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M S Amoss

Publications and source records attributed to M S Amoss.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

The swine leucocyte antigen (SLA) complex and Sinclair swine cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Cutaneous malignant melanoma of Sinclair swine (SSCM) is an inherited neoplasm present at birth in a majority of affected animals. We have characterized the swine leucocyte antigen (SLA) complex of the Sinclair herd at Texas A & M University using a one-way mixed lymphocyte test and found that one particular haplotype, arbitrarily identified as haplotype B, is associated with the expression of SSCM. Only a single dose of the B haplotype is required for a dominant allele at a 'tumour initiator' locus to be fully penetrant. In addition, swine homozygous for haplotype B develop more primary tumours between birth and weaning than those heterozygous for the B haplotype. Taken together, these findings indicate that tumour initiation, in utero, and expression between birth and weaning may involve different mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Comparative histopathology of porcine and human cutaneous melanoma.

Pigmented tumors resembling cutaneous melanoma were first reported in Sinclair miniature swine in 1967. Since that time, carefully planned breeding has established that this is an inherited malignancy the natural history of which mimics human cutaneous melanoma in a number of ways. Because of these characteristics, miniature swine melanoma appears to be an effective model with which to investigate the mechanisms influencing initiation, growth, and progression of human melanoma. This investigation characterized histologically the cutaneous melanoma in miniature swine and compared the findings with human neoplasm. Primary cutaneous melanoma in swine has been reclassified and standardized according to the classifications currently in vogue in human melanoma. Our results suggest that the condition in miniature swine is histologically similar to that in humans. These observations will provide a basis for interpretation of the results derived in the biologic studies performed in this model.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Seasonal variation in serum testosterone, testicular measurements and semen characteristics in the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu).

Blood samples and testicular measurements were obtained from 4-8 captive adult collared peccaries monthly for 18 months and from wild adult males during summer (N = 16) and winter (N = 22) seasons. Serum concentrations of testosterone were determined by radioimmunoassay. Semen samples were collected monthly by electroejaculation from captive males for 1 year. Serum testosterone concentrations and testicular measurements varied in a low-amplitude circannual pattern, with maximum mean testosterone concentrations in fall and winter (1150-1400 pg/ml) and minimum values in summer (500-700 pg/ml). Circannual rhythms appeared to be related to dominance. Serum testosterone levels in wild males generally were lower than in captive males, although this difference was not significant (P greater than 0.05). Semen characteristics did not exhibit a circannual rhythm. These results suggest that the male peccary remains reproductively fertile throughout the year, yet may undergo a facultative summer quiescence influenced by ambient temperature and social factors.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Growth of Sinclair swine melanoma as a function of age, histopathological staging, and gonadal status.

We have analyzed the association between host hormonal status and growth rate of congenital exophytic melanomas of Sinclair swine. The growth of multiple exophytic lesions during the first year of life of intact males, orchiectomized males, intact females, and ovariectomized females was quantitated using a proliferative index which assigned a numerical value to fixed increments of gains or losses in tumor volume. The proliferative index from 6 wk (gonadectomy at 6 wk) to 52 wk of age of each treatment group was statistically increased from 0 (P less than 0.01) except that of gonadectomized females. The proliferative indices from lesions in gonadectomized females were significantly lower than those from intact males, intact females, and gonadectomized males. A total of 93 exophytic tumors from 63 swine were biopsied and histopathologically staged according to the degree of progression or regression and analyzed as a function of animal age. There were no Stage I and only two Stage II lesions at the time biopsies were taken. Twenty-six of 32 (81.2%) Stage III tumors were found in swine of both sexes less than 26 wk of age of which 71.8% were found less than 10 wk of age, while 20 of 29 (68.9%) were Stage IV, and only 3 of 32 (9%) were Stage V lesions present in this age group (P less than 0.001, chi 2). Only 20.7% of Stage IV tumors were present prior to 6 wk of age. Preliminary results suggest that castration of either sex also altered tumor histopathology. Our data suggest that a reduction in gonadal steroid secretion was associated with a decrease in exophytic tumor growth rate and regression in animals of both sexes during the first year of life in Sinclair swine. The effect in female swine was due to significant reduction in the proliferative index over the first 6 mo of age.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Epidermal growth factor-mediated effects on equine vascular smooth muscle cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor binding kinetics and EGF-mediated stimulation of DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation were studied in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from the equine thoracic aorta. Binding studies, using murine 125I-labeled EGF, indicate the presence of a single class of high-affinity binding sites (apparent KD = 2.8 X 10(-11) M), with an estimated maximal binding capacity of 5,800 sites/cell. EGF stimulated [3H]thymidine uptake in confluent quiescent monolayers in a dose-dependent fashion, half-maximal stimulation occurring at 7.5 X 10(-11) M. Likewise, EGF-mediated cellular proliferation was dose dependent (50% effective dose = 5 X 10(-11) M) under reduced serum concentrations. Equine VSMC contain specific receptors for EGF, and EGF can stimulate DNA synthesis and proliferation in these cultured cells, which suggests that EGF may participate in the proliferative changes observed in equine distal digital peripheral vascular disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Calmodulin antagonist effects on GnRH and secretogogue-induced release of bovine LH.

A study was performed to determine the possible role of calmodulin (CaM) in regulating gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) release from the bovine pituitary using three structurally unrelated calmodulin antagonists. Primary calf anterior pituitary cell cultures (3 X 10(5)/well) were treated with either LH secretogogue (GnRH, 100 ng/ml; A23187, 2.5 microM; theophylline, 1 mM; prostaglandin E2, 1 microM; estradiol, 25 ng/ml; or KCl, 25 mM; final concentrations) or secretogogue plus CaM inhibitor in 1 ml Hanks' balanced salt solution plus 10 mM N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid for 6 h. Significant (P less than 0.01) inhibition of GnRH- and A23187-stimulated LH release was obtained with calmidazolium (CMZ; 1-10 nM) and N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7; 1-10 microM). Both CMZ (10 nM) and W-7 (10 microM) significantly reduced (P less than 0.05) LH release by all of the other agents tested as well. In contrast, trifluoperazine (TFP; 0.1-100 microM) had no effect against most of the secretogogues tested. These results suggest that GnRH-stimulated LH release is in part a Ca2+-CaM-dependent process and may implicate a common CaM-dependent mechanism for LH release in general. The data also demonstrate a marked dichotomy in response between the phenothiazine, TFP, and other CaM antagonists in the calf pituitary.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Role of Ca2+ and Na+ on luteinizing hormone release from the calf pituitary.

It has been proposed that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates Ca2+ entry by activation of voltage-independent, receptor-mediated Ca2+ channels in the rat gonadotroph. Little work has been done on the role of calcium in GnRH-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) release in species other than the rat. Therefore, this study was done to compare the effects of agents that alter Ca2+ or Na+ entry on LH release from calf anterior pituitary primary cells in culture. GnRH (100 ng/ml), Ca2+ ionophore A23187 (2.5 microM), and the depolarizing agent ouabain (0.1-10 microM) all produced significant increases (P less than 0.05) in LH release; these effects were significantly reduced when the cells were preincubated with the organic Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine (1-10 microM) and verapamil (1-10 microM) and with Co2+ (0.01-1 mM). The effect of ouabain was inhibited by tetrodotoxin (TTX; 1-10 nM) as well as by nifedipine at 0.1-10 microM. In contrast to its effect on rat pituitary LH release, TTX significantly inhibited GnRH-stimulated LH release at 1-100 nM. These results suggest that GnRH-induced LH release may employ Ca2+ as a second messenger in bovine gonadotrophs and support recent speculation that GnRH-induced Ca2+ mobilization may in part be voltage dependent.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Inheritance of Sinclair swine cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Genetic studies of familial human cutaneous malignant melanoma have failed to support a single mode of inheritance. To eliminate the complexities of genetic heterogeneity, we have turned to appropriate animal models to gain insights into possible genetic mechanisms that may be applicable to the human. Cutaneous malignant melanoma of Sinclair miniature swine is an inherited malignancy with many of the histopathological characteristics of human melanoma. The actual mode of inheritance of the melanoma has not been determined. Recently, we initiated experiments to characterize the swine major histocompatibility complex in melanoma- and nonmelanoma-bearing animals. These experiments led to the discovery of two loci that are involved in the expression of exophytic melanomas. The first locus lies within the swine major histocompatibility complex where one particular haplotype produces a phenotype in which the effects of a second locus are fully penetrant. The second locus segregates independently of the major histocompatibility complex. The melanoma-producing allele at this second locus is inherited in the heterozygous state and requires a somatic mutation of the normal allele to initiate tumor development.

Alleles↗
PubMed1987

Production, physiological, and behavioral responses of laying hens in different management environments.

Responses of commercial laying hens to 16 management systems were examined for 10 laying periods of 28 days each. Twelve cage treatments consisted of housing three, four, or five hens in deep and shallow cages of different dimensions which provided .035 and .046 m2/hen. Four floor treatments housed 35 hens or 32 hens and three roosters at densities of .094 or .373 m2/bird, in two replicated pens each. Quantitative data were collected simultaneously for 23 production, physiological, and behavioral characteristics throughout the study. When comparing all caged with floor pen hens, caged hens had better (P less than .05) egg production rates (76.3 vs. 73.9%), gained more weight, had better feed efficiency, and had greater egg and egg shell weights than floor hens. All floor pen hens had higher (P less than .01) viability (98.9 vs. 95.0%), higher (P less than .01) plasma corticosterone levels (595.0 vs. 445.4 pg/ml), a greater (P less than .01) response to adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenges, and lower (P less than .01) antibody titers to Salmonella pullorum challenges than all caged hens. Caged hens preened, stood, crouched, and feather pecked more than floor hens, while floor hens drank and moved about more than caged hens. This study attempted to quantify production, physiological, and behavioral traits, all on the same flock of hens, in order to separate stressful from nonstressful management environments. Integration of all measurements indicates that properly managed caged hens were subjected to significantly fewer stressors than laying hens housed in floor pens, although the hens' well-being in the two environments could not be quantitatively compared.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Corticosterone sampling of laying hens in different management systems.

Plasma corticosterone was measured as a stress indicator of laying hens in different management conditions. Laying hens housed in cages and floor pens were sampled repeatedly in the morning and the afternoon. Plasma corticosterone concentrations of afternoon samples of hens from floor treatments were significantly higher than those from cage treatments, but morning values were not different. These results suggest that management systems, producing subtle adverse conditions for laying hens, are associated with elevated baseline corticosterone levels during the nadir of the diurnal response, whereas peak values may not be affected.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Serum progesterone, estradiol-17 beta, and glucocorticoids in the collared peccary during gestation and lactation as influenced by dietary protein and energy.

Sixteen pregnant collared peccaries were assigned to four experimental diets representing two levels of crude protein and two levels of digestible energy. Serum levels of progesterone, estradiol-17 beta (E2), and glucocorticoids were measured by radioimmunoassay. There was no significant dietary effect (P greater than 0.05) associated with any hormone during gestation. Progesterone did not differ between days 11 and 140 of gestation (X +/- SE = 36.48 +/- 1.11 ng/ml, N = 72), began to decline during the last week prepartum, and continued to decline within 24 hr of birth. Glucocorticoid concentrations remained level throughout gestation (X +/- SE = 6.57 +/- 0.45 microgram/dl, N = 74). E2 levels were low during the first 90 days of gestation, rose significantly (P less than 0.001) from 10.11 +/- 1.73 pg/ml (X +/- SE, N = 8) at Days 81-90 gestation to 49.07 +/- 12.87 pg/ml (N = 3) at 2-4 days prepartum (Days 141-147 of gestation), and declined rapidly to baseline levels within 24 hr of farrowing. Litter size had no effect on progesterone or E2 concentrations. There was no significant dietary effect on litter size or gestation length. During lactation, glucocorticoids and E2 remained stable and did not differ by diet, while progesterone concentrations appeared to be affected by diet. Individuals on the high energy-high protein diet returned to normal ovarian function before animals on the other three diets. Results indicated that the pregnant collared peccary can maintain a reproductive steroid environment that allows for fetal development in the face of moderate caloric or protein restriction and that the lactating peccary can undergo a postpartum ovulation in the presence of good nutrition.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Physiological responses of the adult male collared peccary, Tayassu tajacu (Tayassuidae), to severe dietary restriction.

Metabolic and hormonal responses of eight adult male collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) to an ad libitum diet intake, or 25% of an ad libitum intake, were examined. Blood samples for hematological, serum-biochemical and hormonal profiles were collected at three week intervals during the nine week experiment starting 4 August 1983. Males fed on the restricted diet lost an average of 26% of their body weight during the trial, compared to a slight weight gain for those fed ad libitum. Characteristics of the red and white blood cell populations were not influenced by diet intake, with the exception of mean corpuscular volume, which was consistently lower amongst males fed on the restricted diet. Restricted food intake resulted in significantly elevated serum values for urea nitrogen, urea nitrogen:creatinine, urea index, alpha globulin:beta globulin, gamma globulin:albumin, nonesterified fatty acids, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase isozymes (LD1 and LD2). Restricted food intake resulted in significantly lowered serum values for total alpha globulin, alpha-1 globulin, total beta globulin, beta-1 globulin, beta-2 globulin, glucose, triglycerides, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, copper and triiodothyronine. Serum levels of creatinine, total protein, albumin, alpha-2 globulin, uric acid, total bilirubin, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, phosphorus, calcium:phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc and thyroxine were unaffected by diet intake level. Semen evaluation indicated spermatogenesis was not affected by dietary restriction despite reductions in scrotal circumference and ejaculate gel volume. Serum testosterone levels were significantly lower among males fed on the restricted diet after nine weeks. These data suggest male libido might be depressed during poor range conditions, while maintenance of spermatogenesis might permit them to take immediate advantage of improved range conditions. Blood analysis of metabolic and hormonal function can provide useful information for predicting the adult male's nutritional and reproductive condition.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Endocrine and metabolic responses of the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) to immobilization with ketamine hydrochloride.

Serial physiological responses were examined for 150 min from captive collared peccaries during immobilization with ketamine hydrochloride. Rectal temperatures decreased significantly (P less than 0.01) during anesthesia. Serum concentrations of total proteins, albumin, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, and calcium declined significantly (P less than 0.05) during the first 45 min post-immobilization before stabilizing. Concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in sera showed similar but nonsignificant (P greater than 0.05) trends. Inorganic phosphorus and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations increased significantly (P less than 0.05) throughout the trial. Concentrations of serum glucose and glucocorticoid during the immobilization period were highly variable between individuals. Serum electrolytes, urea nitrogen, creatinine, gammaglutamyl transferase and progesterone were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) affected by immobilization. Elevations in serum testosterone were noted. Results indicated appropriate sampling times relative to immobilization for assay of particular serum biochemicals and steroid hormones during investigations of the physiology of the collared peccary.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1982

Fertilization rate and early embryonic loss in Brahman crossbred heifers.

The fertilization rate and incidence of embryonic loss in virgin Brahman crossbred heifers between d 3 and 35 postinsemination (d 0 = first day of estrus) were determined. One hundred fifty-five virgin heifers, maintained in a dry lot, received approximately 22 Mcal.head-1.d-1 and were allotted to one of three groups (d 3, 16 or 35) according to body weight at the time of estrous detection. Seven empty ruptured zona pellucidae (ERZP) were recovered from five heifers in the d 3 group. It was impossible to determine whether the ERZP originated from fertilized or unfertilized ova and whether they were ovulated at the estrus immediately preceding or during a previous cycle. Consequently, the fertilization rate (d 3) was calculated to be 80 or 93% depending upon whether the ERZP were included or deleted from the calculations, respectively. Because of the large number of ERZP recovered, a second study was conducted with an additional 21 virgin Brahman crossbred heifers from which ova were recovered on d 3 postinsemination. The results of the two studies were similar. The percentage of heifers with an embryo on d 16 was 78 (10% had degenerating embryos and 12% no embryos), and the percentage pregnant at d 35 was 72. The conclusions suggested from this study depend upon the classification of the ERZP. If the ERZP are designated as ova ovulated during a previous cycle or ova damage in the collection process and are deleted from the calculations, the fertilization rate is high (93%), and embryonic loss apparently occurs between d 3 and 35 (P less than .95). However, if the ERZP are classified as ova ovulated at the immediately preceding estrus, unavailable for further embryonic development, and are included in the calculations, the fertilization rate is comparatively low (80%). In the latter case, the primary loss of potential embryos occurs before d 3, and the loss after d 3 is negligible (P greater than .05).

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Cell mediated immune response in miniature Sinclair swine bearing cutaneous melanomas.

Miniature Sinclair swine bearing cutaneous melanomas and nonmelanoma bearing littermate controls were tested for lymphocyte blastogenic response in a microculture assay. Lymphocytes were assayed for 3H-thymidine incorporation following stimulation with concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin or pokeweed mitogen. Treatment with all mitogens revealed a significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced proliferative capacity in melanoma swine as compared to littermate controls. These results lend further support for the use of miniature Sinclair swine as a research model for human melanoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Relationships among fertility, scrotal circumference, seminal quality, and libido in Santa Gertrudis bulls.

Forty Santa Gertrudis bulls were used to examine relationships among scrotal circumference, seminal quality, libido, and fertility [assessed as the percent pregnant of estrous females (PE rate) and the percent pregnant of females mated (PM rate)]. These bulls were selected from 220 two year old bulls to represent variations in scrotal circumference and seminal quality. Each of the 40 bulls were exposed to 100 cyclic Santa Gertrudis heifers for a 4-day (96 hr) breeding period. The number of estrous females available to each bull varied from 12 to 27. A breeding soundness examination (BSE) was conducted on each bull approximately 45 days prior to the 4-day breeding period and immediately after the 4-day breeding period. The three components of the BSE scroe (scrotal circumference, spermatozoal abnormalities and spermatozoal motility) were not significantly correlated with PE rate or PM rate at either evaluation. There was no significant correlation between PM rate and scrotal circumference; however, each of the 4 bulls having a scrotal circumference less than 30 cm had a PM rate below 31%. Relationships between seminal quality and PM rate were unclear and differed between the two evaluations. There was a trend for bulls having poor seminal quality at the first evaluation to improve by the second evaluation. Consequently, fluctuations in seminal quality between evaluations is one possible explanation for low correlations between seminal parameters and PM rate. Libido (number mated/number in estrus x 100) was positively correlated (r = 0.44) with PE rate. Using a stepwise regression procedure, the independent variables accounting for the most variation in PE rate (dependent variable) included libido, secondary spermatozoal abnormalities, and BSE score (r(2) = 0.44). Results of this study indicate that current methods of fertility evaluation did not accurately predict the fertility of individual Santa Gertrudis bulls as measured by PE rate and PM rate during a 4 day breeding period.

Journal Article↗