Digging Deep Into Pet Nutrition - Advances In Understanding The Dog And Cat Genomes

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Genetics
Article Date: 22 Jul 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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While it's no secret that proper nutrition usually means a healthier pet, advances in understanding the dog and cat genomes have opened new doors for veterinarians and scientists who are constantly looking at how nutrition can help improve the health and quality of lives of our pets.

Their efforts are beginning to pay dividends in studying everything from arthritis to obesity and aging.

The interrelation between nutrition and the companion animal genome will be the topic of a daylong symposium at the AVMA's 145th Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., July 20. Sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition, the symposium brings together genomic and nutrition experts from around the country who will tackle such topics as, "Applying Genome Knowledge to Nutrition," "What Canine Genomics Can Tell Us," and "Gene vs. Genome: The Truth about Breed, Species and Nutrition."

One of the highlights of the symposium is a discussion of the dramatic advances being made at Hill's regarding the cat genome. The recent announcement that Hill's researchers have identified and mapped more than 3 million DNA sequence variations within the cat genome provides the means for veterinarians and scientists to develop a clearer picture of how and why cats get sick.

Known as feline single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, (pronounced snips), these genetic markers are used to map and understand gene variations through generations and within a population of animals.

"People who study genetic causes of disease use SNPs to find out which regions of the genome correlate with the disease, and they can focus on that area to determine which genes and associated mutations are responsible for a genetic disease," said Mitchell Abrahamsen, Ph.D., vice president of research at Hill's. "They provide a digital fingerprint of the DNA sequence."

That fingerprint may lead to more clues in diagnosing and treating cat diseases, Abrahamsen said. And it also means increased opportunities in determining how nutrition impacts illness and disease, an area of science known as nutrigenomics.

"Dog SNPs have been available for some time, and they have been used very successfully by the canine community to identify the genetic basis for dozens of heritable diseases," said Keith Murphy, Ph.D., a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. "Hill's efforts toward identifying feline SNPs will allow for the development of technologies and capabilities to address feline disease to the same extent that is currently available for the dog."

"This is a groundbreaking leap forward in our ability to track down and understand the underlying genetic basis for many feline inherited diseases. If we can do that, we can also use nutrigenomics to develop better foods for animals," said Wayne Carter, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, vice president of clinical nutrition at Hill's.

People know which foods they should eat, but, as many will admit, we often don't follow those rules. The truth is, however, that our bodies react on the cellular level to what we eat. And nutrigenomics provide a robust means to accurately measure those effects.

"Nutrigenomics is a direct measurement of how you respond to the foods you eat," Abrahamsen said. "Our bodies are designed to process and respond to food, and now we can measure the specific effects of food at the biochemical level."

"You could eat a hamburger today, and I can take a blood sample and determine the specific biochemical effects on your body. Two days later I could have you eat a salad and take a blood sample and see how you responded differently from when you ate that burger."

Such information is invaluable for those who study pet nutrition.

"This is a new approach that has become available over the past few years," Abrahamsen said. "We are taking the opportunity to discuss and demonstrate how Hill's uses nutrigenomics and to develop better foods for our companion animals. At Hill's, we take samples from dogs and cats and learn how they respond to that food. We can then determine which foods provide beneficial changes in biochemical profiles in both healthy and diseased animals."

For more information about the AVMA annual convention in New Orleans July 18-22, visit http://www.avmaconventionmedia.org.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.