Association of circulating adipokine concentrations with indices of adiposity and sex in healthy, adult client owned cats.

BACKGROUND: Both diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity are common in cats. The adipokines leptin, adiponectin, resistin and omentin are thought to have important roles in human obesity and glucose homeostasis; however, their functions in the pathophysiology of feline diabetes mellitus and obesity are poorly understood. We determined whether sexual dimorphism exists for circulating concentrations of these adipokines, whether they are associated with adiposity, and whether they correlate with basic indices of insulin sensitivity in cats. Healthy, client-owned male and female cats that were either ideal weight or obese were recruited into the study. Fasting blood glucose, fructosamine, cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and plasma concentrations of adipokines were evaluated. RESULTS: Obese cats had greater serum concentrations of glucose and triglycerides than ideal weight cats, but fructosamine and cholesterol concentrations did not differ between groups. Body weight and body mass index were greater in male than female cats, but circulating metabolite cocentrations were similar between sexes of both the ideal weight and obese groups. Plasma concentrations of insulin and leptin were greater in obese than ideal weight cats, with reciprocal reduction in adiponectin concentrations in obese cats; there were no sex differences in these hormones. Interestingly, plasma omentin concentrations were greater in male than female cats but with no differences between obese and ideal weight states. CONCLUSION: Together our findings suggest that rather than gender, body weight and adiposity are more important determinants of circulating concentrations of the adipokines leptin and adiponectin. On the contrary, the adipokine omentin is not affected by body weight or adiposity but instead exhibits sexual dimorphism in cats.

Differential circulating concentrations of adipokines, glucagon and adropin in a clinical population of lean, overweight and diabetic cats.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia, dysregulated adipokine secretion and alteration in glucagon and adropin concentrations are important obesity-related factors in the pathophysiology of human Type 2 diabetes; however, their roles in the pathophysiology of feline diabetes mellitus are relatively unknown. Here, we determined the concentrations of circulating leptin, adiponectin, pro-inflammatory cytokines, glucagon, adropin, triglycerides, and cholesterol, in non-diabetic lean and overweight cats and newly diagnosed diabetic cats. Client-owned cats were recruited and assigned into 3 study groups: lean, overweight and diabetic. Fasting blood samples were analyzed in lean, overweight and diabetic cats at baseline and 4 weeks after consumption of high protein/low carbohydrate standardized diet. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of triglycerides were greater in diabetics at baseline and were increased in both diabetic and overweight cats at 4 weeks. Plasma leptin concentrations were greater in diabetic and overweight at baseline and 4 weeks, whereas adiponectin was lower in diabetics compared to lean and overweight cats at baseline and 4 weeks. Diabetics had greater baseline plasma glucagon concentrations compared to lean, lower adropin than overweight at 4 weeks, and lower IL-12 concentrations at 4 weeks than baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that feline obesity and diabetes mellitus are characterized by hypertriglyceridemia and hyperleptinemia; however, diabetic cats have significantly lower adiponectin and adropin compared to overweight cats. Thus, despite having similar body condition, overweight and diabetic cats have differential circulating concentrations of adiponectin and adropin.

A comparative proteomic study of plasma in feline pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis to identify diagnostic biomarkers: A pilot study.

While pancreatitis is now recognized as a common ailment in cats, the diagnosis remains challenging due to discordant results and suboptimal sensitivity of ultrasound and specific feline pancreatic lipase (Spec fPL) assay. Pancreatitis also shares similar clinical features with pancreatic carcinoma, a rare but aggressive disease with a grave prognosis. The objective of this pilot study was to compare the plasma proteomes of normal healthy cats (n = 6), cats with pancreatitis (n = 6), and cats with pancreatic carcinoma (n = 6) in order to identify potential new biomarkers of feline pancreatic disease. After plasma protein separation by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, protein spots were detected by Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 staining and identified by mass spectrometry. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1), and apolipoprotein-A1 precursor (Pre Apo-A1) appeared to be differentially expressed, which suggests the presence of a systemic acute-phase response and alteration of lipid metabolism in cats with pancreatic disease. Future studies involving greater case numbers are needed in order to assess the utility of these proteins as potential biomarkers. More sensitive proteomic techniques may also be helpful in detecting significant but low-abundance proteins.

Bien que la pancréatite soit maintenant reconnue comme un problème peu fréquent chez les chats, le diagnostic demeure un défi étant donné les résultats discordants et la sensibilité sous-optimale de l'échographie et de l'épreuve spécifique de la lipase pancréatique féline (Spec fPL). La pancréatite partage également des similarités cliniques avec le carcinome pancréatique, une maladie rare mais agressive ayant un pronostic grave. L'objectif de cette étude pilote était de comparer les protéomes plasmatiques de chats normaux en santé (n = 6), de chats avec une pancréatite (n = 6), et de chats avec un carcinome pancréatique (n = 6) afin d'identifier de nouveaux biomarqueurs potentiels de maladie pancréatique féline. Après séparation des protéines plasmatiques par électrophorèse en gel en deux dimensions, les taches de protéines furent détectées par coloration avec du bleu brillant de Coomassie G-250 et identifiées par spectrométrie de masse. La glycoprotéine acide alpha-1 (AGP), l'apolipoprotéine A1 (Apo-A1), et le précurseur de l'apolipoprotéine A1 (Pre Apo-A1) apparaissent comme étant exprimées de manière différentielle, ce qui suggère la présence d'une réponse de phase-aiguë systémique et une altération du métabolisme des lipides chez les chats avec une maladie pancréatique. Des études additionnelles regroupant un plus grand nombre de cas sont nécessaires afin d'évaluer l'utilité de ces protéines comme biomarqueurs potentiels. Des techniques plus sensibles de protéomique pourraient également être utiles pour détecter des protéines significatives mais de faible abondance.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).