Evaluation of CALC-I gene (CALCA) expression in tissues of dogs with signs of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To perform a qualitative evaluation of procalcitonin gene (CALCA) expression in a tissue-specific manner in dogs with signs of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.


METHODS
Nine clinical cases and 5 research dogs.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Fresh tissue samples (thyroid, lung, liver, spleen) from 9 dogs that died with a diagnosis of parvoviral infection or SIRS were collected and immediately stored at -80 °C. Diagnosis of parvoviral infection was based on clinical signs, positive fecal antigen test, and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Clinical diagnosis of SIRS was based on the clinical criteria reported in veterinary literature. Necropsy was performed on all subjects in the study. Furthermore, thyroid, lung, liver, spleen were collected from 5 normal research dogs immediately postmortem for testing. The 9 dogs with a clinical diagnosis of SIRS died from either parvovirus (n=5), bacterial sepsis (n=3), or neoplasia (n=1). CALCA was amplified by PCR in the following samples: thyroid (9/9), spleen (6/9), lung (4/9), liver (3/9). Only thyroid expressed CALCA in the 5 normal dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
In SIRS, extrathyroidal transcription of CALCA was documented. Quantitative analysis (real-time polymerase chain reaction) in a wider population of SIRS and normal dogs will provide essential information about the extent and source of extrathyroidal expression of canine CALCA induced by septic and nonseptic systemic inflammation.
Veterinary Clinical Department, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. massimo.giunti@unibo.it
Massimo
M
Giunti
Angelo
A
Peli
Mara
M
Battilani
Silvia
S
Zacchini
Gianfranco
G
Militerno
Cynthia M
CM
Otto
D000818:Animals; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*
D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin