Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Why West Highland white terriers react to dust mite allergy
By Roque, Joana Barros et al.·Published in The Journal of heredity·2011·School of Veterinary Science, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: IgE responsiveness to Dermatophagoides farinae in West Highland white terrier dogs is associated with region on CFA35.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of West Highland white terriers was found to have high levels of a specific antibody (IgE) related to allergies from dust mites, which can cause skin problems and itching. Researchers looked into the genetic factors behind this increased IgE response and found a significant link to a specific area in their DNA. They also identified a gene that might play a role in how the immune system reacts to allergens. However, more research is needed to fully understand how these genetic factors contribute to allergies in dogs.
People also search for: West Highland white terrier allergies · dog skin problems dust mites · high IgE levels in dogs
Abstract
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity against environmental allergens, commonly including Dermatophagoides farinae, is associated with atopic diseases in both humans and dogs. We have recently identified a family of clinically healthy West Highland white terriers (WHWTs) with high-serum D. farinae-IgE levels. In this study, we investigated the genetic mechanism controlling IgE responsiveness in dogs by performing a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the Affymetrix V2 Dog SNP array in 31 high-IgE and 24 low-IgE responder WHWTs. A gene-dropping simulation method, using SIB-PAIR software, showed significant allelic association between serum D. farinae-specific IgE levels and a 2.3-Mb area on CFA35 (best empirical P = 1 × 10(-5)). A nearby candidate gene, CD83, encodes a protein which has important immunological functions in antigen presentation and regulation of humoral immune responses. We sequenced this gene in 2 high-IgE responders and 2 low-IgE responders and identified an intronic polymorphic repeat sequence with a predicted functional effect, but the association was insufficient to explain the GWAS association signal in this population (P = 1 × 10(-3)). Further studies are necessary to investigate the significance of these findings for IgE responsiveness and atopic disease in the dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21846750/