Sueli Blanes Damy

Aspectos fundamentais da experimentação animal - aplicações em cirurgia experimental

This study aimed to present the general principles for experiments performed on laboratory animals as required by international and national ethical committees on animal welfare. Compliance to these principles is a prerequisite for publication in international journals. Details of genetic, sanitary and environmental standards, transportation, acclimation, environmental enrichment, appropriate education and training of all those involved in handling of live animals, information management strategy, biossecurity, diet, anesthesia, analgesia, postoperative care and euthanasia for Mus musculus (mice), Rattus norvegicus (rat), Oryctolagus cuniculus (rabbit) and Sus scropha domesticus (pig) combined with well planned biomedical research are fundamental to increase the accuracy, reproducibility and precision of the experimental results.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and/or Chlamydophila pneumoniae inoculation causing different aggravations in cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in apoE KO male mice.

BackgroundChamydophila pneumoniae (CP) and/or Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) are two bacteria detected in vulnerable atheromas. In this study we aimed to analyze whether CP and/or MP aggravates atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-enriched diet in C57BL/6 apoE KO male mice. Thirty male apoE KO mice aged eight weeks fed by a diet containing 1% cholesterol until 32 weeks of age were divided into four groups: the first was inoculated with CP (n = 7), the second with MP (n = 12), the third with both CP + MP (n = 5), and the fourth with saline (sham n = 6). The animals were re-inoculated at 36 weeks of age, and sacrificed at 40 weeks of age. Two ascending aorta and one aortic arch segments were sampled. In the most severely obstructed segment, vessel diameter, plaque height, percentage of luminal obstruction and the degree of adventitial inflammation were analyzed. The plaque area/intimal surface ratio was obtained by measuring all three segments. The adventitial inflammation was semiquantified (0 absent, 1 mild, 2 moderate, and 3 diffuse).ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of plaque height, % luminal obstruction, external diameter, the plaque area/intimal surface ratio and the adventitial inflammation values are the following for each group: MP (0.20 +/- 0.12 mm, 69 +/- 26%, 0.38 +/- 0.11 mm, 0.04 +/- 0.04 and 0.22 +/- 0.67), CP (0.23 +/- 0.08 mm, 90 +/- 26%, 0.37 +/- 0.08 mm, 0.04 +/- 0.03, and 0.44 +/- 0.53), MP + CP (18 +/- 0.08 mm, 84 +/- 4.0%, 0.35 +/- 0.25 mm, 0.03 +/- 0.03 and 1.33 +/- 0.82) and sham (0.08 +/- 0.09 mm, 42 +/- 46%, 0.30 +/- 0.10 mm, 0.02 +/- 0.03 and 0.71 ± 0.76). A wider area of plaque/intimal surface was observed in MP + CP inoculated groups (p = 0.07 and 0.06) as well as an increased plaque height in CP (p = 0.01) in comparison with sham group. There was also an increased luminal obstruction (p = 0.047) in CP inoculated group in comparison to sham group. Adventitial inflammation in MP + CP inoculated group was higher than MP, CP and the sham groups (p = 0.02).ConclusionInoculation of CP, MP or both agents in C57BL/6 apoE KO male mice caused aggravation of experimental atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-enriched diet, with distinct characteristics. CP inoculation increased the plaque height with positive vessel remodeling and co-inoculation of MP + CP caused the highest adventitial inflammation measures.

Avaliação da eficácia do colostro bovino hiperimune na infecção experimental de roedores com Cryptosporidium parvum

The hyperimmune bovine colostrum has a high concentration of antibodies anti-Cryptosporidium parvum. This product is considered one of the promising therapeutic strategies in the control of intestinal cryptosporidiosis in humans. With the purpose to evaluate the hyperimmune bovine colostrum efficacy in reducing the parasitism and preventing intestinal mucosa alterations, several strains of rats F344 and mice were experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. The results showed that the hyperimmune bovine colostrum had high levels of antibodies. The rats F344, treated either with hyperimmune or normal bovine colostrum, had reduction of the intestinal parasitism and presented little mucosa compromise. The mice C57BL/6 when treated either with hyperimmune or normal colostrum had slight reduction of the intestinal parasitism and evidenced no statistical significant differences in the histopathological mucosa changes. In conclusion, the use of hyperimmune bovine colostrum has a limited benefit in Cryptosporidium parvum infection.

Inbred F344 rats as a biologic model of intra-abdominal sepsis

Aiming to design a biologic model of acute intra-abdominal sepsis for experimental studies, conventional, isogenic rats F344 were infected with the bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli), strain 11775, serotype H7:01:K1. Six hours after inoculation with E. coli, the animals - males and females - showed the following symptoms: piloerection, hyperpnea and decreased motor activity. The lethal dosis (LD50), was 6 x 105 CFU/ml, analyzed in 32 males and 32 females. The highest mortality rate was observed on the first 24 hours. Liver dysfunction, common in intra-abdominal sepsis, was evaluated at 0, 24, 48 and 168 hours after inoculation, by means of serum enzyme activities. Study of the migration of polymorphonuclear-neutrophil cells (PMN) and mononuclear-macrophage ones (MN) showed a significant increase of PMN in E. coli inoculated males (z > 4.7; P 6.2; P < 0.0003), when compared to control groups. As for MN cells, there were no differences between inoculated and control groups, in males (z = 2.3; P = 0.0107) and in females (z = 1.8; P = 0.0359) as well. In conclusion, these results show that inbred F344 rats are adequate biologic models for studies of acute, intra-abdominal sepsis.