Pregnancy-related changes in the canine serum N-glycosylation pattern studied by Rapifluor HILIC-UPLC-FLR-MS

TL;DR

This study examines how the glycosylation patterns in dog serum change during pregnancy, revealing biochemical differences that could help understand canine reproduction and distinguish pregnancy-related inflammation from infections.

Contribution

The study introduces a method using Rapifluor HILIC-UPLC-FLR-MS to analyze canine serum N-glycans and identifies pregnancy-specific glycosylation changes.

Findings

Sialylated and galactosylated complex glycans increased significantly in pregnant dogs.

Fucosylated and agalactosylated glycans decreased significantly in pregnant dogs.

Glycosylation patterns in non-pregnant dogs remained stable across the cycle.

Abstract

Canine reproduction differs from that of many other domestic animals, and increased knowledge on biochemical changes during canine pregnancy is important for investigations of infertility or subfertility. The total glycosylation pattern, i.e., the glycome, of body fluids reflects cellular status in health and disease. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate pregnancy-related changes of the serum N-glycome in bitches. A method based on Rapifluor HILIC-UPLC-FLR-MS was optimized and applied for analysis and quantification of N-glycans in canine serum. Serum samples from six pregnant and five non-pregnant bitches, collected at four well-defined time points, were included. The levels of sialylated and galactosylated complex glycans were significantly elevated in serum from pregnant bitches, consistent with previous reports on human pregnancy. The levels of fucosylated and agalactosylated glycans decreased significantly in pregnant dogs. In non-pregnant dogs, the glycosylation pattern did not change during the cycle. Pregnancy is an inflammatory state, but our findings during canine pregnancy are quite the opposite to changes that have previously been described for dogs with a known parasitic infection. Evaluation of the canine glycome may thus be valuable in studies of canine pregnancy, possibly differing inflammatory changes related to pregnancy to those caused by an infection.

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