2006 merck/merial - School of Veterinary Medicine - Louisiana State ...

Characterization of liver auto-antibodies in dogs with chronic hepatitisJoel G. Weltman, Jennifer A. Kaae, VMD, Lauren A. Trepanier, DVM, PhD, Dip. ACVIM, Dip. ACVCPUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary MedicineCanine chronic hepatitis, though frequently diagnosed clinically, is often of unknown etiology. In humans, 11 to23% of chronic hepatitis is diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis, based on the presence of liver auto-antibodies that havediagnostic and prognostic significance. Though few studies have focused on autoimmune processes in canine chronichepatitis, our preliminary studies have demonstrated auto-antibodies directed against multiple targets in several dogs withchronic hepatitis. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of liver auto-antibodies in dogs with chronichepatitis, and to provide preliminary data for the evaluation of the relationship between auto-antibody production and breedpredilection, disease severity, and other factors. Serum will be collected from dogs with a biopsy diagnosis of chronichepatitis, prior to any immunosuppressive therapy. Control groups will include healthy dogs with normal liver enzymes, anddogs with a biopsy diagnosis of non-inflammatory liver disease (vacuolar hepatopathy or hepatic vascular anomalies).Fifteen dogs in each group will be screened for antibodies to normal canine liver proteins, fractionated and pooled intonuclear and cytosolic components, by immunoblotting. Common protein targets of auto-antibodies will be identified by massspectrometry. The results of this and future studies will evaluate the utility of auto-antibodies in the pathogenesis, diagnosis,and prognosis of canine chronic hepatitis.157