Desmosomal gene evaluation in boxers with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Objective - To sequence the exonic and splice site regions of the 4 desmosomal genes associated with the human form of familial arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ABVC) in Boxers with ARVC and identify a causative mutation. Animals - 10 unrelated Boxers with ARVC and 2 unaffected Labrador Retrievers (control dogs). Procedures - Exonic and splice site regions of the 4 genes encoding the desmosomal proteins plakophilin-2, plakoglobin, desmoplakin, and desmoglein-2 were sequenced. Sequences were compared for nucleotide sequence changes between affected dogs and the published sequences for clinically normal dogs and between affected dogs and the control dogs. Base-pair changes were considered to be causative for ARVC if they were detected in an affected dog but not in unaffected dogs, and if they involved a conserved amino acid and changed that amino acid to one of a different polarity, acid-base status, or structure. Results - A causative mutation for ARVC in Boxers was not identified, although single nucleoticle polymorphisms were detected in some affected dogs within exon 3 of the plakophilin-2 gene; exon 3 of the plakoglobin gene; exons 3 and 7 of the desmoglein-2 gene; and exons 6, 14, 15, and 24 of the desmoplakin gene. None of these changed the amino acid of the respective protein. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - Mutations within the desmosomal genes associated with the development of ARVC in humans do not appear to be causative for ARVC in Boxers. Genome-wide scanning for genetic loci of interest in dogs should be pursued.