Proteomic analysis of dog tears for potential cancer markers.

The first reference map of the proteome of pooled normal dog tears was created using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the identity of a number of the major species determined using matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and peptide mass fingerprint matching on protein sequence databases. In order to understand the changes in protein expression in the tear film of dogs with cancer, tears from such animals were similarly examined. A number of differences were found between the tears of healthy dogs and the dogs with cancer. Differences were found in levels of actin and albumin and in an unidentified protein which may be analogous to human lacryglobulin. These findings suggest that it may be possible to develop tear film analysis to provide a simple non-invasive test for the diagnosis and/or management of canine cancers.

Effects of a 5% monosulfated glycosaminoglycan and duasorb topic solution on alkali-burned rabbit corneas

Topical effects of chondroitin sulfate, a monosulfated glycosaminoglycan, on the healing of alkali-burned corneas were studied.Forty albino rabbits were divided into two groups (GI and GII, n =20) submitted to corneal ulceration with 3 M sodium hydroxide(NaOH). GI was treated with a topical solution of 5% chondroitin sulfate 4 and chondroitin sulfate 6 and GII was treated with 0.9%physiological saline at 6 hour intervals in both cases. The rabbits were studied over a period of 60 days by biomicroscopy witha slit lamp in order to evaluate blepharospasm, blepharitis, chemosis, conjunctival congestion, ocular secretion, and cornealedema, neovascularization and macula. The fluorescein test was performed daily to monitor the evolution of the ulcers. Theanimals were submitted to eye enucleation for histopathology on the 1st, 3rd, 10th, 30th and 60th day after ulcer induction. Whencompared to GII, GI showed 4 perforations. In the eyes in which no perforation occurred, no clinical or microscopic differenceswere observed between groups, except for ocular secretion, which persisted for a longer time in GII animals. Except for thosewith perforations, the corneas tended to heal, on average, within 30 days. The results permit us to conclude that the 5%chondroitin sulfate solution, when instilled on alkali-burned rabbit corneas did not alter healing when compared to the animalstreated with 0

Use of an allogenous tunica vaginalis conserved in 98% glycerine for keratoplasty in dogs

We evaluated the use of an allogenous tunica vaginalis conserved in 98% glycerine for lamellar keratoplasty in dogs. Sevendogs were submitted to keratoplasty and clinically evaluated during the initial (1 to 15 days), intermediate (16 to 30 days) and late(31 to 120 days) postoperative periods. The corneas were evaluated by light microscopy at 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, 60 and 120 days aftersurgery. Photophobia, epiphora, blepharospasm, corneal edema, ocular secretion and chemosis were observed during theinitial periods, and tended to disappear during the intermediate periods. Vascular neoformation started around the 4th day, witha maximum intensity on the 25th day and a gradual regression thereafter, and tended to disappear between the 60th and 120thday. The graft itself and adjacent areas showed a tendency towards the reestablishment of transparency during the latepostoperative periods. With respect to morphology, an inflammatory infiltrate characterized by the invasion of polymorphonuclearand mononuclear leukocytes was observed which disappeared by the 60th postoperative day, when the graft was found to beincorporated and the stroma returned to normal. The present results led us to conclude that the allogenous tunica vaginalisconserved in 98% glycerine was feasible and efficient for lamellar keratoplasty in dogs.