Morlang MI, Weber K, von Bomhard W, Mueller RS. Cutaneous microRNA expression in healthy Labrador and Golden retrievers and retrievers with allergic and inflammatory skin diseases.
Vet Dermatol 2021;
32:331-e92. [PMID:
34009728 DOI:
10.1111/vde.12971]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
MicroRNAs (miRNA) are short, single-stranded RNA molecules that regulate gene expression in a post-transcriptional manner. Their expression is proposed to be tissue-specific and alterations in miRNA expression have been detected in many diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To compare miRNA expression in the skin of healthy Labrador and golden retrievers, and those with allergic and nonallergic dermatitis.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) skin specimens from seven healthy Labrador and golden retrievers, and seven dogs with allergic skin disease were collected. A further mixed nonallergic inflammation group consisted of samples from five dogs with fungal infection, demodicosis and mast cell tumours. Total RNA was extracted and miRNA primer assays for 18 target miRNAs (miR-142, miR-363, miR-18b, miR-451, miR-146a, miR-124, miR-409, miR-193b, miR-223, miR-215, miR-155, miR-423a, miR-143, miR-1839, miR-21, miR-34b, miR-146b and miR-202) were performed, with RNU6-2 and SNORD95 as miRNAs for normalisation. The selection of miRNAs for investigation was based on reported data and a pilot study evaluating miRNA extraction from FFPE tissue specimens.
RESULTS
In the two dogs with mast cell tumours, miRNA expression was undetermined for most miRNAs, so both were excluded from analysis. Although there were differences in the miRNA expression between healthy and inflamed skin, allergic and nonallergic inflammation showed similar expression patterns.
CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Although the number of included dogs was small, based on this study, none of the evaluated miRNAs allowed differentiation of allergic dermatitis from other inflammatory skin diseases in retriever dogs.
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