Glomerular Ultrastructural Lesions of Idiopathic Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy of Greyhounds

Abstract

Abstract. Idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) (Alabama rot) is a potentially fatal disease of unknown etiology that affects the skin and kidneys of racing-and training-age Greyhounds. Ultrastructural examinations were performed on two healthy control Greyhounds and 1 2 Greyhounds diagnosed with CRGV based on the presence of characteristic, well-demarcated cutaneous ulcers of the extremities (1 2/ 12), thrombocytopenia (<200,000 plateletddl) (1 2/12), and acute renal insufficiency (BUN > 40 mg/dl, serum creatinine > 2.0 mg/dl) (7/ 12). Early glomerular ultrastructural changes included endothelial swelling, detachment, and necrosis; membranous whorl formation; and platelet adhesion and aggregation. Some capillaries were occluded with aggregated platelets, cellular fragments, and fibrin. Later changes included narrowing of capillary lumina and thickening of glomerular capillary walls by subendothelial accumulation of flocculent, amorphous, variable electron-dense material and occasionally erythrocytes, cellular processes, and fibrin. Glomerular endothelial cells were increased in number and plump, with villouslike cytoplasmic projections. Mesangial cell cytoplasmic processes occasionally were interposed between the endothelium and the basement membrane. No etiologic agents or electron-dense deposits typical of immune complexes were observed. Although the specific etiology was not determined, the ultrastructural changes suggest that glomerular endothelial damage is an important early event in the pathogenesis of CRGV.

Shiga Toxin-Mediated Disease in MyD88-Deficient Mice Infected with Escherichia coli O157:H7

“…15 Similar results were obtained in large animal models such as baboons 38 and dogs. 39 These latter models circumvent the mucosal innate immune response to bacterial colonization, which was more specifically addressed in the current study.…”

Shiga-Like Toxin II Derived fromEscherichia coliO157:H7 Modifies Renal Handling of Levofloxacin in Rats

“…Relevant animal models for E. coli O157:H7 infection are needed to study the physiological and pathological states of E. coli O157:H7 infectious disease in humans because of the difficulties associated with conducting clinical trials with humans. A wide variety of animal species, such as rabbits, dogs, and mice, have been used as models for human E. coli O157:H7 infections (3,8,10). For example, it has been reported that SLT-II isolated from E. coli O167:H7 induces colonic mucosal necrosis and hemorrhage, renal tubular necrosis, and lymphoid necrosis in various tissues in mice (4,25).…”

Antibody Therapy in the Management of Shiga Toxin-Induced Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

“…Naturally occurring HUS-like disease has been described in greyhounds (15,23) and in rabbits (32). However, the association between the condition in dogs known as idiopathic cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy and STEC has been neither fully established nor experimentally confirmed since these initial reports (15,43). The recent report of bloody diarrhea and HUS-like kidney lesions in laboratory rabbits from which unique STEC were isolated (15) may be a significant step toward the development of an animal model for HUS.…”