Laboratory animal science最新文献

Objective: To compare lymphocyte subpopulations in the blood and lymphoid tissues of normal kittens between 1 and 90 days of age.

Methods: Lymphocyte subsets within the blood, thymus, and lymph node of 24 normal kittens were quantified by use of two-color fluorescence flow cytometry and were compared at 1, 23, 46, or 90 days after birth.

Results: Blood B and T lymphocytes increased over the 90-day postnatal period. The CD4+ and CD8+ sub-populations of T lymphocytes increased. However, CD8+ lymphocytes increased more than did CD4+ lymphocytes, resulting in reduced CD4-to-CD8 ratio. By 23 days of age, similar but more abrupt changes in the CD4-to-CD8 ratio occurred in the thymus and lymph nodes, coinciding with the highest thymus-to-body weight ratio and gradual increase in mature thymocytes expressing a pan-T lymphocyte marker.

Conclusions: Postnatal thymopoiesis in the domestic cat favors production of mature CD8+ T lymphocytes over CD4+ T lymphocytes. This coincides with the emergence of CD8+ lymphocytes in the lymph node and precedes a more gradual increase in CD8+ cells in the blood. Therefore, the ontogeny of these effectors of cell-mediated immunity could be interrupted by infective agents that target lymphoid tissues of the neonate.

Background and purpose: A novel light-emitting diode (LED) light source for use in animal-habitat lighting was evaluated.

Methods: The LED was evaluated by comparing its effectiveness with that of cool white fluorescent light (CWF) in suppressing pineal gland melatonin content and maintaining normal retinal physiology, as evaluated by use of electroretinography (ERG), and morphology.

Results: Pineal melatonin concentration was equally suppressed by LED and CWF light at five light illuminances (100, 40, 10, 1, and 0.1 lux). There were no significant differences in melatonin suppression between LED and CWF light, compared with values for unexposed controls. There were no differences in ERG a-wave implicit times and amplitudes or b-wave implicit times and amplitudes between 100-lux LED-exposed rats and 100-lux CWF-exposed rats. Results of retinal histologic examination indicated no differences in retinal thickness, rod outer segment length, and number of rod nuclei between rats exposed to 100-lux LED and 100-lux CWF for 14 days. Furthermore, in all eyes, the retinal pigmented epithelium was intact and not vacuolated, whereas rod outer segments were of normal thickness.

Conclusion: LED light does not cause retinal damage and can suppress pineal melatonin content at intensities similar to CWF light intensities.

Background and purpose: Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of intravascular catheter-associated bacteremia. We developed a rat central venous catheter (CVC)-associated infection model to study pathogenesis and treatment.

Methods: A silastic lumen-within-lumen catheter and rodent-restraint jacket were designed. Subcutaneously tunneled catheters were inserted in the jugular vein of 20 male Sprague Dawley rats. Twelve rats (group 1) were inoculated with S. aureus via the CVC; three rats (group 2) were inoculated with S. aureus via the tail vein, five rats (group 3) served as uninfected controls; and three rats (group 4) were inoculated with S. aureus via the tail vein but did not undergo CVC insertion. Five to eight days after inoculation, animals were euthanized, CVCs were aseptically removed, and quantitative culture was done. Quantitative culture also was performed on blood, heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys.

Results: Infection, characterized by bacteremia and metastatic disease, was observed in all rats inoculated via the CVC with as few as 100 colony-forming units (CFU) of S. aureus. Rats of group 2 were not as likely to develop CVC-associated infection, and none of the animals of groups 3 or 4 developed infection.

Conclusions: This model of CVC-associated infection should prove suitable for studying pathogenesis and treatment of the condition.

Background and purpose: Ivermectin is a common anthelmintic drug, widely used in laboratory rodents for treatment of pinworm and mite infestations. We evaluated the action of ivermectin on sensitive behavioral tasks in mice during treatment for mites within a barrier facility.

Methods: A total of 21 (5 males, 16 females) mice (129/SvEv) were used for measuring body weight, open field locomotor activity, and rotarod motor coordination. For acoustic startle and prepulse inhibition, 20 C57BL/6J and 29 AKR/J mice were studied. For the Morris water task, the same 20 C57BL/6J mice were studied. Ivermectin (0.08% sheep drench) was administered in the drinking water of the home cage for 8 weeks. Control groups received normal tap water in identical bottles.

Results: Ivermectin did not affect general health, body weight, motor coordination, swimming behavior, or spatial learning in several inbred strains of mice. However, it induced a small but significant effect on some sensitive behaviors.

Conclusions: A cautious approach to initiating ivermectin treatment in mice should be used for sensitive behavioral experiments.

Background and purpose: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by symmetric or asymmetric hypertrophy of the left and/or right ventricle. Morphologic and pathologic indices (MI and PI) of hearts were established for classification of HCM in pigs.

Methods: Fifty on-farm-performance-tested pigs (average body weight, 104.3 kg; age, 224.5 days) were randomly selected. Heart weight, length, width, heart-to-body weight ratio, and thickness of the cranial and middle portions of ventricular septum and left ventricular free wall were measured. Myocyte disorganization and necrosis, myocardial and endocardial fibrosis, and intramural coronary arterial occlusion were scored. Principal component analysis and stepwise regression analysis were used to establish MI and PI.

Results: MI was established by using the first principal component as the dependent variable and applying stepwise regression analysis. Hearts were classified as morphologically normal, suspicious, and hypertrophic according to the range of MI. The same statistical method was used to find PI. Hearts were classified as pathologically normal, moderately affected, or seriously affected according to the range of PI. Combining MI and PI, hearts could be classified into five groups: no hypertrophy with minor lesion (normal); hypertrophy but with rare lesion; no hypertrophy but seriously affected; suspicious; and hypertrophy and seriously affected (heart with HCM). Another 119 hearts were collected and classified. The variation of heart measurements was consistent with the original purpose of classification.

Conclusions: Using fewer measurements for identification of HCM objectively in pigs seems to have practical application.