Association of plasma metabolites and diagnostic imaging findings with hepatic lipidosis in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) and effects of gemfibrozil therapy

• Published in: PloS one 2023-02, Vol.18 (2), p.e0274060
• Main Authors: Barboza, Trinita K, Susta, Leonardo, Zur Linden, Alex, Gardhouse, Sara, Beaufrère, Hugues
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Agamid lizards; Animals; Biochemistry; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomarkers; Biopsy; Birds; Body fat; Computed tomography; Diagnosis; Diagnostic systems; Evaluation; Fatty acids; Fatty liver; Females; Gemfibrozil; Gemfibrozil - pharmacology; Health aspects; Health services; Histology; Lipidoses; Lipids; Liver; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Lizards - metabolism; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Medical diagnosis; Medical imaging; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolic disorders; Metabolites; Metabolomics; Pathophysiology; Plasma; Pogona vitticeps; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Succinic acid; Succinic Acid - metabolism; Tomography; Triglycerides; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Veterinary medicine
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274060

To evaluate the association between plasma metabolites, biochemical analytes, diagnostic imaging findings, and the histologic diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis in bearded dragons. To assess the effects of gemfibrozil therapy on hepatic lipid accumulation and associated diagnostic tests. Fourteen bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) with varying severity of hepatic lipid accumulation (with and without hepatic lipidosis) were included. Animals underwent coelomic ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans, and coelioscopic hepatic biopsies. Clinical pathology tests included lipidologic tests, hepatic biomarkers, and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Animals were medicated with gemfibrozil 6mg/kg orally once a day for 2 months in a randomized blinded clinical trial prior to repeating previous diagnostic testing. Hounsfield units on CT were negatively associated with increased hepatic vacuolation, while ultrasound and gross evaluation of the liver were not reliable. Beta-hydroxybutyric-acid (BHBA) concentrations were significantly associated with hepatic lipidosis. Metabolomics and lipidomics data found BHBA and succinic acid to be potential biomarkers for diagnosing hepatic lipidosis in bearded dragons. Succinic acid concentrations were significantly lower in the gemfibrozil treatment group. There was a tendency for improvement in the biomarkers and reduced hepatic fat in bearded dragons with hepatic lipidosis when treated with gemfibrozil, though the improvement was not statistically significant. These findings provide information on the antemortem assessment of hepatic lipidosis in bearded dragons and paves the way for further research in diagnosis and treatment of this disease.