Renal biomarkers and serum protein electrophoresis in captive Northern‐East African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii): A comparison with the Southern cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus)

Background The drastic reduction of cheetah population has increased the interest about the conservation and the study of chronic diseases with high mortality rates in this species. Among these pathologies, renal failure is one of the most relevant primary diseases that occurs in captive cheetahs. Nevertheless, only few studies regarding the endangered Northern African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii), a subspecies closely related to the Southern African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus), are present in literature. Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate renal biomarkers and serum proteins in 4 healthy captive Northern African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) in order to provide, for the first time, a reference interval of renal markers and serum proteins concentration in this subspecies. Methods The study population was made by 4 captive healthy Northern African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii), two males and two females, ranging 5 and 11 years of age. Blood samples from all these cheetahs were collected taking venous blood from the saphenous vein. After centrifugation, the serum was separated and analyzed for concentration evaluation of creatinine, urea, albumin, globulins, phosphorus, and symmetric dimethyl-arginine (SDMA) concentration. Serum proteins were also quantified by capillary electrophoresis: α1 globulins, α2 globulins, β globulins, γ globulins, and total proteins. Results Medium ± SD (Val max-Val min) concentration in subjects included in our study are: creatinine μmol/L 225.33 ± 56.12 (304.8-175.73); urea mmol/L 25.91 ± 4.40 (29.22-19.43); albumin g/L 53.80 ± 3.62 (58.5-50.8); globulins g/L 45.70 ± 2.46 (49.36-44.14); phosphorous mmol/L 2.49 ± 0.18 (2.7- 2.26); SDMA μg/dl 9.50 ± 5.07 (17.0-6.0); α1 globulins g/L 7.03 ± 2.29 (9.8-4.4); α2 globulins g/L 18.98 ± 3.07 (22.5-15.8); β globulins g/L 9.18 ± 1.44 (11.3-8.3); γ globulins g/L 8.73 ± 6.25 (16.0-1.21); and total proteins g/L 76.50 ± 2.08 (78.3-73.5). Conclusion Comparing our results with reference intervals already present in literature for renal biomarkers, and referring to Southern African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus), we found interesting differences, particularly for the values of urea and creatinine that were higher in our samples. Serum protein concentrations obtained by capillary electrophoresis showed differences in α2 globulins and β globulins concentrations that were higher than the existing range. Although performed in a small group of animals, in this study, we propose a first step towards the identification of reference intervals for renal biomarkers and serum proteins in the Northern cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii).