Acute phase proteins, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, nitric oxide and oxidative stress markers in horses with cutaneous habronemosis under field condition.

Habronemosis is a common parasitic disease of horses worldwide. In order to investigate how haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), oxidative stress markers, nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF- α), varies in cutaneous habronemosis, 30 horses with the clinical disease and 20 clinically healthy horses were included in the current study. The serum levels of Hp, SAA, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), NO, malondialdehyde (MDA), super oxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined in horses before and after two weeks of treatment. The serum levels of Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA were significantly elevated in infected horses as compared to the controls. Alternately, the serum levels of SOD, GSH, TAC and NO, were recorded low in infected horses as compared to the controls. All tested markers resumed the same levels after treatment as in control group. The Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA exhibited a high degree of clinical accuracy of the cases diagnosis. The area under the curve (AUC) for acute phase proteins (SAA, Hp), IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA was 0.87, 0.94, 0.96, 0.96 and 1.0, respectively. These findings showed that Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA may be supportive in the diagnosis of cutaneous habronemosis in horses and, simultaneously, they can also be used to monitor the progress of the treatment.

Serum acute phase protein concentrations in dogs with spirocercosis and their association with esophageal neoplasia - a prospective cohort study.

Spirocerca lupi, the dog esophageal worm, typically induces formation of esophageal nodules, which may transform to sarcoma. Ante mortem discrimination between benign and malignant esophageal masses is challenging. Serum acute phase proteins (APPs) are utilized in diagnosis and prognosis of various canine diseases as markers of inflammation. This study characterized serum APPs concentrations in dogs with benign and malignant esophageal spirocercosis and evaluated their accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Seventy-eight client-owned dogs with esophageal spirocercosis were included. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin, serum-amyloid A (SAA) and albumin concentrations were measured upon diagnosis and follow-up visits, and compared with healthy dogs, and between malignant and benign cases. Haptoglobin, CRP and SAA concentrations were higher, and albumin concentration was lower (P<0.001 for all) in infected dogs compared to healthy controls. Dogs with suspected neoplasia had significantly higher CRP (P=0.011), haptoglobin (P=0.008) and SAA (P=0.05), and lower albumin (P=0.012) concentrations compared to dogs with benign esophageal nodules. APPs moderately discriminated between suspected malignant and benign esophageal disease. None of the dogs with suspected neoplasia had concurrent normal concentrations of all APPs. The present results indicate that canine spirocercosis is characterized by an acute phase reaction, both at presentation and during treatment. When concentrations of all four APPs are within reference range, esophageal malignancy is highly unlikely. Although concentrations of all positive APPs were significantly higher in suspected neoplastic cases compared to benign ones, moderate discriminatory power limits their clinical use. Neither APP was useful to monitor response to treatment.

Vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations in dogs with spirocercosis.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent proangiogenic factor associated with tumor development. Spirocerca lupi is a nematode of canids that induces an esophageal nodule that progresses to a sarcoma in 25% of cases. Determination of neoplastic transformation is challenging and usually based on endoscopy-guided biopsies under general anesthesia, an expensive procedure that often yields nondiagnostic, necrotic samples. HYPOTHESIS: Circulatory VEGF concentrations are increased in dogs with neoplastic spirocercosis and can distinguish between dogs with neoplastic and nonneoplastic disease. ANIMALS: A total of 24 client-owned dogs, 9 nonneoplastic, 9 neoplastic, and 6 controls. METHODS: Case-control study. Plasma and serum VEGF concentrations at the time of diagnosis were compared with those of healthy controls. Measurement of VEGF was performed using a canine-specific ELISA. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests were used for statistical analysis with significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: The median plasma VEGF concentrations of dogs with neoplastic spirocercosis were 629 pg/mL (range, 282-2,366) higher than both the nonneoplastic (<39.5 pg/mL; range, <39.5-716) and control dogs (<39.5 pg/mL; all values, <39.5; P = .0003). The median serum VEGF concentration of the neoplastic dogs was 69 pg/mL (range, <39.5-212) higher than the nonneoplastic (<39.5 pg/mL; range, <39.5-44.13) and control dogs (<39.5 pg/mL; all values, <39.5; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Both plasma and serum VEGF concentrations can be used to differentiate nonneoplastic and neoplastic spirocercosis. The role of VEGF in neoplastic transformation of S. lupi-induced nodules and the potential utility of anti-VEGF drugs in spirocercosis-induced sarcoma warrant further investigation.

Hypovitaminosis D in dogs with spirocercosis.

BACKGROUND: Spirocercosis in dogs is characterized by esophageal nodules that can undergo neoplastic transformation. Hypovitaminosis D has been associated with neoplasia formation. We hypothesized hypovitaminosis D in neoplastic spirocercosis and that it could be a risk factor for neoplastic transformation. OBJECTIVE: To measure and compare vitamin D status, assessed by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in non-neoplastic (n = 25) and neoplastic (n = 26) spirocercosis client-owned dogs and healthy dogs (n = 24). ANIMALS: Twenty-five non-neoplastic dogs, 26 neoplastic dogs, and 24 healthy dogs. METHODS: Fifty-one dogs were randomly selected from 119 dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis presenting to our hospital, and further divided into non-neoplastic or neoplastic groups. Exclusion criteria included dogs less than 1 year old, with concurrent diseases, received corticosteroids, or treated prophylactically for spirocercosis. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Spirocercosis dogs' appetites were graded and compared. RESULTS: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly different among all groups (P < .001). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were significantly lower in neoplastic group (median 30.7 nmol/L [range 14.7-62.2]) compared to non-neoplastic (median 52.7 nmol/L [range 19.1-129.7, P < .05]) and healthy groups (median 74.6 nmol/L [range 37.4-130.5, P < .005]). 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were significantly lower in non-neoplastic spirocercosis dogs compared to healthy ones (P < .05). Neoplastic and non-neoplastic spirocercosis dogs had similar appetite scores (P = 1.0). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were not significantly different between dogs with normal (P = .087) and abnormal (P = .125) appetites within neoplastic and non-neoplastic spirocercosis groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Further studies are warranted to determine potential use of vitamin D treatment in spirocercosis and explore role of hypovitaminosis D in pathogenesis of malignant transformation.

Serum C-reactive protein concentration in benign and malignant canine spirocercosis.

BACKGROUND: Spirocerca lupi is a nematode of canids that forms a nodule in the esophagus that can undergo neoplastic transformation. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute phase protein in the dog that has been used for treatment, monitoring, and prognostication in inflammatory and neoplastic disease. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine if serum CRP concentration (1) is increased in canine spirocercosis, (2) can be used to determine neoplastic transformation, and (3) can be used to monitor response to treatment in benign spirocercosis. ANIMALS: Forty-two dogs naturally infected with S. lupi and 21 control dogs. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed. The infected cases were divided into benign (n = 28) or malignant (n = 14) spirocercosis. CRP was performed on all of the spirocercosis and control cases at presentation. Statistical analysis was done by the one-way analysis of variance and Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean CRP concentration in the benign cases was 60.4 ± 48.0 mg/L and that of the malignant cases was 76.5 ± 44.8 mg/L; both values were significantly higher (P < .001) than those of the control group where the mean was 13.4 ± 17.9 mg/L. The mean CRP concentration for the convalescent sera in the benign group was lower than the pretreatment concentrations (P= .01). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: CRP cannot be used to differentiate between benign and malignant spirocercosis. There is a decrease in CRP concentration in dogs with benign spirocercosis once treatment has commenced. Serial CRP measurement can be used to monitor response to treatment in benign spirocercosis.