Serum sialic acid fractions in Kangal breed bitches with transmissible venereal tumours

Abstract

The serum sialic acid concentration has been reported to be a potentially useful as tumour markers in many types of tumoural disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate of the levels of serum total sialic acid (TSA) and lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA) in transmissible venereal tumours (TVT) in Kangal Breed (Turkish Anatolian Shepherd Dog) bitches. Blood samples were collected from seven untreated bitches with TVT (test group) and eight healthy bitches (control group). Serum lipid bound sialic acid levels determination was done by the spectrophotometric procedure of Katopodis with resorcinol. Serum total sialic acid levels determination was done by the spectrophotometric procedure of Sydow. The mean TSA and LSA levels in the treated and control groups were 13.46±0.66 mg/dl (11.82-16.94) and 6.13±0.46 mg/dl (4.42-7.58); 9.15±0.59 mg/dl (6.28-11.48) and 2.26±0.24 (1.473.63) mg/dl, respectively. Both of serum levels of TSA and LSA in the untreated TVT dogs (n: 7) were significantly (p<0.001) higher than in the healthy dogs (n:8) The data revealed significant elevation in sialic acid levels in TVT and suggested potential utility of these parameters in diagnosis of the TVT. Results of this study suggest that TSA and LSA levels in sera may use in diagnosis serve as a valuable in these tumoural diseases