ImmuCell (United States)

Diarrhea in pre-weaned dairy calves remains a challenge. An­tibiotic use can often be inappropriate and adversely affect the gut microbiome. There exists an opportunity to explore alter­native treatments for early calfhood scours. Tri-Shield® First Defense® is a veterinary biologic derived from hyperimmu­nized bovine colostrum concentrated to a standard potency of antibodies against K99 + E.coli, coronavirus and rotavirus. One dose at birth serves as a scour preventative, reducing mortal­ity and morbidity caused by K99 + E.coli and coronavirus, while also reducing severity and duration of scours caused by rotavi­rus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Tri-Shield® First Defense® as a treatment for diarrhea occurring between 5 and 14 days of age. We hypothesized calves treated with Tri-Shield, in this off-label application, would recover fe­cal consistency sooner, have improved average daily gain, and lower morbidity and mortality than calves treated only with oral electrolytes.

Smokeless tobacco products have been associated with increased risks of oro-pharyngeal cancers, due in part to the presence of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) such as 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). These potent carcinogens are formed during tobacco curing and as a result of direct nitrosation reactions that occur in the oral cavity. In the current work we describe the isolation and characterization of a hybridoma secreting a high-affinity, NNK-specific monoclonal antibody. A structurally-related benzoyl derivative was synthesized to facilitate coupling to NNK-carrier proteins, which were characterized for the presence of the N-nitroso group using the Griess reaction, and used to immunize BALB/c mice. Splenocytes from mice bearing NNK-specific antibodies were used to create hybridomas. Out of four, one was selected for subcloning and characterization. Approximately 99% of the monoclonal antibodies from this clone were competitively displaced from plate-bound NNKB conjugates in the presence of free NNK. The affinity of the monoclonal antibody to the NNKB conjugates was Kd = 2.93 nM as determined by surface plasmon resonance. Free nicotine was a poor competitor for the NNKB binding site. The heavy and light chain antibody F(ab) fragments were cloned, sequenced and inserted in tandem into an expression vector, with an FMDV Furin 2A cleavage site between them. Expression in HEK 293 cells revealed a functional F(ab) with similar binding features to that of the parent hybridoma. This study lays the groundwork for synthesizing transgenic tobacco that expresses carcinogen-sequestration properties, thereby rendering it less harmful to consumers.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus infection of both dairy and beef cattle known to cause bovine leukosis and malignant lymphoma. Clinical signs of the disease, such as weight loss and decreased milk production, yield economic losses. Moreover, trade restrictions are placed on positive animals. Since there is no vaccine or treatment, biosecurity measures can help control the spread of the disease. Current testing methods, although highly sensitive and specific, require the practitioner to send in samples to a specialized laboratory. The turnaround time for results can be on the order of a few days to a few weeks. Tip-Test™: BLV (ImmuCell Corporation, Portland, Maine) has developed an on-site, rapid serological test for the presence of anti-BLV antibodies. The test is based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle, yet provides results in 25 minutes and can be used with whole blood, serum or plasma. This self-contained kit requires no specialized equipment or laboratory and can be used by practitioners in the clinic or on-site.