Use of plasma chromogranin a epitopes vasostatin and catestatin as biomarkers for catecholamine-producing tumours in dogs.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7054, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden.
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan.
- 3Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7023, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden.
- 4Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75185, Sweden.
- 5Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7054, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Differentiation of catecholamine-producing tumours from other adrenal tumours remains difficult. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a marker for catecholamine secretion in the body. An assay for quantification of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin has been validated for use in dogs but not yet evaluated in dogs with catecholamine-producing tumours. The aims were to evaluate the assays foranalysis of plasma concentrations of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin in dogs with adrenal tumours and to compare concentrations between catecholamine-producing tumours and adrenocortical tumours in dogs that were subjected to adrenalectomy. Twelve dogs with histopathologically confirmed catecholamine-secreting tumours (eleven pheochromocytomas (PCCs), one extra-adrenal sympathetic paraganglioma (PGL)) and twelve with adrenocortical tumours were included in the study. Plasma concentrations of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin were determined byradioimmunoassay (RIA), before adrenalectomy in 23 out of 24 dogs and after adrenalectomy in six of the dogs with catecholamine-secreting tumours (five PCC, one PGL). Tumour diagnosis was made by histopathology in all cases.Results
Overall, median plasma concentration of the CgA epitopevasostatin in dogs with catecholamine-secreting tumours was 0.82 nmol/L (interquartile range (IQR) 0.52 to 1.60 nmol/L), which was significantly higher(Wilcoxon rank sum exact test, P= 0.0374) than the vasostatin concentration in adrenocortical tumours (median 0.50; IQR 0.34 to 0.59 nmol/L). A subsetof dogs (5/12) with catecholamine-secreting tumours had elevated plasma vasostatin concentrations preoperatively. After successful surgery, thepreoperatively elevated plasma vasostatin concentrations decreased numerically, however without reaching statistical significance. Catestatin concentrationdid not differ between tumour types.Conclusions
Elevated plasma concentration of the CgA epitope vasostatin showed potential as a biomarker for asubset of catecholamine-secreting tumours.
Related
- Chromogranin B promotes EMT-associated stem-like properties and chemoresistance in HNSCC
- Isolated Recurrent Syncope as the Initial Presentation of Pheochromocytoma: A Case Report of a Hidden Catecholamine-Secreting Tumor
- Norepinephrine in septic shock: catecholamine burden, immunometabolic reprogramming, and precision vasopressor therapy
- Bilateral Adrenal Masses, Extreme Catecholamine Excess, and Hypercalcitoninemia With Metastatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasia: A Diagnostic Dilemma
- Coexisting adrenal hemangioma and aldosterone-producing micronodule presented as adrenal incidentaloma
BibTeX
@article{prabert2026plasma,
title = {{Use of plasma chromogranin a epitopes vasostatin and catestatin as biomarkers for catecholamine-producing tumours in dogs.}},
author = {Josefine Prabert and Jeanette Hanson and Kumiko Ishigaki and Kazushi Asano and Katja Höglund and Mats Stridsberg and Odd Viking Höglund},
journal = {BMC veterinary research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s12917-026-05996-6},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897632},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Use of plasma chromogranin a epitopes vasostatin and catestatin as biomarkers for catecholamine-producing tumours in dogs.
AU - Josefine Prabert
AU - Jeanette Hanson
AU - Kumiko Ishigaki
AU - Kazushi Asano
AU - Katja Höglund
AU - Mats Stridsberg
AU - Odd Viking Höglund
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - BMC veterinary research
DO - 10.1186/s12917-026-05996-6
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897632
AB - Background Differentiation of catecholamine-producing tumours from other adrenal tumours remains difficult. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a marker for catecholamine secretion in the body. An assay for quantification of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin has been validated for use in dogs but not yet evaluated in dogs with catecholamine-producing tumours. The aims were to evaluate the assays foranalysis of plasma concentrations of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin in dogs with adrenal tumours and to compare concentrations between catecholamine-producing tumours and adrenocortical tumours in dogs that were subjected to adrenalectomy. Twelve dogs with histopathologically confirmed catecholamine-secreting tumours (eleven pheochromocytomas (PCCs), one extra-adrenal sympathetic paraganglioma (PGL)) and twelve with adrenocortical tumours were included in the study. Plasma concentrations of the CgA epitopes vasostatin and catestatin were determined byradioimmunoassay (RIA), before adrenalectomy in 23 out of 24 dogs and after adrenalectomy in six of the dogs with catecholamine-secreting tumours (five PCC, one PGL). Tumour diagnosis was made by histopathology in all cases.Results Overall, median plasma concentration of the CgA epitopevasostatin in dogs with catecholamine-secreting tumours was 0.82 nmol/L (interquartile range (IQR) 0.52 to 1.60 nmol/L), which was significantly higher(Wilcoxon rank sum exact test, P= 0.0374) than the vasostatin concentration in adrenocortical tumours (median 0.50; IQR 0.34 to 0.59 nmol/L). A subsetof dogs (5/12) with catecholamine-secreting tumours had elevated plasma vasostatin concentrations preoperatively. After successful surgery, thepreoperatively elevated plasma vasostatin concentrations decreased numerically, however without reaching statistical significance. Catestatin concentrationdid not differ between tumour types.Conclusions Elevated plasma concentration of the CgA epitope vasostatin showed potential as a biomarker for asubset of catecholamine-secreting tumours.
SN - 1746-6148
ER -