Vascular endothelial growth factor: a blood biomarker in canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease that mainly occurs in the West Highland white terrier (WHWT) breed. CIPF diagnosis is challenging. Identification of measurable markers of fibrosis might be helpful in this circumstance. VEGF is an angiogenic regulator involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The aims of the present study were (1) to investigate the potential role of VEGF as a peripheral blood biomarker in CIPF; and (2) to investigate possible breed-related differences in basal VEGF concentration, that might explain the high predisposition of the WHWT breed for CIPF. Therefore, VEGF was determined by ELISA in the serum of 14 WHWT with CIPF, 18 healthy WHWT, and 85 healthy dogs of other breeds, including : 14 Scottish terrier (ST), 16 Jack Russell terrier (JRT), 15 Maltese, 14 King Charles Spaniel (KCS), 12 Labrador Retriever (LR) and 14 Malinois Belgian Shepherd. Eight CIPF WHWT (57%) have serum VEGF concentrations above the kit detection limit (39.1 pg/ml) compared to 1 WHWT (0.05%) in the group of healthy dogs (P=0.001). Concerning inter-breed differences in healthy dogs, most values obtained were below the kit detection limit with only 3 KCS (21%), 3 JRT (19%), 3 LR (25%) and 1 ST (7%) having VEGF serum levels above 39.1 pg/ml (P=0.147). Results of the present study show that (1) VEGF might be an interesting blood biomarker for CIPF; (2) canine VEGF Quantikine Elisa kit is not appropriate for measurement of serum VEGF levels in healthy canine populations

Is 5-Hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in dogs ?

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Gene expression profiles in canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

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Investigation of cytokine expression in canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

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Is the CXC-Chemokine CXCL8 involved in the breed predisposition of west highland white terrier to canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ?

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Long-term outcome and use of 6-Minute Walk test in West Highland white Terriers with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an incurable interstitial lung disease occurring mainly in West Highland White Terriers (WHWTs). The effects of IPF on survival and on exercise tolerance in WHWTs are unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate survival, prognostic factors, and exercise tolerance in WHWTs with IPF. ANIMALS: Privately owned WHWTs; 15 with IPF and 11 healthy controls. METHODS: Prospective case‐control study conducted in 2007–2012. For survival, descriptive statistics and Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival curves with Cox proportional hazard ratios were performed. For the prognostic factor study, KM curves, Cox regression analysis, and logistic regression models were used. The 6‐minute walk test (6MWT) was used for measurement of exercise tolerance. RESULTS: The median IPF‐specific survival of deceased WHWTs (7/15) with IPF was 32 (range 2–51) months from onset of clinical signs. The risk of death from birth in WHWTs with IPF in age‐adjusted Cox model was significantly higher (hazard ratio 4.6; 95% confidence interval 1.05–19.74, P = .04) than in control WHWTs. No significant prognostic factors were identified. In 6MWT, WHWTs with IPF walked a shorter distance, median 398 m (range 273–519 m), than healthy controls, median 492 m (420–568 m), P = .05, and the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood in diseased dogs had a moderate positive correlation with walking distance (Kendall′s tau‐b = 0.69, P = .06). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: IPF had a negative impact on life expectancy, but individual survival varied considerably. 6MWT proved to be a well‐tolerated, noninvasive test to evaluate exercise tolerance