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. 2024 Nov 15;15(11):1474.
doi: 10.3390/genes15111474.

Differential Gene Expression Associated with Idiopathic Epilepsy in Belgian Shepherd Dogs

Nathan Kinsey  1 , Janelle M Belanger  1 , Anita M Oberbauer  1
Affiliations

Differential Gene Expression Associated with Idiopathic Epilepsy in Belgian Shepherd Dogs

Nathan Kinsey et al. Genes (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) disproportionately affects Belgian shepherd dogs and although genomic risk markers have been identified previously in the breed, causative variants have not been described.

Methods: The current study analyzed differences in whole blood RNA expression associated with IE and with a previously identified IE risk haplotype on canine chromosome (CFA) 14 using a transcriptomics RNA-seq approach.

Results: MFSD2A and a likely pseudogene of RPL19, both of which are genes implicated in seizure activity, were upregulated in dogs with IE. Genes in the interferon signaling pathway were downregulated in Belgian shepherds with IE. The CFA14 risk haplotype was associated with upregulation of CLIC1, ACE2, and PIGN and downregulation of EPDR1, all known to be involved with epilepsy or the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Conclusions: These results highlight the value of assessing gene expression in canine IE research to uncover genomic contributory factors.

Keywords: Belgian shepherd; dog; gene expression; idiopathic epilepsy; interferon signaling; seizure.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Principal component analysis of gene abundance comparing breed variety (A) and sex (B). Gene abundance estimates for 16 Belgian Shepherds were plotted along their first two principal components (PC1, horizontal axis, and PC2, vertical axis). Clustering was determined by visual assessment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The impact of retinoic acid on neuronal activity and the IFN signaling pathway [50].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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