AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Granozzo con Monticello, Novara, Italy.
Studio Veterinario Associato Vet2Vet di Ferri e Porporato, Orbassano, Torino, Italy.
PLoS One. 2023 Mar 29;18(3):e0281822. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281822. eCollection 2023.
Systemic AA-amyloidosis is a protein-misfolding disease characterized by fibril deposition of serum amyloid-A protein (SAA) in several organs in humans and many animal species. Fibril deposits originate from abnormally high serum levels of SAA during chronic inflammation. A high prevalence of AA-amyloidosis has been reported in captive cheetahs and a horizontal transmission has been proposed. In domestic cats, AA-amyloidosis has been mainly described in predisposed breeds but only rarely reported in domestic short-hair cats. Aims of the study were to determine AA-amyloidosis prevalence in dead shelter cats. Liver, kidney, spleen and bile were collected at death in cats from 3 shelters. AA-amyloidosis was scored. Shedding of amyloid fibrils was investigated with western blot in bile and scored. Descriptive statistics were calculated. In the three shelters investigated, prevalence of AA-amyloidosis was 57.1% (16/28 cats), 73.0% (19/26) and 52.0% (13/25), respectively. In 72.9% of cats (35 in total) three organs were affected concurrently. Histopathology and immunofluorescence of post-mortem extracted deposits identified SAA as the major protein source. The duration of stay in the shelters was positively associated with a histological score of AA-amyloidosis (B = 0.026, CI95% = 0.007-0.046; p = 0.010). AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats. Presence of SAA fragments in bile secretions raises the possibility of fecal-oral transmission of the disease. In conclusion, AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats and those staying longer had more deposits. The cat may represent a natural model of AA-amyloidosis.
系统性 AA 淀粉样变性是一种蛋白质错误折叠疾病,其特征是人类和许多动物物种的血清淀粉样蛋白 A 蛋白 (SAA) 在几个器官中纤维沉积。纤维沉积物起源于慢性炎症期间 SAA 血清水平异常升高。已经报道在圈养猎豹中 AA 淀粉样变性的患病率很高,并提出了水平传播。在家猫中,AA 淀粉样变性主要在易感品种中描述,但在短毛家猫中很少报道。本研究的目的是确定死亡收容所猫中 AA 淀粉样变性的患病率。在 3 家收容所死亡的猫中收集肝脏、肾脏、脾脏和胆汁。对 AA 淀粉样变性进行评分。使用 Western blot 研究胆汁中淀粉样纤维的脱落情况并进行评分。计算描述性统计数据。在所调查的 3 家收容所中,AA 淀粉样变性的患病率分别为 57.1%(28 只猫中的 16 只)、73.0%(26 只猫中的 19 只)和 52.0%(25 只猫中的 13 只)。在 72.9%的猫(共 35 只)中,三个器官同时受到影响。死后提取沉积物的组织病理学和免疫荧光鉴定 SAA 为主要蛋白来源。在收容所停留的时间与 AA 淀粉样变性的组织学评分呈正相关(B = 0.026,CI95% = 0.007-0.046;p = 0.010)。收容所猫中 AA 淀粉样变性非常普遍。胆汁分泌中存在 SAA 片段增加了疾病粪-口传播的可能性。总之,收容所猫中 AA 淀粉样变性非常普遍,停留时间较长的猫沉积物较多。猫可能是 AA 淀粉样变性的天然模型。