RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Assess markers for pancreatic function and gastrointestinal malabsorption in African painted dogs (Lycaon pictus), including canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI), canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI), cobalamin, and folate at one North American facility. ANIMALS: 15 healthy African painted dogs held at one institution were sampled during routine health examinations. METHODS: Blood was collected at routine health examinations, and serum was separated and stored until testing. Serum was analyzed for cTLI, cPLI, cobalamin, and folate. The results were evaluated for correlation to sex, age, and storage time of samples. RESULTS: All individuals had cTLI and folate levels below normal reference ranges for domestic dogs (< 5.0 µg/L and < 7.7 µg/L, respectively). Cobalamin values were within or above reported domestic dog ranges, and cPLI values were within range as well. No analytes were significantly influenced by sex or time in storage, while cTLI was positively correlated with age. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: cTLI and folate did not fall within normal domestic canid reference ranges in this population of healthy African painted dogs. Clinical interpretation of these values based on domestic canid recommendations would indicate clinical disease, which was not apparent in this population. Analytes for pancreatic function and malabsorption or gastrointestinal indicators, including cTLI, cPLI, and folate, in African painted dogs should be interpreted with caution when using domestic dog references ranges.

Asunto(s)

Animales de Zoológico , Ácido Fólico , Lipasa , Vitamina B 12 , Animales , Masculino , Lipasa/sangre , Lipasa/metabolismo , Femenino , Vitamina B 12/sangre , Ácido Fólico/sangre , Canidae , Valores de Referencia , Tripsina/metabolismo , Tripsina/sangre , Páncreas/enzimología

RESUMEN

Development of techniques for the preservation and use of gonadal tissues are increasingly needed for the genetic management of the endangered African painted dog (Lycaon pictus). Here we evaluated two cryopreservation techniques for ovarian tissue (2 × 2 × 1 mm3 fragments, n = 11 individuals): needle immersed vitrification (NIV), with equilibration in a 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) solution, and vitrification in a 15% DMSO, 15% EG, and 0.5 M sucrose solution, and slow freezing in cryovials with either the equilibration (SF-E) or vitrification (SF-V) solutions. Following warming, tissues were either fixed and embedded for evaluation of density of morphologically normal follicles, semi-quantitative scoring of stromal cell preservation, and apoptotic index (TUNEL stain), and/or flash-frozen for expression of proliferation (PCNA), apoptosis (CASP3, BCL2), or oxidative stress (GPX3, SOD1, SOD2) pathway genes (n = 4). Needle immersed vitrification maintained higher density of morphologically normal follicles compared to the slow freezing protocols applied (p < 0.05), with no significant changes in expression of select genes among treatment groups. A slight increase in apoptotic index was observed in all cryopreservation groups, but only reached significance in SF-E compared with fresh tissue controls (p < 0.05). Future research should be dedicated to developing improved methods for ovarian tissue culture in the species, both as a means to evaluate the efficacy of tissue cryopreservation techniques and for the production of viable oocytes from banked ovarian tissue in the endangered African painted dog.