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Topic:Biomarkers
Biomarkers in horses are measurable indicators of biological processes, states, or conditions that can be used to assess health and disease. These biomarkers can be identified in various biological samples such as blood, urine, or tissue. They provide valuable information for diagnosing diseases, monitoring health status, and evaluating treatment responses in equine medicine. Common biomarkers in horses include enzymes, hormones, and metabolites, which may change in response to physiological or pathological conditions. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the identification, quantification, and application of biomarkers in equine health and disease management.
Multimodal characterization of equine synovitis: Correlation between arthroscopic, histopathological, and biomarker assessments in septic vs. aseptic cases. Endoscopy and synovial membrane histology are complementary modalities for evaluating synovial inflammation. Cytokine involvement in non-septic arthritis is well documented but remains poorly characterized in septic synovitis. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the inflammatory cytokine profile associated with septic and non-septic synovitis and assess correlations among endoscopic, histological, and synovial fluid biomarker findings. Methods: Three groups were defined: horses undergoing elective or therapeutic endoscopy (Group 1, n=26), horses with confirmed septic synovitis (Group 2...
An in-feed oral glucose test increases post-prandial high molecular weight adiponectin concentration in horses. Adiponectin is a fat-derived adipocytokine that has been associated with laminitis risk in ponies. Factors that affect sampling timing for measurement of adiponectin concentration have been inadequately investigated. This study aimed to determine the effect of an oral glucose test (OGT) and fed-state on adiponectin concentration in horses and ponies. Blood samples were collected before and after an OGT in 85 horses and ponies and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin concentration was measured. Total adiponectin concentration was measured in a subset of 25 animals. Assays validated for use w...
From bodyweight to biomarkers: Season-associated metabolic, endocrine and haematological shifts in breeding stallions. Breeding stallions are subjected to sustained seasonal metabolic, endocrine, and immune demands requiring systemic energy engagement. Prospective longitudinal data in the same individuals are limited. Objective: To screen adaptive responses of breeding stallions of clinical relevance through longitudinal characterisation of temporal changes across the mating season and negative photoperiod: (i) health and nutritional status; (ii) oxidative status and immune modulation; and (iii) metabolic and endocrine biomarkers as correlates of reproductive potential. Methods: Prospective longitudinal observ...
Validation of a point-of-care assay for simultaneous quantification of equine adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticotropin-like intermediate peptide. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations are used to diagnose equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). The reference chemiluminescent immunoassay for immunoreactive ACTH (iACTH) cross-reacts with corticotropin-like intermediate peptide (CLIP), which is also abnormally high in PPID. Objective: To compare the performance of a novel point-of-care (POC) immunoassay that concurrently measures ACTH and CLIP against the reference iACTH assay. Methods: Twenty-eight university-owned horses (13 PPID, 15 non-PPID). Methods: Prospective observational study. Resting plasma hormo...
Effects of Incorporating Horses into Occupational Therapy on Adrenocortical and Sympathetic Nervous System Reactivity and Regulation in Autistic Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The study prospectively investigated adrenocortical and autonomic nervous system reactivity and regulation as autistic children participated in a randomized controlled trial of occupational therapy in an equine environment (OT-Equine). Methods: Autistic children (n = 72, ages 6-11 yrs) were randomly assigned for 10 weeks to OT-Equine or clinic-based occupational therapy (OT-Clinic). Saliva samples (later assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase, [sAA]) were collected before (pre-session), during (within-session), immediately after (post-session), and 20-minutes after (post-session + 20) ...
Characterizing dietary and exercise management practices and inflammatory biomarkers in a population of recreationally managed horses in Pennsylvania. Horses evolved as slow-moving grazers for 30 to 40 million years, but domesticated horses often consume greater quantities of grains and concentrates to foster athleticism. The changes in diet and exercise are hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions. Objective: The objective was to characterize relationships between dietary and exercise management practices and acute phase proteins (APPs) in horses. Methods: We collected body condition scores, blood samples, and surveys of the horse management practices from 144 horses. Plasma serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive prot...
Plasma adrenocorticotropin concentrations vary with assay used in horses with and without pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentration is measured to support a diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). However, baseline ACTH and ACTH concentrations after IV administration of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) vary with season and assay used. To compare two ACTH assays (Scantibodies immunoradiometric assay [IRMA] and Immulite 2000Xpi chemiluminescent immunometric assay [CIA]) for diagnosis of PPID, ACTH was measured before and 10 minutes after administration of TRH in three groups of horses: 1) four young horses (6 ± 3 years, no hypertrichosis and a pituita...
Forage chemical composition drives early metabolic shifts in ponies fed different haylages. Rapid changes between feeds can cause dysbiosis and colic in horses. The metabolic consequences of transitioning between haylages (HY) are currently unknown. Objective: To characterise urinary and faecal metabonomics in ponies transitioned between HY varying in botanical composition and physiological age and to evaluate the speed of metabolic adaptation. Methods: In vivo experiments repeated Latin Square. Methods: Eight Welsh Mountain ponies were fed four HY (R1, R2, M1, M2) across 4 × 15-day periods; a structured 3-day (Days 13-15) changeover was observed: old:new 70:30, 50:50and 30:70....
Cumulus cell DNA fragmentation as non-invasive biomarker of equine oocyte quality in in vitro embryo production. The efficiency of in vitro embryo production in animal species is constrained by the absence of practical, non-invasive biomarkers to assess oocyte quality. Cumulus cell DNA fragmentation index (CC-DFI) has been proposed as a biomarker in humans, but data in animals remain limited. Objective: This study investigated the association of CC-DFI with in vitro maturation (IVM) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in horses, and its relationship with mare-related factors, autumnal transition period, cumulus cell viability, and cumulus expansion. Methods: Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC...
Serum amyloid A alone or in combination with white blood cell count and fibrinogen is associated with inflammatory disease status in horses undergoing elective anesthesia. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical utility of common systemic inflammatory markers (WBC count [WBCC], plasma fibrinogen, and serum amyloid A [SAA]) for the detection of disease in patients undergoing general anesthesia. Unassigned: A retrospective review of 1,002 surgical case records (February 2021 to June 2023) was performed. Systemically stable equine patients undergoing elective orthopedic and soft tissue procedures and that had WBCC, fibrinogen, and SAA evaluated preoperatively were eligible for inclusion. Disease status (healthy vs disease) was recorded for each case ...
Novel serum biomarkers provide evidence for an involvement of the CCL3:CCL5 axis in fatal musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses. Fatal musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries in Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses adversely affect equine welfare, negatively impact public acceptance of horse racing, and cause severe economic losses for the racing industry. Biomarker assays predicting the risk of MSK injuries are currently not available. Our hypothesis was that immune system and inflammatory markers are indicators of fatal MSK injuries in TB racehorses. Unassigned: Serum samples from TB racehorses with fatal (n = 44) and nonfatal injuries (63) were collected. Serum from 2- to 5-year-old TBs submitted for annual equine infectious anemia t...
Influence of Follicle Number and Reproductive Cyclicity on Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Yield Isolated From Equine Ovarian Follicular Aspirates. Follicular aspirates have emerged as an alternative source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in mares; however, factors influencing successful MSC isolation remain unclear. This study evaluated whether reproductive cyclicity and follicle count affect MSC recovery from ovum pick-up (OPU)-derived follicular aspirates. Twenty-eight OPU procedures were performed on 13 mares, and cells were cultured until passage 3. Successful MSC cultures were obtained in 15/28 procedures (53.6%), while 13 procedures (46.4%) yielded non-MSC populations. Neither reproductive status (cycling vs. anestrous) nor foll...
Liposomal bupivacaine local analgesia reduces systemic inflammatory responses following equine laparoscopic surgery. Liposomal local anesthetics have been shown to extend analgesia duration and improve pain scores dose-dependently in horses. Our objective was to assess concurrent impact on systemic inflammatory markers. Unassigned: 18 mares (age, 2 to 20 years) with normal ovarian anatomy were enrolled. Laparoscopic bilateral ovariectomies were performed standing with sedation. Local analgesia was: 80 mL bupivacaine hydrochloride (BHCl; n = 6), 30 mL 0.75% BHCl + 20 mL (low-dose) liposomal bupivacaine (LB) expanded to 80 mL with saline (LB20, n = 6), or 30 mL 0.75% BHCl + 40 mL (high-dose) LB expanded to equ...
Association Between Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) Immunohistochemical Expression and Clinicopathological Features in Equine Melanoma. Equine melanoma is one of the most important oncological diseases in horses and exhibits a distinct biological behavior compared with melanoma in other species. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis in human and canine melanoma, but its expression in equine melanoma remains unknown. Objective: Evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 in equine melanomas and investigate its association with clinicopathological features. Methods: 68 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded equine melanomas from 48 gray horses were evaluated immunohis...
Thymidine kinase 1 activity in serum and body cavity fluids of horses with lymphoma. The accuracy of serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1S) as a biomarker of lymphoma in horses is variable. The value of measurement in body cavity fluid (TK1F) has not been established. Objective: (1) TK1F and TK1S will be higher in horses with lymphoma compared to diseased controls (DCs); (2) TK1F will be higher than TK1S; and (3) there will be a strong correlation between both measurements. Methods: Twenty animals in the lymphoma and 31 animals with nonneoplastic, gastrointestinal/respiratory disorders in DC group. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using prospectively collected data and sampl...
Inflammatory phenotype and response to intradermal skin testing are not predictive of equine asthma diagnosis. The role of inflammation, allergy, and air quality in the pathogenesis of equine asthma has not yet been fully elucidated. Objective: To evaluate serum inflammatory cytokines, intradermal skin testing (IDT), and air quality in asthmatic horses. It was hypothesized that there would be an association between environmental allergies and poor air quality with asthma. Methods: 52 client-owned horses with clinical signs consistent with asthma were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Horses were diagnosed with asthma based on the results of bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) cytology. Blood samples wer...
Pancreatic α-cell dysfunction associated with equine insulin dysregulation. Insulin dysregulation (ID) in horses is characterised by insulin resistance and exaggerated insulin responses, yet the underlying endocrine mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In humans, α-cell dysfunction characterised by exaggerated glucagon secretion contributes to metabolic disease; however, the role of pancreatic α-cell function in equine ID has not previously been investigated. Objective: To investigate whether horses with moderate to severe ID exhibit α-cell dysfunction, characterised by fasting and postprandial hyperglucagonaemia as well as impaired postprandial glucagon supp...
Proteomic Profiling and Targeted Validation Reveal a More Extensive Salivary than Serum Response to a Feed-Deprivation Protocol in Horses with Gastric Lesions. Gastric ulceration is common in horses and remains challenging to diagnose, as gastroscopy is the gold standard. This study aimed to characterise the salivary and serum protein changes associated with a feed-deprivation protocol. Eight horses underwent this protocol, and gastric lesions were assessed by gastroscopy at the end of the experimental period. Saliva and blood samples were collected pre- and post-protocol, and pooled samples from each biological fluid and condition were analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to compare protein profiles. Fifteen salivary and five serum protei...
Leakage-aware pre-event machine learning evaluation for horse-race prediction under temporal validation. Horse-racing prediction was used as a case study to develop and evaluate a leakage-aware machine-learning framework based on information available after race-entry finalization and before outcomes were known. Japanese Racing Association flat-race data obtained through JRA-VAN Data Lab. and exported using TARGET frontier JV were split temporally: 2015-2022 for training, 2023-2024 for validation, and January 5, 2025 to May 10, 2026 for independent testing. The test set contained 63,910 horse-level observations from 4,556 races. Confidence intervals were estimated using 10,000 race-level bootstra...
Serum osteocalcin is associated with scintigraphic abnormalities in lame and clinically sound racehorses. Musculoskeletal injury is a major welfare and economic challenge in racehorses, with stress-related bone injury contributing to training interruption and catastrophic failure. Advanced imaging modalities can detect early skeletal pathology but remain limited in routine screening environments. Circulating biomarkers of bone turnover may provide complementary indicators of skeletal remodelling but require validation against objective imaging findings. Objective: Evaluate whether osteocalcin (OC) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), or the CTX/OC ratio, are associated with scintig...
Biomarkers of brain injury in foals with neonatal maladjustment syndrome. Plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-fibrillary-acidic protein (GFAP), and astrocytic protein S100B, might be linked to the pathophysiology of Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome (NMS). Objective: To measure serum concentration of BDNF and S100B, plasma concentration of GFAP, and neurosteroids (progesterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone) in foals with NMS, foals presented for other diseases, including premature, and healthy foals, and determine their association with outcome. Methods: Fourteen healthy foals, 19 NMS foals, 39 foals hospitalized for other diseases ...
Myocardial dysfunction associated with low-dose endotoxin administration in adult horses. Horses with endotoxemia have variable myocardial function, but little is known about the severity or persistence of myocardial dysfunction (MD). Objective: Horses with experimentally induced endotoxemia have systolic and diastolic MD. Methods: Twelve systemically healthy horses. Methods: Horses were given Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide 30 ng/kg over 60 min. Echocardiography and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measurements were performed at baseline, 1, 3, and 5 h post-endotoxin. Fluid therapy (10 L), polymyxin B (6000 IU/kg), and flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg) were administered intravenou...
Evaluation of a lateral flow immunoassay for the quantitative measurement of immunoglobulin G in foals compared with radial immunodiffusion. Reliable point-of-care diagnostic tests are essential for diagnosing failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in foals. Quantitative lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) could reduce subjectivity but have not been well validated in foals. Objective: To validate the performance and diagnostic accuracy of a LFIA for quantifying immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations in foals, using radial immunodiffusion (RID) as the reference standard. Methods: Forty-two neonatal foals were sampled within 24 h of birth. Methods: This prospective exploratory diagnostic accuracy study evaluated the diagnostic ...
Oxidative stress markers in different age ranges of healthy horses. Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, impairing cellular functions and contributing to diseases and aging. Despite the growing interest in oxidative stress, studies specifically evaluating the influence of age on laboratory and oxidative stress parameters in clinically healthy horses remain limited. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of age on laboratory and oxidative stress parameters in clinically healthy horses. A total of 152 clinically healthy horses (80 females and 72 males) were selected, including young horses aged 3 to 48 months (...
Equine asthma – old disease and new concepts. Equine asthma is increasingly recognised as a biologically heterogeneous syndrome in which similar clinical manifestations may arise from distinct molecular mechanisms. Although clinical phenotypes have substantially improved disease classification, increasing evidence indicates that molecular endotypes more accurately reflect the biological mechanisms underlying disease heterogeneity. This review summarises current knowledge regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms of equine asthma, with particular emphasis on inflammatory pathways, molecular endotypes, genetic susceptibility, airway remod...
Functional and biochemical inflammatory responses to a 75 ng intra-articular recombinant equine interleukin-1β (reIL-1β) synovitis model. Recently, a synovitis model using 75 ng intra-articular recombinant equine interleukin-1 (reIL 1β), showed promise for inducing a mild, self-limiting inflammatory response without overtly altering upper-body movement asymmetry in = 3 horses. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of this 75 ng reIL-1β model on gait biomechanics and synovial fluid (SF) inflammatory, pro-resolution, and cartilage turnover biomarkers in a larger equine sample. SF samples were collected from the left intercarpal joint of = 11 horses at baseline and at 6- and 12-hours following 75 ng reIL-1β injection and...
Serial Postoperative Blood and Peritoneal Fluid Analysis and Ultrasonographic Assessment in Client-Owned Horses Undergoing Ventral Midline Exploratory Celiotomy for Colic. Postoperative monitoring, including evaluation of peritoneal fluid, is used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment plan for complications after colic surgery. The primary objective of this study was to determine serial venous and peritoneal postoperative variables, including L-lactate values in horses after ventral midline exploratory celiotomy. A secondary objective was to evaluate postoperative abdominal ultrasonography as a predictor of complications. A total of 36 client-owned horses with signs of colic undergoing ventral midline exploratory celiotomy were prospectively enrolled in the stud...
