Efficacy of an oral hyaluronate and collagen supplement as a preventive treatment of elbow dysplasia

One hundred and five Labrador dogs were randomly divided into two groups to determine the number of animals that develop elbow dysplasia when treated with an oral supplement compared to untreated ones. Efficacy of the oral treatment was also evaluated once illness was diagnosed. The supplement (Hyaloral) contained hyaluronic acid, hydrolysed collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, and gamma oryzanol. Clinical evaluation of the elbow joints was completed at months 3, 6, 12, and 20 by orthopaedic evaluations, radiography, serologic and blood analysis, and veterinarian evaluation of dysplasia symptoms. All side effects were recorded. In the control group, 33.3% of the dogs developed radiographic evidence of elbow dysplasia compared to 18.5% in the treated group. Symptoms of dysplasia at 12 months differed between the treated (12.5%) and control (61.5%) animals, and were significantly different at 20 months (p < 0.05). Differences in lameness along with movement and swelling of the elbows between groups were observed after 12 months. The treated group had improved significantly by the last visit (p < 0.05). No adverse side effects were reported. In conclusion, oral treatment with Hyaloral may have a potential cumulative action that provides protection against dysplasia and significantly improves symptoms of elbow dysplasia.

Surface changes of ram spermatozoa by adsorption of homologous and heterologous seminal plasma proteins revealed by partition in an aqueous two-phase system

Ram spermatozoa freed from seminal plasma by a dextran 'swim-up' procedure were incubated with Tween 20 and fractionated into motile (PEG-rich) and stationary (dextran-rich) fractions by centrifugal countercurrent distribution (CCCD) in an aqueous dextran-Ficoll-polyethylene glycol (PEG) two-phase system. Increasing concentrations of Tween 20 resulted in greater amounts of extracted protein and lower cell viability. Addition of bull seminal plasma increased the proportion of live cells, whereas ram seminal plasma increased the proportion of stationary cells. Proteins isolated from each type of seminal plasma restored the CCCD profile of treated spermatozoa to the right, this effect being reduced when proteins were thermally denatured. Bovine serum albumin induced a slight displacement to the left. No restoration of profile was achieved when ram spermatozoa were exposed to proteins from bull seminal plasma in the presence of protein-free ram seminal plasma. Adsorption of seminal plasma proteins by spermatozoa previously stripped of surface proteins by exposure to detergent reversed the detergent effect on motility. The findings are consistent with the concept that ram seminal plasma contains a factor that interferes with protein adsorption on the cell surface and prevents the protective effect of seminal plasma proteins on maintenance of cell viability.

Reversion of thermic-shock effect on ram spermatozoa by adsorption of seminal plasma proteins revealed by partition in aqueous two-phase systems

Centrifugal counter-current distribution (CCCD) in a dextran, Ficoll, poly(ethylene glycol) two-phase system was used to study the effect of seminal plasma proteins on the partition behaviour of ram spermatozoa exposed to thermal shock. Ram spermatozoa freed from seminal plasma by a 'swim-up' procedure were submitted to thermal shock and fractionated by CCCD. Cell viability decreased from 68% to 18% after the treatment, showing a slight displacement of the cells from the right (where a higher enrichment of live cells is found) to the centre of the profile. A change of the distribution profile was shown in the presence of either ram or bull seminal plasma. Bull seminal plasma was able to move the profile to the right, whereas ram seminal plasma increased the proportion of cells with enhanced affinity for the lower dextran-rich phase. Plasma proteins isolated from both seminal plasmas moved the profile to the right. In addition, cell viability rose to 48% after the CCCD run in the presence of ram plasma proteins. This restoring effect was lost when ram plasma proteins were thermally denatured. Bovine serum albumin was not only unable to move the profile to the right but even promoted displacement of the profile to the left. This negative effect was also observed when proteins from bull seminal plasma were in the presence of protein-free ram seminal plasma. However, proteins isolated from ram seminal plasma still restored the profile in the presence of bull seminal plasma freed from proteins. The results presented here strongly suggest that seminal plasma proteins are adsorbed by a spermatozoal surface previously exposed to thermic shock. These proteins would exert a highly specific protective effect on ram spermatozoa. In addition, in the ram seminal plasma there must be some factor which avoids this adsorption.