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.
Dąbrowska I, Grzędzicka-Agko J, Kiełbik P, Trela M, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.The molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to physical exertion and racing stress in horses remain incompletely understood. Peripheral blood transcriptomics offers a minimally invasive method to monitor systemic responses to exercise and identify biomarkers of adaptation or overload. Objective: To evaluate transcriptomic changes in peripheral blood of racehorses during different phases of training and competition and to identify molecular markers of physiological adaptation and race-induced stress. Methods: Prospective transcriptomic profiling of trained racehorses across three exercise co...
van den Brom-Spierenburg AJ, Siegers EW, Westermann CM, Vernooij JCM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Theelen MJP.In hospitalized foals, limited data are available on the utility of sequential measurement of SAA concentrations and the value of these data in a clinical setting. Objective: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in ill neonatal foals at multiple timepoints during hospitalization, and to evaluate a potential association with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status, blood culture (BC) result, and survival. Methods: Hospitalized ill foals (n = 90, ≤ 14 days). Methods: In this retrospective study, foals were classified based on SIRS criteria: "SIRS" or "NonSIRS," ...
Avison A, Pyle WG, Sears W, Physick-Sheard PW.Sudden cardiac death is a leading cause of athletic death in both humans and horses, making racehorses a potentially valuable model for investigating sudden cardiac death. Cardiac restitution ratio (QT/TQ interval) is used to assess arrhythmia risk in humans, but investigations in athletes are scarce. The objective was to characterize QT interval and cardiac restitution ratio in Thoroughbred racehorses during maximal effort. Automated restitution analysis was performed using 2709 pairs of cardiac cycles from 30 Thoroughbred horses during races. Cardiac cycles were obtained during: pre-race; ac...
Rakowska A, Biazik A, Sobuś M, Cywińska A.The article aimed to review the current literature analysing the complexity of an exercise-induced acute phase response in athletic horses undergoing intense training and endurance competitions. Since the endurance discipline demands physical fitness, exceptional health and excellent adaptation to an increasing workload, diagnostic methods of assessing the factors mentioned above are highly required. Athletic horses in endurance training undergo numerous metabolic but also immune adaptations, including changes in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. The inflammatory reaction...
Lungu GM, Barshick MR, Shafron AJ, El-Kadi SW, Williams BD, Wesolowski LT, Disilvestro AN, White-Springer SH, Johnson SE.High-intensity exercise in horses resulting in fatigue requires a better understanding of biomarkers defining the condition such that protocols detailing the return to work can be established. This study examined blood metabolite profiles after multiple sessions of high-intensity exercise to define physiological exhaustion. Adult Thoroughbred geldings (n = 10) underwent a standardized exercise test (SET) on a high-speed treadmill, with BHB, BCAAs, alanine, lactate, and CK measurements at regular intervals up to 6 h post-SET. Before and 24 h post-SET gluteus medius muscle samples were t...
Bindi F, de Marchi L, Elias-Cortajarena A, Sala G, Vitale V, Spadari A, Rinnovati R, Bonelli F, Sgorbini M.Colic is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in horses, with oxidative stress implicated in its pathophysiology. Objective: Evaluate biomarkers (BIOs) of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in healthy horses and those with non-strangulating colic (NSC) and strangulating colic (SC) and assess correlations with survival. Methods: Seventy-one adult horses: 10 healthy and 61 colic-affected (42 NSC, 19 SC) admitted to 3 veterinary teaching hospitals. Methods: Prospective, multicenter cohort study. Blood samples were collected at admission (T0) and up to 96 h post-admission. Biomarkers me...
Billmann P, Durham A, Christen G, Savioli G, Gross JJ, Gerber V, Fouché NE.Limited published data are available regarding the relationships among clinical signs associated with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), age, and concentrations of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides and cortisol. Objective: Identify clinical signs associated with age, beta-endorphin (β-END), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol concentrations and compare β-END and cortisol concentrations between horses with PPID and geriatric controls. Methods: A total of 113 horses aged 18-32 years. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Clinical signs were scored, plasma β-END, ACTH, an...
The ability of spermatozoa to withstand cryopreservation differs between stallions. While the underlying mechanisms of these differences are not fully understood, seminal plasma (SP) may play a crucial role in modulating sperm cryotolerance. Seminal plasma contains a heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles (sEVs), nanometer-sized membrane particles that can transfer biomolecules to sperm modulating their function. This study aimed to isolate and characterize two sized-sEV subsets-small (S-) and large (L-)-from stallion SP, and to evaluate their involvement in sperm freezability. Sem...
Tsopp E, Kilk K, Gambini A, Tvrdà E, Viljaste-Seera A, Tuppits U, Jaakma Ü.Equine in vitro embryo production (IVP) via ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has gained prominence in sport-horse breeding due to high success rates, efficient semen utilization, and year-round embryo production, including from mares with fertility challenges or postmortem. However, assessing viability of early-stage ICSI-produced equine embryos remains challenging due to subjective morphological evaluations and limited visibility of developmental features. Non-invasive metabolomic analysis of culture media offers a promising alternative to enhance embryo selectio...
Samuels AN, Collins N, Albrecht M, Cuming R, Reed S, Gomez D, Toribio R.To evaluate associations between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), nonsurvival, illness severity, and infectious etiologies. Unassigned: This was a retrospective multicenter study that included 100 healthy horses and 444 horses presenting with acute diarrhea to 5 equine referral hospitals. Inclusion criteria were diarrhea duration < 48 hours, complete hemograms, and outcome data. Illness severity was assessed using systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The results of pathogen testing for Salmonella spp, equine coronavirus, Clostridium spp, and Neorickettsia risticii/findlayensis ...
Kamr A, Fortin-Trahan R, Arroyo LG, Hostnik LD, Gomez DE, Toribio RE.Hypocalcemia is frequent in horses with colitis. Information on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations and its association with bone turnover biomarkers in horses with colitis is lacking. We aimed to determine the association between serum bone resorption biomarkers (C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen [CTX-I]) and bone formation (osteocalcin [OCN]) with blood PTH, total calcium (tCa), ionized calcium (iCa), phosphorus (Pi), and total magnesium (tMg) concentrations, and mortality in horses with acute colitis. A total of 163 horses were divided into colitis (n = 127) and healt...
Lutvikadic I, Preldzic D, Floriano D, Hopster K.Pulse pressure (PP) reflects ventricular stroke volume and arterial compliance, but its utility as a marker of cardiac disease in animals is not well established. This study evaluated the association between PP and echocardiographically confirmed cardiac abnormalities in dogs and horses and assessed its potential in pre-anesthetic evaluation. Clinical and echocardiography examination of 20 dogs and 20 horses was sufficient for inter-group comparisons and assignments to a Cardiac group (echocardiographically confirmed cardiac disease) or a Control group (healthy animals). Non-invasive oscillome...
Bartenschlager F, Kuropka B, Schmitz P, Dumke F, Landmann K, Gruber AD, Weise C, Schnabel CL, Gehlen H, Mundhenk L.Mucus hypersecretion and accumulation are hallmark features of equine asthma (EA), a meaningful respiratory disorder in horses occurring in mild to moderate (MEA) and severe (SEA) forms. Changes of the proteomic composition of airway mucus in EA are poorly understood. Using label-free quantitative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we analyzed airway mucus from SEA (n = 10), MEA (n = 6), and healthy (n = 8) horses. We identified and quantified 2,275 proteins including gel-forming mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B and membrane-bound mucins MUC1 and MUC4. Compared with healthy controls, ...
Zanacchi A, Fruscione F, Grasselli S, Razzuoli E, Pastorino L, Di Lisa D.Developing advanced preclinical in vitro cancer models is essential for understanding tumor biology, improving drug discovery, and enhancing the clinical translation of new therapies. Papillomaviruses (PVs) cause diverse lesions in humans and animals; notably, bovine papillomavirus (BPV) is the main cause of equine sarcoid, the most common skin tumor in horses. Its pathogenesis involves viral infection, fibroblast transformation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. These processes highlight the limitations of conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems, which fail to replicate the...
Sullivan J, Blea J, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Knych HK.The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of betamethasone following intra-articular administration to horses have been described; however, studies characterizing intramuscular administration are lacking. Twenty-four horses received an intramuscular dose of 12 mg betamethasone sodium phosphate/betamethasone acetate. Blood and urine were collected at post administration for up to 408 h. Concentrations of betamethasone were determined using LC-MS/MS and pharmacokinetic parameters determined using a Population PK three-compartment model. The duration of pharmacodynamic effects was assessed by...
Satué K, Fazio E, Velasco-Martínez MG, Barbiera G, La Fauci D.Growth hormone (GH) influences follicular development mainly by stimulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which acts systemically and locally within the ovary. However, the metabolic profile of follicular fluid (FF) in mares, particularly markers such as fructosamine (FRUCT), an indicator of glucose metabolism, remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to evaluate GH, IGF-1, and FRUCT concentrations in plasma and FF and their variation across follicle sizes. Sixty ovaries were collected during the breeding season from 30 clinically normal mares raised for meat production. Blood sa...
Jung Y, Yoon M.Oxytocin (OXT) plays a crucial role in regulating the serotonin (5-HT) system and behavior. Although previous studies have reported significant relationships among OXT, 5-HT, and behavioral responses, the effects of OXT on 5-HT concentrations and behavioral traits in horses remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of intravenous OXT administration on plasma 5-HT concentrations and trainability in horses. A crossover design was employed using eight horses, each receiving either a 10-IU intravenous dose of OXT or normal saline. Blood samples were collected at baselin...
Scoggin KE, Rakha SI, Abdellatif AM, Adlan F, Helmy YA, Ruby R, Ball B, Boakari Y, Ali HE.Ascending placentitis is a significant cause of equine pregnancy loss, yet the upstream inflammatory triggers are poorly defined. Recently, we identified S100A8/S100A9 (S100A8/A9) alarmins as potential upstream regulators in a chronic equine placentitis model. The current study aimed to determine whether this upregulation is sustained in the acute model and in clinical cases, and to elucidate the expression of their downstream inflammatory mediators. Using an experimental model, we quantified mRNA expression in acute ( = 5) and chronic ( = 6) placentitis induced by ssp. . We found mRNA expre...
Meistro F, Rinnovati R, Blanc E, Berni P, Napoli S, Marcucci E, D'Angelo P, Ruggeri M, Spadari A, Gialletti R.Accurate early prognostic assessment is a central aspect of clinical decision-making in horses presenting with colic. Despite the availability of multiple clinical and laboratory parameters, reliable biomarkers that provide useful information at the time of admission remain limited. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a non-specific indicator of systemic inflammation that has recently been validated for automated point-of-care use in horses. Its behaviour in equine colic has not been previously characterised. This study included 85 horses admitted for colic at two university referral hospita...
Barreira AP, Moreira T, Silva R, Nunes L, Lioi A, Kraus E, Altheman V, Ribeiro M, Leite C, Silva A, Almeida F, Santos Junior G, Lessa D, Alves AL.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects humans and animals worldwide. Its early diagnosis remains challenging due to subtle clinical signs and late radiographic changes. This study aimed to explore candidate biomarkers associated with spontaneous OA and to investigate their correlation with ultrasonographic scores to support early diagnosis. Clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic evaluations were performed on 52 equine metacarpophalangeal joints, with and without OA, allowing joint scoring and classification into osteoarthritis (OAG) and control groups. Synovial ...
Macias A, Delvescovo B, Donaldson SF, Divers TJ, Donnelly CG.Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a secondary bile acid (BA) with therapeutic applications, is standard therapy for cholestatic hepatopathies in humans. In recent years, its use has been increasingly explored in equine medicine for similar indications. Pharmacokinetic data for UDCA in horses are currently lacking. This study aimed to describe the pharmacokinetic parameters following a single intragastric administration of 15 mg/kg in nine healthy, fasted horses and to characterize the changes in their BA profiles. Plasma concentrations of UDCA were measured at specific time points using liquid ch...
Salinas P, Vergara MA, Tapia D.Navicular syndrome (NS) is a chronic, degenerative condition of the equine thoracic limb that compromises the distal sesamoid bone (DSB) and associated structures responsible for stabilization and load absorption during locomotion. Although historically attributed to vascular alterations, its etiology is now recognized as biomechanical, characterized by chronic overload of the deep digital flexor tendon. Conventional diagnostic techniques-radiography, scintigraphy, and ultrasonography-lack the sensitivity and precision required to detect early microarchitectural alterations. This study aimed t...
Amaral TM, Ramos PDCA, Silva RA, Ferreira MM, Filho EDS.In the context of Brazilian equestrian sports, the Quarter Horse (QH) breed has the third largest population of registered horses and stands out for its numerous abilities in various disciplines. Studies on equine health and athletic performance parameters are scarce, especially involving molecular markers. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differential expression of microRNAs and target genes involved in metabolic pathways of exercise and to assess hematological and clinical changes in 10 horses (Equus caballus Linnaeus) of the QH breed under different physiological conditions. H...
Bindi F, Cingottini D, Sorvillo B, Sala G, De Marchi L, Monni G, Celardo S, Bonelli F, Sgorbini M.During the perinatal period, neonates experience a sudden increase in oxygen exposure, predisposing them to oxidative stress. Objective: This prospective, in vivo study aimed to evaluate biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in healthy neonatal foals during the first 48 hours of life. Methods: Ten Standardbred foals were enrolled. Blood samples were collected at birth, 24 hours, and 48 hours after birth and analyzed for biomarkers using spectrophotometry assays. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric tests and linear regression. Results: The results revealed s...
Shan D, Yao X, Ren W, Huang Q, Su Y, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Ma S, Wang J.Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was employed in this article to map blood DNA methylation profiles at single-base resolution in Yili horses before a 5000 m speed race, with comparative analysis of epigenetic differences between the 'elite group' and 'ordinary group' across six four-year-old stallions. The overall methylation level in the elite group was generally higher than that in the ordinary groups, with a minority of regions showing hypomethylation. For instance, the promoter regions of key metabolic and neuro-related genes exhibited significant hypomethylation. The article ident...
Milczek-Haduch D, Żmigrodzka M, Kiełbik P, Świderska B, Olędzki J, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising biomarkers and mediators of intercellular communication, but their isolation from equine biofluids remains challenging. This study compared two isolation workflows-size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and differential ultracentrifugation followed by SEC (UC + SEC)-to evaluate their efficiency, reproducibility, and the proteomic composition of EVs derived from equine serum and plasma. Blood from six healthy horses was processed to obtain platelet-free plasma and serum. EVs were isolated using SEC or UC + SEC and characterized by transmission ele...
Korac L, St George L, MacNicol J, McCrae P, Jung L, Golestani N, Karrow N, Cánovas A, Pearson W.Low-dose intra-articular injection of recombinant equine interleukin-1β (reIL-1β) may offer a useful model for studying early onset or subclinical joint inflammation in horses. This pilot study aimed to determine the lowest intra-articular dose of reIL-1β required to produce biochemical evidence of synovitis, and to correlate synovitis biomarkers with functional, upper-body asymmetry parameters. Saline (control) and 50, and 75 ng reIL-1β were injected into the left or right intercarpal joint of three ( = 3) horses in a three-way crossover design. Synovial fluid was collected by aseptic art...
Kirmse L, Thieme K, Doherr MG, Eule JC.To evaluate different laboratory procedures for determining the etiologic diagnosis of equine recurrent uveitis regarding intraocular infection with Leptospira spp. and to establish a diagnostic guideline. Methods: Eighty horses with a history of ERU were ophthalmologically examined. Serum and aqueous humor were collected. Total protein, albumin level, and MAT against Leptospira spp. were evaluated on serum and aqueous humor. PCR for Leptospira spp., EHV-1 and -4 was performed on aqueous humor. Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and C-value (CC) were calculated based on MAT. In 42 cases, an add...
Furet JP, Firmesse O, Gourmelon M, Bridonneau C, Tap J, Mondot S, Doré J, Corthier G.Pollution of the environment by human and animal faecal pollution affects the safety of shellfish, drinking water and recreational beaches. To pinpoint the origin of contaminations, it is essential to define the differences between human microbiota and that of farm animals. A strategy based on real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays was therefore developed and applied to compare the composition of intestinal microbiota of these two groups. Primers were designed to quantify the 16S rRNA gene from dominant and subdominant bacterial groups. TaqMan probes were defined for the qPCR technique used ...
Goldansaz SA, Guo AC, Sajed T, Steele MA, Plastow GS, Wishart DS.Metabolomics uses advanced analytical chemistry techniques to comprehensively measure large numbers of small molecule metabolites in cells, tissues and biofluids. The ability to rapidly detect and quantify hundreds or even thousands of metabolites within a single sample is helping scientists paint a far more complete picture of system-wide metabolism and biology. Metabolomics is also allowing researchers to focus on measuring the end-products of complex, hard-to-decipher genetic, epigenetic and environmental interactions. As a result, metabolomics has become an increasingly popular "omics" app...
Caliari SR, Harley BA.Current surgical and tissue engineering approaches for treating tendon injuries have shown limited success, suggesting the need for new biomaterial strategies. Here we describe the development of an anisotropic collagen-glycosaminoglycan (CG) scaffold and use of growth factor supplementation strategies to create a 3D platform for tendon tissue engineering. We fabricated cylindrical CG scaffolds with aligned tracks of ellipsoidal pores that mimic the native physiology of tendon by incorporating a directional solidification step into a conventional lyophilization strategy. By modifying the freez...
Thorpe CT, Streeter I, Pinchbeck GL, Goodship AE, Clegg PD, Birch HL.Little is known about the rate at which protein turnover occurs in living tendon and whether the rate differs between tendons with different physiological roles. In this study, we have quantified the racemization of aspartic acid to calculate the age of the collagenous and non-collagenous components of the high strain injury-prone superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and low strain rarely injured common digital extensor tendon (CDET) in a group of horses with a wide age range. In addition, the turnover of collagen was assessed indirectly by measuring the levels of collagen degradation mark...
Frisbie DD, Al-Sobayil F, Billinghurst RC, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW.To discriminate between changes in biomarkers with exercise compared to changes in biomarkers with osteoarthritis (OA) in exercising horses. Methods: Sixteen, 2-year-old horses were randomly assigned either to an exercise-alone (n=8) or OA-affected (also exercised) (n=8) group. All horses had both mid-carpal joints arthroscoped and OA induced in one mid-carpal joint in the OA-affected joints of OA-affected horses. Two weeks after surgery all horses commenced a strenuous exercise program on a high-speed treadmill. Clinical outcomes and synovial fluid and serum biomarkers, were evaluated weekly....
Schmoldt A, Benthe HF, Haberland G, Tarentino AL, Maley F, Berkmen YM, Lande A, Ti-sheng C, Teh-chao W.The chest roentgenographic findings in Takayasu's arteritis include widening of the ascending aorta, contour irregularities of the descending aorta, arotic calcifications, pulmonary arterial changes, rib notching, and hilar lymphadenopathy. The single most important diagnostic sign is a segmental calcification outlining a localized or diffuse narrowing of the aorta. The other signs may be suspicious or suggestive, but the diagnostic accuracy increases when several findings are present simultaneously.
Schmoldt A, Benthe HF, Haberland G, Tarentino AL, Maley F, Berkmen YM, Lande A, Fine JM, Lambin P, Derycke C, North ML, Chataing B, Goudemand M.The chest roentgenographic findings in Takayasu's arteritis include widening of the ascending aorta, contour irregularities of the descending aorta, arotic calcifications, pulmonary arterial changes, rib notching, and hilar lymphadenopathy. The single most important diagnostic sign is a segmental calcification outlining a localized or diffuse narrowing of the aorta. The other signs may be suspicious or suggestive, but the diagnostic accuracy increases when several findings are present simultaneously. A routine screening of monoclonal gammopathies (M.G.) was performed in the serum from 36, 015 ...
Couetil L, Cardwell JM, Leguillette R, Mazan M, Richard E, Bienzle D, Bullone M, Gerber V, Ivester K, Lavoie JP, Martin J, Moran G, Niedźwiedź A....The 2019 Havemeyer Workshop brought together researchers and clinicians to discuss the latest information on Equine Asthma and provide future research directions. Current clinical and molecular asthma phenotypes and endotypes in humans were discussed and compared to asthma phenotypes in horses. The role of infectious and non-infectious causes of equine asthma, genetic factors and proposed disease pathophysiology were reviewed. Diagnostic limitations were evident by the limited number of tests and biomarkers available to field practitioners. The participants emphasized the need for more accessi...
Jamieson A, Taylor SC.Three general formulae calibrate the average capability of marker systems to dispute falsely reported pedigree records in uniparous species. The most familiar exclusion formula applies to paternity, although the same formula applies equally to maternity. Another formula faults the relationship of a single offspring with its putative parent; for example, where the genotype of the other parent is not available. The remaining formulae excludes both of the falsely recorded parents of a substituted offspring. Simplified forms of the three general formulae facilitate the calculation of maximal avera...
Taylor SE, Vaughan-Thomas A, Clements DN, Pinchbeck G, Macrory LC, Smith RK, Clegg PD.There is a paucity of data regarding molecular markers that identify the phenotype of the tendon cell. This study aims to quantify gene expression markers that distinguish between tendon fibroblasts and other mesenchymal cells which may be used to investigate tenogenesis. Methods: Expression levels for 12 genes representative of musculoskeletal tissues, including the proposed tendon progenitor marker scleraxis, relative to validated reference genes, were evaluated in matched samples of equine tendon (harvested from the superficial digital flexor tendon), cartilage and bone using quantitative P...
Radin MJ, Sharkey LC, Holycross BJ.In addition to its role as an energy storage depot, adipose tissue is now recognized as a complex endocrine organ. Adipose tissue releases a variety of factors, termed adipokines, that regulate energy metabolism, cardiovascular function, reproductive status, and immune function. Some of the better-studied adipokines include leptin, adiponectin, and components of the renin-angiotensin system such as angiotensinogen. The function of more recently discovered adipokines such as resistin are under intense scrutiny. Abnormal production or regulation of adipokines occurs in obese individuals and is i...
Rivas F, Zahid OK, Reesink HL, Peal BT, Nixon AJ, DeAngelis PL, Skardal A, Rahbar E, Hall AR.Hyaluronan (or hyaluronic acid, HA) is a ubiquitous molecule that plays critical roles in numerous physiological functions in vivo, including tissue hydration, inflammation, and joint lubrication. Both the abundance and size distribution of HA in biological fluids are recognized as robust indicators of various pathologies and disease progressions. However, such analyses remain challenging because conventional methods are not sufficiently sensitive, have limited dynamic range, and/or are only semi-quantitative. Here we demonstrate label-free detection and molecular weight discrimination of HA w...
Thorpe CT, Chaudhry S, Lei II, Varone A, Riley GP, Birch HL, Clegg PD, Screen HR.Tendon injury is thought to involve both damage accumulation within the matrix and an accompanying cell response. While several studies have characterized cell and matrix response in chronically injured tendons, few have assessed the initial response of tendon to overload-induced damage. In this study, we assessed cell response to cyclic loading. Fascicle bundles from the equine superficial digital flexor tendon were exposed to cyclic loading in vitro, designed to mimic a bout of high-intensity exercise. Changes in cell morphology and protein-level alterations in markers of matrix inflammation...
Bertone AL, Palmer JL, Jones J.To evaluate the value of various synovial fluid cytokines and eicosanoids to diagnose joint disease or categories of joint disease. Methods: Prospective acquisition of clinicopathologic data. Methods: Client-owned or donated horses: 50 joints with no evidence of disease; 28 joints with acute disease; 32 joints with chronic disease; 9 joints with cartilage damage and no other signs of joint disease. Methods: Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)), prostaglandin F1-alpha...
Das PJ, McCarthy F, Vishnoi M, Paria N, Gresham C, Li G, Kachroo P, Sudderth AK, Teague S, Love CC, Varner DD, Chowdhary BP, Raudsepp T.Mature mammalian sperm contain a complex population of RNAs some of which might regulate spermatogenesis while others probably play a role in fertilization and early development. Due to this limited knowledge, the biological functions of sperm RNAs remain enigmatic. Here we report the first characterization of the global transcriptome of the sperm of fertile stallions. The findings improved understanding of the biological significance of sperm RNAs which in turn will allow the discovery of sperm-based biomarkers for stallion fertility. The stallion sperm transcriptome was interrogated by analy...
Mach N, Plancade S, Pacholewska A, Lecardonnel J, Rivière J, Moroldo M, Vaiman A, Morgenthaler C, Beinat M, Nevot A, Robert C, Barrey E.The adaptive response to extreme endurance exercise might involve transcriptional and translational regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). Therefore, the objective of the present study was to perform an integrated analysis of the blood transcriptome and miRNome (using microarrays) in the horse before and after a 160 km endurance competition. A total of 2,453 differentially expressed genes and 167 differentially expressed microRNAs were identified when comparing pre- and post-ride samples. We used a hypergeometric test and its generalization to gain a better understanding of the biological functio...
Clark A, Sallé G, Ballan V, Reigner F, Meynadier A, Cortet J, Koch C, Riou M, Blanchard A, Mach N.Gastrointestinal strongyles are a major threat to horses' health and welfare. Given that strongyles inhabit the same niche as the gut microbiota, they may interact with each other. These beneficial or detrimental interactions are unknown in horses and could partly explain contrasted susceptibility to infection between individuals. To address these questions, an experimental pasture trial with 20 worm-free female Welsh ponies (10 susceptible (S) and 10 resistant (R) to parasite infection) was implemented for 5 months. Fecal egg counts (FEC), hematological and biochemical data, body weight and g...
Borges AS, Divers TJ, Stokol T, Mohammed OH.Detection of systemic inflammation, which is important for proper diagnosis and prompt treatment, can be challenging. Objective: Measurement of plasma iron concentration is a sensitive method for detecting systemic inflammation in horses compared with measurements of plasma fibrinogen concentration, a traditional marker for inflammation in the horse. Methods: Ninety-seven horses hospitalized with diseases causing systemic inflammation, 22 horses with localized inflammation, and 12 clinically normal horses were included in this study. Methods: A retrospective study was made on hospitalized hors...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Harris PA, Elliott J.Certain individuals appear to be predisposed to recurrent pasture-associated laminitis. Previous studies have predominantly investigated risk factors only after disease occurrence. Objective: To investigate risk factors for pasture-associated laminitis prior to disease occurrence. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Non-laminitic ponies aged ≥7 years were recruited. Body condition score (BCS), height, weight, crest height and thickness were measured and an overnight dexamethasone suppression test performed. Plasma or serum adiponectin, leptin, triglyceride, basal insulin, insulin pos...
Steinbusch MM, Fang Y, Milner PI, Clegg PD, Young DA, Welting TJ, Peffers MJ.The development of effective treatments for the age-related disease osteoarthritis and the ability to predict disease progression has been hampered by the lack of biomarkers able to demonstrate the course of the disease. Profiling the expression patterns of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) in joint ageing and OA may provide diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study determined expression patterns of snoRNAs in joint ageing and OA and examined them as potential biomarkers. Using SnoRNASeq and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) we demonstrate snoRNA expression levels in murine age...
Lansade L, Nowak R, Lainé AL, Leterrier C, Bonneau C, Parias C, Bertin A.Behavioural and physiological markers of discrete positive emotions remain little investigated in animals. To characterise new markers in horses, we used tactile stimulations to induce emotional situation of contrasting valence. In the Gentle grooming group (G, N = 13) horses were gently groomed during 11 sessions on the body areas they appreciated the most. Horses in the Standard grooming group (S, N = 14) were groomed using a fixed procedure, reported to induce avoidance reactions in some horses. At session 11, G horses expressed significantly more contact-seeking behaviours than S h...
Hortensius RA, Harley BA.The design of biomaterials for regenerative medicine can require biomolecular cues such as growth factors to induce a desired cell activity. Signal molecules are often incorporated into the biomaterial in either freely-diffusible or covalently-bound forms. However, biomolecular environments in vivo are often complex and dynamic. Notably, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), linear polysaccharides found in the extracellular matrix, are involved in transient sequestration of growth factors via charge interactions. Biomaterials mimicking this phenomenon may offer the potential to amplify local biomolecular...
de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, van Weeren PR.Inflammation is an important feature of many joint diseases, and levels of cartilage biomarkers measured in synovial fluid may be influenced by local inflammatory status. Little is known about the magnitude and time course of inflammation-induced changes in cartilage tissue turnover as measured in vivo by synovial fluid markers. We aimed to study temporal changes in concentrations of inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinase activity and cartilage biomarkers over 1 week in joints with experimentally induced inflammation. Methods: Localized inflammation was induced in the intercarpal joi...
Grimm P, Philippeau C, Julliand V.Faeces could be used for evaluating the balance of the equine hindgut microbial ecosystem, which would offer a practical method for assessing gut health and how this relates to disease. However, previous studies concluded that faeces microbial ecosystem was not representative of the proximal hindgut (caecum and ventral colon). This study aimed to evaluate if variations of the faecal microbial ecosystem were similar to those observed in the proximal hindgut. Six horses, fistulated in the caecum and right ventral (RV) colon, were subjected to a gradual change of diet, from a 100% hay (high fibre...
Crisman MV, Scarratt WK, Zimmerman KL.Activation of the host response to infection, the "acute-phase response," is a highly organized physiologic reaction that includes changes in concentrations of plasma acute-phase proteins (APPs). The APPs are increasingly being used as markers for prognosis and monitoring response to therapy along with general determinants of equine health. Use of APPs in veterinary medicine is becoming more widespread as more commercial diagnostic kits are being validated. This article reviews the salient features of APPs and examines their current application and potential utility in equine inflammatory diso...
Witkowska-Piłaszewicz OD, Żmigrodzka M, Winnicka A, Miśkiewicz A, Strzelec K, Cywińska A.Serum amyloid A (SAA) is the major acute phase protein in horses. It is produced during the acute phase response (APR), a nonspecific systemic reaction to any type of tissue injury. In the blood of healthy horses, SAA concentration is very low, but it increases dramatically with inflammation. Due to the short half-life of SAA, changes in its concentration in blood closely reflect the onset of inflammation and, therefore, measurement of SAA useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and response to treatment. Increases in SAA concentration have been described in equine digestive, reprodu...
Bullone M, Lavoie JP.Human asthma is a complex and heterogeneous disorder characterized by chronic inflammation, bronchospasm and airway remodeling. The latter is a major determinant of the structure-function relationship of the respiratory system and likely contributes to the progressive and accelerated decline in lung function observed in patients over time. Corticosteroids are the cornerstone of asthma treatment. While their action on inflammation and lung function is well characterized, their effect on remodeling remains largely unknown. An important hindrance to the study of airway remodeling as a major focu...
de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, Brama PA, Rambags BP, van Weeren PR.Meloxicam is a commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in equine practice, but little is known about its in vivo effects on joint inflammation and cartilage turnover. Objective: To study the effects of meloxicam on biomarkers of inflammation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, and cartilage biomarkers in joints with experimental synovitis. Methods: In a 2-period cross-over study, synovitis was induced at T = 0 h in the L or R intercarpal joint of 6 horses by intraarticular injection of 0.5 ng lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Horses received once daily meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg bwt per os) ...
Walshe N, Duggan V, Cabrera-Rubio R, Crispie F, Cotter P, Feehan O, Mulcahy G.The interactions between parasitic helminths and gut microbiota are considered to be an important, although as yet incompletely understood, factor in the regulation of immunity, inflammation and a range of diseases. Infection with intestinal helminths is ubiquitous in grazing horses, with cyathostomins (about 50 species of which are recorded) predominating. Consequences of infection include both chronic effects, and an acute inflammatory syndrome, acute larval cyathostominosis, which sometimes follows removal of adult helminths by administration of anthelmintic drugs. The presence of cyathosto...
