Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Testing for GM1 and GM2 gangliosides in dogs and cats
By Kohyama, Moeko et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2016·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: In situ detection of GM1 and GM2 gangliosides using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent techniques for auxiliary diagnosis of canine and feline gangliosidoses.
Plain-English summary
GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses are serious diseases that affect the nervous system of dogs and cats, caused by a buildup of certain substances in their cells. Diagnosing these conditions can be challenging, especially if there aren’t enough samples available for testing. This study aimed to improve diagnosis by using special staining techniques on brain samples that had been stored for a long time. The researchers found that these techniques effectively identified the harmful substances in the brain cells of animals already diagnosed with these diseases. Overall, the study concluded that these new methods can help veterinarians diagnose GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses more accurately in dogs and cats.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses are progressive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases resulting from the excessive accumulation of GM1 and GM2 gangliosides in the lysosomes, respectively. The diagnosis of gangliosidosis is carried out based on comprehensive findings using various types of specimens for histological, ultrastructural, biochemical and genetic analyses. Therefore, the partial absence or lack of specimens might have resulted in many undiagnosed cases. The aim of the present study was to establish immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent techniques for the auxiliary diagnosis of canine and feline gangliosidoses, using paraffin-embedded brain specimens stored for a long period. RESULTS: Using hematoxylin and eosin staining, cytoplasmic accumulation of pale to eosinophilic granular materials in swollen neurons was observed in animals previously diagnosed with GM1 or GM2 gangliosidosis. The immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent techniques developed in this study clearly demonstrated the accumulated material to be either GM1 or GM2 ganglioside. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent techniques using stored paraffin-embedded brain specimens are useful for the retrospective diagnosis of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses in dogs and cats.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27036194/