Detection of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (Gallid herpesvirus-1) from clinically infected chickens in Egypt by different diagnostic methods.

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) disease is an acute highly contagious viral disease leading to massive economic losses to the national poultry industry. This study aimed to identify the most accurate and rapid diagnostic methods to rescue layer poultry farms from intense outbreaks in Egypt. Fifty pathological specimens were collected and subjected to virus isolation (VI), histopathology, direct fluorescent antibody technique (FAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Egg inoculation revealed stunted growth and white pock lesions on chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) in 23 samples. Isolation and propagation of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) in cell culture showed syncytia formation 5 days post infection in 20 inoculated samples. PCR resulted in successful amplification of a 647 bp fragment of the thymidine kinase (TK) gene in 25 field samples. Histopathological examination of inoculated CAM showed intranuclear inclusion bodies with infiltration of inflammatory cells. Direct FAT showed intra-cytoplasmic apple green reactions in 18 examined tracheal tissues. PCR has been shown to be more sensitive, accurate and rapid than VI, FAT and histopathological examination.

Anticoccidial and hepatoprotective effects of artemisinin liquid extract, cinnamon essential oil and clove essential oil against Eimeria stiedae infection in rabbits.

Coccidiosis is one of the most dangerous diseases that affect poultry, resulting in worldwide economic losses. Plant extracts and essential oils have been used as potential alternatives for chemotherapeutics, because they don't have the negative consequence of creating tissue residue and drug resistance. Therefore, this study had been conducted to determine the efficacy of artemisinin liquid extract, cinnamon essential oil and clove essential oil against Eimeria stiedae in rabbits. Sixty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into six equal groups, where group 1 and group 2 represented the negative and the positive controls, respectively, and groups 3-6 were infected with Eimeria stiedae and received 15 ppm toltrazuril, 200 ppm artemisinin, 100 mg/kg cinnamon oil, and 100 mg/kg clove oil, respectively. The results showed that artemisinin had a significant beneficial role in protection against hepatic coccidiosis: it mitigated the clinical symptoms, reduced the mortality rates, improved body weight and feed conversion, decreased the oocyst output, prevented oxidative stress, improved biochemical parameters, and decreased the lesion formation. Moreover, it has been found that cinnamon and clove essential oils induced partial protection against hepatic coccidiosis. Our findings suggested that artemisinin liquid extract and cinnamon and clove essential oils could be used for protection against hepatic coccidiosis. However, further investigations are needed in order to elucidate the active components, optimal doses, and mode of action of these extracts and essential oils before their clinical applications.

Anticoccidial and hepatoprotective effects of artemisinin liquid extract, cinnamon essential oil and clove essential oil against Eimeria stiedae infection in rabbits

@#Coccidiosis is one of the most dangerous diseases that affect poultry, resulting in worldwide economic losses. Plant extracts and essential oils have been used as potential alternatives for chemotherapeutics, because they don’t have the negative consequence of creating tissue residue and drug resistance. Therefore, this study had been conducted to determine the efficacy of artemisinin liquid extract, cinnamon essential oil and clove essential oil against Eimeria stiedae in rabbits. Sixty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into six equal groups, where group 1 and group 2 represented the negative and the positive controls, respectively, and groups 3–6 were infected with Eimeria stiedae and received 15 ppm toltrazuril, 200 ppm artemisinin, 100 mg/kg cinnamon oil, and 100 mg/kg clove oil, respectively. The results showed that artemisinin had a significant beneficial role in protection against hepatic coccidiosis: it mitigated the clinical symptoms, reduced the mortality rates, improved body weight and feed conversion, decreased the oocyst output, prevented oxidative stress, improved biochemical parameters, and decreased the lesion formation. Moreover, it has been found that cinnamon and clove essential oils induced partial protection against hepatic coccidiosis. Our findings suggested that artemisinin liquid extract and cinnamon and clove essential oils could be used for protection against hepatic coccidiosis. However, further investigations are needed in order to elucidate the active components, optimal doses, and mode of action of these extracts and essential oils before their clinical applications.

Immunohistochemical Expression of MCAM/CD146 in Canine Melanoma.

MCAM/CD146 (melanoma cell adhesion molecule/CD146) is a transmembrane immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule involved in transendothelial migration and signal transduction. It is expressed in melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, prostatic, ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers and promotes tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Melanoma is the most common malignant oral tumour of dogs and also arises in the skin, nail bed and footpad. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of MCAM/CD146 in 51 canine melanomas, including oral, cutaneous and ocular tumours. Seventeen of the 51 (33.3%) cases were negative, eight (15.7%) were weakly positive, seven (13.7%) were moderately positive and 19 (37.3%) were strongly positive. MCAM/CD146 was expressed by both oral and cutaneous melanomas; however, the intensity and the extent of the immunoreactivity was higher in oral (P = 0.009) than in cutaneous tumours (P = 0.058). Most ocular melanomas did not express MCAM/CD146 (P = 0.256). Expression of MCAM/CD146 by canine melanomas may suggest the molecule as a target for treatment, especially in oral melanomas.

Immunohistochemical analysis of CD146 expression in canine skin tumours.

CD146, a cell adhesion molecule, is overexpressed in a variety of carcinomas, including melanoma, prostate cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. The level of expression is directly correlated with tumour progression and metastatic potential. The most commonly affected organ for both neoplastic and non-neoplastic tumours is the skin. The objective of this study is to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of CD146 in canine skin tumours of epidermal or follicular origin in 53 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), 9 squamous papillomas, 7 infundibular keratinizing acanthomas (IKA), 21 trichoepitheliomas, 13 trichoblastomas, and 3 pilomatricomas. Immunohistochemical results showed that SCCs (90.6%), squamous papilloma (33.3%), IKA (85.7%), trichoepithelioma (85.9%), trichoblastoma (30.8%) and pilomatricoma (100%), respectively, were positive for CD146. The significant expression of CD146 in SCCs supports its importance as a useful treatment target. CD146 could also be used in differentiation of trichoepithelioma and trichoblastoma.

Analysis of genomic mutation and immunohistochemistry of platelet-derived growth factor receptors in canine vascular tumours.

We examined whether mutation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor protein tyrosine kinase (PDGFR)-α and PDGFR-ß genes contributes to their overexpression in canine vascular tumours. Genomic sequences of trans- or juxtamembrane regions of PDGFR-α and PDGFR-ß were analysed with immunohistochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction-direct sequencing using DNA from paraffin-embedded neoplastic tissues of 27 hemangiosarcomas (HSAs) and 20 hemangiomas (HAs). Immunohistochemically, 75% of the HA cases were positive for PDGFR-α and almost most of the HA cases were negative for PDGFR-ß. Of the HSA cases, 55.6% were negative for PDGFR-α and 63% were strongly positive for PDGFR-ß. Among the HA cases, 1 missense mutation was detected in PDGFR-α exon 18 and 1 in PDGFR-ß exon 17. Two HSA cases had missense mutations in exon 14 and 1 in exon 17 of PDGFR-ß. Thus, genomic mutation of trans- or juxtamembrane regions of PDGFRs was not the main mechanism driving the activation of receptors in HSA and HA.

Immunohistochemical analysis of the Akt/mTOR/4E-BP1 signalling pathway in canine haemangiomas and haemangiosarcomas.

The specific signalling pathways that are deregulated in canine endothelial tumours have not yet fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine activation of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) signalling pathway in spontaneously arising canine haemangiomas (HAs) and haemangiosarcomas (HSAs) in order to identify novel molecular targets for treatment. Surgically-resected samples of HA (n = 27), HSA (n = 37), granulation tissue (n = 4) and normal skin (n = 4) were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Approximately 80% of the HSA samples had moderate to intense expression of phosphorylated Akt at Ser473 (p-Akt Ser473), p-Akt Thr308, p-4E-BP1 Thr37/46 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E, which was significantly higher than in the HAs and was similar to the expression in activated endothelial cells (ECs). Although p-mTOR complex1 (p-mTORC1) Ser2448 was expressed by most of the activated ECs, only 35% of the HSA samples had weak to moderate expression. Because mTORC2 and phosphorylates Akt Ser473 was activated in HSA samples, the present findings suggest that the mTORC2/Akt/4E-BP1 pathway, regulated independently of mTORC1, may be important for targeting therapy in canine HSAs.