Fifty-one cats histopathologically confirmed to have been naturally infected by feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), were collected to analyse the clinical and laboratory findings and to characterise disease staging. Effusive FIP was found in 33 cats, non-effusive FIP in 12 cats, and mixed-type in six cats. Highly significant decreases in haematocrit and albumin levels and an increase in total bilirubin level were noted in both effusive and non-effusive FIP, at first presentation and before death. In serial blood examinations of the effusive group, anaemia and increases in bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were observed from 2 weeks to 0-3 days before death. The packed cell volume, bilirubin, AST, potassium, and sodium levels were established to predict disease staging and survival time. Cumulative points ranging from 0 to 4, 5 to 11 and excess of 12, indicate that the cat can survive for at least 2 weeks, less than 2 weeks and less than 3 days, respectively.

Abnormal regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation is thought to be involved in tumor formation. The secreted Frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) was detected in primary culture of canine mammary gland tumors but not in normal mammary tissues. Thus, to elucidate the role of SFRP2 in mammary tumorigenesis, we overexpressed SFRP2 in mammary gland tumor and MCF7 cells. The results indicated that SFRP2 is secreted and incorporated into the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tumor and normal cells. In an attempt to understand the molecular basis underlying the interaction between SFRP2 and ECM, co-immunoprecipitation and cell adhesion assays were carried out. SFRP2 was found to be associated with the fibronectin-integrin protein complex and could promote cell adhesion. DNA fragmentation and caspase 3 activity analyses showed that the susceptibility of the cells to UV-induced apoptosis decreased in the context of SFRP2 overexpression. Upon disruption of the fibronectin-integrin connection, the antiapoptosis activity of SFRP2 was decreased. Moreover, SFRP2 was found to induce tumorous transformation in normal mammary epithelial cells and to inhibit apoptosis in a modified paracrine model. Collectively, our results emphasize the relevance of SFRP2 and ECM in mammary tumorigenesis and provide further insight into the mechanism of SFRP2 action.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), caused by a mutated feline coronavirus, is one of the most serious and fatal viral diseases in cats. The disease remains incurable, and there is no effective vaccine available. In light of the pathogenic mechanism of feline coronavirus that relies on endosomal acidification for cytoplasmic entry, a novel vacuolar ATPase blocker, diphyllin, and its nanoformulation are herein investigated for their antiviral activity against the type II feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV). Experimental results show that diphyllin dose-dependently inhibits endosomal acidification in fcwf-4 cells, alters the cellular susceptibility to FIPV, and inhibits the downstream virus replication. In addition, diphyllin delivered by polymeric nanoparticles consisting of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PEG-PLGA) further demonstrates an improved safety profile and enhanced inhibitory activity against FIPV. In an in vitro model of antibody-dependent enhancement of FIPV infection, diphyllin nanoparticles showed a prominent antiviral effect against the feline coronavirus. In addition, the diphyllin nanoparticles were well tolerated in mice following high-dose intravenous administration. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of diphyllin and its nanoformulation for the treatment of FIP.

patient was then discharged to the owner and, at 2, 6, and 12 wk, followed up with orthopedic assessment, owner questionnaire, X-ray imaging, and force-plate gait analysis. RESULTS:Porcine ADSCs expressed mesenchymal stem cell markers CD90 and CD105. Injection of porcine ADSCs into canine stifle joints did not cause any inflammatory or allergic reactions. Orthopedic evaluation found improvements in two dogs, particularly at the longest time point. Owners' evaluation found increased capacity and decreased pain in all three dogs' activities such as walking and running. Radiographic evaluation did not find statistically significant differences before and after treatment. Force-plate analysis found significant improvements in all three dogs after treatment. CONCLUSION:Xenotransplantation of ADSCs for the treatment of OA is feasible. Further studies are needed to validate this novel treatment modality, which can then be implemented for the routine treatment of OA in veterinary medicine. METHODS:To enroll in this study dogs must have stifle joint OA that had lasted ≥ 3 mo and been treated with OA medication without significant improvement. Three dogs fulfilled these criteria and were thus subjects for ADSCs treatment. ADSCs were isolated from abdominal adipose tissue of a 2-mo-old female Yorkshire pig. Their stem cell marker expression was examined by immunofluorescence staining. For treatment, 5 million ADSCs were injected into the diseased joint of each dog. In the next 48 h, the patient was observed for signs of inflammatory and allergic reactions. The