Haematological parameters are normal in dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carrying a KIT mutation.
The KIT receptor protein-tyrosine kinase plays an important role during embryonic development. Activation of KIT is crucial for the development of various cell lineages such as melanoblasts, stem cells of the haematopoietic system, spermatogonia and intestinal cells of Cajal. In mice, many mutations in the Kit gene cause pigmentation disorders accompanied by pleiotropic effects on blood cells and male fertility. Previous work has demonstrated that dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carry one copy of the KIT gene with the p.Y717X mutation. The targeted breeding of white horses would be ethically questionable if white horses were known to suffer from anaemia or leukopenia. The present study demonstrates that no statistically significant differences in peripheral blood parameters are detectable between dominant white and solid-coloured Franches-Montagnes horses. The data indicate that KIT mutations may have different effects in mice, pigs, and horses. The KIT p.Y717X mutation does not have a major negative effect on the haematopoietic system of dominant white horses.
Haase
Bianca
B
Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Bremgartenstr. 109a, P.O. Box 8466, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
Obexer-Ruff
Gabriela
G
Dolf
Gaudenz
G
Rieder
Stefan
S
Burger
Dominik
D
Poncet
Pierre-André
PA
Gerber
Vincent
V
Howard
Judith
J
Leeb
Tosso
T
D000483:Alleles; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006197:Hair; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics*
D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit