Dwarfism Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dwarfism, including details on genetics, diet, mental and motor development.

The leukemia inhibitory factor receptor gene is not involved in the etiology of pituitary dwarfism in German shepherd dogs.

Hanson JM, Mol JA, Leegwater PA, Kooistra HS, Meij BP

Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 8, P.O. Box 80.154, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.m.hanson@vet.uu.nl

Pituitary dwarfism in German shepherd dogs is characterized by combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) and intrapituitary cyst formation. Activation of the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-LIF receptor (LIFR) signal transduction pathway results in a similar phenotype in (transgenic) mice. We therefore assessed the role of the LIFR in the etiology of pituitary dwarfism in German shepherd dogs. A polymorphic microsatellite marker (UULIFR) was used to analyze the segregation of the LIFR gene in 22 German shepherd dogs from 4 pedigrees, each including one dwarf. There was no allelic association between UULIFR and the dwarfism phenotype. Based on our findings LIFR was excluded as a candidate gene for CPHD.

Published 5 September 2006 in Res Vet Sci, 81(3): 316-20.
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