Serum protein electrophoresis in European mink (Mustela lutreola): reference intervals and comparison of agarose gel electrophoresis and capillary zone electrophoresis

Abstract

Background

Knowledge of reference intervals for blood analytes, including serum protein fractions, is of great importance for the identification of infectious and inflammatory diseases and is often lacking in wild animal species.

Material and methods

Serum samples were obtained from European minks enrolled in the breeding program (n = 55). Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) were used to separate and identify protein fractions. Albumin, α1, α2, β, and γ-globulins fractions were identified in all mink sera by both electrophoresis methods. Reference intervals (90% CI) were determined following the 2008 guidelines of the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. The methods were compared using Passing-Bablok regression, Bland–Altman analysis, and Lin’s concordance correlation.

Results

A significant bias was found between methods for α1, α2, and γ-globulin. Lin’s concordance correlation was considered unacceptable for α1, α2, and β-globulins. Differences for gender between methods were found for albumin and α2-globuins, which were higher for males than females. γ-globulins were higher for adults than young minks using both methods; however, α1 and α2-globulins were lower.

Conclusion

Both methods are adequate for identifying serum protein disorders, but the AGE and CZE methods are not equivalent. Therefore, reference intervals for each technique are required.

Keywords:

• AGE
• age
• concordance analysis
• CZE
• electrophoresis
• European mink
• serum protein gender
• reference intervals

Acknowledgments

The successful completion of this study has been made possible thanks to the ex situ conservation program for the European mink in Spain, which is carried out by the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el RetoDemográfico, as well as the Autonomous Communities of La Rioja, País Vasco, Navarra, Castilla y León and Aragón. We would also like to express our gratitude to TRAGSATEC for their support. We appreciate the help of laboratory technician María Angeles Lostao with clinical analyses.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets supporting the conclusions of this study are included in this article. All analysed data are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

Not applicable.