AHEAD IN ANIMAL HEALTH
Searching for a biomarker for gastric lesions in pigs Lucía Dieste-Pérez 1, Lianneke Bosma 1, Xandra Benthem De Grave 2, Karin Junker 1, Floris Bikker 3 1 Royal GD, Deventer, The Netherlands 2 Schothorst Feed Research (SFR), Lelystad 8218 NA, The Netherlands 3 Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Objective We assessed the validity of serum pepsinogen and several salivary parameters as potential indicator(s) of gastric lesions in pigs. Material and methods
Results
• In total, 121 pigs 6-8 months old, from the experimental farm of SFR were used. • One to 3 days before slaughter, saliva was collected from 37/121 pigs using HydraFloc® swabs and pH of the saliva was measured in situ directly from the swab with a pH paper. • Saliva parameters including, amylase activity, total protein, total protease and pylori-specific protease activity were analysed according to protocols described in Prodan et al. 2015 and Kaman et al. 2013. • At slaughter, serum was collected from all pigs. • Pepsinogen activity in serum was analysed by using an enzymatic and colorimetric method. • At slaughter the stomach lesions were scored by a pathologist according to the protocol from Hessing et al. 1992. • All variables were tested individually against gastric lesion scores ( 0 to 5) and categories (0, 1 and 2) by one-way ANOVA or against presence or not (0, 1) of gastric ulcers by t-test with STATA 15.
• Gastric lesion scores ranged from 0 to 5 (n=121). • Salivary pH of the pigs ranged from 8 to 10 (n=37). • Pigs with severe gastric lesions had a higher salivary pH compared to pigs with milder lesions (Graph 1 and 2). • No differences were observed on serum pepsinogen or other salivary parameters among pigs with different gastric lesions scores/categories.
Discussion and conclusion
Graph 1 B ox plot of pH in porcine saliva presented by gastric lesions category
Graph 2 B ox plot of pH in porcine saliva presented by presence or absence of gastric ulcer
Table 1 P rotocol for the scoring of the stomach mucosa in the pars oesophagea of pigs (translated from Hessing et al. 1992) Score
Macroscopic description
0
Intact mucosa
1
Slight hyperkeratosis (< 50% of the surface)
2
Marked hyperkeratosis (≥ 50% of the surface)
3
Hyperkeratosis + some minor erosions (less than 5 and shorter than 2.5 cm)
4
Hyperkeratosis + more larger erosions (5 or more and/or longer than 2.5 cm)
5
Hyperkeratosis + many large erosions (more than 10 and/or longer than 5 cm) and/or ulcer (with or without bleeding) or stenosis at the transition from oesophagus to stomach
Serum pepsinogen determination is not adequate as in vivo biomarker for gastric wall damage in pigs. Results of the salivary parameters should be taken with caution because of the limited database, but they provide some insight into the potential of pH as a biomarker for gastric lesions in pigs
(category 0 = gastric score 0 and 1; category 1 = gastric score 2, 3 and 4; category 2 = gastric score 5)
( category 0 = gastric score 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4; category 1 = gastric score 5)
Saliva pH per gastric ulcer yes/no
10,5
10,5
10
10
9,5
9,5
9
9
pH
pH
Saliva pH per gastric catergory
8,5
8,5
8
8
7,5
7,5
7 1
2
0
7 0
Gastric lesion category
Example of stomach with score 2
1
Gastric ulcer Yes/No
Example of stomach with score 4
L.diesteperez@gdanimalhealth.com www.gdanimalhealth.com
GD2574/04-22