Cardiovascular endocrinology in naturally occurring canine and feline models

Abstract

Rodents are frequently used to study aspects of cardiovascular endocrinology. The present review focuses on opportunities offered by naturally occurring heart disease in dogs and cats, that is larger animal models. In particular, the benefits of using these species include the possibility of studying the same types of naturally occurring diseases as those occurring in humans, and carrying out studies in genetically similar individuals (i.e. breeds) sharing the same environment as humans. Recent findings in neuroendocrine hormones, that is natriuretic peptides, components of the renin-angiotensinaldosterone system, and endothelin-1, in dogs and cats are reviewed in this article. As in humans, all these hormones have been evaluated as cardiovascular biomarkers in dogs and cats, and natriuretic peptides have shown promise in the diagnosis, staging and prognostication of heart disease. However, components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and endothelin-1 appear to be more useful as functional biomarkers for monitoring compensatory responses to naturally occurring heart diseases and their treatments.Percent of angiotensin II (ANG II) formation from angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE) and chymase in hearts from multiple species showing that more than 90% of ANG II formation was from chymase in dogs and humans, whereas more than 90% was from ACE in rat, mouse and rabbit. The green bar indicates chymase and the yellow bar represents ACE. From Dell'Italia [8] with permission from publisher.Neuroendocrines in canine and feline models Hä ggströ m et al. 33