OBJECTIVE: A new variant of the equine fsh (efsh) gene was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) GS115 yeast expression system.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The full-length cDNAs of the efshα and efshβ chains were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the total RNA isolated from an Iranian Turkmen-thoroughbred horse's anterior pituitary gland. The amplified efsh chains were cloned into the pPIC9 vector and transferred into P. pastoris. The secretion of recombined eFSH using P. pastoris expression system was confirmed by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation (IP) methods.
RESULTS: The DNA sequence of the efshβ chain accession number JX861871, predicted two putative differential nucleotide arrays, both of which are located in the 3'UTR. Western blotting showed a molecular mass of 13 and 18 kDa for eFSHα and eFSHβ subunits, respectively. The expression of desired protein was confirmed by protein G immunoprecipitation kit.
CONCLUSIONS: eFSH successfully expressed in P. pastoris. These findings lay a foundation to improve ovulation and embryo recovery rates as well as the efficiency of total embryo-transfer process in mares.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features of the thoracolumbar region associated with BP in horses and to use some of the clinical features to classify equine BP.
METHODS: Twenty-four horses comprised of 14 with BP and 10 apparently healthy horses were assessed for clinical abnormality that best differentiate BP from normal horses. The horses were then graded (0-5) using the degree of pain response, muscular hypertonicity, thoracolumbar joint stiffness and overall physical dysfunction of the horse.
RESULTS: The common clinical features that significantly differentiate horses with BP from non-BP were longissimus dorsi spasm at palpation (78.6%), paravertebral muscle stiffness (64.3%), resist lateral bending (64.3%), and poor hindlimb impulsion (85.7%). There were significantly (p < 0.05) higher scores for pain response to palpation, muscular hypertonicity, thoracolumbar joint stiffness and physical dysfunction among horses with BP in relation to non-BP. A significant relationship exists between all the graded abnormalities. Based on the cumulative score, horses with BP were categorized into mild, mild-moderate, moderate and severe cases.
CONCLUSIONS: BP in horse can be differentiated by severity of pain response to back palpation, back muscle hypertonicity, thoracolumbar joint stiffness, physical dysfunctions and their cumulative grading score is useful in the assessment and categorization of BP in horses.
METHODS: Twenty six donkey cadavers of mixed, age, sex and use presented for reasons unrelated to disease of the guttural pouch were subjected to carotid and cerebral angiography using rotational angiography. Rotational angiographic and 3 dimensional multiplanar reconstructive (3D-MPR) findings were verified with an arterial latex casting technique followed by dissection and photography.
RESULTS: The following variations of the carotid arterial tree were identified: [1] the internal carotid and occipital arteries shared a common trunk, [2] the linguofacial trunk originated from the common carotid artery causing the common carotid artery to terminate as four branches, [3] the external carotid artery was reduced in length before giving rise to the linguofacial trunk, mimicking the appearance of the common carotid artery terminating in four branches, [4] the internal carotid artery originated at a more caudal position from the common carotid artery termination.
CONCLUSION: Veterinarians should be aware that considerable variation exists in the carotid arterial tree of donkeys and that this variation may differ markedly from that described in the horse.
Materials and Methods: A total of 15 ejaculates from three healthy stallions were collected and cryopreserved in the same environment. Each semen sample collected was divided into four equal parts and processed. All samples were analyzed before and after freezing for motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity, and morphology. Furthermore, twenty mares were inseminated using post-thawed semen.
Results: There were no differences observed among all extenders in all the parameters before freezing. Sperm cryopreserved using HF-20 showed better motility, viability, and plasma membrane integrity than Tris extender. The Tris extender showed the most inferior quality of post-thawed semen between all the extenders. HF-20, INRA Freeze®, and EquiPlus Freeze® extenders revealed the same capacity of semen preservation in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusion: HF-20 extender has the same quality as INRA Freeze® and EquiPlus Freeze® that can be considered as one of the best extenders for the semen cryopreservation in horses. In contrast, Tris extender needs some degree of improvement.