Genetic Risk Factors for Isolated Primary Vitreous Degeneration in Italian Greyhounds

Abstract

This research project aimed to identify the genetic factors causing vitreous degeneration in Italian greyhounds to improve the health of the breed and provide important new information about the disease. The condition, where the normal state of the vitreous hydrogel is disturbed by liquefaction and opacities, often causing irritating floating bodies in the patient’s field of vision, is extremely common in this breed, with the prevalence in some countries reaching more than half of the examined dogs. To identify the underlying genetic risk factors of the disease, a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS), homozygosity mapping, and whole-genome sequencing approaches were utilized. PCR-assays and sequence analyses were used to analyze the identified candidate risk variants further. Despite the efforts to identify the genetic risk factors, no loci or variants were identified for the disease in the performed studies. Additional phenotyping, larger cohorts, and further genetic analyses are needed to determine genetic risk factors for the disease and to improve the wellness of the breed.