Publications (29) View all
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Article: Sympathetic innervation of the ileocecal junction in horses.
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ABSTRACT: The distribution and chemical phenotypes of sympathetic and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons innervating the equine ileocecal junction (ICJ) were studied by combining retrograde tracing and immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactivity (IR) for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) was investigated. Sympathetic neurons projecting to the ICJ were distributed within the celiac (CG), cranial mesenteric (CranMG), and caudal mesenteric (CaudMG) ganglia, as well as in the last ganglia of the thoracic sympathetic chain and in the splanchnic ganglia. In the CG and CranMG 91 +/- 8% and 93 +/- 12% of the neurons innervating the ICJ expressed TH- and DBH-IR, respectively. In the CaudMG 90 +/- 15% and 94 +/- 5% of ICJ innervating neurons were TH- and DBH-IR, respectively. Sympathetic (TH-IR) fibers innervated the myenteric and submucosal ganglia, ileal blood vessels, and the muscle layers. They were more concentrated at the ICJ level and were also seen encircling myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal plexus (SMP) descending neurons that were retrogradely labeled from the ICJ. Among the few retrogradely labeled DRG neurons, nNOS-, CGRP-, and SP-IR nerve cells were observed. Dense networks of CGRP-, nNOS-, and SP-IR varicosities were seen around retrogradely labeled prevertebral ganglia neurons. The CGRP-IR fibers are probably the endings of neurons projecting from the intestine to the prevertebral ganglia. These findings indicate that this crucial region of the intestinal tract is strongly influenced by the sympathetic system and that sensory information of visceral origin influences the sympathetic control of the ICJ.The Journal of Comparative Neurology 10/2010; 518(19):4046-66. · 3.81 Impact Factor -
Article: Effect of liquid storage on sorted boar spermatozoa.
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ABSTRACT: A routine use of boar sexed semen is far from being a reality due to many limiting factors among which is the long sorting time necessary to obtain the adequate number of sexed spermatozoa for artificial insemination and the high susceptibility to damages induced by cryopreservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the modification induced by 24-26 h storage on sorted boar spermatozoa on the basis of their viability, acrosome status, Hsp70 presence, and in vitro fertilizing ability. The percentage of viable cells, according to SYBR green/PI staining, was negatively affected (P < 0.05) by sorting procedure. Moreover, liquid storage significantly (P < 0.05) reduced membrane integrity of sorted spermatozoa as compared to all the other groups. Neither sorting nor storage influenced the percentage of live cells with reacted acrosome, according to FITC-PNA/PI staining. Sorted samples, after 24-26 h storage, were characterized by an increase (P < 0.05) of sperm cells negative for Hsp70, as observed by immunofluorescence, and by a decrease (P < 0.05) in Hsp70 content, as evidenced by western blot. While sorting procedure did not adversely affect both penetration rate and total efficiency of fertilization, these parameters were negatively (P < 0.05) influenced by storage after sorting. In order to minimize damages that compromise fertility and function of sex-sorted boar spermatozoa, the mechanisms by which sorting and liquid storage cause these injures require further study.Theriogenology 09/2010; 74(5):741-8. · 1.96 Impact Factor -
Article: Pulmonary kinetic expression of the endothelin system in a swine model of endotoxic shock.
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ABSTRACT: Endothelin (ET)-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide involved in the derangement of respiratory mechanics during endotoxic shock. We measured the kinetics of pulmonary mRNA expression of the key components of the ET system [i.e., ET-1, ET-converting enzyme (ECE), and ETA and ETB receptors] by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in a swine model of endotoxic shock (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h of continuous LPS infusion at 40 microg/kg/hour; sham group, 4 hour saline infusion). A significant increase in mRNA expression levels was observed for ET-1 in LPS-treated piglets; the increase began as early as 1 hour. In contrast, no significant variations were observed for the ECE, ETA, or ETB genes. Small gene expression differences observed with respect to our previous results suggest a possible effect of the anesthesia or surgical protocol on ET system regulation.Veterinary Research Communications 06/2010; 34 Suppl 1:S21-4. · 0.82 Impact Factor -
Article: Procalcitonin gene expression after LPS stimulation in the porcine animal model.
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ABSTRACT: Procalcitonin (PCT), recognised as a marker of sepsis, was investigated in a porcine model of endotoxic shock. The results showed that continuous IV infusion (1-4 h) of LPS (40 μg/kg) in pigs was able to induce a generalised increase of PCT expression in lung, heart, kidney and liver. The increase in PCT was significant only in kidney and was accompanied by an increase in IL-6 gene expression. In vitro results demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as well as endothelial cells, were potentially capable of contributing to in vivo extrathyroidal PCT production. These findings support previous data from pigs concerning the occurrence of widespread activation of PCT extrathyroidal gene expression during endotoxic shock in pigs. Nevertheless, the levels of PCT detected were very low, suggesting the need for additional studies to validate the pig as a reliable animal model for investigating the role of PCT in sepsis.Research in Veterinary Science 10/2011; 93(2):921-7. · 1.65 Impact Factor -
Article: Coupling sperm mediated gene transfer and sperm sorting techniques: a new perspective for swine transgenesis.
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ABSTRACT: Flow cytometric separation of X and Y chromosome-bearing spermatozoa has been demonstrated to be effective in pigs, allowing the use of boar sexed semen in in vitro trials. Sperm Mediated Gene Transfer (SMGT) is a widely used and efficient technique for the creation of transgenic animals. The present research intended to prove that it is possible to associate sperm sexing with the SMGT technique in order to speed up the assessment of homozygous lines of transgenic pigs. In the first experiment, the sorting protocol was modified in order to obtain the highest DNA uptake by sorted spermatozoa. In the second experiment, spermatozoa that had undergone only sperm sorting, only SMGT, or both procedures (Sorted-SMGT) were used for in in vitro fertilization of in vitro matured oocytes. In the third experiment, transformed blastocysts of the desired gender (male) were obtained with Sorted-SMGT in an in vitro fertilization trial. The method we developed here allowed us to produce transgenic swine blastocysts of pre-determined gender, giving a positive answer at the aim to couple SMGT and sperm sorting in swine, obtaining fertile spermatozoa able to produce transgenic embryos of pre-determined gender.Theriogenology 09/2010; 74(5):856-62. · 1.96 Impact Factor
