OBJECTIVE To determine the in vitro effects of calcitriol on indicators of immune system function in blood samples collected from healthy dogs. SAMPLE Blood samples from 8 healthy adult dogs. PROCEDURES Blood samples were incubated with calcitriol (10(−7)M) or control substance for 24 hours. Afterward, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-, and N-acetylmuramyl-l-alanyl-d-isoglutamine hydrate (MDP)-stimulated leukocyte production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-10 (IL10) were measured with a canine-specific multiplex assay. Phagocytosis of opsonized Escherichia coli and leukocyte expression of constitutive toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were evaluated via flow cytometry. Blood samples from 3 dogs were used to create a concentration-response curve to evaluate whether the observed cytokine modulation was concentration dependent. RESULTS Incubation of canine blood samples with calcitriol resulted in significant decreases in LPS-, LTA-, and MDP-stimulated leukocyte production of TNF but not IL10. Blunting of TNF production was concentration dependent. Leukocyte calcitriol exposure had no significant effect on phagocytosis and TLR4 expression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These data indicated that calcitriol induced an anti-inflammatory shift in canine leukocytes exposed to LPS, LTA, and MDP in vitro, without altering phagocytosis or TLR4 expression. Thus, calcitriol could represent a novel candidate immunomodulatory treatment for dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate in vitro phagocytosis and bactericidal activity of circulating blood neutrophils in horses with severe equine asthma and control horses and to determine whether circulating blood neutrophils in horses with severe equine asthma have an increase in expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the chemokine interleukin (IL)-8 and a decrease in expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in response to bacteria. ANIMALS 6 horses with severe equine asthma and 6 control horses. PROCEDURES Circulating blood neutrophils were isolated from horses with severe equine asthma and control horses. Phagocytosis was evaluated by use of flow cytometry. Bactericidal activity of circulating blood neutrophils was assessed by use of Streptococcus equi and Streptococcus zooepidemicus as targets, whereas the cytokine mRNA response was assessed by use of a quantitative PCR assay. RESULTS Circulating blood neutrophils from horses with severe equine asthma had significantly lower bactericidal activity toward S zooepidemicus but not toward S equi, compared with results for control horses. Phagocytosis and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-10 were not different between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Impairment of bactericidal activity of circulating blood neutrophils in horses with severe equine asthma could contribute to an increased susceptibility to infections.