title: Western blot patterns of serum autoantibodies against optic nerve antigens in dogs with goniodysgenesis-related glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether differences existed between clinically normal dogs and dogs with goniodysgenesis-related glaucoma (GDRG) in serum autoantibodies against optic nerve antigens.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 dogs with GDRG, 17 healthy dogs with unremarkable pectinate ligament and iridocorneal angle morphology, and 13 euthanized dogs with no major ocular abnormalities or underlying diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Western blotting was performed with optic nerve extracts from the euthanized dogs as an antigen source and serum from clinically normal dogs and dogs with GDRG as a primary antibody (autoantibody) source. Blots were evaluated for presence and density of bands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple bands were identified on western blots from all dogs with GDRG and all clinically normal dogs, with a high degree of variability among individual dogs. Dogs with GDRG were significantly more likely than healthy dogs to have bands present at 38, 40, and 68 kDa. Dogs with GDRG had significant increases in autoreactivity at 40 and 53 kDa and a significant decrease in autoreactivity at 48 kDa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in serum autoantibodies against optic nerve antigens were found in dogs with versus without GDRG. Although it remains unclear whether these differences were part of the pathogenesis of disease or were sequelae to glaucomatous changes, these findings provide support for the hypothesis that immune-mediated mechanisms play a role in the development or progression of GDRG. However, the high degree of variability among individual dogs and the considerable overlap between groups suggest that the clinical usefulness of this technique for distinguishing dogs with GDRG from clinically normal dogs is likely limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pumphrey
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzirani
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Pirie
authors.forename: M Sawkat
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Anwer
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Logvinenko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins