Serum electrophoresis may be an important preclinical tool for diagnosis of equine diseases, evaluation of serum protein fractions in Caspian horses using acetate cellulose strips was undertaken.
Mohamad Zamani Ahmadmahmudi & Nahid Atyabi & Ehsan Torki & Mohamad Naser Nazem
M. Zamani Ahmadmahmudi (*) : N. Atyabi : E. Torki
Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
e-mail: mohamad.clinical@gmail.com
M. Naser Nazem , Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
Shahid Bahonar University,
Kerman, Iran
Comp Clin Pathol
DOI 10.1007/s00580-011-1178-7
Received: 15 March 2010 /Accepted: 8 February 2011
# Springer-Verlag London Limited 2011
Abstract
The Iranian miniature Caspian horse is the most ancient domestic breed of horse; it is the likely ancestor of all modern breeds of hot-blooded horses.
Blood serum protein analysis has not been sufficiently studied in miniature Caspian horses. Since serum electrophoresis may be an important preclinical tool for diagnosis of equine diseases, evaluation of serum protein fractions in miniature Caspian horses using acetate cellulose strips was undertaken.
In addition, serum protein concentrations were also examined. Blood samples were collected from 30 clinically healthy horses with and without anticoagulant.
Using cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE), serum samples were fractionated and absolute and relative concentrations from each sample calculated. From 30 samples, 26 samples (86.6%) had five protein fractions and four samples (13.4%) had four fractions. Samples with five fractions were a common pattern (χ2, P<0.01).
Albumin and other protein fraction concentrations were distributed normally (P>0.05). Absolute values of albumin, α1, α2, β, and γ globulin were 2.9±0.24, 0.97±0.19, 0.96± 0.24, 1.2±0.36, and 1.3±0.29 g/dl, respectively.
Mean albumin to globulin ratio was 0.67. In conclusion, analysis of serum proteins in the miniature Caspian horse using CAE showed five protein fractions including albumin, α1, α2, β, and γ globulin.
Results
From 30 samples, 26 samples (86.6%) had five protein fractions and four samples (13.4%) had four fractions (Fig. 1). The χ2 test demonstrated that patterns with five fractions were a common pattern (P<0.01). Total serum protein and albumin concentrations within the samples with five fractions were 7.3±0.54 and 2.9±0.24 mg/dl, respectively (Table 1).
Using the Shapiro–Wilk test, the distribution of the albumin and other protein fractions was identified as normal. But distribution of the β globulin was normal after data transformation logarithmically (P=0.05).
Absolute and relative values of each protein fraction are presented in Table 1.
Keywords: Caspian miniature horse , Cellulose acetate , Protein fractions , Globulin