Abstract
Background: A recent genome-wide association study in German Shepherd dogs (GSDs) with chronic enteropathy (CE) has identified polymorphisms in the Th2 cytokine genes. Hypothesis/objective: To determine if the expression of the Th2 cytokines, interleukin-13 (IL-13) and interleukin-33 (IL-33), is altered in the duodenal mucosa of GSDs with CE compared to non-GSDs with CE and healthy dogs. Animals: Twenty client-owned dogs diagnosed with CE (10 GSDs and 10 non-GSDs) at the Bristol Veterinary School and 8 healthy Beagle dogs from the Iowa State University Service Colony. Methods: Retrospective study using archived paraffin-embedded duodenal biopsy samples. A novel RNA in situ hybridization technology (RNAscope) was used to hybridize IL-13 and IL-33 mRNA probes onto at least 10 sections from duodenal biopsy samples for each dog. RNAscope signals were visualized using a microscope and semi-quantitative assessment was performed by a single operator. Results: Based on duodenal villus, subvillus, epithelial, and lamina propria average expression scores, GSDs with CE had significantly lower IL-13 and IL-33 mRNA expression compared to non-GSDs with CE (IL-13, P <.04; IL-33, P <.02) and healthy Beagle dogs (IL-13, P <.02; IL-33, P <.004). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Similar to human patients with ulcerative colitis, a subtype of human inflammatory bowel disease, these data indicate that Th2 cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of CE in GSDs.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1660-1668 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 6 Jun 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2019 |
Keywords
- bowel
- canine
- cytokine
- duodenum
- inflammatory
- Th2