Immune response in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease : insights into monocyte and lymphocyte subtypes and natural killer cells

Cimerman, Martina (author), Nemec Svete, Alenka (author), Baš, Anže (author), Hajdinjak, Melita (author), Bajc, Miha (author), Petek, Sara (author), Pohar, Katka (author), Ihan, Alojz (author), Krapež, Uroš (author), Krt, Branko (author), Dolinar, Klemen (author), Miš, Katarina (author), Pirkmajer, Sergej (author), Domanjko-Petrič, Aleksandra (author)

Background The immune response in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is understudied. Hypothesis/Objectives Investigate the populations of monocyte subtypes, natural killer cells (NK cells), and T lymphocyte subtypes in dogs with MMVD and their relationships with selected cytokines and echocardiographic parameters at different stages of the disease and in comparison to healthy dogs. Animals Eighty-one client-owned dogs: 64 with MMVD (preclinical stage, compensated congestive heart failure [CHF], decompensated CHF) and 17 healthy dogs Methods Cross-sectional study. Natural killer (NK) cells, monocyte subtypes, T lymphocyte subtypes, and B lymphocytes were identified using flow cytometry. Generalized linear models were used to compare variables between groups. Pairwise comparisons were performed using estimated marginal means with Tukey correction. P-value < .05 was considered significant. Results The percentage of monocytes was higher in dogs with compensated and decompensated CHF compared with preclinical dogs. The percentage of activated T helper lymphocytes was lower in compensated CHF compared with all other groups. No differences in percentages were found for monocyte subtypes, NK cells, cytotoxic, regulatory and double positive T lymphocytes, or B lymphocytes. Concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was higher in the decompensated CHF compared with all other groups, and the concentration of keratinocyte chemotactic-like chemokine was higher in the decompensated CHF compared with the preclinical group. Conclusions and clinical importance Higher concentrations and percentages of total monocytes and concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines in CHF suggest an inflammatory pathway in MMVD progression. Activated T helper lymphocytes may be downregulated in dogs with compensated CHF.

• Language: English
• Keywords: canine, congestive heart failure, flow cytometry, monocyte subtypes, natural killer cells, t regulatory cells, cytokines
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty; PEF - Faculty of Education; FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 40, iss. 1, art. aalag028
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180258
• UDC: 636.09:616.12-008.3:612
• ISSN on article: 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1093/jvimsj/aalag028
• COBISS.SI-ID: 270465283
• Publication date in RUL: 05.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
• Publisher: J.B. Lippincott], American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Wiley Periodicals
• ISSN: 1939-1676
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517778713

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: psi, kongestivno srčno popuščanje, pretočna citometrija, podtipi monocitov, naravne celice ubijalke, regulatorne celice T, citokini