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Dogs develop gliomas with similar histopathological features to human gliomas and share with them the limited success of current therapeutic regimens such as surgery and radiation. The tumor microenvironment in gliomas is influenced by immune cell infiltrates. The present study aims to immunohistochemically characterize the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) population of naturally occurring canine gliomas, focusing on the expression of Forkhead box P3-positive (FOXP3+) regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Forty-three canine gliomas were evaluated immunohistochemically for the presence of CD3+, FOXP3+, and CD20+ TILs. In low-grade gliomas, CD3+ TILs were found exclusively within the tumor tissue. In high-grade gliomas, they were present in significantly higher numbers throughout the tumor and in the brain-tumor junction. CD20+ TILs were rarely found in comparison to CD3+ TILs. FOXP3+ TILs shared a similar distribution with CD3+ TILs. The accumulation of FOXP3+ Tregs within the tumor was more pronounced in astrocytic gliomas than in tumors of oligodendroglial lineage and the difference in expression was significant when comparing low-grade oligodendrogliomas and high-grade astrocytomas. Only high-grade astrocytomas presented FOXP3+ cells with tumoral morphology. In spontaneous canine gliomas, TILs display similar characteristics (density and distribution) as described for human gliomas, supporting the use of the dog as an animal model for translational immunotherapeutic studies.

La pandemia de COVID19 ha puesto en evidencia la transversalidad profesional en el ámbito de la salud, cuando médicos, veterinarios, epidemiólogos, inmunólogos, juristas, sociólogos, ambientalistas, políticos, etc. hemos tenido que colaborar para encontrar y aplicar soluciones al problema. A lo largo de la historia los veterinarios hemos aprendido cómo la salud y la enfermedad de los animales repercutían directa o indirectamente en la población humana. Las zoonosis, enfermedades transmisibles de los animales a los humanos, son un buen ejemplo de ello. Utilizando la historia haremos un recorrido de algunos de estos procesos, para ver cómo los veterinarios han actuado, implicándose y colaborando con otros profesionales, para llegar al concepto actual de una única salud ('One Health'). La necesidad de la cooperación multidisciplinar para poder enfrentarnos de forma efectiva a pandemias como la que vivimos en la actualidad resulta fundamental. The COVID19 pandemic has revealed professional transversality in the field of health, when doctors, veterinarians, epidemiologists, immunologists, jurists, sociologists, environmentalists, politicians, etc. have had to collaborate to find and apply solutions to the problem. Throughout history, veterinarians have learned how animal health and disease directly or indirectly affected the human population. Zoonoses - infectious diseases transmissible from animals to humans - are a good example of this. Using history, we will go through some of these processes to see how veterinarians have acted, involving and collaborating with other professionals, to arrive at the current concept of a single health ('One Health'). The need for multidisciplinary cooperation in order to effectively face pandemics such as the one we are currently experiencing becomes fundamental.

Case summaryIn this report we describe the occurrence of intracranial meningioma in two adult cats from the same litter. The location of the meningioma varied: one tumour was at the level of the brainstem, and the other was affecting the temporal and piriform lobes. The cat with the brainstem meningioma was treated with radiotherapy and the littermate had a rostrotentorial craniectomy for tumour removal. Both cats had a histopathological diagnosis of grade I meningioma of a predominantly fibrous subtype.Relevance and novel informationCases of familial meningioma in cats have not previously been described in the veterinary literature. However, familial meningioma is well described in humans and it is possible that cases are underestimated in animals. We discuss the possible genetic background and other causes, as well as challenges we may face in veterinary medicine in identifying these associations.

In this article we review the different aspects related to the use of animals in the teaching of the Veterinary Degree. From the legal and ethical aspects that regulate it to the different alternative experiences published by teachers from different veterinary training centres around the world. We include the vision of the students of our university. We propose alternatives emerged in our centre and proposals to improve teaching quality in veterinary training.

Traditionally, histological investigations of the epileptic brain are required to identify epileptogenic brain lesions, to evaluate the impact of seizure activity, to search for mechanisms of drug-resistance and to look for comorbidities. For many instances, however, neuropathological studies fail to add substantial data on patients with complete clinical work-up. This may be due to sparse training in epilepsy pathology and or due to lack of neuropathological guidelines for companion animals. The protocols introduced herein shall facilitate systematic sampling and processing of epileptic brains and therefore increase the efficacy, reliability and reproducibility of morphological studies in animals suffering from seizures. Brain dissection protocols of two neuropathological centres with research focus in epilepsy have been optimised with regards to their diagnostic yield and accuracy, their practicability and their feasibility concerning clinical research requirements. The recommended guidelines allow for easy, standardised and ubiquitous collection of brain regions, relevant for seizure generation. Tissues harvested the prescribed way will increase the diagnostic efficacy and provide reliable material for scientific investigations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0467-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ipomoea carnea is a toxic plant that affects goats, with symptoms being characterised by nervous disorders and death. Swainsonine and calystegines are the principal toxic components isolated from I. carnea, which also yields lysergic acid derivatives. The aim of this study was to improve the clinical characterisation of experimental intoxication by I. carnea in guinea pigs through the evaluation of behavioural changes and to perform a thorough histopathological analysis of the affected CNS. Leaves of I. carnea were administered to guinea pigs. Open-field gait analysis and monoamine levels were measured. The poisoned animals exhibited increased vocalisation, lethargy, and a reduction in the locomotion frequency after the fourth week of intoxication, as demonstrated in the open-field test. Significant differences were observed in hind-limb gait width by the last week of intoxication. After 65 days, the guinea pigs were euthanised, necropsied, and examined using light and electron microscopy. At the end of the experiment, plasma serotonin decreased. In contrast, dopamine decreased, and noradrenaline increased in urine. Brain sections were evaluated with conventional histological methods and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Vacuoles were observed throughout the brain, but they were particularly prominent in the brainstem. In addition, there were PAS-negative regions, and the Nissl substance was dispersed or absent, which was confirmed with the Kluver-Barreda stain. Moderate microgliosis was observed by immunohistochemistry. In the medulla oblongata, numerous ubiquitin-positive spheroids together with neuronal degeneration were observed in the nucleus gracilis/cuneatus. Furthermore, vacuoles were observed in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and endothelial cells by TEM. Our results showed that the behavioural effects may have been caused by alterations in the brain in conjunction with changes in monoamine levels. This research confirms the utility of this model for studying the pathogenesis of plant-induced lysosomal storage diseases. Fil: Cholich, Luciana Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Marquez, Mercedes. Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. Facultad de Veterinaria; España Fil: Pumarola i Batlle, Martí. Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. Facultad de Veterinaria; España Fil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Teibler, Gladys Pamela. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina Fil: Rios, Elvio E.. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina Fil: Acosta, Ofelia Cristina. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica. Cátedra de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina