of ASIT over time were observed. The percentage of CD25+ T cells was always higher in the ASIT group (17.9 ±â€¯11.3%) than in the control group (7.3 ±â€¯4.4%, p < 0.001). We did not detect any effect of ASIT on the serum levels of TGF-ß, IL-10 and IFN-γ or on the serum concentrations of IgA and IgG4. A reduction in the serum levels of total IgE in the horses with allergic dermatitis was observed at the 6th month (p < 0.05), but increased again at the end of the study. The results indicate that immunotherapy was insufficient to induce significant changes that could indicate T cell tolerance, a shift in cytokine production to more protective Th1 cells. More studies are needed with new vaccine compositions and administration protocols to improve the immunological responses of the horses with allergic dermatitis.

Assessment of serum allergen-specific IgE levels in horses with seasonal allergic dermatitis and recurrent airway obstruction in Spain.

Allergic conditions are prevalent equine diseases that can be diagnosed by clinical examination alone, but definitive diagnosis is more likely with laboratory testing. The ELISA Allercept© test was used to analyse the serum samples of 73 horses with allergic diseases. Sixty-one horses (83.5%) had allergen-specific IgE levels ≥ 150 ELISA Units (EU), the cut-off defined by the assay. Fifty-four horses had allergic dermatitis (AD) with high IgE levels to Tyrophagus putrescentiae (51.9%), Rumex crispus (48.1%), Tabanus (46.3%) and Dermatophagoides farinae/ D. pteronyssinus (40.7%). Seven horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) had a high prevalence of T. putrescentiae (85.7%), followed by that of Acarus siro (57.1%) and D. farinae/D. pteronyssinus (57.1%). Horses affected with RAO had more positive reactions to mites (2.22 ± 0.84) than did horses with AD (1.51 ± 0.61, P < 0.05). A strong correlation of serum allergen-specific IgE level was found between Culex tarsalis and Stomoxys (r = 0.943) and between Dactylis glomerata and both Secale cereale (r = 0.79) and R. crispus (r = 0.696). These results indicate that among horses with allergic diseases in Spain, ELISA tests demonstrated a high prevalence of serum allergen-specific IgE in response to mites. Our study emphasises the importance of laboratory testing and updating allergy panels to improve the likelihood of a definitive diagnosis and the identification of allergens that should be included in allergic disease treatment.

Effect of oral administration of Propionibacterium acnes on growth performance, DTH response and anti-OVA titers in goat kids

Immunostimulants are susbstances that stimuli the response of effector cells to activate the immune response such as antigen uptake, cytokine release or antibody response. These substances can increase resistence to infection by different types of microorganisms, reducing dependence of antibiotics used in livestock animals. Recent reports have demonstrated the positive effect of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) to control animal diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the non-specific immunostimulant P. acnes on immunological functions and growth performance in goat kids. Twenty five goat kids served as control group (A) and another 25 animals received P. acnes being the experimental group (B). Kids were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to assess humoral immunity. To assess in vivo cell immunity, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) test with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was used, clinical signs and body weight were recorded each week until 9 weeks of age when the experiment ended. Blood samples were obtained to analyze serum proteins fractions and anti-OVA specific antibodies. No clinical signs of disease and no differences (p>0.05) on body weight between groups were recorded (7.32±0.81 kg in group A, 7.13±0.65 kg in group B). Goat kids from group B had more total protein (59.8±5g/l) and albumin levels (32.8±3.3g/l) than goat kids from group A (56.6±5.7 g/l, 29.6±3.9 g/l respectively) (p<0.05). DTH response in goat kids from group B on day 42 was higher (p<0.05) than group A. At day 63, goat kids from group receiving P. acnes had higher percentage (85.4) of anti-OVA IgM titers (p<0.05) than control group (57.7). In conclusion, the results showed that oral administration of P. acnes to goat kids improved some aspects of the immune system of the animals and it could be used to control goat diseases.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina and cervix in sheep - case report.

This report describes the clinical and histopathological characteristics of a squamous cell carcinoma infiltrating the cervix and the vaginal wall, producing reproductive symptoms and subnormal fertility in an adult ewe. Necropsy showed a large (15-cm-long) neoplastic mass infiltrating the vaginal wall and the cervix. Histopathological examination revealed atypical squamous epithelial cords invading the basal membrane and dermis, round anaplastic cells, focal areas of necrosis, keratinisation of isolated cells, and pronounced infiltration by mononuclear cells around the cords. No squamous cell carcinoma of such localisation has been reported from sheep before. In humans, this tumour is the most common gynaecological malignancy in the world.