Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Glial protein and immune markers in pugs with spinal disease
By Rohdin, Cecilia et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2024·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Assessment of glial fibrillary acidic protein and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein autoantibody concentrations and necrotising meningoencephalitis risk genotype in dogs with pug dog myelopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of pugs with a condition called pug dog myelopathy (PDM) were studied to understand the role of the immune system in their symptoms, which include weakness in the back legs and sometimes incontinence. Researchers found that many of these pugs had specific antibodies and proteins in their spinal fluid that suggest an immune response might be involved in their condition. The study also noted that male pugs with a certain genetic risk factor showed signs of PDM earlier than those without it. While the findings are promising, more research is needed to fully understand the causes and treatments for PDM in pugs.
People also search for: pug dog myelopathy symptoms · pug back leg weakness treatment · pug incontinence causes
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pugs commonly present with thoracolumbar myelopathy, also known as pug dog myelopathy (PDM), which is clinically characterised by progressive signs involving the pelvic limbs, no apparent signs of pain and, often, incontinence. In addition to meningeal fibrosis and focal spinal cord destruction, histopathology has confirmed lymphohistiocytic infiltrates in the central nervous system (CNS) in a considerable number of pugs with PDM. Lymphohistiocytic CNS inflammation also characterises necrotising meningoencephalitis (NME) in pugs. This study aimed to investigate the potential contribution of an immunological aetiology to the development of PDM. METHODS: The concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in serum and CSF and of anti-GFAP autoantibodies in CSF were measured with an ELISA. In addition, a commercial test was used for genetic characterisation of the dog leukocyte antigen class II haplotype, which is associated with NME susceptibility. RESULTS: This study included 87 dogs: 52 PDM pugs, 14 control pugs, four NME pugs and 17 dogs of breeds other than pugs that were investigated for neurological disease (neuro controls). Anti-GFAP autoantibodies were present in 15 of 19 (79%) of the PDM pugs tested versus six of 16 (38%) of the neuro controls tested (p = 0.018). All 18 PDM pugs evaluated had detectable CSF GFAP. Serum GFAP was detected in two of three (67%) of the NME pugs and in two of 11 (18%) of the control pugs but not in any of the 40 tested PDM pugs. Male pugs heterozygous for the NME risk haplotype had an earlier onset of clinical signs (70 months) compared to male pugs without the risk haplotype (78 months) (p = 0.036). LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by the lack of healthy dogs of breeds other than pugs and the small numbers of control pugs and pugs with NME. CONCLUSIONS: The high proportion of PDM pugs with anti-GFAP autoantibodies and high CSF GFAP concentrations provide support for a potential immunological contribution to the development of PDM.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38704817/