SDS-PAGE analysis of urinary proteins in dogs with heartworm disease

Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe the urinary electrophoretic pattern of dogs with heartworm disease. Urine samples from 15 heartworm-infected and 15 healthy dogs were taken. Urinary specific gravity, urinary protein concentration and the urine protein/creatinine (U P/C) ratio were determined. Urine proteins were fractionated using SDS-PAGE. Results showed statistically significant differences for the U P/C ratio (P<0.05) but not for USG and urinary protein concentrations (P>0.05) between groups. Urinary protein SDSPAGE analysis showed eight distinct bands in the urine of heartworm-infected dogs. The presence of proteins exclusively found in the urine of infected dogs suggests renal damage, even in cases of light proteinuria, indicating that SDS-PAGE is a sensitive method for the identification and characterisation of renal proteinuria in dogs with heartworm disease.