Cloning and sequencing of equine cardiac troponin I and confirmation of its usefulness as a target analyte for commercial troponin I analyzers.

The analysis of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in the diagnosis of myocardial injury in domestic animals is gaining popularity. In this study, equine cTnI was sequenced and compared with previously characterized cTnI from other species. A 6-amino-acid N-terminal deletion unique to the horse was identified.

Discrimination between six species of canine microfilariae by a single polymerase chain reaction.

Canine dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria immitis is usually diagnosed by specific antigen testing and/or identification of microfilariae. However, D. immitis and at least six other filariae can produce canine microfilaremias with negative heartworm antigen tests.

Cloning and sequencing of the canine and feline cardiac troponin I genes.

Objective: To determine the gene sequences of canine and feline cardiac troponin I (cTnI), express the protein from the cloned gene in vitro, and validate the use of a commercial cTnI serum analyzer in these species via detection of the expressed protein or comparison of sequence homology.

Sample Population: Samples of ventricular myocardium from 5 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs and 5 healthy adult domestic shorthair cats.

Procedure: The RNA was extracted from myocardial samples, and cDNA was synthesized via reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and sequenced.