2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Samples were obtained from 25 IMHA dogs, in addition to 20 HC and 11 INF dogs; these groups had similar age and sex distributions. There was no difference in the proportion of regulatory T cells, helper T cells or cytotoxic T cells between groups (P = 0.226), but the serum concentrations of IL-2 (P < 0.001) and TNFa (P < 0.001) were significantly greater in IMHA dogs compared to either of the other groups. The serum concentrations of IL-6 (P = 0.001) and IL-8 (P = 0.001) were significantly greater in IMHA dogs compared to HC, but there was no difference compared to the INF group. There was no difference between groups in the serum concentration of IL-10 (P = 0.731), nor in the relative expression of IL-10 (P = 0.805) or IFNc (P = 0.670). Principal component analysis revealed three major factors underlying the variability in the dataset, of which one, positively correlated with IL-2, IL-8, TNFa, blood monocyte count, serum total bilirubin concentration and negatively correlated with hematocrit, differed between IMHA and INF dogs (P = 0.001).