Jada Prignano

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Gilchrist, Sandra

Second Advisor

Bohan, Amy

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Myxomatous mitral valvular degeneration (MMVD) is the most common heart disease in dogs, as well as a significant disease in the human heart. MMVD is characterized by valvular thickening and regurgitation, leading to secondary cardiac structure and function changes. The prevalence of this disease has been correlated wilh age and breed. Small breed dogs such as the Cavalier King Charles spaniel (CVKC), are predisposed to the disease, and the prevalence in the CVKC dogs older than 10 years is greater than 90%. Given that the disease is common, but only a minority of dogs will progress to heart failure, it would be helpful if there were a way in which those animals at the most significant risk of experiencing progressive disease could be easily distinguished. Dy identifying a high-risk subpopulation, subsequent monitoring and therapy could be more effectively targeted. Early signs of mitral valve regurgitation could be identified, and treatment could be introduced from the earliest stage, which is known to be effective. Heart valve disorders can arise from 2 main problems: regurgitation (or leakage of the valve) and stenosis (or narrowing of the valve). Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) that have emerged as key players in diagnostics and therapeutics for desieases such as MMVD.

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