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Topic:In Situ Hybridization

In situ hybridization (ISH) is a molecular technique used to detect specific nucleic acid sequences within fixed tissues and cells. In equine research, ISH is utilized to study gene expression patterns and the localization of specific RNA or DNA sequences in horse tissues. This technique provides insights into the spatial and temporal aspects of gene activity, helping to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying various physiological and pathological processes in horses. ISH can be applied to a range of tissues, including those affected by diseases, to better understand the genetic contributions to equine health and disease. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the applications, methodologies, and findings of in situ hybridization in equine studies.
Examination of equine glandular stomach lesions for bacteria, including Helicobacter spp by fluorescence in situ hybridisation.
BMC microbiology    March 19, 2010   Volume 10 84 doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-84
Husted L, Jensen TK, Olsen SN, Mølbak L.The equine glandular stomach is commonly affected by erosion and ulceration. The aim of this study was to assess whether bacteria, including Helicobacter, could be involved in the aetiology of gastric glandular lesions seen in horses. Results: Stomach lesions, as well as normal appearing mucosa were obtained from horses slaughtered for human consumption. All samples were tested for urease activity using the Pyloritek assay, while mucosal bacterial content was evaluated using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation. In selected sub samples, bacteria characterisation was pursued further by cloning an...
Shared Y chromosome repetitive DNA sequences in stallion and donkey as visualized using whole-genomic comparative hybridization.
European journal of histochemistry : EJH    January 28, 2010   Volume 54, Issue 1 e2 doi: 10.4081/ejh.2010.e2
Gosálvez J, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL, López-Fernández C, Cortés-Gutiérrez EI, Devila-Rodriguez MI, Mezzanotte R.The genome of stallion (Spanish breed) and donkey (Spanish endemic Zamorano-Leonés) were compared using whole comparative genomic in situ hybridization (W-CGH) technique, with special reference to the variability observed in the Y chromosome. Results show that these diverging genomes still share some highly repetitive DNA families localized in pericentromeric regions and, in the particular case of the Y chromosome, a sub-family of highly repeated DNA sequences, greatly expanded in the donkey genome, accounts for a large part of the chromatin in the stallion Y chromosome.
In vitro culture of precision-cut testicular tissue as a novel tool for the study of responses to LH.
In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal    November 17, 2009   Volume 46, Issue 1 45-53 doi: 10.1007/s11626-009-9242-1
Laughlin AM, Welsh TH, Love CC, Varner DD, Parrish AR, Forrest DW, Ing NH.In vitro culture systems are valuable tools for investigating reproductive mechanisms in the testis. Here, we report the use of the precision-cut in vitro system using equine testicular slices. Testes were collected from immature light breed stallions (n=3) and cut into slices (mean slice weight= 13.85 ± 0.20 mg; mean slice thickness=515.00 ± 2.33 μm) using the precision-cut tissue-slicing method. Four tissue slices were placed on a grid floating on medium in individual vials. After a 1-h preincubation, they were exposed to medium containing ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH) at concentrations...
Interleukin 4 receptor alpha (IL4R) and calcium-activated chloride channel 1 (CLCA1) genes map to donkey chromosome.
Hereditas    August 29, 2009   Volume 146, Issue 3 118-121 doi: 10.1111/j.1601-5223.2009.02091.x
Bugno M, Slota E, Witarski W, Gerber V, Klukowska-Roetzler J.The results obtained in the present study enabled the physical map of the donkey genome to be extended with markers associated with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a major performance-limiting disease of Equidae. The equine BAC clone containing the IL4R and CLCA1 genes were localized to EAS 14q13 and EAS 6q15 respectlivy by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Identification of their locus confirmed the distribution of syntenic regions between the domestic horse and the domestic donkey within the chromosomes analysed.
Identification of chromosome abnormalities in the horse using a panel of chromosome-specific painting probes generated by microdissection.
Acta veterinaria Hungarica    July 29, 2009   Volume 57, Issue 3 369-381 doi: 10.1556/AVet.57.2009.3.3
Bugno M, Słota E, Pieńkowska-Schelling A, Schelling C.Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) using a panel of molecular probes for all chromosome pairs obtained by chromosome microdissection of the domestic horse ( Equus caballus ) was used to diagnose karyotype abnormalities in 35 horses (32 mares, 2 stallions and 1 intersex), which were selected for the study due to infertility (23 horses), reduced fertility (10 horses) and developmental anomalies (2 horses). The use of the FISH technique with probes for each horse chromosome pair enabled the diagnosis of many different chromosome aberrations in this population. Among the horses analysed, 21 ...
Characterization of equine and other vertebrate TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 genes.
Immunogenetics    July 1, 2009   Volume 61, Issue 7 529-539 doi: 10.1007/s00251-009-0381-z
Astakhova NM, Perelygin AA, Zharkikh AA, Lear TL, Coleman SJ, MacLeod JN, Brinton MA.Toll-like receptors 3, 7, and 8 (TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8) were studied in the genomes of the domestic horse and several other mammals. The messenger RNA sequences and exon/intron structures of these TLR genes were determined. An equine bacterial artificial chromosome clone containing the TLR3 gene was assigned by fluorescent in situ hybridization to the horse chromosomal location ECA27q16-q17 and this map location was confirmed using an equine radiation hybrid panel. Direct sequencing revealed 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding regions of the equine TLR 3, 7, and 8 genes. Of these p...
Detection of sex chromosome aneuploidy in equine spermatozoa using fluorescence in situ hybridization.
Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene    June 6, 2009   Volume 45, Issue 6 1015-1019 doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2009.01478.x
Bugno M, Jablonska Z, Tischner M, Klukowska-Rötzler J, Pienkowska-Schelling A, Schelling C, Slota E.The aim of our study was to diagnose aneuploidy in equine spermatozoa by multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique using specific molecular probes for equine sex chromosomes and autosome pair four (EGFR probe) labeled by different fluorochromes. These were applied on decondensed spermatozoa of four stallions. In total, more than 8800 sperm cells were examined. The total frequency of aberrant cells was 0.496%: aneuploidy of XX (0.135%), YY (0.023%), XY (0.102%), diploidy (0.057%), lack of sex chromosome (0.18%). In one stallion the ratio of normal X- and Y-bearing cells wa...
Optimalization of fluorescence in situ hybridization conditions in mare oocytes and mouse embryos.
Folia biologica    May 23, 2009   Volume 57, Issue 1-2 49-55 
Bugno M, Jabłońska Z, Słota E.The aim of the study was to optimize hybridization conditions of molecular probes specific for X sex chromosomes of the domestic horse in mare oocyte chromosomes. Mare oocytes, recovered from slaughterhouse ovaries by scraping the granulosa layer, were cultured in vitro. Metaphase II mature oocytes were treated with hypotonic solution and fixed, followed by hybridization of the molecular probe specific for the X chromosome ofthe domestic horse. Hybridization of probes specific for mouse heterosomes on mouse oocytes and early embryos was performed to verify the FISH technique. Of 438 oocytes an...
Parental genomes mix in mule and human cell nuclei.
Chromosoma    February 7, 2009   Volume 118, Issue 3 335-347 doi: 10.1007/s00412-008-0200-6
Hepperger C, Mayer A, Merz J, Vanderwall DK, Dietzel S.Whether chromosome sets inherited from father and mother occupy separate spaces in the cell nucleus is a question first asked over 110 years ago. Recently, the nuclear organization of the genome has come increasingly into focus as an important level of epigenetic regulation. In this context, it is indispensable to know whether or not parental genomes are spatially separated. Genome separation had been demonstrated for plant hybrids and for the early mammalian embryo. Conclusive studies for somatic mammalian cell nuclei are lacking because homologous chromosomes from the two parents cannot be d...
Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist expression in the equine endometrium during the peri-implantation period.
Domestic animal endocrinology    January 7, 2009   Volume 36, Issue 4 209-218 doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2008.11.006
Haneda S, Nagaoka K, Nambo Y, Kikuchi M, Nakano Y, Matsui M, Miyake Y, Macleod JN, Imakawa K.To identify factors involved in the establishment of pregnancy in the mare, endometrium was collected from day 13 (day 0=day of ovulation) cyclic and day 13, 19, and 25 pregnant animals. From initial cDNA subtraction studies, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) mRNA was found as a candidate molecule expressed uniquely in the pregnant endometrium. Expression of IL-1RN mRNA was markedly increased in day 19 and 25 gravid endometrium. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that IL-1RN mRNA was localized to the glandular epithelium. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) protein was fou...
Modification of equine sperm chromatin decondensation method to use fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
Folia histochemica et cytobiologica    January 1, 2009   Volume 47, Issue 4 663-666 doi: 10.2478/v10042-010-0006-2
Bugno-Poniewierska M, Jabłońska Z, Słota E.Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is widely used in the study of chromosome structure and organization. Cytogenetic evaluation of chromosomes using FISH technique plays an increasingly important role in diagnosing karyotype changes in both somatic and reproductive cells. The aim of the study was to optimize the conditions of stallion sperm decondensation, which have a significant effect on the results of fluorescence in situ hybridization. Appropriate type and time of decondensation was chosen for the sperm of every stallion. It was found that decondensation performed using a preparati...
A 4,103 marker integrated physical and comparative map of the horse genome.
Cytogenetic and genome research    October 14, 2008   Volume 122, Issue 1 28-36 doi: 10.1159/000151313
Raudsepp T, Gustafson-Seabury A, Durkin K, Wagner ML, Goh G, Seabury CM, Brinkmeyer-Langford C, Lee EJ, Agarwala R, Stallknecht-Rice E, Schäffer AA....A comprehensive second-generation whole genome radiation hybrid (RH II), cytogenetic and comparative map of the horse genome (2n = 64) has been developed using the 5000rad horse x hamster radiation hybrid panel and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The map contains 4,103 markers (3,816 RH; 1,144 FISH) assigned to all 31 pairs of autosomes and the X chromosome. The RH maps of individual chromosomes are anchored and oriented using 857 cytogenetic markers. The overall resolution of the map is one marker per 775 kilobase pairs (kb), which represents a more than five-fold improvement over ...
Concerted evolution of vertebrate CCR2 and CCR5 genes and the origin of a recombinant equine CCR5/2 gene.
The Journal of heredity    May 22, 2008   Volume 99, Issue 5 500-511 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esn029
Perelygin AA, Zharkikh AA, Astakhova NM, Lear TL, Brinton MA.Chemokine receptors (CCRs) play an essential role in the initiation of an innate immune host response. Several of these receptors have been shown to modulate the outcome of viral infections. The recent availability of complete genome sequences from a number of species provides a unique opportunity to analyze the evolution of the CCR genes. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CCR2 gene evolved in concert with the paralogous CCR5 gene, but not with another paralogous gene, CCR3, in the opossum, platypus, rabbit, guinea pig, cat, and rodent lineages. In addition, evidence of concerted evolu...
A BAC contig map over the proximal approximately 3.3 Mb region of horse chromosome 21.
Cytogenetic and genome research    April 30, 2008   Volume 120, Issue 1-2 164-172 doi: 10.1159/000118758
Brinkmeyer-Langford C, Raudsepp T, Gustafson-Seabury A, Chowdhary BP.A total of 207 BAC clones containing 155 loci were isolated and arranged into a map of linearly ordered overlapping clones over the proximal part of horse chromosome 21 (ECA21), which corresponds to the proximal half of the short arm of human chromosome 19 (HSA19p) and part of HSA5. The clones form two contigs - each corresponding to the respective human chromosomes - that are estimated to be separated by a gap of approximately 200 kb. Of the 155 markers present in the two contigs, 141 (33 genes and 108 STS) were generated and mapped in this study. The BACs provide a 4-5x coverage of the regio...
Three autosomal chromosome translocations associated with repeated early embryonic loss (REEL) in the domestic horse (Equus caballus).
Cytogenetic and genome research    April 30, 2008   Volume 120, Issue 1-2 117-122 doi: 10.1159/000118749
Lear TL, Lundquist J, Zent WW, Fishback WD, Clark A.Repeated early embryonic loss (REEL) represents a considerable economic loss to the horse industry. Mares that experience REEL may be overlooked as potential carriers of a chromosome abnormality. Here we report three different autosomal translocations in Thoroughbred mares presented for chromosome analysis because of REEL. The karyotypes were 64,XX,t(1;21), 64,XX,t(16;22), and 64,XX,t(4;13), respectively. In order to confirm the chromosomes involved in the translocations, to map the breakpoints, and to determine if the translocations were reciprocal, genes surrounding the breakpoints were iden...
Pathological, entomological, avian and meteorological investigation of a West Nile virus epidemic in a horse farm.
Transboundary and emerging diseases    April 10, 2008   Volume 55, Issue 2 134-139 doi: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2007.01006.x
Sebastian MM, Stewart I, Williams NM, Poonacha KB, Sells SF, Vickers ML, Harrison LR.Pathological, entomological and avian investigations were conducted during the summer of 2002, in a horse farm that had four cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in horses. All the four horses had encephalitis and WNV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization procedure. Forty-seven per cent of house sparrows that resided on the farm were tested positive for WNV infection. Mosquitoes (98%Culex pipiens) collected by trapping at the farm, during this period were positive for WNV. The meteorological data for year 2002 were compared to previous 16 years. The precipitation and ...
Application of primed in situ DNA synthesis (PRINS) with telomere human commercial kit in molecular cytogenetics of Equus caballus and Sus scrofa scrofa.
Folia histochemica et cytobiologica    February 26, 2008   Volume 46, Issue 1 85-88 doi: 10.2478/v10042-008-0012-9
Wnuk M, Bugno M, Slota E.Recently, molecular techniques have become an indispensable tools for cytogenetic research. Especially, development of in situ techniques made possible detection at the chromosomal level, genes as well as repetitive sequences like telomeres or the DNA component of telomeres. One of these methods is primed in situ DNA synthesis (PRINS) using an oligonucleotide primer complementary to the specific DNA sequence. In this report we described application of PRINS technique with telomere human commercial kit to telomere sequences identification. This commercial kit may be use to visualization of inte...
Application of arm-specific painting probes of horse X chromosome for karyotype analysis in an infertile Hutsul mare with 64,XX/65,XX+Xp karyotype: case report.
Acta veterinaria Hungarica    September 18, 2007   Volume 55, Issue 3 309-314 doi: 10.1556/AVet.55.2007.3.5
Bugno M, Słota E.A 5-year-old infertile Hutsul mare was subjected to cytogenetic analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using the equine Xp and Xq chromosome painting probes was carried out on chromosome preparations obtained after blood lymphocyte culture. These probes were generated by chromosome microdissection and a large number of spreads was analysed (525). The karyotype formula of the analysed mare was 64,XX/65,XX+Xp with the ratio of the two lines being 99.4 and 0.6, respectively. The goal of the study was to apply chromosome microdissection and the FISH technique for cytogenetic diagnosti...
Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of hindgut bacteria associated with the development of equine laminitis.
Environmental microbiology    July 20, 2007   Volume 9, Issue 8 2090-2100 doi: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2007.01327.x
Milinovich GJ, Trott DJ, Burrell PC, Croser EL, Al Jassim RA, Morton JM, van Eps AW, Pollitt CC.Carbohydrate-induced laminitis in horses is characterized by marked changes in the composition of the hindgut microbiota, from a predominantly Gram-negative population to one dominated by Gram-positive bacteria. The objective of this study was to monitor changes in the relative abundance of selected hindgut bacteria that have previously been implicated in the pathophysiology of equine laminitis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Caecal cannulae were surgically implanted in five Standardbred horses and laminitis induced by oral administration of a bolus dose of oligofructose. Caec...
Active expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 mRNA in the granulation tissue of equine superficial digital flexor tendinitis.
The Journal of veterinary medical science    July 6, 2007   Volume 69, Issue 6 637-639 doi: 10.1292/jvms.69.637
Nomura M, Hosaka Y, Kasashima Y, Ueda H, Takehana K, Kuwano A, Arai K.The DNA microarray analysis for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-related mRNA expression in equine superficial digital flexor tendinitis indicated that mRNA level of MMP-13 was apparently up-regulated in the tendinitis as compared to normal tendon. In situ hybridization also revealed that fibroblastic cells proliferated in the granulation tissue generated in the tendinitis actively expressed MMP-13 mRNA. On the other hand, in normal tendon, a few fibroblastic cells and vascular components lied in the endotenon barely expressed its mRNA, but other cellular components in the tendon bundle were not...
Fluorescent in situ hybridization mapping of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in donkey.
Journal of animal breeding and genetics = Zeitschrift fur Tierzuchtung und Zuchtungsbiologie    June 7, 2007   Volume 124, Issue 3 172-174 doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2007.00652.x
Bugno M, Klukowka-Rötzler J, Słota E, Witarski W, Gerber V, Leeb T.The physical localization of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene was performed on donkey chromosomes. Bacterial artificial chromosome DNA containing the equine EGFR gene was used to map this gene by fluorescent in situ hybridization on donkey metaphase chromosomes. The gene was mapped on donkey 1q21.1 region.
The mechanisms determining the nucleolar-organizing regions inactivation of domestic horse chromosomes.
Journal of animal breeding and genetics = Zeitschrift fur Tierzuchtung und Zuchtungsbiologie    June 7, 2007   Volume 124, Issue 3 163-171 doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2007.00642.x
Slota E, Wnuk M, Bugno M, Pienkowska-Schelling A, Schelling C, Bratus A, Kotylak Z.Cytogenetic investigations of the nucleolar-organizing regions (NORs) show that there is variation in the transcriptional activity of rDNA in many organisms. As a consequence, genetic polymorphism of these regions has been detected. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypothetic genetic mechanisms determining the NORs polymorphism of the domestic horse chromosomes. Molecular cytogenetic analyses were carried out on Hucul horses and the following techniques were used: fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), telomere primed in situ synthesis (PRINS), in situ nick-translation with...
Genetic modification of chondrocytes with insulin-like growth factor-1 enhances cartilage healing in an equine model.
The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume    June 2, 2007   Volume 89, Issue 5 672-685 doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.89B5.18343
Goodrich LR, Hidaka C, Robbins PD, Evans CH, Nixon AJ.Gene therapy with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases matrix production and enhances chondrocyte proliferation and survival in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine whether arthroscopically-grafted chondrocytes genetically modified by an adenovirus vector encoding equine IGF-1 (AdIGF-1) would have a beneficial effect on cartilage healing in an equine femoropatellar joint model. A total of 16 horses underwent arthroscopic repair of a single 15 mm cartilage defect in each femoropatellar joint. One joint received 2 x 10(7) AdIGF-1 modified chondrocytes and the contralateral...
Myosin heavy chain fibre type composition in foals: analyses at the mRNA and protein level.
Equine veterinary journal. Supplement    April 4, 2007   Issue 36 316-321 doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2006.tb05560.x
Eizema K, van der Wal DE, van den Burg MM, Dingboom EG, Everts ME.An optimal developed musculoskeletal system is vital for the performance of the horse. Previously, we showed that in the m. gluteus medius from adult untrained horses, identical mRNA and protein expression patterns were found in the majority of fibres. However, co-expression of IIa and IId/x myosin heavy chain (MyHC) was substantially more common at the protein than at the mRNA level, suggesting a transcriptionally controlled fine-tuning of these 2 genes. Objective: To analyse the MyHC transcripts and proteins (including the cardiac alpha isoform) in the same muscle during post natal developme...
Enhanced early chondrogenesis in articular defects following arthroscopic mesenchymal stem cell implantation in an equine model.
Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society    April 4, 2007   Volume 25, Issue 7 913-925 doi: 10.1002/jor.20382
Wilke MM, Nydam DV, Nixon AJ.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) provide an important source of pluripotent cells for musculoskeletal tissue repair. This study examined the impact of MSC implantation on cartilage healing characteristics in a large animal model. Twelve full-thickness 15-mm cartilage lesions in the femoropatellar articulations of six young mature horses were repaired by injection of a self-polymerizing autogenous fibrin vehicle containing mesenchymal stem cells, or autogenous fibrin alone in control joints. Arthroscopic second look and defect biopsy was obtained at 30 days, and all animals were euthanized 8 month...
Chromosomal assignment of the two candidate genes (EGFR, CLCA1) for equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) by FISH and RH mapping.
Hereditas    March 17, 2007   Volume 143, Issue 2006 138-141 doi: 10.1111/j.2006.0018-0661.01947.x
Klukowska-Rötzler J, Bugno M, Sander P, Slota E, Dolf G, Chowdhary BP, Leeb T, Gerber V.No abstract available
Sarcoids in captive zebras (Equus burchellii): association with bovine papillomavirus type 1 infection.
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians    February 24, 2007   Volume 36, Issue 1 74-81 doi: 10.1638/03-126
Löhr CV, Juan-Sallés C, Rosas-Rosas A, Parás García A, Garner MM, Teifke JP.Sarcoids were diagnosed in two captive zebras from different facilities. Zebra 1 (Equus burchellii boehmi) was a 4.5-yr-old, captive-born male that presented with a 9- by 7-cm inguinal mass. Seven months after surgical excision of the inguinal mass, the zebra presented with a similar lesion in the right upper eyelid that has relapsed repeatedly and has not responded to treatment including local cisplatin injections and cryosurgery. Zebra 2 (of undetermined taxon) was housed at a private wild animal farm. The zebra presented with a single, raised, 2.5- by 2.0- by 2.0-cm, ulcerated mass on the n...
Cloning of equine prostaglandin dehydrogenase and its gonadotropin-dependent regulation in theca and mural granulosa cells of equine preovulatory follicles during the ovulatory process.
Reproduction (Cambridge, England)    February 20, 2007   Volume 133, Issue 2 455-466 doi: 10.1530/REP-06-0210
Sayasith K, Bouchard N, Doré M, Sirois J.The mammalian ovulatory process is accompanied by a gonadotropin-dependent increase in follicular levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and PGF2alpha, which are metabolized by 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH). Little is known about ovarian PGDH regulation in non-primate species. The objectives of this study were to characterize the structure of equine PGDH and its regulation in follicles during human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced ovulation. The full-length equine PGDH was obtained by RT-PCR, 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Its open reading frame encodes a 26...
Chromosomal assignment of five equine HTR genes by FISH and RH mapping.
Animal genetics    January 30, 2007   Volume 38, Issue 1 83-84 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01546.x
Prause A, Guionaud CT, Klukowska-Rötzler J, Giulotto E, Magnani E, Chowdhary BP, Philipp U, Leeb T, Mevissen M.No abstract available
Distribution of CCR3 mRNA expression in horse tissues.
Veterinary immunology and immunopathology    September 18, 2006   Volume 114, Issue 3-4 238-246 doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2006.08.010
Weston MC, Cunningham FM, Collins ME.CCL11 (also known as eotaxin) is a very potent and selective mediator of eosinophil migration which exerts its effects through its receptor, CCR3. In this study we report the cloning of an equine CCR3 cDNA sequence and investigation of the localization of CCR3 mRNA expression in horse tissues. Equine CCR3 displayed high levels of sequence identity with CCR3 sequences in other species. RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of CCR3 in colon, lung and spleen of normal horses. In situ hybridisation experiments indicated that expression of CCR3 mRNA in colon was predominantly in eosinophils and t...