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Topic:Laboratory Methods
Laboratory methods in equine research encompass a variety of techniques and procedures used to analyze biological samples from horses to study health, disease, genetics, and physiology. These methods include hematological analyses, biochemical assays, molecular biology techniques, and microbiological cultures. Commonly utilized laboratory techniques involve blood tests for complete blood count (CBC) and serum chemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for genetic and infectious disease studies, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for detecting specific proteins or antibodies. These methods provide valuable data that contribute to understanding equine health and disease mechanisms. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the application, development, and outcomes of laboratory methods in the context of equine research.
Isolation and characterization of two protamines St1 and St2 from stallion spermatozoa, and amino-acid sequence of the major protamine St1. Two protamines, St1 and St2, were isolated from stallion sperm nuclei, where they represent about 75 and 25%, respectively, of the total basic protein complement. The primary structure of protamine St1 (49 residues; Mr approximately equal to 6600) has been determined. The structure of this protamine is compared to the amino-acid sequence of other mammalian protamines already known.
Cellulitis and subcutaneous abscesses caused by Rhodococcus equi infection in a foal. Cellulitis and subcutaneous abscess formation was diagnosed in a 3-month-old Thoroughbred filly. Clinical signs consisted of a large ulcerated plaque, with satellite pustules on the medial aspect of the right hock and subcutaneous abscesses in the right inguinal and mammary gland areas. Laboratory analysis revealed mature neutrophilia. Rhodococcus equi was isolated from the cellulitis and the subcutaneous abscess. Oral administration of erythromycin and rifampin for 35 days resulted in a clinical cure.
Functional genes for cellobiose utilization in natural isolates of Escherichia coli. The genes for utilization of cellobiose are normally cryptic in both laboratory strains and natural isolates of Escherichia coli. A survey of natural isolates of E. coli reveals that functional genes for cellobiose utilization, while rare, are present. The fraction of E. coli that utilized cellobiose ranged from less than 0.01% in human fecal samples to 7% in fecal samples obtained from horses. Samples obtained from sheep, cows, dogs, and pigs contained 0.1 to 0.5% cellobiose-positive E. coli. Neither the previously identified cel genes nor the bgl genes from E. coli K-12 were expressed during...
Biological and immunological properties of zebra pituitary gonadotropins: comparison with horse and donkey gonadotropins. Previous studies from this laboratory have described the properties of purified luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from horse and donkey anterior pituitary glands. The present study afforded the opportunity to further characterize these previously purified hormone preparations and to compare them with enriched gonadotropin fractions from zebra pituitary glands. Although a single LH and FSH fraction was usually obtained for each pool of pituitaries, two separate zebra LH and two donkey FSH preparations were generated. Purified hormone preparations from the horse wer...
Cellular aspects of inflammation. The Ciba-Geigy Prize for Research in Animal Health. The migration of leucocytes to sites of acute and chronic inflammation is an event of central importance to the maintenance of inflammatory processes; extravascular leucocytes are responsible for generating chemical mediators of inflammation and the phagocytosis of particulate matter. They may also be involved in the conversion of acute to chronic inflammatory lesions. Leucocytes are attracted to sites of tissue injury by a range of chemoattractants. This paper describes the development of a method for separating on Percoll gradients purified populations of equine polymorphonuclear and mononuc...
Comparison of radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunoassay for the measurement of progestogen in equine plasma and milk. Milk and plasma samples were obtained every 48 hours from eight pony mares for 40 days after foaling. Progestogen concentrations in milk and plasma were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and compared with radioimmunoassay of the plasma. In general the three assays showed similar trends in progestogen concentration changes but absolute values varied considerably. Difficulty could occur in interpreting the results from single samples taken at times when progestogen concentrations were either rising (ie, after ovulation) or falling. ELISA could be used on plasma obtained by allo...
Complement-induced equine neutrophil adhesiveness and aggregation. Equine neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from citrated normal blood by density gradient separation on Ficoll-Hypaque to greater than 96% purity and 98% viability and an average of 3.78 x 10(7) PMN/ml. The agonist C5a des Arg was used in serial dilutions of whole zymosan-activated equine plasma (ZAP) or was partially purified from ZAP by column chromatography. Purified equine PMN exhibited rapid aggregation following incubation with C5a des Arg which was further dependent on the availability of divalent cations, especially Mg++. The microfilament disruptive agent cytochalasin B (5 micrograms/50 m...
Regulation of equine herpesvirus type 1 gene expression: characterization of immediate early, early, and late transcription. The regulation of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) transcription was examined in infected rabbit kidney cells using metabolic inhibitors. In order to map EHV-1 immediate early, early, and late transcripts, viral RNA was 32P-labeled in vivo and hybridized to EHV-1 DNA restriction fragments immobilized on nitrocellulose filters. Immediate early viral RNA was mapped to one region of the viral genome within the inverted repeat DNA sequences (map units 0.78-0.83 and 0.95-1.0). Northern blot hybridization analysis using a 32P-labeled cloned DNA probe from this region identified a single immediate e...
Genomic heterogeneity of equine betaherpesviruses. The genomes of 51 isolates of slowly cytopathic equine herpesviruses were examined by digestion with restriction endonucleases. Forty-seven of the isolates showed considerable fragment pattern heterogeneity although common fragments were evident, especially when any two isolates were compared or when they were digested with SalI. Fifteen of the 47 viruses, selected for their diverse fragment patterns, showed a high degree of homology in Southern blot hybridization. In contrast, four viruses, representing three epidemiologically distinct isolations, shared few, if any, comigrating fragments wit...
Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of phenothiazine tranquillisers in horses. An acepromazine (ACP) hapten was synthesised, coupled to bovine serum albumin and injected into a horse to produce antibodies to the drug. A competitive ELISA was developed whereby ACP attached to the solid phase via lysozyme competed with free ACP present in phosphate buffered saline, horse serum or horse urine for limiting amounts of antibody. The assay could detect the presence of ACP and, or, some of its metabolites in horse urine for at least 25 hours after intravenous injection of 0.1 mg kg-1 ACP maleate, but because of non-specific interference, horse serum could not be used. As little ...
Screening of amphetamines by gradient microbore liquid chromatography and pre-column technology. Amphetamine-type drugs with a wide polarity range have been screened in both human and horse urine using on-line pre-concentration on pre-columns packed with hydrophobic and cation-exchange sorbents in series and gradient microbore high-performance liquid chromatography. The underivatized amphetamines were identified by UV detection at 210 nm. The method has potential for the automated liquid chromatographic screening of amphetamines in urine, e.g., for doping control.
2-Hydroxypyridine-N-oxides: effective new chelators in iron mobilisation. The 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide derivatives, 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide, 2,4-dihydroxypyridine-N-oxide, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxypyridine-N-oxide and 2-hydroxy-4-(2'-methoxyethoxy)pyridine-N-oxide have been shown to remove iron from human transferrin and horse spleen ferritin at pH 7.4 at levels higher than those caused by desferrioxamine. Their reactions with transferrin were mainly biphasic and took 2-5 h to reach completion but iron mobilisation from ferritin was slower and their reactions continued after 40 h of incubation. The intraperitoneal and intragastric administration of 2,4-dihydroxypyridin...
Polymorphism of the acetylcholine receptor in the horse. A cDNA probe to the alpha subunit of the murine acetylcholine receptor was used to demonstrate restriction fragment length polymorphism in an acetylcholine receptor gene in the horse. Three different patterns of polymorphism have been observed with fragment sizes of 4.3 and 2.9 kilobases (kb) (pattern 1), 4.3 and 2.5 kb (pattern 2) and 4.3, 2.9 and 2.5 kb (pattern 1,2). Analysis of a three generation pedigree has suggested that patterns 1 and 2 represent two allelic forms of the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the acetylcholine receptor. These data provide a basis for the examination of the...
Synthesis of 2-methoxy and 4-methoxy equine estrogens. 4-Methoxyequilin and 2-methoxyequilin were synthesized from the corresponding 4-bromoequilin and 2-iodoequilin derivatives, respectively, by nucleophilic displacement of halogen with methoxide ion in the presence of copper (II) chloride and 15-crown-5-ether. 4-Bromoequilin was prepared by reacting equilin with one equivalent of N-bromoacetamide. 2-Iodoequilin was prepared by reductive dehalogenation of 2,4-diiodoequilin, which in turn was obtained by treatment of equilin with two equivalents of iodine in methanolic ammonium hydroxide solution. 4-Methoxy-equilenin and 2-methoxyequilenin were pr...
An equine rotavirus (FI-14 strain) which bears both subgroup I and subgroup II specificities on its VP6. An equinine rotavirus FI-14 strain, originally isolated from a diarrheic foal in New York state, was shown to belong to serotype 3 by neutralization assay. In addition, it was found to react with both subgroup I and subgroup II monoclonal antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), thus representing the first rotavirus strain to exhibit both subgroup specificities. By using hybridoma technology, we successfully produced monoclonal antibodies directed against the major inner capsid protein VP6 (the sixth gene product) of FI-14 virus. Such monoclonal antibodies reacted specifically ...
Further observations on the keratinolytic activity of strains of the genus Epidermophyton. The ability of 17 strains of Epidermophyton to perforate hair in vitro using the Ajello & Georg's test procedure and a modification of Lu's method has been studied. Following the Ajello & Georg's test procedure only E. stockdaleae perforated hair. Sporadically some strains of E. floccosum perforated horse hair. We noted as well unusual perforations originated from inside to outside of the hair. By the other technique, all strains, excepting E. floccosum var. nigricans in child hair, perforated hair. E. floccosum showed these perforations later than E. stockdaleae.
Comparison of naturally occurring poliovirus-reactive immunoglobulins in bovine and equine sera. Bovine and equine sera were screened for poliovirus-reactive immunoglobulins (PRIgs) by means of neutralization and precipitation reactions with type 1 poliovirus. Bovine serum B1826 and B36 were found to contain such PRIgs from their reactivity to various PRIgs-resistant mutants of type 1 poliovirus origin. Neutralization and precipitation reactions with six mono-specific antibodies obtained by absorbing antiserum with each of the six different PRIgs-resistant virus mutants revealed that three antibodies were active in precipitation reaction while the others were substantially ineffective. On...
Radioimmunoassay for parathyroid hormone in equids. Radioimmunoassay for parathyroid hormone (PTH) in equids was performed on blood samples from healthy equids and equids with hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia. The assay was validated for equine carboxy-terminal PTH. Manipulation of serum ionized Ca in healthy equids by infusing Na2 EDTA and CaCl2 produced an expected increase and decrease, respectively, in measurable immunoreactive PTH. Intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation were 2.6% and 11.7%, respectively. The range of PTH valves for healthy mature horse mares and geldings maintained on pasture was less than 0.27 ng/ml to 0.9...
Some properties of different skeletal muscle fiber types: comparison of reference bases. Several biochemical components of the white portion of the gastrocnemius (WGM), plantaris (PM), and soleus (SM) muscles of the rat and middle gluteal (MGM) muscle of the horse were compared based on wet and dry weight, protein, and total creatine concentrations ([TCr]). The water content was similar for the rat hindlimb muscles, however, the concentrations of protein, ATP, phosphocreatine (PCr), creatine, and glycogen ranked as SM less than PM less than WGM for all reference bases except total creatine. In contrast, concentrations of ATP, creatine, and PCr were similar in all muscles studied w...
Anti-pseudomonas activity of anti-lipopolysaccharide hyperimmune equine plasma. Passive immunotherapy with anti-lipopolysaccharide hyperimmune equine plasma (Anti-LPS) is effective in treating experimental Gram-negative bacterial infections. The bactericidal activity of anti-LPS towards five different Pseudomonas species, including two multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates was tested here, as well as the ability of anti-LPS to inhibit the quantitative chromogenic limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. Anti-LPS caused a mean reduction of 84.4 +/- 3.2% (P less than 0.001) in the number of colony forming units (cfu) of all isolates, whereas saline and complement ina...
A proton NMR study of the non-covalent complex of horse cytochrome c and yeast cytochrome-c peroxidase and its comparison with other interacting protein complexes. Cytochrome-c peroxidase (ferrocytochrome-c:hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.5) forms a noncovalent 1:1 complex with horse cytochrome c in low ionic strength solution that is detectable by proton NMR spectroscopy. When the entire proton hyperfine-shifted spectrum is considered only five hyperfine resonances exhibit unambiguously detectable shifts: the heme 8-CH3 and 3-CH3 resonances, single proton resonances near 19 ppm and -4 ppm and the methionine-80 methyl group. These shifts are very similar to those observed for the covalently crosslinked complex of cytochrome-c peroxidase and h...
A rapid microtitration serum agglutination test for the detection of contagious equine metritis antibodies. A microtitration serum agglutination test, based on that used for brucellosis, has been developed to detect antibodies in the sera of horses exposed to the contagious equine metritis (CEM) organism. Two known positive sera were tested 100 times in 15 separate tests. The results were reproducible to within a twofold range. The test is capable of being carried out within 100 min.
Characterization of equine infectious anemia virus long terminal repeat. The long terminal repeats (LTRs) of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) were examined with respect to their ability to function as transcriptional promoters in various cellular environments. Nucleotide sequence analyses of the LTRs derived from two unique proviral clones revealed the requisite consensus transcription and processing signals. One of the proviruses possessed a duplication of a 16-base-pair sequence in the CCAAT box region of the LTR which was absent in the other provirus. To assess its functional activity, each LTR was coupled to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase ...
Specific serum protein changes associated with primary and secondary Strongylus vulgaris infections in pony yearlings. The concentrations of haptoglobin, immunoglobin (Ig)G(T) and IgG were measured in the serum of four previously parasite-free pony yearlings following a single dose of 700 (Group H) or 200 (Group L) stage three Strongylus vulgaris larvae (L3) and following a reinfection with the same doses 34 weeks later. The results are compared with an uninfected control pony. The haptoglobin concentration increased during Weeks 1 to 6 and 14 to 17 after infection in the serum of the ponies receiving 200 L3, but in only one pony dosed with 700 L3 (during Weeks 1 to 16). The serum haptoglobin also increased du...
Quantitative determination of acylphosphatase levels in horse tissues by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A non competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for horse muscle acylphosphatase (E.C. 3.6.1.7.) has been developed. The purified anti-acylphosphatase antibodies were immobilized by passive absorption to a solid-phase support and incubated with known and unknown amounts of antigen. The antibody-acylphosphatase complex was quantified using the same antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase. The assay yields positive reactions with as little as 0.05 ng of antigen, with intra- and interassay coefficients of variation of 5% and 7%, respectively. On the basis of this assay ...
Radiolabeling of equine platelets in plasma with 111In-(2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide) and their in vivo survival. A method is presented for the in vitro isolation and radiolabeling of equine platelets with the isotope indium 111 (111In: half-life = 2.8 days, gamma = 173 keV, 89%; 247 keV, 94%). The technique described involves complexing 111In with the lipid-soluble chelating agent, 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide (merc), in an aqueous medium. 111In-merc platelet-labeling efficiencies in autologous plasma pretreated with or without ferric citrate reagent were 82 +/- 7% and 24 +/- 12%, respectively. Mean intravascular survivals of 111In-merc-radiolabeled platelets in 8 healthy horses according to simple linear,...
