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Activating mutations of the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 ( LRRK2) gene are associated with Parkinson disease (PD), prompting development of LRRK2 inhibitors as potential treatment for PD. However, kidney safety concerns have surfaced from LRRK2 knockout (KO) mice and rats and from repeat-dose studies in rodents administered LRRK2 inhibitors. To support drug development of this therapeutic target, we conducted a study of 26 weeks’ duration in 2-month-old wild-type and LRRK2 KO Long-Evans Hooded rats to systematically examine the performance of urinary safety biomarkers and to characterize the nature of the morphological changes in the kidneys by light microscopy and by ultrastructural evaluation. Our data reveal the time course of early-onset albuminuria at 3 and 4 months in LRRK2 KO female and male rats, respectively. The increases in urine albumin were not accompanied by concurrent increases in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, or renal safety biomarkers such as kidney injury molecule 1 or clusterin, although morphological alterations in both glomerular and tubular structure were identified by light and transmission electron microscopy at 8 months of age. Diet optimization with controlled food intake attenuated the progression of albuminuria and associated renal changes.

PI3Kδ catalytic activity is required for immune cell activation, and has been implicated in inflammatory diseases as well as hematological malignancies in which the AKT pathway is overactive. A purine PI3Kδ inhibitor bearing a benzimidazolone-piperidine motif was found to be poorly tolerated in dog, which was attributed to diffuse vascular injury. Several strategies were implemented to mitigate this finding, including reconstruction of the benzimidazolone-piperidine selectivity motif. Structure-based design led to the identification of O- and N-linked heterocycloalkyls, with pyrrolidines being particularly ligand efficient and kinome selective, and having an improved safety pharmacology profile. A representative was advanced into a dog tolerability study where it was found to be well tolerated, with no histopathological evidence of vascular injury.

Advances in our understanding of cellular functions and phenotypes in the brain rely on technically robust experimental in vivo models with face validity towards human disease. The cuprizone toxin-induced demyelination model is widely used to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms of demyelinating and remyelinating phases of multiple sclerosis. The C57BL6 mouse is a common inbred strain used as the genetic background for genetically engineered and congenic mice. Substrains of C57BL6 mice sourced from distinct vendors are often treated as equivalent in research studies. Here, we demonstrated that an alternative dosing approach via oral gavage with a well-tolerated, lower dose of cuprizone resulted in significant differences in C57BL/6NTac (Taconic) over C57BL/6J (Jax) mice. With consistent dosing of cuprizone for 5 weeks, body weights were significantly affected in C57BL/6NTac versus C57BL/6J mice. DT-MRI showed significant demyelination in white matter regions in the C57BL/6NTac mice. Concomitantly, histology analysis illustrated increased microgliosis and proliferation in C57BL/6NTac compared with C57BL/6J mice. These observations suggest that the C57BL/6NTac substrain of C57BL6 mice is more vulnerable to cuprizone challenge. Genetic factors along with breeder source appear to influence susceptibility to cuprizone toxin. Thus, the awareness of the limitations of in vivo models in addition to informed decision making on the appropriate background substrain can greatly improve sensitivity and reproducibility of results and use for evaluating investigational therapeutics.

The effects of the cathepsin K inhibitor odanacatib (ODN) on fracture healing were monitored for ∼6 and 15 weeks post-fracture in two separate studies using the unilateral transverse mid-ulnar osteotomy model in skeletally mature female rabbits. Rabbits were pre-treated for 3–4 weeks with vehicle (Veh), ODN (2 mg/kg, po, daily), or alendronate (ALN) (0.3 mg/kg, sc, twice-weekly) prior to osteotomy. In Study 1, the animals were maintained on the same respective treatment for ∼6 weeks. In Study 2, the animals were also continued on the same therapy or switched from Veh to ODN or ODN to Veh for 15 weeks. No treatment-related impairment of fracture union was seen by qualitative histological assessments in the first study. Cartilage retention was detected in the calluses of ALN-treated rabbits at week-6, while calluses in the ODN and Veh groups contained bony tissue with significantly less residual cartilage. ODN treatment also markedly increased the number of cathepsin K-(+) osteoclasts in the callus, indicating enhanced callus remodeling. From the second study, ex vivo DXA and pQCT confirmed that ODN treatment pre- and post-osteotomy increased callus bone mineral content and bone mineral density (BMD) versus Veh (p

Epithelioid hemangiosarcoma is a rare malignant endothelial neoplasia with a unique, predominantly epithelioid morphology. A 4-y-old rhesus monkey from our laboratory had multiple neoplastic nodules in a digit, limb skin, hindlimb muscle, and visceral organs including lung, heart, and brain. The nodules were composed of pleomorphic, polygonal, epithelioid, neoplastic cells that were arranged in sheets, nests, and cords and supported by variably dense fibrovascular connective tissue. The morphologic features of this tumor were predominantly epithelioid. However, some regions contained cystic spaces, clefts, and channel-like structures, all of which were lined with morphologically distinct neoplastic endothelial cells. These neoplastic cells, with or without epithelioid morphology, were positive immunohistochemically for CD31, factor VIII-related antigen, and vimentin. The presence of multiple metastatic nodules, high mitotic rate, and extensive Ki67-positive staining were consistent with malignancy. This report is the first description of epithelioid hemangiosarcoma in a rhesus monkey.

Over a 21-month period, three Beagle dogs and one mixed-breed dog at our facility developed fatal pneumonia. The four dogs, all purpose bred, came from three vendors and had received the standard canine vaccines prior to shipment. In each instance, the affected dog had been shipped to our facility within the past 10 days. Three cases presented as a peracute clinical syndrome, and all had gross and microscopic findings consistent with hemorrhagic pneumonia. Escherichia coli was isolated from the lungs of all four dogs. Results of testing of lung tissue for canine parainfluenza virus and canine adenovirus were negative. Escherichia coli was also isolated from blood of three of the four dogs. Serotyping of the E. coli isolates indicated that two were serotype 06 and two were 04. Isolates from all four dogs were positive for the virulence factors alpha hemolysin and cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 and for the adhesin factor class-III papG allele. These traits place the isolates in the class of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, which is being increasingly implicated as a cause of extraintestinal infections in animals and humans and may represent a zoonotic risk to humans working with research dogs.