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., …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
• Print 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