IntroductionIntestinal obstruction such as atresia coli causes pathophysiological changes in gastrointestinal tissue due to the rise of intra-abdominal pressure. The aim of this study is to determine the intestinal damage with intestinal biomarkers in calves with atresia coli.Material and MethodsThe study was conducted on 40 Holstein calves diagnosed with atresia coli with mild to moderate abdominal distention and 10 healthy Holstein calves which served as the control. Blood samples were collected from all calves, and then serum concentrations of intestinal biomarkers were estimated, namely intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), liver fatty acid binding protein (LFABP), trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), and intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), using commercially available specific bovine ELISA kits. An automatic blood gas analyser was employed for determining the lactate concentration.ResultsThe concentrations of serum LFABP (P < 0.01), IFABP, TFF3, IAP, and blood lactate (P < 0.001) were significantly higher in calves with atresia coli than in healthy calves.ConclusionThe calves affected with atresia coli exhibited severe intestinal damage, and IFABP, LFABP, and TFF3 have significant diagnostic importance and play a useful role in determining the intestinal damage due to intestinal obstruction. High levels of IAP and lactate may serve as a signal for the development of intestinal injury.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the usefulness of intestinal biomarkers in determining the presence of intestinal epithelial damage in neonatal calves with diarrhea caused by 4 etiologic agents. ANIMALS 40 neonatal calves that were healthy (n = 10) or had diarrhea (30). PROCEDURES The study was a cross-sectional study. Results of hematologic analyses and serum concentrations of intestinal fatty acid–binding protein (I-FABP), liver fatty acid–binding protein (L-FABP), trefoil factor 3 (TFF-3), Claudin-3 (CLDN-3), γ-enteric smooth muscle actin (ACTG2), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), interleukin-8 (IL-8), platelet-activating factor (PAF), and leptin (LP) were compared among calves grouped according to whether they were healthy (control group; G-1) or had diarrhea caused by K99 Escherichia coli (G-2; n = 10), bovine rota- or coronavirus (G-3; 5 each), or Cryptosporidium spp (G-4; 10). RESULTS Across the 3 time points at which blood samples were obtained and evaluated, the groups of calves with diarrhea generally had markedly higher mean serum concentrations of L-FABP, TFF-3, IAP, IL-8, and LP, compared with the control group. In addition, G-2 also consistently had markedly higher mean serum concentrations of I-FAB and ACTG2 and lower mean serum concentrations of CLDN-3, compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that degree of intestinal epithelial damage differed among calves grouped by the etiologic agent of diarrhea and that such damage might have been more severe in calves with diarrhea caused by K99 E coli. Additionally, our results indicated that serum concentrations of I-FABP, L-FABP, TFF-3, IAP, IL-8, ACTG2, LP, and CLDN-3 were useful biomarkers of intestinal epithelial damage in calves of the present study.

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The aim of this study was to determine the changes of the biomarkers used for the diagnosis of necrotising enterocolitis of human neonates in premature calves with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Novel biomarkers including the intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), the liver-type FABP (LFABP), trefoil factor-3 (TFF3), actin gamma 2 smooth muscle (ACTG2), and Claudin-3 were investigated using bovine specific ELISA kits. Thirty premature calves with respiratory distress syndrome (the RDS group), seven premature calves without RDS (the non-RDS group), and seven healthy calves (control) were included in the study. Blood samples from all the groups were taken at 0 and 48 h for the blood gas and biomarker measurement. It was determined that IFABP (P &lt; 0.05), LFABP (P &lt; 0.05), TFF3 (P &lt; 0.05), ACTG2 (P &lt; 0.05), and Claudin-3 (P &lt; 0.05) in the control group were significantly higher than those in the RDS and non-RDS groups at 0 hour. The LFABP and Claudin-3 concentrations in the control group were statistically higher (P &lt; 0.05) than those in the RDS and non-RDS groups at 48 h, whereas the ACTG2 and TFF3 contents were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) than the non-RDS group. A significant increase in the contents of IFABP (P ≤ 0.01), LFABP (P &lt; 0.05), TFF3 (P &lt; 0.05), ACTG2 (P &lt; 0.05) at 48 h was detected in the RDS group only. In conclusion, the changes in the biomarkers support the suspicion of intestinal damage such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) after enteral feeding in premature calves with RDS. Intestinal damage biomarkers such as IFABP, LFABP, TFF3, and ACTG2 may be useful in the diagnosis of intestinal damage in premature calves. These results also indicate that the plasma concentrations of the intestinal biomarkers change in new born calves with their gestational age.

Background Approaches to the evaluation of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in premature calves by using lung‐specific epithelial and endothelial biomarkers are needed. Objective To investigate the evaluation of PAH in premature calves with and without respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) by using lung‐specific epithelial and endothelial biomarkers and determine the prognostic value of these markers in premature calves. Animals Fifty premature calves with RDS, 20 non‐RDS premature calves, and 10 healthy term calves. Methods Hypoxia, hypercapnia, and tachypnea were considered criteria for RDS. Arterial blood gases (PaO2, PaCO2, oxygen saturation [SO2], base excess [BE], and serum lactate concentration) were measured to assess hypoxia. Serum concentrations of lung‐specific growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), endothelin‐1 (ET‐1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and surfactant protein D (SP‐D) were measured to assess PAH. Results Arterial blood pH, PaO2, SO2, and BE of premature calves with RDS were significantly lower and PaCO2 and lactate concentrations higher compared to non‐RDS premature and healthy calves. The ADMA and SP‐D concentrations of premature calves with RDS were lower and serum ET‐1 concentrations higher than those of non‐RDS premature and healthy calves. No statistical differences for GDF‐15 and VEGF were found among groups. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Significant increases in serum ET‐1 concentrations and decreases in ADMA and SP‐D concentrations highlight the utility of these markers in the diagnosis of PAH in premature calves with RDS. Also, we found that ET‐1 was a reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for PAH and predicting mortality in premature calves.