Alterations of aorta intima and media transcriptome in swine fed high-fat diet over 1-year follow-up period and of the switch to normal diet.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We previously showed that 12-month high-fat diet (HFD) in pigs led to fattening and increased artery intima-media-thickness, which were partly reversed after 3-month return to control diet (CD). The aim of this study was to decipher underlying mechanism of action by using transcriptomic analyses of intima and media of aorta. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-two pigs were divided into three groups: CD for 12 months; HFD for 12 months; switch diet group (regression diet; RD): HFD for 9 months followed by CD for 3 months. After 12 months, RNA was isolated from aorta intima and media for nutrigenomic analyses. HFD significantly affected gene expression in intima, while RD gene expression profile was distinct from the CD group. This suggests that switch to CD is not sufficient to correct gene expression alterations induced by HFD but counteracted expression of a group of genes. HFD also affected gene expression in media and as for intima, the expression profile of media of pigs on RD differed from that of these on CD. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed nutrigenomic modifications induced by long-term HFD consumption on arterial intima and media. The return to CD was not sufficient to counteract the genomic effect of HFD.

The urine podocin/creatinine ratio as a novel biomarker of cardiorenal syndrome in dogs due to degenerative mitral valve disease.

Dysfunction of heart leads inevitable to the dysfunction of kidney which is termed as the cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Previous studies have confirmed existence of CRS in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). The goal of the study was to assess the usefulness of commercial test to measure podocyturia in dogs and test the urine podocine/creatinine ratio (UPoC) as an early marker of kidney injury. Urine podocine/creatinine ratio was calculated because numbers of podocytes is dependent on the urine concentration. Fifty dogs was divided into three groups: fifteen healthy (control group), twenty nine with DMVD class C-chronic according to ACVIM (heart group) and six with chronic kidney disease (kidney group). Each dog underwent a clinical examination: electrocardiography, echocardiography, chest radiograph, abdominal ultrasound, blood haematological and biochemical analysis including symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and cystatin C (Cyst C), routine urine analysis and analysis of podocytes using an ELISA test. UPoC was calculated. Mean value ± standard deviation for UPoC was respectively 9.7 ± 4.8 x 10-10 for control group, 49.0 ± 80.0 x 10-10 for heart group, 33.7 ± 18.0 x 10-10 for kidney group. The UPoC in the heart and kidney group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.0001, sensivity 0.83, specyfity 0.20). Commercial ELISA tests may be used to assess podocyturia in dogs. An UPoC increase exceeding 12.93 x 10-10 indicates glomerular damage in DMVD dogs. Based on UPoC, 79.3% of dogs with C-chronic stage of DMVD developed CRS.

Retrospective analysis of co-occurrence of congenital aortic stenosis and pulmonary artery stenosis in dogs.

The study has focused on the retrospective analysis of cases of coexisting congenital aortic stenosis (AS) and pulmonary artery stenosis (PS) in dogs. The research included 5463 dogs which were referred for cardiological examination (including clinical examination, ECG and echocardiography) between 2004 and 2014. Aortic stenosis and PS stenosis were detected in 31 dogs. This complex defect was the most commonly diagnosed in Boxers - 7 dogs, other breeds were represented by: 4 cross-breed dogs, 2 Bichon Maltais, 3 Miniature Pinschers, 2 Bernese Mountain Dogs, 2 French Bulldogs, and individuals of following breeds: Bichon Frise, Bull Terrier, Czech Wolfdog, German Shepherd, Hairless Chinese Crested Dog, Miniature Schnauzer, Pug, Rottweiler, Samoyed, West Highland White Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier. In all the dogs, the murmurs could be heard, graded from 2 to 5 (on a scale of 1-6). Besides, in 9 cases other congenital defects were diagnosed: patent ductus arteriosus, mitral valve dysplasia, pulmonary or aortic valve regurgitation, tricuspid valve dysplasia, ventricular or atrial septal defect. The majority of the dogs suffered from pulmonary valvular stenosis (1 dog had supravalvular pulmonary artery stenosis) and subvalvular aortic stenosis (2 dogs had valvular aortic stenosis). Conclusions and clinical relevance - co-occurrence of AS and PS is the most common complex congenital heart defect. Boxer breed was predisposed to this complex defect. It was found that coexisting AS and PS is more common in male dogs and the degree of PS and AS was mostly similar.

Short-term and long-term PQ, QT and R-R intervals' variability at the resting condition and after exercise testing in healthy Anglo-Arabian horses.

UNLABELLED: The duration of electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters: PQ, QT and R-R intervals change during long-term and short-term observation as the consequence of the fluctuations in autonomic nervous system activity among others dependent on the exercise and resting. There is no data of horse breed influence on these parameters. The aim of the study was to assess the duration and the variability of the PQ, QT and R-R intervals in the resting conditions and after exercise testing in Anglo-Arabian horses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 27 healthy Anglo-Arabian horses aged 3.4 +/- 1.0 years (15 male, 12 female) had ECG examination in the standing position using Einthoven system of leads. The longest and the shortest PQ, QT and R-R intervals were measured after night rest and after exercise testing and the means were calculated. CONCLUSIONS: 1) In Anglo-Arabian horses the difference between the longest and the shortest PQ interval at rest vs. after exercise is 0.06 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.03 +/- 0.02, QT interval is 0.04 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.04, R-R interval 0.19 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.08 +/- 0.11. 2) The PQ and R-R intervals reveal high short-term variability either at the resting conditions or after exercise testing. 3) After exercise testing PQ, QT and R-R intervals are shorter than at the resting conditions. The delta PQ and R-R are 2 times smaller in contrast to delta QT which is constant. 4) The PQ and R-R interval variability was greater at the baseline condition than after exercise testing. The QT variability was similar at baseline condition to that after exercise testing.