Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most common diseases of older cats. Current testing does not detect CKD in cats until over 2/3 of kidney function is lost. Furthermore, testing does not predict rate of progression or response to treatment. Metabolomics is the study of products of metabolic pathways and has been used to identify diagnostic and treatment targets in diseases in people including CKD. Advanced glycation products (AGEs) are produced from the interaction of sugar with protein within the body and in food. Consumption of high levels of AGEs is associated with various diseases in people including CKD and eating a low AGE diet by humans with CKD has been shown to be beneficial. MicroRNA refer to small pieces of genetic material that have been shown to play a role in progression of CKD by increasing scarring of the kidneys and inflammation within the kidneys. Our objects are to characterize metabolomic profiles, AGE concentrations, and microRNAs in cats with various stages of kidney disease and in healthy cats, which may result in identification of new biomarkers of CKD and treatment targets for cats with CKD.
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