Plasma markers of inflammation and hemostatic and endothelial activity in naturally overweight and obese dogs

Abstract

BackgroundObesity is one of the most prevalent health problems in the canine population. While haemostatic parameters and markers of endothelial function have been evaluated in various disease conditions in dogs, there are no studies of these markers in canine obesity. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of naturally gained weight excess and obesity on inflammatory, hemostatic and endothelial biomarkers in dogs. A total of 37 overweight and obese dogs were compared with 28 normal weight dogs.ResultsOverweight and obese dogs had significantly elevated concentrations of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Number of platelets, activity of factor X and factor VII were significantly higher, while activated partial thromboplastine time (aPTT) and soluble plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) were significantly decreased. Statistical analysis of high mobility group box – 1 protein (HMGB-1), soluble intercellular adhesive molecule -1 (sICAM-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) concentrations did not show significant differences between the total overweight and obese group and the normal weight group of dogs.ConclusionsAnalytical changes in the dogs in our study reflects that weight excess in dogs can be associated with a chronic low degree of inflammation and a hypercoagulable state, where primary and secondary hemostasis are both affected. However obesity is not associated with impairment of endothelial function in dogs.

Evaluation of potential serum biomarkers of hepatic fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity in dogs with liver disease

“…This may have contributed to some of the outliers observed within liver histopathologic groups in our study. In addition, obesity is associated with modest increases in IL‐6, CCL2, and CRP in dogs, and could have confounded measurements . Most dogs in our study had BCS of 4–6, with only 1 dog scoring > 7, so obesity was an unlikely cofounder in our study population.…”

Obesity as an immune-modifying factor in cancer immunotherapy

“…Recent studies in dogs are shedding some light on the presence of low‐grade inflammation in overweight or obese dogs. As with humans, investigators have observed that IL‐6 and TNF‐α are elevated in obesity‐induced low‐grade inflammation . In addition, there is evidence that T cell proliferative capacity is reduced in dogs in the setting of obesity, although interestingly, no differences in B‐cell responses were observed .…”

“…As with humans, investigators have observed that IL-6 and TNF-are elevated in obesity-induced low-grade inflammation. 61,62 In addition, there is evidence that T cell proliferative capacity is reduced in dogs in the setting of obesity, although interestingly, no differences in B-cell responses were observed. 63 In our laboratory, we have also observed impaired T cell responses to in vitro stimulation in obese vs. lean dogs (BCS > 6 vs. < 4, respectively, manuscript submitted).…”

Obesity induced T cell dysfunction and implications for cancer immunotherapy

“…Importantly, a similar phenotype has been characterized not just in mice and humans, but also canines and non-human primates [14–17]. Increases in adipose tissue lead to this inflammatory state, by recruiting different immune cell populations into the adipose tissue, notably macrophages and T cells.…”

“…Nonetheless, defects in thymic function could account for many of the complications with infection and cancer in obese patients. Most studies examining the functional potential of T cells in obesity find defects in their ability to mount effective immune responses in multiple species and models [14–17,23,26,27,64–66]. On the other hand, some have found enhanced T cell function, leading to exacerbated pathology and disease [67,68].…”