03279: Understanding the Immune Landscape of Canine Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and the Role of Inflammation in Disease Pathogenesis
Grant Status: Open
Abstract
Canine myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common acquired heart disease and the most frequent cause of heart failure in dogs, resulting in difficulty breathing and eventual death. This is an aging-related disease affecting many older dogs, especially small breed dogs such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Dachshund. Once in heart failure, the median survival time for dogs with MMVD is only approximately 11 months. The lack of medical therapies to slow the age-related progression of MMVD results from a limited understanding of what causes the disease and why the changes in the heart valve continue to worsen with time. In the human equivalent of this heart valve disease, there is evidence that inflammation may be involved and preliminary data indicates an increased number of immune cells found in the diseased valve leaflets. Understanding which particular type of immune cells are involved in MMVD may provide important insights into why these immune cells are there and their contribution to disease progression. Furthermore, an improved understanding of the exact inflammatory process involved in MMVD may help design a treatment for MMVD.
Researchers plan to use advanced sequencing technology, single cell (scRNA-seq) combined with RNAScope, to provide a detailed description of the immune cell types and their location in the valves. They will also test the effects of immune cell signaling on valve cells and determine if the immune cells contribute to the valve changes in disease. Data generated from this proposal will improve understanding of the interaction between immune cells and valvular cells during disease progression.
Publication(s)
None at this time
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
