Cerquetella Matteo, Pinnella Francesco, Morazzini Rachele, Rossi Giacomo, Marchegiani Andrea, Gavazza Alessandra, Mangiaterra Sara, Di Cerbo Alessandro, Sorio Daniela, Brandi Jessica, Cecconi Daniela, Vincenzetti Silvia
School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy.
Futuravet Veterinary Referral Center, 62029 Tolentino, MC, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 25;26(17):8247. doi: 10.3390/ijms26178247.
The analysis of proteins in stool samples can significantly enhance the study of mammalian physiology and disease. In this study, we investigated the fecal proteome of clinically healthy dogs (n = 26) by a label-free proteomics approach to evaluate the impact of breed differences. The dogs were divided into two groups (n = 13 each) based on their breed, specifically Weimaraner and Dalmatian, the former known for their possible susceptibility to gastrointestinal disease. Quantitative and qualitative differences between the two experimental groups were identified based on analyses performed on pooled biological samples. The overall fecal proteome profile comprised 58 proteins, of which 37 were common, while comparative proteomics analysis detected 15 proteins with different abundances. Notably, the fecal proteome of Weimaraners showed an over-representation of proteins such as pantetheinase, which promotes inflammatory reactions; ferritin heavy chain and hemoglobin, possibly associated with gut ulceration and/or rectal bleeding typical of IBD; and anionic trypsin, implicated in inflammatory bowel disease. Notably, in Dalmatians, despite the absence of specific predispositions, some proteins associated with chronic enteropathy (e.g., carboxypeptidase B and serine protease 1) were also over-represented. Additionally, some proteins linked to breed variation included enzymes associated with "protein digestion and absorption" and "glycolysis and gluconeogenesis". These findings suggest, for the first time, that the variable breed is a factor that may potentially influence the fecal proteome in dogs.
对粪便样本中的蛋白质进行分析能够显著加强对哺乳动物生理学和疾病的研究。在本研究中，我们采用无标记蛋白质组学方法对临床健康犬（n = 26）的粪便蛋白质组进行了研究，以评估品种差异的影响。这些犬根据品种分为两组（每组n = 13），具体为魏玛犬和大麦町犬，前者已知可能易患胃肠道疾病。基于对混合生物样本进行的分析，确定了两个实验组之间的定量和定性差异。总体粪便蛋白质组图谱包含58种蛋白质，其中37种是常见的，而比较蛋白质组学分析检测到15种丰度不同的蛋白质。值得注意的是，魏玛犬的粪便蛋白质组显示出某些蛋白质的过度表达，如促进炎症反应的泛酰巯基乙胺酶；可能与IBD典型的肠道溃疡和/或直肠出血相关的铁蛋白重链和血红蛋白；以及与炎症性肠病有关的阴离子胰蛋白酶。值得注意的是，在大麦町犬中，尽管没有特定的易感性，但一些与慢性肠病相关的蛋白质（如羧肽酶B和丝氨酸蛋白酶1）也有过度表达。此外，一些与品种变异相关的蛋白质包括与“蛋白质消化和吸收”以及“糖酵解和糖异生”相关的酶。这些发现首次表明，品种差异是可能潜在影响犬粪便蛋白质组的一个因素。
