AA-amyloidosis in cats (Felis catus) housed in shelters

Ferri, F; Ferro, S; Porporato, F; Callegari, C; Guglielmetti, C; Mazza, M; Ferrero, M; Crino, C; Gallo, E; Drigo, M; Coppola, LM; Gerardi, G; Schulte, TP; Ricagno, S; Vogel, M; Storni, F; Bachmann, MF; Vogt, AC; Caminito, S; Mazzini, G; Lavatelli, F; Palladini, G; Merlini, G; Zini, E

Abstract

Systemic AA-amyloidosis is a protein-misfolding disease characterized by fibril deposition of serum amyloid-A protein (SAA) in several organs in humans and many animal species. Fibril deposits originate from abnormally high serum levels of SAA during chronic inflammation. A high prevalence of AA-amyloidosis has been reported in captive cheetahs and a horizontal transmission has been proposed. In domestic cats, AA-amyloidosis has been mainly described in predisposed breeds but only rarely reported in domestic short-hair cats. Aims of the study were to determine AA-amyloidosis prevalence in dead shelter cats. Liver, kidney, spleen and bile were collected at death in cats from 3 shelters. AA-amyloidosis was scored. Shedding of amyloid fibrils was investigated with western blot in bile and scored. Descriptive statistics were calculated. In the three shelters investigated, prevalence of AA-amyloidosis was 57.1% (16/28 cats), 73.0% (19/26) and 52.0% (13/25), respectively. In 72.9% of cats (35 in total) three organs were affected concurrently. Histopathology and immunofluorescence of post-mortem extracted deposits identified SAA as the major protein source. The duration of stay in the shelters was positively associated with a histological score of AA-amyloidosis (B = 0.026, CI95% = 0.007-0.046; p = 0.010). AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats. Presence of SAA fragments in bile secretions raises the possibility of fecal-oral transmission of the disease. In conclusion, AA-amyloidosis was very frequent in shelter cats and those staying longer had more deposits. The cat may represent a natural model of AA-amyloidosis.

Citation

Ferri, F., Ferro, S., Porporato, F., Callegari, C., Guglielmetti, C., Mazza, M., Ferrero, M., Crino, C., Gallo, E., Drigo, M., Coppola, L., Gerardi, G., Schulte, T., Ricagno, S., Vogel, M., Storni, F., Bachmann, M., Vogt, A., Caminito, S., Mazzini, G., …Zini, E. (2023). AA-amyloidosis in cats (Felis catus) housed in shelters. PLoS ONE, 18(3), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281822

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Mar 29, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Jun 19, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 19, 2024
• Journal: PLoS ONE
• Print ISSN: 1932-6203
• Electronic ISSN: 1932-6203
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 3
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281822
• Keywords: SERUM; IDENTIFICATION; TRANSMISSION; DISEASE; SAA