Endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunoreactivity and NOS-associated NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry in the domestic cat (Felis catus) testis.

In this study, the cellular localization of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) and the endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS) forms of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in the cat testis were studied using enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. Stage-dependent nuclear and cytoplasmic eNOS/iNOS immunoreactivity and cytoplasmic NADPH-d reactivity were found in all germ cells, including spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes (preleptotene, zygotene, and pachytene spermatocytes), and round (Sa, Sb1) and elongating spermatids (Sb2, Sc) of the seminiferous epithelium. The pachytene spermatocytes exhibited strong positive reactions at all spermatogenic stage. Interestingly, in elongated spermatids (Sd1) at stages VI to VII, eNOS and iNOS immunostainings was observed only in the cytoplasm but not in the nuclei. eNOS and iNOS immunolabeling was observed in the acrosomal vesicle of some round spermatids (Sb1) at stages I, VII, and VIII, and in the acrosomal cap of elongating spermatids (Sb2) at stage II. Furthermore, eNOS, iNOS, and NADPH-d reactions in elongated spermatids (Sd2) just before spermiation at stage VIII were restricted only to the middle and principal pieces of the tail. Positive reactions were also observed in the Sertoli and Leydig cells as well as in other tissues including vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells and peritubular myoid cells. These results suggest that NO may play an important role in chromatin condensation, spermatid shaping, and the final release of sperm from the spermatogenic epithelium. Furthermore, NO may also be involved in spermiogenesis, steroidogenesis, and apoptotic cell death.

Expression of survivin, Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in the domestic cat (Felis catus) endometrium during the oestrus cycle.

Apoptosis has been shown to be an important regulator of endometrium function. To clarify the regulation of apoptosis in the cat endometrium during the normal oestrus cycle, the expressions of the apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax) and their correlation to the inhibitor of apoptosis protein Survivin were analysed using immunohistochemistry. The TUNEL technique (TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labelling) was also used to detect DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptotic cells. The results demonstrated that TUNEL labelling is not effective for the detection of apoptosis in cat endometrium. Survivin was expressed in the luminal and glandular epithelial cells of cat endometrium during all phases of the oestrus cycle. Survivin was localized in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of superficial and deep uterine gland cells during the luteal phase, while only cytoplasmic staining was observed during the follicular and anoestrus phases. Bax immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of luminal and glandular epithelial cells as well as the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels was weak in the anoestrus phase. Compared with anoestrus, the intensity of Bax immunostaining was moderate in the follicular phase and increased dramatically in the luteal phase. Bcl-2 immunostaining in the cytoplasm of luminal and glandular epithelial cells was moderate in the anoestrus phase. During the early follicular phase, cytoplasmic Bcl-2 immunostaining was detected mostly in glandular epithelial cells. In the mid-follicular phase, in glands, the amount of Bcl-2 protein increased progressively from the superficial to the deep layer. In contrast, the expression of Bcl-2 decreased in the secretory phase, being very low or absent in the mid- and late luteal phases. The overall results suggest that Survivin, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins may cooperatively contribute to cell apoptosis and cell proliferation in the cat uterus during the oestrus cycle.

Atypical cyclopia in a brown swiss cross calf: a case report.

In this report, an atypical form of cyclopia is described in a stillborn Brown Swiss cross male calf. The changes were confined to the head. The most significant malformation was the presence of a median orbita-like opening that did not contain an eyeball. Other defects included prosencephalic aplasia, brachygnathia superior and arrhinia. The possible cause of this congenital defect could not be ascertained.

Use of aglepristone and aglepristone + intrauterine antibiotic for the treatment of pyometra in bitches.

In this study, the efficacy of aglepristone and/or intrauterine antibiotic administration for the treatment of bitches with cystic endometrial hyperplasia/pyometra complex was investigated. Twenty-four bitches (5-12 years old) with the diagnosis of pyometra were treated at the University of Kafkas and at Istanbul University. The diagnosis of pyometra was established on the basis of the results of clinical, ultrasonographic and vaginal examinations, the haematological and biochemical findings and the history data. In Group I (n = 13), aglepristone (Antiprogestin, Alizine, Virbac, France; 0.33 ml/kg, s.c.) was administered on days 1, 2, 7, and 14 (day 1: diagnosis). In Group II (n = 11), intrauterine antibiotic treatment was performed according to the antibiogram on days 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 in addition to aglepristone given as in Group I. Clinical and ultrasonographic examinations, haematological results and occurrence of oestrous cycles revealed that the ratio of effectively treated bitches was 6/13 and 9/11 in Groups I and II, respectively.