Acute-phase Protein Profile of Healthy Bitches in Diestrus: the Influence of Steroid Hormones

Author(s)

Vannucchi, Camila Infantosi ^[1] ; Lucio, Cristina de Fatima ^[1] ; Regazzi, Fernanda Machado ^[1] ; Ramos Angrimani, Daniel de Souza ^[1] ; Brito, Maira Morales ^[1] ; Abreu, Renata de Azevedo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Vet Med & Anim Sci, Dept Anim Reprod, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Acta Scientiae Veterinariae; v. 43, NOV 16 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Background: Acute-phase proteins are known as significant indicators of inflammation for several animal species, allowing more accurate follow-up of diseases, particularly when other clinical signs are not apparent. Nevertheless, the difficulty of data interpretation due to the absence of reference values for canine species represents an imperative obstacle for systematic clinical application. Moreover, no influence of hormonal status has yet been established for dogs. The aim of this study was thus to propose reference values of fibrinogen, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, seromucoid and glycoprotein for diestrous healthy females and therefore verify the influence of the hormone status. Materials, Methods \& Results: Data consisted of weekly blood sampling from 20 Great Dane diestrous bitches during 9 weeks. Each animal's health condition was verified through physical assessment and the absence of acute inflammatory or infectious processes was guaranteed by a total white cell count. Sampling started with diestrus onset and continued until the beginning of anestrus, evaluated by vaginal cytology. From blood samples, the concentrations of fibrinogen, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, seromucoid, glycoprotein, progesterone and estrogen were determined accordingly. No statistical variations (P < 0.05) on plasmatic fibrinogen, serum haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin concentrations were observed between weeks of diestrus nor a correlation between the hormonal profile. Significant increase in seromucoid concentration was verified between the 1st and 6th week of diestrus, while significant variation (P < 0.05) of glycoprotein was measured between the 1st and 3rd weeks of diestrus, as well as between weeks 2 and 9. The reference values proposed were: 182.22 (+/-46.40) mg/dL for fibrinogen, 80.22 (+/-9.80) mg/dL of HbCN binding capacity for haptoglobin, 8.19 (+/-1.68) IU/L for ceruloplasmin, 79.88 (+/-15.78) mg/dL for seromucoid and 11.89 (+/-0.92) % for glycoprotein. Discussion: As no correlation was verified among fibrinogen, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin and hormone concentrations in diestrous bitches, such laboratorial determination can thus be utilized for patients regardless of progesterone concentration. However, hormone status resulted in seromucoid increase during progesterone decline in diestrus. During the first half of the diestrous period (1st to 5th weeks), there is an intense corpus luteum steroidogenesis which will require seromucoid plasmatic increase for progesterone transportation. There was higher glycoprotein level at early diestrus (3rd week), during which there is high progesterone concentration. Therefore, the possible explanation for the increase in glycoprotein concentration is the progesterone profile, nonetheless the lack in statistical correlation between these variables. In conclusion, the hormonal profile has no influence on fibrinogen, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin concentrations. On the other hand, the levels of seromucoid and glycoprotein vary according to the diestrous phase (or progesterone concentration), suggesting a differential acute-phase protein profile in relation to the hormonal profile. However, additional studies are required to clearly establish the influence of reproductive hormones on inflammatory or non-inflammatory acute-phase protein synthesis in the canine liver and reproductive tissues. In addition, research on proestrous and estrous bitches may clarify the modulation system by which relates to estrogen and the acute-phase protein profile. (AU)