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Plasma metabolome reveals altered oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

Fien Verdoodt (UGent) , Sofie Bhatti (UGent) , Jenifer Molina, Luc Van Ham (UGent) , Lynn Vanhaecke (UGent) , Greet Junius, Lieselot Hemeryck (UGent) and Myriam Hesta (UGent)
(2025) EPILEPSIA. 66(4). p.1315-1328
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Abstract
Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) is the most common chronic neurological disease in dogs and an established natural animal model for human epilepsy types with genetic and unknown etiology. However, the metabolic pathways underlying IE remain largely unknown. Methods: Plasma samples of healthy dogs (n= 39) and dogs with IE (n = 49) were metabolically profiled (n = 121 known target metabolites) and fingerprinted (n = 1825 untargeted features) using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Dogs with IE were classified as mild phenotype (MP; n = 22) or drug‐resistant (DR; n = 27). All dogs received the same standard adult maintenance diet for a minimum of 20 days (35 ± 11 days) before sampling. Data were analyzed using a combination of univariate (one‐way analysis of variance or Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test), multivariate (limma, orthogonal partial least squares–discriminant analysis), and pathway enrichment statistical analysis. Results: In dogs with both DR and MP IE, a distinct plasma metabolic profile and fingerprint compared to healthy dogs was observed. Metabolic pathways involved in these alterations included oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, significantly lower plasma concentrations of vitamin B6 were found in MP (p = .001) and DR (p = .005) compared to healthy dogs. Significance: Our data provide new insights into the metabolic pathways underlying IE in dogs, further substantiating its potential as a natural animal model for humans with epilepsy, reflected by related metabolic changes in oxidative stress metabolites and vitamin B6. Even more, several metabolites within the uncovered pathways offer promising therapeutic targets for the management of IE, primarily for dogs, and ultimately for humans.
Keywords
epilepsy, metabolomics, pyridoxine, seizure, GUANIDINO COMPOUNDS, GLUTAMATE, MODEL

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MLA
Verdoodt, Fien, et al. “Plasma Metabolome Reveals Altered Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Amino Acid Metabolism in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy.” EPILEPSIA, vol. 66, no. 4, 2025, pp. 1315–28, doi:10.1111/epi.18256.
APA
Verdoodt, F., Bhatti, S., Molina, J., Van Ham, L., Vanhaecke, L., Junius, G., … Hesta, M. (2025). Plasma metabolome reveals altered oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. EPILEPSIA, 66(4), 1315–1328. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.18256
Chicago author-date
Verdoodt, Fien, Sofie Bhatti, Jenifer Molina, Luc Van Ham, Lynn Vanhaecke, Greet Junius, Lieselot Hemeryck, and Myriam Hesta. 2025. “Plasma Metabolome Reveals Altered Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Amino Acid Metabolism in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy.” EPILEPSIA 66 (4): 1315–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.18256.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Verdoodt, Fien, Sofie Bhatti, Jenifer Molina, Luc Van Ham, Lynn Vanhaecke, Greet Junius, Lieselot Hemeryck, and Myriam Hesta. 2025. “Plasma Metabolome Reveals Altered Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Amino Acid Metabolism in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy.” EPILEPSIA 66 (4): 1315–1328. doi:10.1111/epi.18256.
Vancouver
1.
Verdoodt F, Bhatti S, Molina J, Van Ham L, Vanhaecke L, Junius G, et al. Plasma metabolome reveals altered oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. EPILEPSIA. 2025;66(4):1315–28.
IEEE
[1]
F. Verdoodt et al., “Plasma metabolome reveals altered oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy,” EPILEPSIA, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 1315–1328, 2025.
@article{01JWAY1K4E7ZWZHG86JFKYG1YQ,
  abstract     = {{Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) is the most common chronic neurological disease in dogs and an established natural animal model for human epilepsy types with genetic and unknown etiology. However, the metabolic pathways underlying IE remain largely unknown.
Methods: Plasma samples of healthy dogs (n= 39) and dogs with IE (n = 49) were metabolically profiled (n = 121 known target metabolites) and fingerprinted (n = 1825 untargeted features) using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Dogs with IE were classified as mild phenotype (MP; n = 22) or drug‐resistant (DR; n = 27). All dogs received the same standard adult maintenance diet for a minimum of 20 days (35 ± 11 days) before sampling. Data were analyzed using a combination of univariate (one‐way analysis of variance or Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test), multivariate (limma, orthogonal partial least squares–discriminant analysis), and pathway enrichment statistical analysis. 
Results: In dogs with both DR and MP IE, a distinct plasma metabolic profile and fingerprint compared to healthy dogs was observed. Metabolic pathways involved in these alterations included oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, significantly lower plasma concentrations of vitamin B6 were found in MP (p = .001) and DR (p = .005) compared to healthy dogs.
Significance: Our data provide new insights into the metabolic pathways underlying IE in dogs, further substantiating its potential as a natural animal model for humans with epilepsy, reflected by related metabolic changes in oxidative stress metabolites and vitamin B6. Even more, several metabolites within the uncovered pathways offer promising therapeutic targets for the management of IE, primarily for dogs, and ultimately for humans.}},
  author       = {{Verdoodt, Fien and Bhatti, Sofie and Molina, Jenifer and Van Ham, Luc and Vanhaecke, Lynn and Junius, Greet and Hemeryck, Lieselot and Hesta, Myriam}},
  issn         = {{0013-9580}},
  journal      = {{EPILEPSIA}},
  keywords     = {{epilepsy,metabolomics,pyridoxine,seizure,GUANIDINO COMPOUNDS,GLUTAMATE,MODEL}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1315--1328}},
  title        = {{Plasma metabolome reveals altered oxidative stress, inflammation, and amino acid metabolism in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1111/epi.18256}},
  volume       = {{66}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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