While canine lymphoma is a relatively common and important disease seen by veterinarians, there are limited comprehensive reviews of the literature regarding the remission and survival times following chemotherapy, and the associated prognostic factors. This comprehensive thematic review covers the available veterinary literature covering treatment outcomes and identified prognostic factors. A lack of standardised approaches to evaluate and report the outcomes was identified, including factors that would alter the duration of responses by weeks, or occasionally months. After publication of the suggested reporting criteria, this has improved but is still not uniformly applied. The prognostic factors included for evaluation varied from as few as three to seventeen, with over 50 studies using only univariate analysis. Individual papers reported much longer outcomes than others, but assessing the outcomes overall, there has been minimal change over the last 40 years. This supports the belief that novel approaches for lymphoma therapy will be required to substantively improve outcomes.

Management and preservation of genomic diversity in dog breeds is a major objective for maintaining health. The present study was undertaken to characterise genomic diversity in Bullmastiff dogs using both genealogical and molecular analysis. Genealogical analysis of diversity was conducted using a database consisting of 16,378 Bullmastiff pedigrees from year 1980 to 2013. Additionally, a total of 188 Bullmastiff dogs were genotyped using the 170,000 SNP Illumina CanineHD Beadchip. Genealogical parameters revealed a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.047; 142 total founders (f); an effective number of founders (f_e) of 79; an effective number of ancestors (f_a) of 62; and an effective population size of the reference population of 41. Genetic diversity and the degree of genome-wide homogeneity within the breed were also investigated using molecular data. Multiple-locus heterozygosity (MLH) was equal to 0.206; runs of homozygosity (ROH) as proportion of the genome, averaged 16.44%; effective population size was 29.1, with an average inbreeding coefficient of 0.035, all estimated using SNP Data. Fine-scale population structure was analysed using NETVIEW, a population analysis pipeline. Visualisation of the high definition network captured relationships among individuals within and between subpopulations. Effects of unequal founder use, and ancestral inbreeding and selection, were evident. While current levels of Bullmastiff heterozygosity, inbreeding and homozygosity are not unusual, a relatively small effective population size indicates that a breeding strategy to reduce the inbreeding rate may be beneficial.

The Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway genes along with suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) family genes play a crucial role in controlling cytokine signals in the mammary gland and thus mammary gland development. Mammary gene expression studies showed differential expression patterns for all the JAK-STAT pathway genes. Gene expression studies using qRT-PCR revealed differential expression of SOCS2, SOCS4 and SOCS5 genes across the lactation cycle in dairy cows. Using genotypes from 1,546 Australian Holstein- Friesian bulls, a statistical model based on SNPs within 500kb of JAK-STAT pathway genes, and SOCS genes alone was carried out. The analysis suggested that these genes and pathways make a significant contribution to the Australian milk production traits. Selection of 24 SNPs close to SOCS1, SOCS3, SOCS5, SOCS7 and CISH genes were significantly associated with, Australian Profit Ranking (APR), Australian Selection Index (ASI) and protein yield (PY). This study supports the view that there may be some merit in choosing SNPs around functionally relevant genes for the selection and genetic improvement schemes for dairy production traits.

Mammary transcriptome analyses across the lactation cycle and transgenic animal studies have identified candidate genes for mammogenesis, lactogenesis and involution; however, there is a lack of information on pathways that contribute to lactation performance. Previously we have shown significant differences in lactation performance, mammary gland histology, and gene expression profiles during lactation [lactation day 9 (L9)] between CBA/CaH (CBA) and the superior performing QSi5 strains of mice. In the present study, we compared these strains at midpregnancy [pregnancy day 12 (P12)] and utilized these data along with data from a 14th generation of intercross (AIL) to develop an integrative analysis of lactation performance. Additional analysis by quantitative reverse transcription PCR examined the correlation between expression profiles of lactation candidate genes and lactation performance across six inbred strains of mice. The analysis demonstrated that the mammary epithelial content per unit area was similar between CBA and QSi5 mice at P12, while differential expression was detected in 354 mammary genes (false discovery rate < 0.1). Gene ontology and functional annotation analyses showed that functional annotation terms associated with cell division and proliferation were the most enriched in the differentially expressed genes between these two strains at P12. Further analysis revealed that genes associated with neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and calcium signaling pathways were significantly upregulated and positively correlated with lactation performance, while genes associated with cell cycle and DNA replication pathways were downregulated and positively correlated with lactation performance. There was also a significant negative correlation between Grb10 expression and lactation performance. In summary, using an integrative genomic approach we have identified key genes and pathways associated with lactation performance.

T-cells play a crucial role in canine immunoregulation and defence against invading pathogens. Proliferation is fundamental to T-cell differentiation, homeostasis and immune response. Initiation of proliferation following receptor mediated stimuli requires a temporally programmed gene response that can be identified as immediate-early, mid- and late phases. The immediate-early response genes in T-cell activation engage the cell cycle machinery and promote subsequent gene activation events. Genes involved in this immediate-early response in dogs are yet to be identified. The present study was undertaken to characterise the early T-cell gene response in dogs to improve understanding of the genetic mechanisms regulating immune function. Gene expression profiles were characterised using canine gene expression microarrays and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), and paired samples from eleven dogs. Significant functional annotation clusters were identified following stimulation with phytohemagluttinin (PHA) (5μg/ml), including the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and phosphorylation pathways. Using strict statistical criteria, 13 individual genes were found to be differentially expressed, nine of which have ontologies that relate to proliferation and cell cycle control. These included, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2/COX2), early growth response 1 (EGR1), growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene (GADD45B), phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1 (PMAIP1), V-FOS FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog (FOS), early growth response 2 (EGR2), hemogen (HEMGN), polo-like kinase 2 (PLK2) and polo-like kinase 3 (PLK3). Differential gene expression was re-examined using qRT-PCR, which confirmed that EGR1, EGR2, PMAIP1, PTGS2, FOS and GADD45B were significantly upregulated in stimulated cells and ALAS2 downregulated. PTGS2 and EGR1 showed the highest levels of response in these dogs. Both of these genes are involved in cell cycle regulation. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the early T-cell gene response to activation in dogs.