Congenital lipoprotein lipase deficiency in hyperlipemic kitten siblings

The nature of the hyperlipemia in two 3-week-old male kittens, one of which was presented with the owner's complaints of retarded growth and white streaks on its eyes, was studied. Hypertriglyceridemia, hyper-cholesterolemia, and reduced Post-Heparin Plasma Lipolytic Activities (PHPLA) were observed in both animals. One of the kittens, however, was more severely affected and in addition, had lipemia retinalis and a marked lactescent, hyperchylomicronemic serum in spite of a short-term fast before sampling. These findings are strikingly similar to those found in human Type I hyperlipoproteinemia due to familial Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) deficiency. Diagnosis of persistent hyperlipemic syndromes in kittens should include the possibility of LPL deficiency as determined by PHPLA measurements.