Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Early onset myasthenia gravis linked to immune genes in Newfoundland
By Wolf, Zena et al.·Published in Neuromuscular disorders : NMD·2017·Department of Population Health and Reproduction, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association of early onset myasthenia gravis in Newfoundland dogs with the canine major histocompatibility complex class I.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Newfoundland dogs with early onset myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disorder that affects muscle control, was studied to understand its genetic causes. Researchers found a specific genetic marker linked to this condition in these dogs, suggesting a hereditary component. This study also looked at other breeds but did not find the same genetic risks. Understanding these genetic links can help in diagnosing and managing MG in affected dogs.
People also search for: Newfoundland dog myasthenia gravis symptoms · early onset myasthenia gravis in dogs · dog autoimmune disorders treatment
Abstract
Acquired Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder whose development in humans has been associated with the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) or Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). There is a form of early onset MG (EOMG) in Newfoundland dogs that mimics the clinical presentation in humans and appears to have familial inheritance. Genotyping of three classical Dog Leukocyte Antigen (DLA) class II genes, DLA-DRB1, DLA-DQA1 and DLA-DQB1, in 16 Newfoundlands with EOMG and 46 unaffected Newfoundlands, identified DLA-DQB1 *00301 (p-value = 0.0051 OR: 7.41) as a risk locus for the development of EOMG in this breed. In order to further investigate the extent of the association to the entire MHC region, 208 additional SNPs were genotyped in two phases. Both a risk locus for EOMG to the DLA class I (chr12: 458483-506460) and a protective locus for EOMG susceptibility that extends outside of the DLA class I (chr12: 89701-475348) were identified. Four additional dog breeds with an elevated risk for the development of MG were SNP genotyped, but no shared or significant associations were found. MHC involvement in canine MG disease manifestation overlaps with loci identified in human studies and highlights the value of dogs as a model for genetic studies of naturally occurring diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28262470/