Housing and care of laboratory cats: from requirements to practice

Geret, C. P.; Riond, Barbara; Cattori, Valentino; Meli, Marina L.; Hofmann‐Lehmann, Regina; Lutz, Hans

doi:10.1024/0036-7281/a000175

Cited by 33 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The cats were kept in groups under optimal ethological conditions in a barrier facility, as previously described [21]. All cats were euthanized for reasons unrelated to the present study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

GAPDH Pseudogenes and the Quantification of Feline Genomic DNA Equivalents

Helfer-Hungerbuehler

Widmer

Hofmann‐Lehmann

2013

Molecular Biology International

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Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is broadly used to detect and quantify nucleic acid targets. In order to determine cell copy number and genome equivalents, a suitable reference gene that is present in a defined number in the genome is needed, preferably as a single copy gene. For most organisms, a variable number of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) pseudogenes have been reported. However, it has been suggested that a single-copy of the GAPDH pseudogene is present in the feline genome and that a GAPDH assay can therefore be used to quantify feline genomic DNA (gDNA). The aim of this study was to determine whether one or more GAPDH pseudogenes are present in the feline genome and to provide a suitable alternative qPCR system for the quantification of feline cell copy number and genome equivalents. Bioinformatics and sequencing results revealed that not just one but several closely related GAPDH-like sequences were present in the cat genome. We thus identified, developed, optimized, and validated an alternative reference gene assay using feline albumin (fALB). Our data emphasize the need for an alternative reference gene, apart from the GAPDH pseudogene, for the normalization of gDNA levels. We recommend using the fALB qPCR assay for future studies.

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“…The cats were kept in groups under optimal ethological conditions in a barrier facility, as previously described [21]. All cats were euthanized for reasons unrelated to the present study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

GAPDH Pseudogenes and the Quantification of Feline Genomic DNA Equivalents

Helfer-Hungerbuehler

Widmer

Hofmann‐Lehmann

2013

Molecular Biology International

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“…They had undergone acute experimental " Candidatus M. turicensis" infection after subcutaneous inoculation of " Candidatus M. turicensis"-positive blood in a previous experiment [3]. The cats were kept in groups in a confined university facility under ideal ethological conditions as described [12]. All of the experiments were performed according to the law and were officially approved by the veterinary office of the canton Zurich (TVB 101/2007).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" infection

Novacco

Boretti

Wolf-Jäckel

et al. 2011

Vet Res

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"Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" infects felids. The pathogenesis of "Candidatus M. turicensis" chronic infection is poorly understood. The goals of the present study were to (1) induce reactivation of the infection in chronic carrier cats by attempted immunosuppression, (2) identify potential tissue sequestration using real-time TaqMan® PCR and (3) monitor the humoral immune response by DnaK enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ten specified pathogen-free cats that had ostensibly recovered from experimental "Candidatus M. turicensis" infection were used: five cats (group 1) received high dose methylprednisolone (attempted immunosuppression), while five cats served as untreated controls (group 2). Besides weekly blood samples, tissue samples were collected from bone marrow, kidney, liver and salivary glands at selected time points. The cats in group 1 had significantly lower lymphocyte counts and higher blood glucose levels after methylprednisolone administration than the controls. After methylprednisolone administration one blood and three tissue samples from cats in group 1 tested PCR-positive; before the administration, only one sample was positive. All other samples tested PCR-negative. All cats stayed seropositive; the antibody levels of the cats in group 1 showed a significant transient decrease after methylprednisolone administration. This is the first study to report the presence of "Candidatus M. turicensis" in tissues of chronically infected cats and the persistence of anti-feline hemoplasma antibodies in the absence of detectable bacteremia. Methylprednisolone administration did not lead to a significant reactivation of the infection. Our results enhance the knowledge of "Candidatus M. turicensis" infection pathogenesis and are clinically relevant to the prognosis of hemoplasma-infected cats.

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“…The SPF status was confirmed prior to this study [11]. The cats were housed in groups in a confined university facility under ethologically and hygienically ideal conditions [17]. All experiments were approved by the veterinary office of the canton Zurich (TVB 159/2010) and were conducted in accordance with Swiss laws.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protection from reinfection in “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis”-infected cats and characterization of the immune response

Novacco

Boretti

Franchini

et al. 2012

Vet Res

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“Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis” (CMt) is a hemoplasma species of felids. Recent evidence has shown that cats that overcome bacteremia may be protected from reinfection. The purposes of this study were to (1) re-inoculate ostensibly recovered cats, (2) evaluate the immune response and (3) assess CMt tissue loads. Fifteen specified pathogen-free cats were subcutaneously inoculated with CMt: 10 cats (group A) had previously undergone bacteremia and recovered, and 5 naïve cats (group B) served as controls. CMt infections were monitored by real-time PCR using blood and tissue, and the humoral immune response was assessed using DnaK ELISA. Cytokine mRNA expression levels were measured by real-time PCR, and lymphocyte subsets were detected by flow cytometry. The cats in group A were protected from reinfection (no detectable bacteremia) and showed a transient decrease in antibodies. Eosinophilia was noted in cats from group A. The cats from group B became PCR-positive and seroconverted. All of the tissues analyzed from the cats in group B but none of the tissues analyzed from the cats in group A were CMt PCR-positive. Significant changes were observed in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-4 and the Th2/Th1 ratio in both groups. The cats from group A occasionally showed higher numbers of CD4+, CD8+, CD4+CD25+ and CD5+MHCII+ T lymphocytes than the control cats. In conclusion, this study describes, for the first time, the occurrence of immunological protection within the same hemoplasma species. Furthermore, the immune response during CMt infections appeared to be skewed toward the Th2 type.

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Housing and care of laboratory cats: from requirements to practice

Cited by 33 publications

References 31 publications

GAPDH Pseudogenes and the Quantification of Feline Genomic DNA Equivalents

GAPDH Pseudogenes and the Quantification of Feline Genomic DNA Equivalents

Chronic "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" infection

Protection from reinfection in “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis”-infected cats and characterization of the immune response

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