Vitamin d and leishmaniasis: Neither seasonal nor risk factor in canine host but potential adjuvant treatment through cbd103 expression

Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency has been shown to be a risk factor for a plethora of disorders. We have shown that dogs with clinical leishmaniasis presented lower VitD serum levels than non-infected dogs, and even lower than those with asymptomatic infection. However, if VitD deficiency is a risk factor to develop clinical leishmaniasis remains to be answered. It is also unknown if VitD participates in Leishmania control. First, we retrospectively analysed VitD concentration in serum samples from 36 healthy dogs collected in different periods of the year concluding that there isn’t a seasonal variation of this vitamin in dogs. We also included 9 dogs with clinical leishmaniasis and 10 non-infected healthy dogs, in which we measured VitD levels at the beginning of the study, when all dogs were negative for serology and qPCR, and 1 year later. Whereas non-infected dogs showed no change in VitD levels along the study, those developing clinical leishmaniasis showed a significant VitD reduction at the end of the study (35%). When we compared VitD concentration between the two groups at the beginning of the study, no differences were detected (43.6 (38–59) ng/mL, P = 0.962). Furthermore, an in vitro model using a canine macrophage cell line proved that adding active VitD leads to a significant reduction in L. infantum load (31.4%). Analyzing expression of genes related to VitD pathway on primary canine monocytes, we showed that CBD103 expression was significantly enhanced after 1,25(OH)2D addition. Our results show that VitD concentration is neither seasonal nor a risk factor for developing canine leishmaniasis, but it diminishes with the onset of clinical disease suggesting a role in parasitic control. Our in vitro results corroborate this hypothesis and point out that VitD regulates infection through CBD103 expression. These results open the possibility for studies testing VitD as an adjuvant in leishmaniasis therapy.

Impactação dentária de caninos permanentes - consequências e relação com ortopedia funcional dos maxilares

Clinical experience and knowledge of normal growth and development of children, as well as radiographic studies of the dental eruption evolution, are important to supervise the maxillary permanent canine eruption. Clinical observations of signs and symptons such as digital palpation of the permanent canine bulges above the primary canine apex, on children of about nine years old, is a very important step for the diagnosis of ectopic eruption. Dentist may find more help with the early diagnosis, to avoid complications that are not so frequent to happen, but are still a burden such as traction and adjacent root tooth resorption.

The impact of the primary canine premature extraction on the sagittal, vertical and transversal dimensions of the bone tissue

Relevance. The article studies the primary canine premature extraction as the cause of three-dimensional (sagittal, transversal, vertical) bone underdevelopment in the area of the extracted tooth. The research is relevant as there are insufficient data in the scientific literature on this topic and the prevalence of premature primary canine extraction for therapeutic and orthodontic indications is high.Materials and methods. The present case study developed a special technique for bone volume measurement in all planes by CBCT.Results. Several CBCTs of one patient over the period of three years were analyzed according to the suggested technique. The calculations demonstrated significant sagittal and vertical bone loss.Conclusions. The results of the research allowed us to conclude that premature extraction of the primary canines leads to the significant sagittal and vertical bone loss. Besides, no increase in the intercanine distance was detected despite the patient’s growth spurt.

Epidermal Renewal after Treatment of Primary Canine Hypothyroidism using Levothyroxine

Background: Primary canine hypothyroidism, an endocrine disorder that causes imbalances in the hypothalamus-pituitarythyroid axis, is a common cause of endocrine dermatoses, which frequently presents with opaque dry brittle hair. Tissue changes are also visible, such as myxedema, hyperkeratosis, epidermal atrophy, alopecia, and others. This paper describes the skin changes caused by primary hypothyroidism in a female dog before and after treatment with levothyroxine.Case: This case study involved a 7-year-old Dalmatian bitch with a history of weight gain and changes such as rough dry brittle hair. For about a year, the dog also had also presented symmetrical erythematous and alopecia skin lesions in the regions of the hind limbs, lower back and tail, progressive lethargy and fatigue after exercise. A hemogram showed mild normocytic and normochromic regenerative anemia, as well as mild leukopenia and neutropenia. Biochemical tests revealed increased levels of creatinine, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Skin biopsy revealed the presence of comedones in the epidermis and acanthosis and trichilemmal keratinization. Hormonal tests revealed high TSH and low free T4 and total T4 levels. A cervical ultrasound scan showed changes in the thyroid glands, with hypoechoic parenchyma, in addition to increased size of the right lobe, suggesting thyroiditis. Based on these exams, the patient was diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism, and treatment with levothyroxine was instituted.Discussion: Around 90% of dogs with hypothyroidism show a decrease in total T4 and about 65-75% of them show an increase in TSH levels. In endocrinopathy, there is a decrease in the expression of T3 receptors in the keratinocytes and genes responsible for epidermal renewal. Also, molecules that affect epidermal differentiation bind to intracellular receptors belonging to the steroid/thyroid hormone superfamily. In this study, however, the application of the minimum levothyroxine dose restored the normal epidermal pattern for the species and the remaining parameters returned to normal. The hormone T3 acts in the differentiation of keratinocytes, a fact that, although not yet proven, is believed to be indirect and mediated by the epidermal growth factor or by the expression of the genes responsible for the renewal of the epidermis. Besides, some effects on the epidermis caused by deficiency of thyroid hormones may be due to secondary vitamin A deficiency, which is necessary for epithelial differentiation and binding epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the cell. Still, there is a theory that sex hormones also affect the differentiation of the epidermis, as studies show that deficiency causes effects similar to those caused by hypothyroidism. Some studies indicate the investigation of the relationship between secondary vitamin D deficiency and the increased cellularity of the epidermis of the spayed hypothyroid female rats. Additionally, the mechanism of the formation of hyperkeratosis in hypothyroidism is not yet elucidated. T3 is known to regulate keratingene expression and perhaps also epidermal maturation, epithelial cycle, and normal keratin synthesis. The single treatment with levothyroxine in the female dog was effective in promoting the restoration of gene expression to T3 in keratinocytes.Keywords: dermatopathies, endocrinopathies, hypothyroidism, levothyroxine, synthetic hormone.

Characterization of WWOX expression and function in canine mast cell tumors and malignant mast cell lines

Background The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) tumor suppressor gene is frequently lost in a variety of solid and hematopoietic malignancies in humans. Dysregulation of WWOX has been implicated as playing a key role in tumor cell survival, DNA damage repair, and genomic stability. The purpose of this study was to characterize WWOX expression in spontaneous canine mast cell tumors (MCTs) and malignant cell lines and investigate the potential contribution of WWOX loss on malignant mast cell behavior. Methods/results WWOX expression is decreased in primary canine MCTs and malignant mast cell lines compared to normal canine bone marrow-cultured mast cells. In transformed canine mastocytoma cell lines, overexpression of WWOX or WWOX knockdown had no effect on mast cell viability. Inhibition of WWOX enhanced clonogenic survival following treatment with ionizing radiation in the C2 mast cell line. Lastly, immunohistochemistry for WWOX was performed using a canine MCT tissue microarray, demonstrating that WWOX staining intensity and percent of cells staining for WWOX is decreased in high-grade MCTs compared to low-grade MCTs. Conclusions These data suggest that WWOX expression is attenuated or lost in primary canine MCTs and malignant mast cell lines. Given the observed increase in clonogenic survival in WWOX-deficient C2 mast cells treated with ionizing radiation, further investigation of WWOX and its role in mediating the DNA damage response in malignant mast cells is warranted.

Effects of National Dental Screening on Dental Caries Experience, Treatment, and Cost in Children

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of national dental screening for children in Korea in the aspects of prevention of dental caries, the number of treatments related to dental caries, and cost of dental care.The study used the national cohort data on children health screening provided by National Health Insurance Service, and analyzed 32,937 1st dental screening, 22,608 2nd dental screening, 13,708 3rd dental screening, and 241,043 cases from the dental care of 27,944 children born in year 2008 and 2009. The decayed-filled teeth index and decayed-filled person rate, calculated from the results of the 2nd and 3rd dental screening, decreased as the number of preceding dental screening increased. Glass ionomer and amalgam restoration, pulp treatment of primary teeth and extraction of primary canine and molar were shown to decrease as the number of examined dental screening increased, and the total cost of dental care covered by national health insurance also decreased as the number of dental screening increased.In conclusion, national dental screening for children is an efficient and economical oral health care method that prevents dental caries and lowers the possibility of dental caries related treatment, thereby reducing cost of dental care.