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NT-proBNP measurement has been introduced into veterinary practice over the last decade. NT-proBNP levels are elevated in dogs with mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. The highest concentrations can be observed in dogs that develop congestive heart failure. NT-proBNP measurement helps to distinguish congestive heart failure from primary respiratory tract disease as an underlying cause of respiratory signs in dogs (1). The NT-proBNP concentration in blood correlates with the severity of the disease and reflects the risk of subsequent complications. An increasing number of studies have shown that NT-proBNP can be successfully used for the diagnosis of cardiac disease in dogs, assessing the severity of the disease in dogs with cardiac disease and prognosis in dogs with heart disease (reviewed in 2).
One of the main challenges with canine NT-proBNP measurements is the low stability of the analyte in blood samples. The degradation of NT-proBNP during sample storage and transportation leads to a decrease in the NT-proBNP concentration that is determined in the specimen.
The apparent stability of an analyte depends on the specificity of antibodies used in an immunoassay and can be improved by using antibodies that are specific to a stable part of the molecule. Through selecting antibodies that are less sensitive to the degradation of NT-proBNP this might allow less stringent and complicated instructions for sample handling and storage. Such a robust assay would greatly improve the clinical utility of canine NT-proBNP assay.
Monoclonal antibodies and calibrator from Hytest
We offer both the calibrator and various MAbs with pair recommendations for the development of canine specific NT-proBNP immunoassays. These tools enable the development of highly specific immunoassays for the determination of canine NT-proBNP concentration in blood. In our preliminary studies we observed that plasma samples could be stored for at least 72 hours at +4°C or for 24 hours at +20°C with little to no loss in immunoreactivity of NT-proBNP in the in-house assays that utilized our best MAb combinations.
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