Valuable female cattle are continuously subject to follicular puncture (ovum pickup -opU). this technique is commonly used for in-vitro embryo production, but may result in ovarian lesion. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) ameliorate the function of injured tissues, but their use to treat ovarian lesions in cattle has not been established. We investigated whether a local injection of MSC would reduce the negative effects of repeated OPU under acute and chronic scenarios in bovines. First, we performed four OPU sessions and injected 2.5 × 10 6 MSCs immediately after the 4th OPU procedure (n = 5). The treated organs (right ovary) were compared to their saline-treated counterparts (left), and presented superior production of oocytes and embryos in the three following OPU sessions (P < 0.05). Then, cows with progressive fertility loss went through three OPU sessions. Animals received MSC, saline, or MSC + FSH in both ovaries after the first OPU. In the two following OPU sessions, the MSC and MSc + FSH-treated groups failed to present any significant alteration in the number of oocytes and embryos compared to saline-treated animals. Thus, MSC have beneficial effects on the fertility of OPUlesioned cows, but not in cows with cystic ovarian disease and chronic ovarian lesions.

BACKGROUND Adenocarcinomas can be of several types, and MCF-7 is an adenocarcinoma of human breast cell line useful as preclinical model to screen therapeutic agents such as ultra-diluted Viscum album, an European plant whose extract is commonly used in cancer therapy. AIMS MCF-7 and mesenchymal stem cells were used to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of homoeopathic Viscum album 1x10-3 (VAD3). METHODS cells were cultured for 24 hours in controlled environment (37.5oC and 5% CO2) in 96-well plates. After this time, VAD3 was added to the culture medium in concentrations varying from 10 to 100 ?L/mL for MTT assay (evaluation of viability of cells). A control group was maintained with culture medium only. After 48 hours, the procedures of analysis of cells viability were performed. RESULTS MTT assay showed that the concentrations of 42 ?L/mL and 62 ?L/mL were able to reduce cell viability to 50% in MCF-7 and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively, which means that half of the cells cultured were dead after 48 hours in contact with VAD3. CONCLUSION Viscum album presented higher cytotoxic action on human breast cancer cell line culture than on mesenchymal stem cells. This medicine is extensively used against cancer, and the use of the homoeopathic form of it brings new possibilities as no or fewer adverse effects would be present.

Canine distemper virus causes death in a large proportion of infected dogs. For the survivors, various physiological systems can be damaged, including the nervous system, resulting in neurological signs such as ataxia, paresis or plegias, myoclonus, tremors and epileptic crises. Mesenchymal stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the capacity to release trophic factors with neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, and as such may represent an alternative to treat or mitigate the clinical symptoms in dogs with such neurological sequelae. In the current retrospective study, we evaluated clinical data and films from 14 dogs that presented myoclonus, epileptic episodes, and/or ambulatory difficulties after distemper virus infection, and that were treated with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells from a cell bank. The animals that had presented epileptic crises and myoclonus presented a reduction in the frequency of these episodes, and of the 14 animals that presented with ambulatory difficulties, ten regained the ability to walk without aid after the therapy. No animal presented with any adverse reaction to the cell transplant. These results suggest that mesenchymal stem cell therapy may be an alternative for treatment of neurological sequelae, however, further controlled studies should be carried out in order to obtain further data regarding the number of cells to be transplanted, the time interval between transplants, and even about the ideal time for initiation of such therapy.

A pele é a principal barreira contra atritos, patógenos, perda excessiva de água, além de ter importante atuação na termorregulação e possuir receptores que permitem a percepção de dor, tato, temperatura e pressão. Os nutrientes presentes nos alimentos são extremamente necessários para a manutenção da pele e pelos saudáveis e bem cuidados, porém, na maioria das dietas esses nutrientes não são suficientes, por isso a suplementação com nutracêuticos se torna importante. Os nutracêuticos que contém em sua formulação ingredientes naturais vem ganhando espaço, como é o caso do produto analisado no presente estudo, que contém em sua formulação alecrim, semente de abóbora, ômega 3, fosfolipídios de caviar. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a ação in vitro de nutracêutico DERM em células-tronco mesenquimais quanto à alteração da produção das citocinas IL-6 e IL-10 e à segurança do produto em relação à possibilidade de causar mutações em células dos animais que o consomem. A citocina pró-inflamatória IL-6 diminuiu (P<0,05) e a citocina anti-inflamatória IL-10 aumentou (P<0,05) no sobrenadante celular em relação ao controle quando o produto foi adicionado ao meio de cultura. A avaliação de viabilidade celular das células-tronco mesenquimais pelo ensaio de MTT mostrou que as células tiveram maior atividade mitocondrial com a presença do produto. Já os testes de segurança envolveram análises de mutagenicidade feitas pela avaliação do potencial do produto de reverter a mutação presente em bactérias específicas (Teste de Ames) e análise da capacidade do produto de interagir com o DNA de células e provocar danos a elas (micronúcleos in vitro). Os resultados mostraram que DERM não causou reversão da mutação das bactérias, visto que o índice de mutagenicidade (IM) em todas as cepas teve valor abaixo de 2. Já no teste de micronúcleos in vitro, a frequência de aparecimento de micronúcleos foi baixa, não sendo diferente do grupo controle (P>0,05), indicando que não há a interação do produto com o DNA capaz de causar danos de mutação. Dessa forma, DERM parece ter capacidade de reduzir o processo inflamatório, sendo um produto seguro para os animais que o consomem.