Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common allergic skin disease of dogs with a strong genetic basis. Evidence from human studies suggests that several variants of AD exist with different mechanisms and responses to treatment. Current diagnosis of CAD requires time-consuming procedures that involve a considerable cost to the owner. Therefore, new approaches to identify molecular markers that can help with better diagnosis and management of the disease are warranted. In this study, we are using our tailored methodology for lipid biomarker discovery in CAD.
30 atopic dogs and 30 healthy dogs have been recruited. Patients are males and females of several different breeds and ages with seasonal or year-round itch. CAD patients are being treated with either Apoquel®, Cytopoint® or prednisone and followed for 2 months to evaluate the lipid changes in their skin and blood. Using non-invasive sampling procedures, we have collected samples from the skin of healthy controls and from affected and non-affected areas of the skin of CAD patients, as well as blood. Preliminary statistical analysis demonstrates that lipid fingerprints of the blood and skin accurately classify samples from healthy dogs and CAD patients, whereas more overlap appears to be present in the lipid profile of lesional and nonlesional skin of CAD patients. MRM-profiling approach allows an unbiased analysis of the lipids that may result in new diagnostic biomarkers to classify disease phenotypes that will drive the development of new therapies.
End-Year-1 Research Update Dr. HogenEsch for biomarkers for atopic dermatitis.
