02147: Use of MicroRNA Profiles in the Serum of Dogs for Early Diagnosis of Mitral Valve Disease and Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Grant Status: Closed
Abstract
Mitral valve dysfunction is a common cardiac disease in dogs, especially in small breeds < 20 kg. Diagnosis is made using echocardiography. As for other cardiac diseases, reliable serum markers for a quick and easy diagnosis are in great demand. MicroRNAs are small molecules that are naturally produced by all cells and are known to regulate many cellular reactions. They can be detected in every body fluid, even in samples stored for years, since they are very stable. In human patients suffering from diabetes, heart attack or cancer, specific MicroRNAs have been found to be either elevated or reduced in the serum compared to healthy individuals. In a clinical setting, the use of these molecules as disease markers is still in its infancy. To prove their applicability as diagnostic or prognostic parameters, rigorous studies have to be conducted. For the health of companion animals, reliable diagnostic markers are just as essential as they are for humans. MicroRNA molecules are very similar between humans and mammals, making it possible to use the same tests and to compare results across species. MicroRNAs in the serum of both human and canine patients with mitral valve disease have not been studied. This project aims to find MicroRNAs in the serum of dogs that could be used as specific diagnostic markers for mitral valve disease. To corroborate the specificity, a group of dogs with a different heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, will also be included.
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.
