Use of western immunoblot for evaluation of myocardial dystrophin, alpha-sarcoglycan, and beta-dystroglycan in dogs with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective-To evaluate the potential importance of dystrophin, alpha -sarcog lycan (adhalin), and beta -dystroglycan, by use of western blot analysis, i n several breeds of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy. Sample Population-Myocardial samples obtained from 12 dogs were evaluated, including tissues from 7 dogs affected with dilated cardiomyopathy, 4 contr ol dogs with no identifiable heart disease (positive control), and 1 dog af fected with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (negative control for dystrophin). Of the affected dogs, 4 breeds were represented (Doberman Pinscher, Dalmati an, Bullmastiff, and Irish Wolfhound). Procedure-Western blot analysis was used for evaluation of myocardial sampl es obtained from dogs with and without dilated cardiomyopathy for the prese nce of dystrophin and 2 of its associated glycoproteins, alpha -sarcoglycan and beta -dystroglycan. Results-Detectable differences were not identified between dogs with and wi thout myocardial disease in any of the proteins evaluated. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Abnormalities in dystrophin, alpha -sarc oglycan, and beta -dystroglycan proteins were not associated with the devel opment of dilated cardiomyopathy in the dogs evaluated in this study. In hu mans, the development of molecular biological techniques has allowed for th e identification of specific causes of dilated cardiomyopathy that were onc e considered to be idiopathic. The use of similar techniques in veterinary medicine may aid in the identification of the cause of idiopathic dilated c ardiomyopathy in dogs, and may offer new avenues for therapeutic interventi on.