Einfluss von Psychosozialem Stress auf die Hormone der Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Nebennierenrinden-Achse und den Schlaf in Abhängigkeit vom CRHR1 Genotyp

This study investigated the influence of psychosocial stress on sleep and hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis depending on the CHRHR1 genotype (rs110402). It was found that the cortisol release after stress was significantly higher in homozygous T carriers than in homozygous C carriers. During sleep, only a genetically independent stress effect in the form of reduced sleep efficiency, reduced time in REM sleep, increased latencies for N1, N2 and N3, and a longer period of wakefulness could be observed.In dieser Studie wurde der Einfluss psychosozialen Stresses auf den Schlaf und die Hormone der Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Nebennierenrinden-Achse in Abhängigkeit vom CHRHR1 Genotyp (rs110402) untersucht. Dabei zeigte sich, dass die Cortisol-Ausschüttung nach Stress bei den homozygoten T-Trägern signifikant höher war, als bei den homozygoten C Trägern. Im Schlaf konnte lediglich ein genetisch unabhängiger Stress-Effekt in Form einer verringerten Schlaf-Effizienz, verringerten Zeit im REM Schlaf, sowie erhöhte Latenzen für N1, N2 und N3, sowie eine längere Zeit wach festgestellt werden

Anti-Müllerian hormone as a diagnostic tool to identify queens with ovarian remnant syndrome

Objectives Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is suspected when heat signs occur in spayed individuals, but further diagnostic procedures are necessary to exclude other possible oestrogen sources, such as the adrenal gland or exogenous supplementation. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), secreted by granulosa cells or Sertoli cells, serves to differentiate sexually intact from gonadectomised animals and has been described in dogs as a tool for diagnosing ORS. The aim of this study was to evaluate if AMH determination can be used to diagnose ORS in cats. Methods AMH was measured with a chemiluminescence immunoassay in serum samples of 15 sexually intact, 9 spayed and 16 cats with a history of heat signs after spaying. Abdominal ultrasound (n = 13), vaginal smears (n = 7), progesterone measurement (n = 5) and laparotomy (n = 14) were used to determine the presence of ovarian tissue. After surgery, a histological examination of the obtained tissue was performed in the cats with suspected ORS. Results In 15 cats with ORS the AMH serum concentrations were significantly higher than in spayed cats (n = 10; P = 0.025) and significantly lower than in sexually intact cats (n = 15; P = 0.001). Among the cats with ORS, the highest AMH serum concentrations were measured in the queens with cystic ovarian alterations and in one cat from which a whole ovary was obtained. The cat with the lowest AMH serum concentration had a simultaneous high progesterone serum concentration. Cats with ORS did not show any heat signs after surgical removal of the ovarian tissue. Conclusions and relevance A single determination of AMH in blood serum is a useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of ORS in cats, regardless of the hormonal activity of the remnant ovarian tissue

Comparison of the respiratory bacterial microbiome in cats with feline asthma and chronic bronchitis

ObjectivesWhile feline chronic bronchitis (CB) is known as neutrophilic bronchial inflammation (NI), feline asthma (FA) is defined as an eosinophilic airway inflammation (EI). Feline chronic bronchial disease refers to both syndromes, with similar clinical presentations and applied treatment strategies. Recent studies described alterations of the microbiota composition in cats with FA, but little is known about the comparison of the lung microbiota between different types of feline bronchial disease. The study aimed to describe the bacterial microbiota of the lower respiratory tracts of cats with FA and CB and to identify potential differences.MethodsTwenty-two client-owned cats with FA (n = 15) or CB (n = 7) confirmed via bronchoalveolar-lavage (BALF)-cytology were included. Next-generation sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA genes was performed on bacterial DNA derived from BALF samples. QIIME was used to compare microbial composition and diversity between groups.ResultsEvenness and alpha-diversity-indices did not significantly differ between cats with FA and CB (Shannon p = 0.084, Chao 1 p = 0.698, observed ASVs p = 0.944). Based on a PERMANOVA analysis, no significant differences were observed in microbial composition between animals of both groups (Bray-Curtis metric, R-value 0.086, p = 0.785; unweighted UniFrac metric, R-value −0.089, p = 0.799; weighted Unifrac metric, R-value −0.072, p = 0.823). Regarding taxonomic composition, significant differences were detected for Actinobacteria on the phylum level (p = 0.026), Mycoplasma spp. (p = 0.048), and Acinetobacteria (p = 0.049) on the genus level between cats with FA and CB, with generally strong interindividual differences seen. There was a significant difference in the duration of clinical signs before diagnosis in animals dominated by Bacteriodetes (median 12 months, range 2–58 months) compared to animals dominated by Proteobacteria (median 1 month, range 1 day to 18 months; p = 0.003).Conclusions and relevanceLung microbiota composition is very similar in cat populations with spontaneous FA and CB besides small differences in some bacterial groups. However, with disease progression, the lung microbiome of cats with both diseases appears to shift away from dominantly Proteobacteria to a pattern more dominated by Bacteriodetes. A substantial proportion of cats tested positive for Mycoplasma spp. via sequencing, while none of them tested positive using classical PCR