URINE PROTEOME IN DOGS AFFECTED BY LEISHMANIASIS AND CUSHING’S SYNDROME

Background: Urinary proteome is a topic not deeply investigated in dogs. Leishmaniasis (L) and Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) are frequently associated with persistent proteinuria. Evaluation of urine proteome with sensitive methods is considered a non invasive procedure to monitor the therapy and select novel biomarkers. Objectives: Comparison of urinary electrophoretic profiles between healthy (H) and diseased dogs (L, CS) at the time of diagnosis and during the treatment monitoring. Methods: Urine samples were collected from 49 dogs (12 H, 26 L, 11 CS) and Urine Protein and Albumin to Creatinine ratios (UPC, UAC), HRE and SDS-PAGE were performed. Electrophoretic profiles were analyzed by ImageJ©; proteins were identified by ESI-Q-TOF. Results: UPC and UAC (mean±SD) were significantly higher (p