title: Effect of heart failure on dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity in plasma of dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In congestive heart failure (HF), plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) seems devoid of biological effectiveness. BNP(1-32) could be truncated into BNP(3-32) by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4), and BNP(3-32) has reduced biological activities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Increased DPP4 activity is associated with pathophysiology of HF.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-eight client-owned dogs and 9 experimental Beagles from the Clinical Veterinary Unit of the University of Liège.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively measured plasma DPP4 activity in 5 groups of dogs: normal growing dogs (n = 21), normal adult dogs (n = 60), healthy Beagle (n = 9), dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (n = 35), and dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 12). The final diagnosis and the severity of HF were determined by Doppler echocardiography. Plasma DPP4 activity was measured kinetically by a fluorimetric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In growing dogs, DPP4 activity was higher than in adults (P < .001) and inversely correlated with age (r = -0.57, P < .01). In adults, DPP4 activity increased linearly with body weight (r = 0.39, P < .01), but there was no influence of age or sex. No effect of the circadian rhythm was noted. DPP4 activity was significantly higher in HF ISACHC I (16.3 ± 1.14 U/L) compared with healthy adults (12.4 ± 0.65 U/L, P < .05) and HF ISACHC III (11.0 ± 1.50 U/L, P < .05). Mean DPP4 activity in ISACHC II was 15.1 ± 1.4 U/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find evidence that plasma DPP4 activity is responsible for the "BNP resistance" in overt congestive HF, but it may be implicated in early stages.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matheeussen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamborini
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Merveille
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jespers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Michaux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clercx
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Meester
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mc Entee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000097:blood*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4