Whole blood mRNA sequencing of dogs

Aging is the most significant risk factor in many diseases and for mortality alike, and it is known to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Due to the importance of dogs in human societies, the study of aging in companion dogs is worthwhile in its own right. Still, dogs could also be ideal translational model animals for human aging research. In this study, our primary goal was to investigate the gene expression changes with age in whole blood samples of dogs. The advantage of using blood is its accessibility and known biomarkers for diseases.We sequenced the poly(A)-tailed RNA fraction in the blood samples of five young and five old companion border collie dogs and implemented a differential gene expression analysis.