gene found for k9 thyroid disease

[Dogs of Romance]

Association of canine hypothyroidism with a common major histocompatibility
complex DLA class II allele.

L. J. Kennedy, S. Quarmby, G. M. Happ, A. Barnes, I. K. Ramsey, R. M.
Dixon,
B. Catchpole, C. Rusbridge, P. A. Graham, N. S. Hillbertz, C. Roethe, W. J.
Dodds, N. G. Carmichael,W. E. Ollier
Tissue Antigens 2006; 68(1) :82-86.

the pdf is available online from George Happ's website:
__http://mercury.http://mercuhttp://mercurhttp://mer_
(http://mercury.bio.uaf.edu/~george_happ/2006b.pdf_)
(_http://mercury.http://mercuhttp://mercurhttp://me_
(http://mercury.bio.uaf.edu/~george_happ/2006b.pdf) )

Abstract:

Dogs exhibit a range of immune-mediated conditions including a lymphocytic
thyroiditis which has many similarities to Hashimoto's thyroiditis in man.
We
have recently reported an association in Doberman Pinschers between canine
hypothyroidism and a rare DLA class II haplotype that contains the
DLA-DQA1*00101 allele. We now report a further series of 173 hypothyroid
dogs in a range
of breeds where a significant association with DLA-DQA1*00101 is shown.

==============

Bottom line here is a conformation and more compelling evidence that the
most common form of thyroid disease in dogs is typically a highly heritable
disease associated wtih specific genes. All the more reason to test dogs
using
the OFA "gold standard" for thyroid testing (FT4D, cTSH, TgAA) which
distinguished between variants of thyroid disease and even stages of this
common,
heritable disease, not only to screen to treat dogs with the disease early
and so
more effectively, but also to be able to better organize breeding plans to
manage the expression of these genes.

It's worth noting also that for all thyroid disease typically is "easily"
treated with an inexpensive daily supplement, the underlying defect here is
one
of self-recognition, and the relentless destruction of the thyroid gland
that results from such immune dysfunction. This sort of DLA gene problem
means
dogs with thyroid disease can also have Addison's or diabetes, for example,
or
have close relatives with these other endocrine defects. So the strong
indication is that these same few genes are behind several different forms
of
endocrine disease. And so this one gene <<DLA_DQA1*00101>>could be behind
several diseases that may appear different in symptoms but are similar in
origin
and identical in cause--this one gene.

Permission to repost is granted.



Another breakthru... Please Thyroid screen all your Shepherds, especially those you plan to breed..

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[RedyreRotties]

What a great topic, DOR.