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Published on: February 12, 2018
Use of Serum MicroRNAs as Biomarker for Hepatobiliary Diseases in Dogs
K Dirksen1, T Verzijl1, G C Grinwis2
1Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Background:
Current biochemical indicators cannot discriminate between parenchymal, biliary, vascular, and neoplastic hepatobiliary diseases. MicroRNAs are promising new biomarkers for hepatobiliary disease in humans and dogs.
Objective:
To measure serum concentrations of an established group of microRNAs in dogs and to investigate their concentrations in various types of hepatobiliary diseases.
Animals:
Forty-six client-owned dogs with an established diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease and stored serum samples and eleven client-owned healthy control Labrador Retrievers.
Methods:
Retrospective study. Medical records of dogs with parenchymal, biliary, vascular, or neoplastic hepatobiliary diseases and control dogs were reviewed. Concentrations of miR-21, miR-122, miR-126, miR-148a, miR-200c, and miR-222 were quantified in serum by real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
No different microRNA concentrations were found in the adenoma and congenital portosystemic shunt groups. In all other diseases, miR-122 concentrations were elevated with the highest concentration in the mucocele group (267-fold, CI: 40-1,768, P < .001). In dogs with biliary diseases, miR-21 and miR-222 were only increased in dogs with mucoceles (26-fold, CI: 5-141, P = .005 and 13-fold, CI: 2-70, P = .025, respectively). Uniquely increased microRNAs were found in the hepatocellular carcinoma group (miR-200c, 35-fold increase, CI: 3-382, P = .035) and the chronic hepatitis group (miR-126, 22-fold increase, CI: 5-91, P = .002).
Conclusions And Clinical Importance:
A microRNA panel consisting of miR-21, miR-122, miR-126, miR-200c, and miR-222 can distinguish between parenchymal, biliary, and neoplastic hepatobiliary diseases. Serum microRNA profiling is a promising new tool that might be a valuable addition to conventional diagnostics to help diagnose various hepatobiliary diseases in dogs.
