Heritability of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in swine

Three-hundred and eighteen female swine representing contemporary commercial swine breeds (34 Chester White, 43 Large White, 42 Landrace, 40 Yorkshire, and 159 four-breed crossbreeds) were used to evaluate genetic variation between and within breeds for levels of plasma cholesterol and plasma triglycerides. Blood was sampled from all pigs after a 16-hr fast at 154 days of age. Plasma cholesterol was measured in all pigs and triglycerides were measured in 232 pigs. Paternal half-sib heritabilities (h2) for plasma cholesterol and plasma triglycerides were 0.45 +/- 0.23 and 1.04 +/- 0.32, respectively. Breed differences were not apparent for either trait. Phenotypic and paternal half-sib genetic correlations between the two traits were 0.16 and 0.66, respectively. Neither body weight nor backfat depth were important in affecting the estimate of h2 for either trait. The relatively high h2 of total plasma cholesterol and of total triglycerides offers the possibility of developing, through selection, populations of hypercholesterolemic or hypertriglyceridemic swine useful as models for studies directed toward further understanding of human cardiovascular disease.     

Measurement of in vivo cholesterol synthesis from 2H2O: a rapid procedure for the isolation, combustion, and isotopic assay of erythrocyte cholesterol

A rapid preparative scale purification of erythrocyte free cholesterol has been developed for measurements of in vivo cholesterol synthesis from 2H2O. The quantity and purity of cholesterol obtained is suitable for combustion, zinc reduction of the water formed, and determination of deuterium isotopic content by gas isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The ability to detect and to quantitate a range of cholesterol synthesis rates is illustrated by measurements on young pigs receiving diets without and with added dietary cholesterol.     

Evidence for differential induction of helper T cell subsets during Trichinella spiralis infection

The H-2-compatible mouse strains, AKR and B10.BR, exhibit disparate responses to infection with the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis. The resistant AKR mice expel intestinal adult worms faster than susceptible B10.BR mice. We tested antibody and lymphokine responses in these strains. With respect to antibody responses, the B10.BR mice had 3- to 10-fold more serum IgE and T. spiralis-specific IgG1 and IgA than AKR mice. The B10.BR mice also had greater numbers of IgG and IgA plaque-forming cells than AKR mice. In contrast, AKR mice produced T. spiralis-specific IgG2a, whereas the B10.BR mice did not. The antibody response kinetics of these strains were similar. We also analyzed lymphokine secretion after restimulating lymphocytes in vitro with T. spiralis Ag. The AKR mesenteric lymph node cells produced more IFN-gamma and less IL-4 than the B10.BR mesenteric lymph node cells. The B10.BR splenocytes produced more IL-4 than the AKR splenocytes, although splenocyte IFN-gamma production was not different. The kinetics of IL-4 production also differed between the two strains. In summary, resistant AKR mice produced more IFN-gamma and T. spiralis-specific IgG2a than susceptible B10.BR mice, which produced more IL-4, IgE, and T. spiralis-specific IgG1. Our results are consistent with differential activation of Th cell subsets in T. spiralis-infected AKR and B10.BR mice.     

Ascaris suum: Nutrient absorption,growth, and intestinal pathology in young pigs experimentally infected with 15-day-old larvae

Three-week-old pigs on high (HP) or low (LP) protein diets were infected with 15-day-old Ascaris suum larvae (W). Including noninfected pigs (C), the experimental groups were HPW, LPW, HPC, and LPC. After 8 weeks, worm burden in the intestine averaged 42 in LPW and 31 in HPW. Nitrogen balance during Week 4 showed nonsignificantly less nitrogen absorption and retention in LPW compared to LPC. A similar, nonsignificant decrease in fat absorption was recorded in LPW vs LPC and in HPW vs HPC. The weight of the small intestine was significantly greater in W than C pigs but did not differ because of protein level. The weight correlated positively to worm burden and the increase was due mainly to hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis (muscle layers).     

Evolutionary interactions between N-linked glycosylation sites in the HIV-1 envelope

The addition of asparagine (N)-linked polysaccharide chains (i.e., glycans) to the gp120 and gp41 glycoproteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope is not only required for correct protein folding, but also may provide protection against neutralizing antibodies as a “glycan shield.” As a result, strong host-specific selection is frequently associated with codon positions where nonsynonymous substitutions can create or disrupt potential N-linked glycosylation sites (PNGSs). Moreover, empirical data suggest that the individual contribution of PNGSs to the neutralization sensitivity or infectivity of HIV-1 may be critically dependent on the presence or absence of other PNGSs in the envelope sequence. Here we evaluate how glycan–glycan interactions have shaped the evolution of HIV-1 envelope sequences by analyzing the distribution of PNGSs in a large-sequence alignment. Using a “covarion”-type phylogenetic model, we find that the rates at which individual PNGSs are gained or lost vary significantly over time, suggesting that the selective advantage of having a PNGS may depend on the presence or absence of other PNGSs in the sequence. Consequently, we identify specific interactions between PNGSs in the alignment using a new paired-character phylogenetic model of evolution, and a Bayesian graphical model. Despite the fundamental differences between these two methods, several interactions are jointly identified by both. Mapping these interactions onto a structural model of HIV-1 gp120 reveals that negative (exclusive) interactions occur significantly more often between colocalized glycans, while positive (inclusive) interactions are restricted to more distant glycans. Our results imply that the adaptive repertoire of alternative configurations in the HIV-1 glycan shield is limited by functional interactions between the N-linked glycans. This represents a potential vulnerability of rapidly evolving HIV-1 populations that may provide useful glycan-based targets for neutralizing antibodies.     

Quantification of angiogenesis in estrogen receptor-positive and negative breast carcinoma

Background

The objective of this study was to evaluate angiogenesis according to CD34 antigen expression in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and negative breast carcinomas.

Methods

This study comprised 64 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma in postmenopausal women divided into two groups: Group A: ER-positive, n = 35; and Group B: ER-negative, n = 29. The anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody was used as a marker for endothelial cells. Microvessel count was carried out in 10 fields per slide using a 40× objective lens (magnification 400×). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Student's t-test (p < 0.05).

Results

The mean number of vessels stained with the anti-CD34 antibody in the estrogen receptor-positive and negative tumors was 23.51 ± 1.15 and 40.24 ± 0.42, respectively. The number of microvessels was significantly greater in the estrogen receptor-negative tumors (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

ER-negative tumors have significantly greater CD34 antigen expression compared to ER-positive tumors.