Evaluation of density gradient ultracentrifugation serum lipoprotein profiles in healthy dogs and dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

Changes in proportions of lipoprotein classes have been described in disease states in humans. In veterinary medicine, hyperlipidemia can cause complications, such as cutaneous xanthomas, liver disease, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, glomerular disease, lipemia retinalis, or peripheral neuropathy, but there are few reports regarding lipoproteins in diseased animals. For canine serum, we partially validated continuous lipoprotein density profiling (CLPDP), a novel density gradient ultracentrifugation technique. We examined canine lipoproteins separated by CLPDP by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We compared lipoprotein profiles between healthy control dogs ( n = 29) and dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI; n = 28) using CLPDP. Dogs with EPI included those untreated (EPI-NT; n = 6) and those treated with enzyme supplementation (EPI-T; n = 22). Our preliminary assay validation showed that CLPDP was repeatable (CV = 11.2%) and reproducible (CV = 10.6%) in canine serum. The diameters of lipoproteins analyzed by TEM were similar to those reported previously. Dogs in the EPI-NT group had more severe dyslipidemia than dogs in the EPI-T group. Dogs in the EPI-T group had lipoprotein profiles similar to healthy control dogs. CLPDP might be a useful tool for evaluating dyslipidemia in dogs.