The inhibitory effect of neutering on mammary gland tumor development in dogs has been well described. However, we observed that the effect of neutering on tumor malignancy may be altered by aging. Therefore, we characterized mammary tumors in aged dogs by analyzing the expression of cellular senescence markers. Expressions of p16, p38, p21, and p27 antibodies, which are senescence-associated markers, were assessed in canine mammary tumors of aged dogs via immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, correlations between those expressions were analyzed. Expression of p16 was negatively associated with strong nuclear p27 expression. Expression of p38 was observed in most of the mammary tumors examined, and negative p38 expression was related to positive p21 expression. Moreover, p21 expression was associated with p27 expression; negative p21 expression was associated with negative p27 expression, while positive p21 expression was associated with positive p27 expression. The results confirm that the p21- and p27-encoding genes have similar expression patterns in the mammary tumors of aged dogs. In the present study, we characterized the expression of cellular senescence markers in these tumors and elucidated the relationships among their expression patterns.
Aging ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Cell Aging ; Dogs* ; Mammary Glands, Human* ; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal

Mammary hyperplasia (MHP) is the most commonly encountered mammary disease in women at the child-bearing stage. Especially, atypical hyperplasia which belongs to the precancerous category, is the disease for class I prevention of breast cancer. Therefore, advancing the clinical efficacy of MHP treatment is of critical importance. Chinese medicine (CM) and drugs show a peculiar effect in this field; the clinical or experimental researches concerning MHP treatment by CM compounds or patent drugs have been increasing gradually in recent years, but the thinking paths and methods for establishing the MHP animal model are divergent. Particularly, the disease/CM syndrome conjugated model (D/S model) has rarely been studied. For this reason, the pathogenetic mechanism, the establishment of an animal disease model, as well as the thinking paths and methods for establishing the D/S model of MHP are discussed and summarized preliminarily in this paper by the authors. This could provide a new way of thinking and method for creating the MHP model in modern medicine.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; pathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Syndrome

Animal Feed ; Animals ; Cysteamine ; Female ; Goats ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; growth & development ; physiology

Buffalo mastitis is an important economic problem in southern Italy, causing qualitative/quantitative alterations in milk and resulting in economic losses due to the sub-clinical course and chronic evolution. We investigated 50 udders of slaughtered buffaloes and subjected them to effectual microbiological screening to evaluate macro and microscopic mammary gland changes, immune-characterize the cell infiltrates, and compare the degree of tissue inflammation with somatic cell counts. Numerous Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from all samples, majority of which were environmental mastitis pathogens. Histological features referable to chronic mastitis were observed in 92% udders. Lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages were found to evolve into aggregates in 48% udders, which often organized to form tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). A predominance of interstitial CD8+ over CD4+ lymphocytes and, in TLSs, scattered CD8+ lymphocytes in the mantle cells and CD79+ lymphocytes in germinal centers, were evidenced. Environmental pathogens are known to persist and cause chronic inflammatory changes in buffaloes, where CD8+ lymphocytes play an important role by controlling the local immune response. Moreover, the TLSs evidenced here for the first time in buffalo mastitis, could play a role in maintaining immune responses against persistent antigens, thereby contributing in determining the chronic course of mastitis.
Animals ; Buffaloes ; Cell Count ; Female ; Germinal Center ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Inflammation ; Italy ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Mass Screening ; Mastitis ; Milk ; Plasma Cells

A fibroadenoma was diagnosed in the left udder of a 3-month-old female Chios lamb. No recurrence was observed after surgery. Grossly, the tumor had a whitishgray lobular appearance, and the lobules were interlaced with thin septa. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of proliferating fibroepithelial tissue, including differentiated ducts lined by whorls and interlacing bundles of abundant loose fibrovascular stroma. Immunohistochemistry revealed the ductal epithelium to be positive for pancytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and loose fibrovascular stroma was positive for vimentin and basal cells covering the ductal epithelium of alpha-smooth-muscle actin. Immunostaining for the estrogen and progesterone receptors was negative. A diagnosis of mammary fibroadenoma was made based on the histological and immunohistochemical findings.
Animals ; Female ; Fibroadenoma/pathology/*veterinary ; Keratins/metabolism ; Mammary Glands, Animal/*pathology ; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal/*pathology ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases/*pathology ; Vimentin/metabolism

In order to evalute the effects of radiation on mammalian neuronal system, we have examined the effect of gamma-ray radiation on the monoamine oxidase(MAO) activity in monoaminergic neurons. Following the whole body irradiation, MAO activity in the rat brain was measured as well as in the liver for the comparative studies between the neuronal and nonneuronal system. The effects of some radiation protectors and sensitizers were also examined in addition to the O2 effect. The results can be summarized as follows. 1) The MAO activity of rat brain was minimally affected by the radiation dose up to 1,700 cGy. Radiation dose above 2,500 cGy inhibited the brain MAO activity by no less than 10%. MAO-A form was found to be particularly sensitive to radiation. The liver MAO was somewhat inhibited(by about 5%) but hard1y dependent on the dose of radiation. 2) The inhibitory effect on the brain was initiated immediately by the radiation dose of 2,500 cGy. On the contrary, for the liver, the inhibitory effect became apparent only 2 days after irradiation. 3) Two days after a dose of 2,500 cGy, Vmax and Km of the brain mitochondrial MAO decreased. for liver, Vmax decreased while Km increased, which indicates the kinetic patterns for the neuronal and nonneruronal systems are not affected similarly by radiation. 4) The effect of several known radiation protectors and sensitizers on MAO activity was tested but no definite results were obtained. The level of -SH group increased in some degree upon radiation but not by the compounds. 5) MAO activity was not affected by O2 concentration, while an elevated level of lipid peroxidase was found udder the same condition. The results described here indicate that characteristics of MAO, one of the most important central nervous system enzymes, are liable to radiation, which is partially differentiated from the liver MAO. Also indicated are that the -SH groups are hardly related to the effect of radiation but the production of the lipid peroxide seems to be somewhat correlated to the effect of radiation.
Animals ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System ; Liver* ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; Monoamine Oxidase* ; Neurons ; Peroxidase ; Rats* ; Whole-Body Irradiation

Precise calving monitoring is essential for minimizing the effects of dystocia in cows and calves. We conducted two studies in healthy cows that compared seven clinical signs (broad pelvic ligaments relaxation, vaginal secretion, udder hyperplasia, udder edema, teat filling, tail relaxation, and vulva edema) alone and in combination in order to predict the time of parturition. The relaxation of the broad pelvic ligaments combined with teat filling gave the best values for predicting either calving or no calving within 12 h. For the proposed parturition score (PS), a threshold of 4 PS points was identified below which calving within the next 12 h could be ruled out with a probability of 99.3% in cows (95.5% in heifers). Above this threshold, intermitted calving monitoring every 3 h and a progesterone rapid blood test (PRBT) would be recommended. By combining the PS and PRBT (if PS > or = 4), the prediction of calving within the next 12 h improved from 14.9% to 53.1%, and the probability of ruling out calving was 96.8%. The PRBT was compared to the results of an enzyme immunoassay (sensitivity, 90.2%; specificity, 74.9%). The standard operating procedure developed in this study that combines the PS and PRBT will enable veterinarians to rule out or predict calving within a 12 h period in cows with high accuracy under field conditions.
Animals ; Cattle/blood/*physiology ; Female ; Mammary Glands, Animal/physiology ; Parturition/*physiology ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone/blood ; ROC Curve ; Time Factors

Based on the in vitro culturing system developed for epithelial cells in mammary gland of Xinong Saanen dairy goats using tissue explant culture, high density cultivation, and continuous passaging, the cultured epithelial cells were evaluated by growth curve fitting, karyotype analysis, immunofluorescence staining (keratin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, beta-casein), oil red staining and RT-PCR of beta-casein gene. The results showed that the growth of epithelial cells with the model number of chromosome of 60 demonstrated a typical 'S' shape curve, the positive gene expression of keratin, EMA, vimentin and beta-casein was detected, the cytoplasmic lipid droplets were observed following the oil red staining, the cultured cells expressed the mRNA of beta-casein. In conclusion, the current in vitro culturing system can obtain the normal mammary gland epithelial cells with the function of secretion.
Animals ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Goats ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; cytology ; Primary Cell Culture ; methods

OBJECTIVETo research the effects of Guizhi Fuling capsule on sex hormones levels in blood serum and breast issue morphology of hyperplasia of mammary glands model rats.

METHODThe unpregnancy SD rat models of hyperplasia of mammary glands were established by injecting 0.5 mg x kg(-1) benzoate estradiol. After five weeks doses,the effects of Guizhi Fuling capsule 2.0, 1.0, 0.5 g x kg(-1) and Rupixiao tablet 0.5 g x kg(-1) on the changes of papilla diameter, height and breast issue morphology of the naimal models were explored, and sex hormones levels in blood serum were measured.

RESULTGuizhi Fuling capsule can inhibitnipple swell, improve breast tissue morphology pathological profiles of the animal models, and decrease oestradiol (E2) level and increase progesterone (P) level in blood serum.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggested that Guizhi Fuling capsule could, improve mammary gland pathological profiles. Regulating sex hormone levels may be its important mechanism for treatment of hyperplasia of mammary glands.

Animals ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Hyperplasia ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; drug effects ; pathology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the biomechanical properties of different polypropylene meshes, so as to select the proper mesh for breast ptosis correction as inner bra.

METHODSMini-pigs were used as animal model. Four different polypropylene meshes were implanted subcutaneously at abdomen. 90 d later, the specimens were taken out for biomechanical study.

RESULTSThe tensile strength, stress, relaxation and creep of the four meshes were different. The material and the knitting of the four meshes were different.

CONCLUSIONSThe biomechanical properties of relaxation and creep are important in maintaining the postoperative breast figure. Premilene Mesh LP is a new and light polypropylene mesh with mini-pores. Its biomechanical properties are superior to the others.

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Mammaplasty ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; surgery ; Materials Testing ; Polypropylenes ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Tensile Strength