Serum big endothelin-1 as a clinical marker for cardiopulmonary and neoplastic diseases in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
Many studies of human subjects have demonstrated the utility of assessing serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and big ET-1 as clinical biomarkers in cardiopulmonary and neoplastic diseases. In this study we explored the feasibility of using serum big ET-1 as a reliable veterinary marker in dogs with various cardiopulmonary and neoplastic diseases.


METHODS
Serum big ET-1 levels were measured by ELISA in dogs with cardiopulmonary (n=21) and neoplastic diseases (n=57). Dogs exhibiting cardiopulmonary disease were divided into two groups based on the velocity of tricuspid valve regurgitation (3.0>m/s) measured by ultrasound: without and with pulmonary hypertension. Big ET-1 levels for the dogs with the diseases were compared with levels in normal healthy dogs (n=17).


RESULTS
Dogs with cardiopulmonary disease (4.6±4.6 pmol/l) showed a significantly (P<0.01) higher level of big ET-1 than healthy control dogs (1.1±0.53 pmol/l). Serum levels in the dogs with pulmonary hypertension (6.2±5.3 pmol/l) were significantly (P<0.01) higher than those without pulmonary hypertension (2.0±0.6 pmol/l). Dogs with hemangiosarcoma (5.6±2.2 pmol/l), adenocarcinoma (2.0±1.8 pmol/l), histiocytic sarcoma (3.3±1.9 pmol/l), chondrosarcoma or osteosarcoma (3.0±1.6 pmol/l) and hepatocellular carcinoma (2.7±1.8 pmol/l) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher levels than healthy control dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings point to the potential of serum big ET-1 as a clinical marker for cardiopulmonary and neoplastic diseases in dogs.
Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501,Japan.
Shinya
S
Fukumoto
Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501,Japan.
Kiwamu
K
Hanazono
Companion Animal Nutrition, Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Taku
T
Miyasho
Veterinary Oncology, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Yoshifumi
Y
Endo
Veterinary Oncology, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Tsuyoshi
T
Kadosawa
Veterinary Biochemistry, Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Hidetomo
H
Iwano
Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501,Japan. Electronic address: uchide@rakuno.ac.jp.
Tsuyoshi
T
Uchide
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000662:veterinary*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
Big endothelin-1; Dog; Pulmonary hypertension; Tumor