First report on the presence of a common pathogenic variant in the PKD1 gene, causing polycystic kidney disease, in a series of related Sphynx cats

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is the most common monogenic disease in cats, especially in Persian and related breeds. In this report we describe for the first time PKD in two related families (full sibling tomcats) of Canadian Sphynx cats. Altogether fourteen cats, including five kittens in each family, were investigated using ultrasonography. Cysts were observed in both tomcats and in five kittens (two and three in the litters). The number of cysts in a single kidney varied from one to six. A molecular search for the causative dominant pathogenic variant (Felis_catus_9.0, NC_018738.3: chr E3:g.42858112C>A (c.9882C>A)) in the PKD1 gene showed full concordance with clinical investigations: all cats with cysts in their kidneys were heterozygous (C/A) for this variant.