Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum
Abstract Background Dogs are the main reservoir hosts of Leishmania infantum; nevertheless, recent investigations indicate a likely role for cats in the epidemiology of Leishmania infection. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) remains poorly characterised, partly due to the lack of suitable diagnostic tools....
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| Format: | Article |
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BMC
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04710-9 |
| _version_ | 1830360124717268992 |
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| author | Giulia Savioli Joy Archer Emanuele Brianti Giovanni Benelli Manuela Schnyder Roberta Iatta Domenico Otranto Cinzia Cantacessi |
| author_facet | Giulia Savioli Joy Archer Emanuele Brianti Giovanni Benelli Manuela Schnyder Roberta Iatta Domenico Otranto Cinzia Cantacessi |
| author_sort | Giulia Savioli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Dogs are the main reservoir hosts of Leishmania infantum; nevertheless, recent investigations indicate a likely role for cats in the epidemiology of Leishmania infection. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) remains poorly characterised, partly due to the lack of suitable diagnostic tools. This study aimed to compare serum amyloid A (SAA) levels and serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) profiles (specifically, alpha 2 and gamma globulins) in cats naturally exposed to or infected by L. infantum from southern Italy versus those of healthy controls and versus cats with neoplastic or inflammatory conditions from non-endemic areas. Methods Serum or plasma samples from four cohorts of cats were analysed for SAA levels and by SPE: (i) G1: healthy controls from Leishmania-non-endemic regions of Switzerland; (ii) G2: cats pre-diagnosed with neoplastic or inflammatory conditions available from the University of Cambridge sample archive; (iii) G3: L. infantum-seropositive, quantitative (q)PCR-negative cats from southern Italy; (iv) G4: L. infantum-seropositive and qPCR-positive cats from southern Italy. SAA data were assessed for normality and homoscedasticity using the Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests, respectively; the Kruskall–Wallis test, followed by Dunn’s test with Bonferroni correction were subsequently used to compare SAA serum levels between groups. A weighted generalised linear model with a binomial distribution was used to assess statistically significant differences in the numbers of animals displaying elevated gamma globulins and increased alpha 2 globulins between groups. Results Overall, 68 samples were analysed (G1: n = 16, G2: n = 20, G3: n = 20, G4: n = 12). Cats suffering from neoplastic and inflammatory conditions (G2 ) showed significantly higher SAA levels than healthy controls (G1) (median values [interquartile range]: G1: 0.00 [0.00–0.00] mg/l versus G2: 0.85 [0.00–49.55] mg/l). G2, G3 and G4 cats showed higher percentages of individuals with increased alpha 2 globulins (percentages ± standard error: G1 = 20.0% ± 10.3, G2 = 80.0% ± 8.9, G3 = 70.0% ± 10.2, G4 = 75.0% ± 12.5) and gamma globulins (G1 = 0.0% ± 0, G2 = 65.0% ± 10.7, G3 = 50.0% ± 11.2, G4 = 58.3% ± 14.2) than healthy control cats (G1). For all three markers, no significant difference between cats within G2, G3 and G4 was recorded. Conclusions This study indicates that the proportions of animals with elevated levels of alpha 2 and gamma globulins are significantly higher in cats exposed to and infected with L. infantum. Levels of SAA and alpha 2 and gamma globulins may not be used to differentiate between L. infantum infection or exposure, and neoplastic and/or inflammatory conditions. Graphic Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:11:47Z |
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| id | doaj.art-1127a21b95454cd89c7e8d17aa01b810 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:11:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-1127a21b95454cd89c7e8d17aa01b8102022-12-21T19:55:27ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052021-04-011411710.1186/s13071-021-04710-9Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantumGiulia Savioli0Joy Archer1Emanuele Brianti2Giovanni Benelli3Manuela Schnyder4Roberta Iatta5Domenico Otranto6Cinzia Cantacessi7Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of CambridgeDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of CambridgeDipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di MessinaDepartment of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of PisaInstitute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of ZurichDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of CambridgeAbstract Background Dogs are the main reservoir hosts of Leishmania infantum; nevertheless, recent investigations indicate a likely role for cats in the epidemiology of Leishmania infection. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) remains poorly characterised, partly due to the lack of suitable diagnostic tools. This study aimed to compare serum amyloid A (SAA) levels and serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) profiles (specifically, alpha 2 and gamma globulins) in cats naturally exposed to or infected by L. infantum from southern Italy versus those of healthy controls and versus cats with neoplastic or inflammatory conditions from non-endemic areas. Methods Serum or plasma samples from four cohorts of cats were analysed for SAA levels and by SPE: (i) G1: healthy controls from Leishmania-non-endemic regions of Switzerland; (ii) G2: cats pre-diagnosed with neoplastic or inflammatory conditions available from the University of Cambridge sample archive; (iii) G3: L. infantum-seropositive, quantitative (q)PCR-negative cats from southern Italy; (iv) G4: L. infantum-seropositive and qPCR-positive cats from southern Italy. SAA data were assessed for normality and homoscedasticity using the Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests, respectively; the Kruskall–Wallis test, followed by Dunn’s test with Bonferroni correction were subsequently used to compare SAA serum levels between groups. A weighted generalised linear model with a binomial distribution was used to assess statistically significant differences in the numbers of animals displaying elevated gamma globulins and increased alpha 2 globulins between groups. Results Overall, 68 samples were analysed (G1: n = 16, G2: n = 20, G3: n = 20, G4: n = 12). Cats suffering from neoplastic and inflammatory conditions (G2 ) showed significantly higher SAA levels than healthy controls (G1) (median values [interquartile range]: G1: 0.00 [0.00–0.00] mg/l versus G2: 0.85 [0.00–49.55] mg/l). G2, G3 and G4 cats showed higher percentages of individuals with increased alpha 2 globulins (percentages ± standard error: G1 = 20.0% ± 10.3, G2 = 80.0% ± 8.9, G3 = 70.0% ± 10.2, G4 = 75.0% ± 12.5) and gamma globulins (G1 = 0.0% ± 0, G2 = 65.0% ± 10.7, G3 = 50.0% ± 11.2, G4 = 58.3% ± 14.2) than healthy control cats (G1). For all three markers, no significant difference between cats within G2, G3 and G4 was recorded. Conclusions This study indicates that the proportions of animals with elevated levels of alpha 2 and gamma globulins are significantly higher in cats exposed to and infected with L. infantum. Levels of SAA and alpha 2 and gamma globulins may not be used to differentiate between L. infantum infection or exposure, and neoplastic and/or inflammatory conditions. Graphic Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04710-9Acute phase proteinAlpha 2 globulinsFeline leishmaniosisGamma globulinsLeishmania infantumPhlebotomine sand flies |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Savioli Joy Archer Emanuele Brianti Giovanni Benelli Manuela Schnyder Roberta Iatta Domenico Otranto Cinzia Cantacessi Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum Parasites & Vectors Acute phase protein Alpha 2 globulins Feline leishmaniosis Gamma globulins Leishmania infantum Phlebotomine sand flies |
| title | Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum |
| title_full | Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum |
| title_fullStr | Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum |
| title_short | Serum amyloid A levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with Leishmania infantum |
| title_sort | serum amyloid a levels and alpha 2 and gamma globulins on serum protein electrophoresis in cats exposed to and infected with leishmania infantum |
| topic | Acute phase protein Alpha 2 globulins Feline leishmaniosis Gamma globulins Leishmania infantum Phlebotomine sand flies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04710-9 |
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