Identification of variants of the SPINK1 gene and their association with pancreatitis in Miniature Schnauzers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the serine protease inhibitor, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) gene for variants and to determine their possible association with pancreatitis in Miniature Schnauzers.


METHODS
39 Miniature Schnauzers with pancreatitis, 25 healthy Miniature Schnauzers, and 23 healthy dogs of other breeds.


METHODS
The entire canine SPINK1 gene with its intron-exon boundaries was initially sequenced in 22 Miniature Schnauzers. Then, 2 regions of the gene were sequenced in 65 additional canine DNA samples at the locations of variants identified in the initial sequencing of the entire SPINK1 gene.


RESULTS
Analysis of the SPINK1 gene in Miniature Schnauzers revealed 3 closely associated variants in healthy Miniature Schnauzers and Miniature Schnauzers with pancreatitis. These variants consisted of 2 missense mutations in the second exon (N20K and N25T) and a poly T insertion in the third intron that was near the boundary of exon 3 (IVS3+26-27ins(T)33-39,15_61dup11). Pancreatitis was significantly associated with homozygous alleles for these 3 variants in Miniature Schnauzers. In healthy dogs of other breeds, only the 2 exon variants were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Variants of the SPINK1 gene may be associated with the development of pancreatitis in Miniature Schnauzers.
Bishop
Micah A
MA
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. mbishop@cvm.tamu.edu
Xenoulis
Panagiotis G
PG
Levinski
Melinda D
MD
Suchodolski
Jan S
JS
Steiner
Jörg M
JM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D004285:Dogs; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D014359:Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C486642:SPINK1 protein, human; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D014359:Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic; D008049:Lipase