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Biomedical subjects

K Martinsson

Publications and source records attributed to K Martinsson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The role of Fc-receptors in murine mercury-induced systemic autoimmunity.

Inorganic mercury (Hg) in genetically susceptible mouse strains induces a T cell-dependent, systemic autoimmune condition (HgIA) characterized by immunostimulation, anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and systemic immune-complex (IC) deposits. The exact phenotypic expression of HgIA in different strains depends on H-2 and non-H-2 genes. Fc receptors (FcRs) are important in the development of many autoimmune diseases. In this study, the effect of targeted mutations for activating and inhibiting FcRs in the BALB/c model of HgIA was examined. Hg-treated BALB/c mice without mutation (wild-type, wt) showed heavy IC deposits in the renal glomerular mesangium, as well as in renal and splenic vessel walls. The renal mesangial IC deposits were severely reduced in Hg-treated BALB/c mice without the gamma-chain (lack of the activating receptors FcgammaRI, FcgammaRIII and FcinRI), but unchanged in mice lacking the inhibitory FcgammaRIIB. The Hg-induced vessel wall IC deposits present in wt mice were abolished and reduced in the FcRgamma and FcgammaRIIB strains, respectively. Hg-treated BALB/c wt mice and mice without the gamma-chain showed an increase in serum IgE, while the increase in IgG1 was attenuated in the latter strain. In contrast, absence of the inhibiting FcgammaRIIB augmented the Hg-induced increase of both serum IgG1 and IgE. In conclusion, FcRs are important mainly for the induction of systmeic IC deposits in the HgIA model, but also affects serum IgG1 and IgE levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Concentrations of antisecretory factor in eggs and in chicken blood plasma.

1. In the present study, the concentration of antisecretory factor (ASF), a lectin with hormone-like properties, and with the capacity to regulate water and electrolyte transport in the small intestine, was higher in hen's egg yolk than in egg white (1.20 v. 0.46 units/ml). 2. The blood plasma concentrations of ASF activity were higher in d-old chicks (1.03 units/ml) than in 7-d-old (0.42 units/ml) or 21-d-old birds (0.18 units/ml); the contents were found to be high again in 35-d-old chickens, but to have decreased by 60 to 90% after transport to slaughter 1 day later. 3. The amount of ASF activity was lower in two groups of chickens manifesting patent loose droppings at slaughter (0.15 units/ml in one group, and 0.08 units/ml in the other), than in two groups with normal faecal consistency (0.65 units/ml in one group, and 0.72 units/ml in the other). 4. The results demonstrate the presence of ASF in eggs, and a variation of ASF activity in chickens blood plasma in relation to age, stress and faecal consistency. The interpretation of these data suggests a regulatory influence of ASF on chicken intestinal transport of water.

Aging↗
PubMed1993

Plasma level of antisecretory factor (ASF) and its relation to post-weaning diarrhoea in piglets.

Antisecretory factor (ASF) is a regulatory peptide which counteracts diarrhoea in the pig; ASF is rapidly absorbed from the pig intestine, and significantly reduces the incidence of neonatal diarrhoea in the suckling offspring. ASF is synthesized in the central nervous system, and released to the blood stream via the pituitary gland. In two different experiments (n = 8 and n = 4), the blood concentration of ASF was followed in 5-weeks old piglets from day 7 before weaning up to day 12 days after weaning. In both experiments ASF concentrations were significantly (p < 0.01) lower on day three post-weaning, than either before weaning or on days 7 and 12 post-weaning. In another experiment, where plasma ASF activity was determined in relation to clinical signs of diarrhoea seven days post-weaning, it was found to be 0.87 +/- 0.08 units/ml (mean +/- SEM) in healthy weaners (n = 15), but only 0.22 +/- 0.05 units/ml in piglets suffering from diarrhoea (n = 15), the difference being significant. The faecal flora both of healthy weaners and of their matched controls suffering from diarrhoea were subjected to bacteriological examination before and after weaning, and found to be similar in both groups, namely a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic Gram negative rods, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus/epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis. No particular pathogen was predominant in any of the diseased animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Feed-induced lectins in piglets. Feed-induced lectins and their effect on post-weaning diarrhoea, daily weight gain and mortality.

The effect on various biological variables of a special weaner feed (FD) with the capacity to induce endogenous synthesis of feed induced lectins (FIL), and a commonly used commercial diet (CD) was evaluated in 891 piglets in four different experiments. The FD diet was found to induce a high activity of FIL (FIL = 0.94 +/- 0.03 units/ml. blood), as compared to CD (FIL < 0.20 units/ml. blood). The FIL values did not decrease after weaning. The incidence of diarrhoea in piglets fed FD 0-14 days post-weaning was 12 +/- 5 per cent, as compared to 41 +/- 9 per cent in the CD group, the difference being significant. Daily weight gain 0-35 days after weaning was 67 +/- 15 grams greater in the FD group than among those fed CD. The consumption of FD was double that of CD in the period before weaning (at 5 weeks), and some 40 per cent more in the postweaning period up to 9 weeks of age.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1991

Observations on the action of amperozide: are there social influences on sow-litter productivity?

The effects of amperozide on sow performance when administered as a single intramuscular injection of 1 mg kg-1 at the time of either farrowing or weaning, or on both occasions were evaluated. Treatments were given during the rearing of two consecutive litters with each individual sow remaining on the same treatment throughout the trial. In total, 64 sows, 16 per treatment group, were used to investigate the effects on weight loss during lactation, mastitis-metritis agalactia (MMA) and duration of the reproductive cycle. Untreated control sows lost more weight (2 to 3 kg) during lactation than sows treated with amperozide at farrowing. No clinical outbreak of MMA was recorded in the amperozide groups dosed at the time of farrowing. The number of empty days was decreased (about three days) in sows treated with amperozide at weaning. Furthermore, pre-weaning mortality decreased (8 per cent) and piglet growth rate improved (6 per cent) when sows were treated with amperozide at farrowing. The results suggest that amperozide improves the health status and productivity of sows by reducing their emotional responses to novel or threatening situations.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effects of amperozide on biting behavior and performance in restricted-fed pigs following regrouping.

Eight experiments were conducted to determine the effect of a single administration of amperozide on agonistic behavior and growth performance in newly mixed, restricted-fed pigs. Two hundred 12-wk-old pigs were used in a 4-wk trial (Exp. 1) to investigate the effect of amperozide on agonistic behavior and performance. The pigs were assigned to each pen on the basis of body weight and sex, ensuring that pigs in each pen were unacquainted. Each pig was weighed individually on d 3, 7 and 28. Agonistic behavior was quantified by counting bite and slash marks on each pig at 8, 26 and 48 h after penning. An i.m. injection of amperozide immediately before mixing the pigs reduced the physical damage (P less than .001) at each time point. There was no evidence of amperozide causing either sedation or motor disturbances. On the average, amperozide treatment improved (P less than .001) daily gain in the 4-wk study period by 70 g (17%). In Exp. 2 to 8, 1,648 pigs growing from approximately 20 to 100 kg body weight were used to determine the effect of amperozide on weight gain. Pigs were penned in groups of 9 to 11, randomly assigned to each pen on the basis of sex. Each pig was weighed individually after penning, on d 35 and at slaughter. Untreated control pigs had a poorer growth performance than did amperozide-treated pigs. During the first 5 wk postpenning average daily gain was improved (P less than .001) by 90 g (26%) in pigs receiving a single oral administration of amperozide at penning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aggression↗
PubMed1979

Chlorpromazine reverses diarrhea in piglets caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

The effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was tested in piglets since CPZ has been shown to be a potent antagonist to enterotoxins in vitro in a cell system and in vivo in a mouse model. Experimental diarrhea was induced in three litters of newborn piglets which were infected by mouth with 2 x 10(9)E. coli bacteria, which produce heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins. Treatment with CPZ given intramuscularly 1 h after the onset of diarrhea reversed fluid secretion in small intestine as well as dehydration, as judged by clinical criteria. A dose of 5 mg of CPZ per kg of body weight completely normalized the intestinal-fluid content measured 4 h after diarrhea developed, whereas 1 to 2 mg of CPZ per kg of body weight was somewhat less effective but still caused significant reduction of fluid (P < 0.001). Studies with radioactive [(35)S]CPZ showed preferential and dose-dependent uptake of (35)S in the intestinal mucosa, the radioactivity being evenly distributed in the membranes of both crypt and villus cells. The enzyme adenylate cyclase, which probably mediates the cellular effects of LT, was shown to have two- to threefold higher activity in the infected than in the uninfected animals. This activation was reduced about 50% by the CPZ treatment (2 mg/kg of body weight). In a preliminary field trial the effect of CPZ was tested in a spontaneous outbreak of diarrhea in piglets due to enterotoxinogenic E. coli. The animals were treated either with oral electrolyte solution and standard antimicrobial agents only (controls) or with 1 mg of CPZ per kg of body weight intramuscularly in addition to this treatment. The mean duration of diarrhea in CPZ-treated animals was significantly shorter, 4.1 h (n = 23), than that in controls, 7.2 h (P < 0.05).

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1976

Demonstration of analogues to the human pregnancy zone protein in animals.

The pregnancy zone protein (PZ) is known to occur in increased amounts during pregnancy and hormonal treatment. Analogues of this human serum alpha2-globulin were demonstrated in animals by double gel diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis. Direct cross-reactions were found for Rhesus monkey and beagle dog against anti-human pregnancy zone protein. After preparation of an "anti-dog PZ" serum it was possible to demonstrate analogues also in cow and sheep. Thus, the present investigation demonstrated animal analogues to the human pregnancy zone protein, which should be valuable for studies of the biological role of this protein.

Alpha-Globulins↗
PubMed1976

Acid-base measurements of arterial, venous and capillary blood in the dog.

A method of arterial blood sampling acceptable for clinical purposes for acid-base estimations in dogs is described. A comparison of acid-base variables from fourteen canine arterial, venous and capillary blood samples revealed in most cases that venous and capillary blood samples showed unsatisfactory agreement with corresponding arterial blood samples. Two commercial automatic pH and blood-gas analysing systems are compared.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗