Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Calcium gene changes in blood linked to heart valve disease in dogs
By Lee, J-S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2009·School of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Calcium reuptake related genes as a cardiac biomarker in dogs with chronic mitral valvular insufficiency.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of small breed dogs with chronic mitral valvular insufficiency (CMVI), a common heart problem, showed changes in certain genes related to calcium handling in their heart cells. Researchers found that two specific genes, PLN and HAX-1, had lower levels of expression in dogs with moderate to severe heart failure compared to healthy dogs. This suggests that measuring these gene levels could help veterinarians assess the severity of heart failure in dogs with CMVI. Identifying these biomarkers may lead to better monitoring and treatment strategies for affected dogs.
People also search for: dog heart failure symptoms · small breed dog mitral valve disease · PLN gene heart disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gene expression linked to sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium reuptake (SRCR) is altered in humans and animals with heart failure. HYPOTHESIS: The expression of SRCR genes in peripheral blood cells have the potential to be cardiac biomarkers of heart failure in dogs with chronic mitral valvular insufficiency (CMVI). ANIMALS: Client-owned 15 healthy control dogs and 23 small breed dogs with CMVI classified by severity, based on the classification system determined by the international small animal cardiac heart council. METHODS: Prospective, controlled, observational study. The expression levels of SRCR genes (SERCA2alpha, PLN, and HAX-1) were evaluated in peripheral blood of dogs at different stages of CMVI via real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of PLN and HAX-1, but not SERCA2alpha were significantly (P=.08), reduced in dogs with moderate to severe CMVI. The fold change in PLN expression compared with control were 0.38+/-0.07 (in group II) and 0.20+/-0.10 (in group III), while HAX-1 expression were 0.37+/-0.06 (group II) and 0.41+/-0.12 (group III). The expressions of PLN and HAX-1 were significantly reduced in groups II and III (P<.05) but not in group I (P>.05). The reduced PLN and HAX-1 expressions were highly correlated with the severity of heart failure (P<.001), vertebral heart score (P<.05), and left atrium to aortic root ratio (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: PLN and HAX-1 can be potential biomarkers for heart failure caused by CMVI.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19496905/