Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40938822›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Whole blood RNA profiling in cats dissects the host immunological response during recovery from feline infectious peritonitis.

Katharina Zwicklbauer, Pilar Grassl, Martin Alberer, Laura Kolberg, Nina A Schweintzger, Sonja Härtle, Kaspar Matiasek, Regina Hofmann-Lehmann, Katrin Hartmann, Caroline C Friedel and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Katharina ZwicklbauerLMU Small Animal Clinic, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0470-776X
Pilar GrasslInstitute for Informatics, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Martin AlbererDivision of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Laura KolbergDivision of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Nina A SchweintzgerDepartment of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of General Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Sonja HärtleDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, AG Immunology, LMU Munich, Planegg, Germany.
Kaspar MatiasekSection of Clinical and Comparative Neuropathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Regina Hofmann-LehmannDepartment of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, Clinical Laboratory, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-9750-4296
Katrin HartmannLMU Small Animal Clinic, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Caroline C FriedelInstitute for Informatics, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Ulrich von BothDivision of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8411-1071

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is caused by infection with the feline coronavirus (FCoV) and is fatal if left untreated. In most cats, FCoV primarily infects the gastrointestinal tract and remains asymptomatic or causes only mild enteritis, with only a small proportion of infected cats developing FIP. An excessive and harmful immune response leading to characteristic (pyo)granulomatous phlebitis is believed to play a key role in the development of FIP, along with complex interactions between host and viral factors. Our research group recently demonstrated successful treatment of cats with naturally occurring FIP using the antiviral nucleoside analogue GS-441524. Treatment led to complete recovery without any relapses for a follow-up period of one year, demonstrating both a short- and long-term cure. To investigate differential gene expression and corresponding molecular pathways in cats with FIP before, during, and after antiviral treatment, RNA sequencing was performed on full blood samples of 18 cats treated successfully in a prospective study. Samples were analyzed before treatment, at different timepoints while on treatment with GS-441524 and after completion of treatment. Additionally, gene expression profiles were compared to 12 healthy FCoV-infected control cats and 5 healthy uninfected control cats. The results revealed both a widespread dysregulation of the blood RNA signature in cats with FIP as well as its rapid normalization within the first week of treatment. Significant changes were already apparent within the first two days of treatment. The results of the present study suggest that elimination of the virus from the blood leads to rapid control and subsequent normalization of the damaging immune response, a finding that corresponds well to the clinical response to treatment. This study illustrates the host response to treatment at the molecular level and provides further evidence that a shorter treatment duration than the 84 days predominantly practiced is sufficient.

Indexed as

Feline Infectious PeritonitisRNAAnimalsAntiviral AgentsCatsCoronavirus, FelineFemaleGene Expression ProfilingMaleTranscriptomeAntiviral AgentsRNA

Identifiers

PMID40938822
PMCPMC12431271

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.