Evaluation of polymorphisms in inflammatory mediator and cellular adhesion genes as risk factors for feline infectious peritonitis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a high mortality infectious disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes encoding interferon gamma (), tumour necrosis factor alpha () and dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN;) have been associated with increased and decreased risk of developing FIP. This study was designed to determine whether these associations were present in a UK population of pedigree cats using samples from cats euthanased with a confirmed diagnosis (FIP, n = 22; non-FIP, n = 10) or clinically healthy cats over 11 years of age (n = 3). METHODS: DNA was extracted from tissue (n = 32) or blood (n = 3) and PCR performed for regions ofand. PCR amplicons were sequenced, each SNP genotype was determined, and genotype/allele frequency for each SNP and FIP status were compared. RESULTS: No significant association was found between the genotype and FIP status for any SNP analysed. There was a trend for the heterozygous CT genotype at bothg.401 and IFNG g.408 to be associated with FIP ( = 0.13), but this genotype was also found in a substantial proportion of non-FIP cats. There was also a trend for the heterozygous CT genotype atg.428 to be associated with FIP ( = 0.06), although most cats with FIP had the CC genotype at this locus. No associations were found between any allele atg.-421,g.1900,g.2276,g.2392 andg.2713 and FIP. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The use of theandSNPs described to predict the risk of FIP cannot currently be recommended.