Laboratory indicators of hypothyroidism and TgAA-positivity in the Eurasian dog breed.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary hypothyroidism represents a concern for dog breeders; thus, surveillance programs have been established for several dog breeds. METHODS: Thyroid profiles (total thyroxine (TT4), thyrotropin (thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)), and thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAA)) collected as part of a breed surveillance program in Eurasians (2009-2017) were retrospectively analyzed. The study included data from 1,501 Eurasians from a German breeding club. Classification was exclusively based on laboratory data. Hypothyroidism was defined as a combined decrease in TT4 and increase in TSH in serum and was classified as TgAA-positive and TgAA-negative hypothyroidism. Thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAA) independent of the concentrations of TT4 and TSH were determined. The overall prevalence of hypothyroidism, TgAA-positive hypothyroidism, TgAA-negative hypothyroidism and TgAA-positivity was assessed when the dogs entered the program. Follow-up laboratory data was available for 324 dogs without hypothyroidism on initial examination. RESULTS: The initial screening was performed at a median age of 18 months (interquartile range (IQR): 15-29). The overall prevalence of hypothyroidism was 3.9% (n = 58; 95% CI: 2.9-4.8%) and the prevalence of a positive TgAA status was 7.9% (n = 118; 95% CI: 6.6-9.3%). The prevalence of TgAA-positive and TgAA-negative hypothyroidism was 1.7% (n = 26; 95% CI: 1.1-2.4%) and 2.1% (n = 32; 95% CI: 1.4-2.9%), respectively. 22.0% of dogs with positive TgAA status (26/118) were already hypothyroid on initial examination. Overall, 42.5% (17/40) of TgAA-positive dogs on initial examination developed hypothyroidism on follow-up. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that the Eurasian dog breed exhibits a relevant risk for hypothyroidism and presence of TgAA. The predictive value of TgAA for hypothyroidism or developing hypothyroidism was high in this breed. Further investigations with longitudinal studies in individual dogs are warranted.

Interference of an algal nutritional supplement with a urinary metabolic screening test for glycosaminoglycans in a dog suspected to have a storage disease.

The finding of excess urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAG) is the first step in the laboratory diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). Urinary screening tests are based upon the binding of GAG to dimethylmethylene blue. Alternatively, paper spot tests using toluidine blue are used in human and veterinary laboratory medicine. Positive samples undergo GAG isolation for subsequent characterization. Here, we describe a 3-year-old English Cocker Spaniel with a positive urinary GAG test, but without other clinical signs of MPS. Urine samples were strongly positive with the dimethylmethylene blue test, and isolated GAG subjected to electrophoresis on cellulose acetate revealed a band co-migrating with dermatan sulfate. However, the isolated GAG were resistant to digestion with chondroitinase ABC, suggesting that the band did not represent dermatan sulfate. This was confirmed by mobility of the isolated GAG different from dermatan sulfate on agarose gel electrophoresis. MPS types VI and VII were excluded by enzyme assay. To test the hypothesis of a nutritional source, a healthy control dog was fed the same dog food as the index case. His urine showed a comparable abnormal GAG screening test and electrophoretic pattern. In addition, the analysis of an algal supplement present in the administered dog food showed a similar electrophoretic GAG pattern. The Cocker Spaniel was not available for further testing after withdrawal of the supplement. Algae contain highly sulfated fucans and galactans, and it appears that commercial dog food containing such algal, and possibly other, supplements can give rise to false-positive urinary MPS screening tests.

A single point mutation in nonstructural protein NS2 of bovine viral diarrhea virus results in temperature-sensitive attenuation of viral cytopathogenicity.

For Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), the type species of the genus Pestivirus in the family Flaviviridae, cytopathogenic (cp) and noncytopathogenic (ncp) viruses are distinguished according to their effect on cultured cells. It has been established that cytopathogenicity of BVDV correlates with efficient production of viral nonstructural protein NS3 and with enhanced viral RNA synthesis. Here, we describe generation and characterization of a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of cp BVDV strain CP7, termed TS2.7. Infection of bovine cells with TS2.7 and the parent CP7 at 33 degrees C resulted in efficient viral replication and a cytopathic effect. In contrast, the ability of TS2.7 to cause cytopathogenicity at 39.5 degrees C was drastically reduced despite production of high titers of infectious virus. Further experiments, including nucleotide sequencing of the TS2.7 genome and reverse genetics, showed that a Y1338H substitution at residue 193 of NS2 resulted in the temperature-dependent attenuation of cytopathogenicity despite high levels of infectious virus production. Interestingly, TS2.7 and the reconstructed mutant CP7-Y1338H produced NS3 in addition to NS2-3 throughout infection. Compared to the parent CP7, NS2-3 processing was slightly decreased at both temperatures. Quantification of viral RNAs that were accumulated at 10 h postinfection demonstrated that attenuation of the cytopathogenicity of the ts mutants at 39.5 degrees C correlated with reduced amounts of viral RNA, while the efficiency of viral RNA synthesis at 33 degrees C was not affected. Taken together, the results of this study show that a mutation in BVDV NS2 attenuates viral RNA replication and suppresses viral cytopathogenicity at high temperature without altering NS3 expression and infectious virus production in a temperature-dependent manner.

Comparison of flow cytometry with the Sysmex XT2000iV automated analyzer for the detection of reticulated platelets in dogs.

BACKGROUND: Immature (reticulated) platelets (r-PLT) are not routinely assessed by hematology analyzers, but may be useful in the evaluation of the bone marrow response to thrombocytopenia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the Sysmex XT2000iV hematology analyzer with standard flow cytometry for the determination of r-PLT percentage in dogs. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 40 healthy dogs, 12 thrombocytopenic dogs, and 6 dogs with normal platelet counts but with disorders associated with increased thrombopoiesis. The percentage of r-PLT was determined with a FACscan flow cytometer (r-PLT[F]) using CD61-phycoerythrin antibody and thiazole orange, and with the PLT-O channel of the Sysmex analyzer (r-PLT[S]). Mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, and platelet large cell ratio were also determined on the Sysmex. Repeatability (intra-assay precision) and effect of storage were tested for the automated analyzer. RESULTS: The reference interval (mean+/-1.96 X SD) for r-PLT(F) was 1.91+/-1.29% (range 0.78-3.68%) and for r-PLT(S) was 0.56+/-0.82% (range 0.11-2.16%). For both flow cytometry and the Sysmex, the patient group had a significantly higher mean percentage of r-PLT compared with the control group (P<.0001, unpaired Student's t-tests). Fair correlation (r=0.71; Spearman's regression analysis) was found for r-PLT results between the 2 methods, and a negative proportional systematic bias of -6.26 was found for the Sysmex (Bland-Altman analysis). Based on receiver operating characteristic curves and a cut-off of > or =0.975%, a sensitivity of 94.7% and a specificity of 85.7% were obtained for detecting r-PLT on the Sysmex, using flow cytometry as the reference method. Blood samples stored at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C had a significant increase in the percentage of r-PLT after 24 and 48 hours, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The PLT-O channel of the Sysmex XT2000iV is capable of detecting immature platelets in healthy, thrombocytopenic, and non-thrombocytopenic ill dogs.

Detection of reticulated platelets in whole blood of rats using flow cytometry.

As opposed to erythropoiesis, which is regularly assessed in the peripheral blood of animals by reticulocyte count, thrombopoiesis is rarely assessed in assays that detect immature platelets in the peripheral blood. An assessment of recent thrombopoiesis is feasible with the analysis of reticulated platelets in the peripheral blood via flow cytometry, but rarely performed. The aim of this study was to establish an assay for the detection of reticulated platelets in whole blood of rats via flow cytometry, using a two-color staining method with a platelet-specific antibody (CD61-PE) and thiazole orange to detect RNA-containing platelets. Platelets were detected in K3EDTA-anticoagulated, paraformaldehyde-fixed samples, using a CD61-PE antibody as well as a gate specific for the light scatter properties of platelets. The intra-assay coefficient of variation varied between 3.6% and 8.3% (n=6 animals). The stability of the assay was determined by storing blood prior to staining, storing stained samples for up to 2h at room temperature, and by diluting the blood prior to analysis with autologous plasma to create samples with artificial anemia and thrombocytopenia. Only samples stored at room temperature prior to analysis showed a significantly lower percentage of reticulated platelets. Percentage of reticulated platelets in the reference population (n=41 rats) was 10.0+/-1.3% reticulated platelets (mean+/-SD; min=6.2%; max=12.5%). These data show that the detection of reticulated platelets in whole blood of rats using a platelet-specific antibody is feasible. This test presents a minimal-invasive method to assess thrombopoiesis in rats that can be used for example in preclinical toxicological studies.

Essential and nonessential elements in the 3' nontranslated region of Bovine viral diarrhea virus.

The 3' nontranslated region (NTR) of the pestivirus Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a close relative of human Hepatitis C virus, consists of three stem-loops which are separated by two single-stranded regions. As in other positive-stranded RNA viruses, the 3' NTR of pestiviruses is involved in crucial processes of the viral life cycle. While several studies characterized cis-acting elements within the 3' NTR of a BVDV replicon, there are no studies addressing the significance of these elements in the context of a replicating virus. To examine the functional importance of 3' NTR elements, a set of 4-base deletions and deletions of each of the three stem-loops were introduced into an infectious BVDV cDNA clone. Emerging mutant viruses were characterized with regard to plaque phenotype, growth kinetics, and synthesis of viral RNA. The results indicated that presence of stem-loop (SL) I and the 3'-terminal part of the single-stranded region between stem-loops I and II are indispensable for pestiviral replication. In contrast, deletions within SL II and SL III as well as absence of either SL II or SL III still allowed efficient viral replication; however, a mutant RNA lacking both SL II and SL III was not infectious. The results of this study provide a detailed map of the essential and nonessential elements within the 3' NTR of BVDV and contribute to our understanding of sequence and structural elements important for efficient viral replication of pestiviruses in natural host cells.

RNA recombination in vivo in the absence of viral replication.

To study fundamental aspects of RNA recombination, an in vivo RNA recombination system was established. This system allowed the efficient generation of recombinant cytopathogenic pestiviruses after transfection of synthetic, nonreplicatable, subgenomic transcripts in cells infected with a replicating noncytopathogenic virus. Studies addressing the interplay between RNA recombination and replication revealed that cotransfection of noninfected cells with various pairs of nonreplicatable RNA derivatives also led to the emergence of recombinant viral genomes. Remarkably, homologous and nonhomologous recombination occurred between two overlapping transcripts, each lacking different essential parts of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Apart from the generally accepted viral replicative copy choice recombination, our results prove the existence of a viral RdRp-independent mechanism of RNA recombination that occurs in vivo. It appears likely that such a mechanism not only contributes to the evolution of RNA viruses but also leads to the generation of recombinant cellular RNAs.