Development of a novel rodent model for dog heartworm microfilaremia using the severe-combined immunodeficiency mouse.

Dirofilaria immitis is a mosquito-borne parasitic nematode that causes fatal heartworm disease in canids. The microfilariae are essential for research, including drug screening and mosquito-parasite interactions. However, no reliable methods for maintaining microfilaria long-term are currently available. Therefore, we used severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice to develop a reliable method for maintaining D. immitis microfilaria. SCID mice were injected intravenously with microfilariae isolated from a D. immitis-infected dog. Microfilariae were detected in blood collected from the tail vein 218 days post-inoculation (dpi) and via cardiac puncture 296 dpi. Microfilariae maintained in and extracted from SCID mice showed infectivity and matured into third-stage larvae (L3s) in the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. L3s can develop into the fourth stage larvae in vitro. Microfilariae from SCID mice respond normally to ivermectin in vitro. The microfilariae in SCID mice displayed periodicity in the peripheral circulation. The SCID mouse model aided in the separation of microfilariae from cryopreserved specimens. The use of SCID mice enabled the isolation and sustained cultivation of microfilariae from clinical samples. These findings highlight the usefulness of the SCID mouse model for studying D. immitis microfilaremia in canine heartworm research.

Leptospirosis with multiple organ dysfunction in a mongoose-scat-detection dog infected with Leptospira interrogans serogroup Hebdomadis, Okinawa, Japan.

A 2-year-old male mongoose-scat-detection dog was diagnosed with leptospirosis by urine PCR. The patient developed acute renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Treatment with antibiotics was administered, including ampicillin and doxycycline, and supportive care management was provided. Seroconversion against serogroup Hebdomadis was observed on day 8. The leptospiral gene flaB was detected only in urine collected on day 1, from which Leptospira interrogans ST329 was identified by multilocus sequence typing using seven housekeeping genes. L. interrogans serogroup Hebdomadis ST329 has been isolated from mongooses and humans in Okinawa, Japan. This patient received early treatment with antibiotics, which may have contributed to the early recovery of renal function and removal of L. interrogans from kidney tissue.

Sound production in the coconut crab, the largest terrestrial crustacean.

Sound production in terrestrial crustaceans, including the coconut crab, Birgus latro, is not fully understood. Here, we present the first description of the acoustic features and sound production mechanisms of coconut crabs. The sound production system was determined based on X-ray videography and anatomical observations. The results indicated that the crabs produced a tapping sound by beating the scaphognathite, which is also used for ventilation, in the efferent branchial channel. The frequencies of the produced sounds were diverse, and the sound interval also varied within the same individual. From observations under captivity, differences in the sounds were confirmed at each mating phase. Although the relationship between the sounds and actions was not clarified in this study, it is probable that the crabs deliberately produce various types of sounds for different occasions. The coconut crab is known to use visual and chemical communication mechanisms, but these results suggest that a diverse set of sounds is an additional communication pathway during agonistic and mating interactions.

The Aldosterone Receptor Antagonist Eplerenone Inhibits Isoproterenol-Induced Collagen-I and 11ß-HSD1 Expression in Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts and the Left Ventricle.

ß-Adrenergic receptor (ß-AR)-induction of collagen-I synthesis is partially mediated by the cardiac mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) system. However, it remains unclear whether the selective MR antagonist, eplerenone, inhibits collagen-I synthesis induced by ß-AR stimulation. We investigated the effects of eplerenone on the responses to a non-selective ß-AR agonist, isoproterenol, which induced collagen-I synthesis in primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and the left ventricle. mRNAs encoding the MR and 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I (11ß-HSD1) were evident in the left ventricle and primary CFs. mRNAs encoding the CYP family 11 subfamily B member 2 (CYP11-B2) were not detected, even after isoproterenol treatment. In vivo, isoproterenol induced collagenous fiber accumulation in the left ventricle. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), 11ß-HSD1 levels, and mRNA/protein levels of collagen-I increased upon exposure to isoproterenol, but these increases were inhibited by eplerenone co-treatment. In primary CFs, isoproterenol increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the expression levels of both 11ß-HSD1 and collagen-I; these isoproterenol-attributable effects were inhibited by co-treatment with eplerenone and PD98059, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase activity. The results suggest that 11ß-HSD1 but not CYP11-B2 is expressed in primary CFs. Eplerenone inhibited isoproterenol-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and expression of 11ß-HSD1 and collagen-I in primary CFs, as well as the progression of cardiac fibrosis in the left ventricle. Therefore, eplerenone inhibited the isoproterenol-induced increases in 11ß-HSD1 and collagen-I expression in primary CFs, and progression of cardiac fibrosis in the left ventricle.

Effect of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor tadalafil on pulmonary hemodynamics in a canine model of pulmonary hypertension.

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are used for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in dogs. The long-acting PDE5 inhibitor tadalafil was recently approved for treatment of PAH in humans. Basic information related to the pharmacological and hemodynamic effects of tadalafil in dogs is scarce. In this study, the hemodynamic effects of tadalafil after intravenous (IV) and oral administration were investigated in a healthy vasoconstrictive PAH Beagle dog model induced by U46619, a thromboxane A2 mimetic. Six healthy Beagle dogs were anesthetized with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Fluid-filled catheters were placed into the descending aorta to measure systemic arterial pressure and in the pulmonary artery to measure pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). U46619 was infused via the cephalic vein to induce PAH. IV infusion of U46619 significantly elevated PAP from baseline in a dose-dependent manner. U46619-elevated PAP and pulmonary vascular resistance was significantly attenuated by the simultaneous infusion of tadalafil at 100 and 200 µg/kg/h. Likewise, oral administration of tadalafil at 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/kg significantly attenuated U46619-elevated PAP in a dose-dependent manner. U46619-elevated systolic and mean PAP decreased significantly 1 h after oral tadalafil administration at 4.0 mg/kg, and this effect was maintained for 6 h. In conclusion, tadalafil had a pharmacological effect in dogs and IV infusion of tadalafil induced pulmonary arterial relaxation, while oral administration of tadalafil decreased PAP. These results suggest that tadalafil may offer a new therapeutic option for treating dogs with PAH.