Adiposity and adiponectin in dogs: investigation of causes of discrepant results between two studies.

Although one study showed lower adiponectin concentrations in obese dogs, other recent studies indicate that adiponectin might not be decreased in obese dogs, raising the possibility that the physiology of adiponectin is different in dogs than in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate possible causes of the discrepancy between the two largest studies to date that assessed the association between adiposity and adiponectin concentration in dogs, including the validity of the assay, laboratory error, and the effects of breed, sex, and neuter status on the relationship between adiposity and adiponectin concentrations. Adiponectin concentrations measured with a previously validated adiponectin ELISA were compared with those estimated by Western blotting analysis of reduced and denatured plasma samples. The possibility of laboratory error and the effect of EDTA anticoagulant and aprotinin were tested. Adiponectin concentration was measured by ELISA in 20 lean dogs (10 male and 10 female, 5 neutered in each sex). There was close correlation between adiponectin concentrations measured by ELISA and those estimated by Western blotting analysis (r = 0.90; P < 0.001). There was no substantial effect of EDTA, aprotinin, or laboratory error on the results. There was confounding by neuter status of the relationship between adiposity and adiponectin concentrations, but adiponectin concentrations were not significantly lower in male than in female lean dogs (females, 36 mg/L; males, 26 mg/L; P > 0.20) and were not significantly lower in intact than in neutered lean male dogs (intact, 28 mg/L; neutered, 23 mg/L; P = 0.49). We conclude that the adiponectin ELISA previously validated for use in dogs appears to be suitable for determination of canine adiponectin concentrations and that testosterone does not appear to have a strong effect on plasma adiponectin concentrations in dogs. Obesity might decrease adiponectin concentrations in intact but not in neutered dogs.