Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Serotonin levels in blood and heart tissue of dogs with mitral valve
By Cremer, S E et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2014·Department of Veterinary Disease Biology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serotonin concentrations in platelets, plasma, mitral valve leaflet, and left ventricular myocardial tissue in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), particularly Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, had higher levels of serotonin in their heart tissues compared to healthy dogs. This study measured serotonin levels in different parts of the body, finding that the mitral valve and heart muscle of dogs with MMVD had significantly elevated serotonin levels. While the serotonin in their blood platelets was also higher, there was no difference in the plasma levels between healthy and affected dogs. These findings suggest that serotonin signaling might play a role in the progression of heart disease in dogs.
People also search for: dog heart disease symptoms · Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mitral valve disease · serotonin levels in dogs with heart problems
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Altered serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) signaling is postulated in development and progression of canine myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Little is known regarding platelet, plasma, valvular, or myocardial 5HT concentration ([5HT]) in affected dogs. We quantified [5HT] in platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet-poor plasma (PPP), mitral valve leaflets (MV), and left ventricular myocardium (LV). ANIMALS: Forty-five dogs comprised 4 plasma groups of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) or non-CKCS, either healthy (CON) or MMVD affected: CKCS CON (n = 12); non-CKCS CON (n = 8); CKCS MMVD (n = 14); non-CKCS MMVD (n = 11). Twenty-four dogs comprised 3 tissue groups: MMVD (n = 8); other-HD (heart disease) (n = 7); non-HD, extracardiac disease (n = 9). METHODS: High-performance liquid chromatography measured PRP, PPP, MV, and LV [5HT]. RESULTS: Platelet-rich plasma platelet [5HT] was greater in CKCS CON (1.83 femtograms/platelet [fg/plt]; range, 0.20-4.76; P = .002), CKCS MMVD (1.58 fg/plt; range, 0.70-4.03; P = .005), and non-CKCS MMVD (1.72 fg/plt; range, 0.85-4.44; P = .003) versus non-CKCS CON (0.92 fg/plt; range, 0.63-1.30). There was no group difference in PPP [5HT]. MV [5HT] was significantly higher in MMVD (32.4 ng/mg; range, 8.4-106.7) versus non-HD (3.6 ng/mg; range, 0-28.3; P = .01) and LV [5HT] was significantly higher in MMVD (11.9 ng/mg; range, 4.0-104.8) versus other-HD (0.9 ng/mg; range, 0-10.1; P = .011) and non-HD (2.5 ng/mg; range, 0-6.9; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Platelet [5HT] was highest in healthy CKCS and both MMVD groups, but plasma [5HT] showed no group differences. Tissue [5HT] was highest in MV and LV of MMVD-affected dogs, suggesting altered 5HT signaling as a potential feature of MMVD. Interactions of platelet, valvular, and myocardial 5HT signaling warrant further investigation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25146933/