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.
Ramsaran LN, Byron M, Parry S, Lection J, Back B, Grenier J, Cheong SH, Diel de Amorim M.Real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a technique that allows for the semi-quantification of mRNA transcripts present within a tissue of interest. Differences in the relative abundance of mRNA between samples detected by RT-qPCR require normalization with a reference gene or genes whose transcript abundance is stable within the tissue of interest independent of experimental conditions. In the field of equine reproductive studies, ACTB, GAPDH and B2M genes are the most widely used as reference genes for the normalization of RT-qPCR results. However,...
Yuan X, Yao X, Zeng Y, Wang J, Ren W, Wang T, Li X, Yang L, Yang X, Meng J.The effects of physical exercise on protein expression and metabolites in the plasma exosomes of horses are not yet clear. This study aims to elucidate the effects of exercise training on the expression of plasma extracellular vesicle proteins and metabolites in horses through multi-omics analysis, providing reference indicators for the training and performance evaluation of horses. Methods: Eight healthy 3-year-old horses were selected for the study, with four untrained horses as the control group and four trained horses as the training group. After conducting proteomic and metabolomic an...
Bueno VLC, Bastos HBA, Centeno LAM, Schmitt F, Larentis G, Mattos RC, Fiala-Rechsteiner S.The seminal plasma (SP), a fluid originating from the testes, epididymis, and accessory sex glands, represents 98 % of the volume of stallion ejaculate. Metabolomic analysis enables the identification of final products of metabolic pathways, providing insights into reproductive physiology. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the metabolomic profile of stallion seminal plasma and to investigate metabolic differences between stallions with high and low pregnancy rates, in order to identify potential biomarkers associated with fertility. Methods: Twenty-four Criollo stallions, were sampled...
Singer J, Chow L, Ammons D, Sabino I, Impastato R, Dow S, Pezzanite LM.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a aging-associated degenerative joint disease. The objective was to determine relative senescence gene expression in joints and leukocytes of OA horses toward considering senotherapeutics to manage OA. Unassigned: To define local (joint) and systemic (peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs]) senescence burden, synovial fluid cell single-cell RNA sequencing and PBMC mRNA sequencing datasets (n = 65 samples) were examined. Differential analyses were conducted using limma to compare OA versus control. A custom 3,043-gene senescence set curated from published metadata was...
Hansen S, Tecles F, Cerón JJ, From C, Carstensen H, Muñoz-Prieto A.The number of horses with equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine gastric glandular disease (EGGD) recurrence when pharmacological treatment is discontinued is high. Objective: To examine if a commercially available nutraceutical compound containing lecithin, pectin, and meadowsweet could prevent recurrence of both ESGD and EGGD after omeprazole treatment, evaluated by repeated gastroscopic examinations and saliva biomarkers. Methods: Blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods: Thirty horses of mixed breeds and sex with a recent diagnosis and treatment of both ES...
Grzędzicka J, Świderska B, Sitkiewicz E, Dąbrowska I, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Racehorses undergo profound physiological changes with training and competition, but current biomarkers inadequately capture the complex molecular dynamics of exercise. This study aimed to identify novel plasma biomarkers of training adaptation and peak load using high-throughput proteomics. Objective: We hypothesised that systematic training and racing induce distinct plasma proteomic signatures, enabling the discovery of candidate biomarkers linked to training status, oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic remodelling. Methods: In vivo longitudinal study. Methods: Forty-nine Arabian an...
Eskandari G, Ahmadi Sheikhsarmast S, Ghasemi S, Mohri M.Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a glycoprotein involved in immune responses and inflammation, with established diagnostic utility in acute kidney injury (AKI) and systemic diseases. However, reference values for NGAL in healthy horses, particularly the Turkmen breed, remain poorly defined. Objective: This study aimed to establish reference values for serum NGAL concentrations in healthy Turkmen horses and to evaluate the influence of age, sex, pregnancy status and physical activity on its levels, as well as its correlations with haematological and serum biochemical variabl...
Crossland WL, Aviles-Rosa EO, Perry EB, Crowell C, Webberson E, Brown J, Fassbender J.Our objective was to evaluate the effect of transdermal melatonin on physiological stress biomarkers in horses, with some subjected to transport stress. Sixteen horses were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design assessing treatment (melatonin vs. no melatonin) and transport status (transported vs. non-transported), creating four groups: Control (CON), Transport only (TRS), Melatonin only (MEL), and Melatonin plus Transport (MELTRS). Horses in melatonin groups received 24 mg/day transdermally for 21 days and transported groups underwent a 3-hour trailer ride on day 21. Day 21 blood samples were ...
Jager MC, Luethy D, Shallop S, Cathcart J, Divers TJ, Tan JY, Beasley EM, Johnson P, Leduc L, Smith C, Jamieson CA, Magdesian KG, Van de Walle GR....Equine hepacivirus (EqHV) is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV), which causes persistent infection and chronic hepatitis in people. Information on persistent EqHV infection and hepatitis is limited. Objective: To report 19 cases of chronic hepatitis and persistent EqHV infection. Methods: Mixed retrospective and prospective case series. Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) chronic hepatitis, defined as persistently increased serum liver biomarkers, increased serum liver biomarkers accompanied by histopathological evidence of chronicity, for example, fibrosis, or both; (2) positive ser...
Weber LA, Oltmanns H, Chiavaccini L, Pickles KJ, Roberts V, Kloock T, Niebuhr T, Feige K.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking (TMHS) in horses shares clinical features with human trigeminal neuralgia (HTN). Increased levels of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) have been found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of HTN patients. Inhibition of CGRP in humans has shown promise for pain relief. Data on CGRP in horses affected by TMHS are currently lacking but if quantifiable and validated, could assist in developing new diagnostic and more rational therapeutic approaches. Objective: This study aimed to quantify and correlate CGRP concentrations in the serum and...
Reemtsma FP, Giers J, Horstmann S, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H.Amino acid (AA) metabolism and the adaptation of muscles to increased physical performance are interdependent. This field study examined changes in plasma amino acid (PAA) concentrations and two metabolites (ammonia and urea) before and after cross-country (CC) competitions throughout an entire eventing season and their associations with performance outcomes in eventing horses. Twenty horses from nine different Warmblood breeds were evaluated between two and seven times across 14 international eventing competitions over a 23-week period. A total of 55 rides were sampled. Blood samples were col...
Guadalupi M, Girelli CR, Della Tommasa S, Corte FD, Crovace AM, Fanizzi FP, Brehm W, Lacitignola L.Joint and tendon sheath diseases are a major cause of lameness and reduced performance in horses. Synovial fluid composition changes in response to pathological processes and metabolomic profiling offers a promising approach to detect these alterations. While equine joint metabolomics has been explored, little is known about the metabolomic profile of tendon sheaths. This study aimed to characterize and compare the synovial fluid metabolomic profiles of healthy and pathological joints and tendon sheaths in horses using high-resolution H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, and to identify ...
Tripon MA, Manolăchescu D, Papuc I, Daradics Z, Crecan CM.Emotional contagion between horses and humans is a key aspect of their interaction, influencing welfare, training, and therapy, yet current methods for measuring this phenomenon lack standardization and consistency. Objective: The aim of this study was to verify what methods are used to assess emotional contagion in horse-human interactions, and what outcomes have been reported. Methods: A systematic search of Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Science Direct was conducted up to March 2024. Peer-reviewed studies assessing emotional transfer through behavioral and/or physiologi...
James C, Sheahan J, Arthur P.Thoroughbred race performance is influenced by genetics, training, recovery, and management, but decisions about race readiness are often subjective and lack validated physiological markers. This study evaluated thiol-oxidised albumin, a blood-based indicator of oxidative stress, as a potential biomarker of pre-race fitness in Australian Thoroughbreds. Seventy-five clinically healthy racehorses from seven stables were monitored across 216 competitive events (150 races, 66 trials). Blood samples were collected from the jugular at baseline, 48 h pre-race, and for each day up to 8 days post-race ...
Deniz Ö, Erol HS, van den Hoven R, Onmaz AC, Aragona F, Fazio F.Weaning represents a major developmental milestone for foals, especially when 4- to 7-month-old foals are abruptly separated from their dams. Studies have shown that the post-weaning period is associated with physiological and psychological stress, which may affect immune function. The present study aimed to describe and analyze the pattern of blood inflammatory biomarkers related to the innate immune system. A gradual foal-dam separation procedure was chosen, which included post-weaning social buffering by a familiar adult horse. Twelve Thoroughbred foals (six fillies, six colts) aged 4-6 mon...
Environmental contamination with heavy metals, resulting from industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, poses serious ecological and health risks. Horses, due to their grazing behavior and close association with human environments, serve as reliable sentinel species for assessing environmental pollution. This study aimed to evaluate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals and trace elements in different biological matrices of horses-blood, hair, hooves, and synovial fluid-and to investigate their relationship with hematological biomarkers as indicators of physiological str...
Satué K, Fauci D, Fazio E, Velasco-Martínez MG, Bruschetta G, Medica P.This study investigates sequential changes in serum protein fractions during gestation in 31 pregnant Spanish Purebred mares compared to 15 non-pregnant control. Total serum proteins (TSP) were measured using the Biuret method, while albumin (ALB), total globulins (tGLOB), and their subfractions (α₁, α₂, β₁, β₂, γ-GLOB) were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Pregnant mares showed significant changes in serum protein profiles throughout gestation. TSP and tGLOB concentrations increased from mid to late pregnancy (months 6-11), while ALB concentrations declined between months...
Jandová V, Huber N, AlMheiri FG, Bábor K, Trachsel DS.Stress represents a serious health and welfare concern; however, its objective assessment remains difficult. The equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) and orthopedic diseases that cause pain are among stress associated diseases in equine medicine. The leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) quantifies oxygen radical generation of neutrophil granulocytes which is altered under stress. Therefore, LCC could be a novel biomarker for stress in horses and we hypothesized that horses with stress associated diseases would have lower LCC values in comparison to horses without these diseases. Methods: In this ob...
McAdams ZL, Campbell EJ, Dorfmeyer RA, Turner G, Shaffer S, Ford T, Lawson J, Terry J, Raju M, Coghill L, Cresci L, Lascola K, Pridgen T....Horses and other equids are reliant on the gut microbiome for health, and studies have reported associations between certain clinical conditions and features of the fecal microbiome. However, research to date on the equine fecal microbiome has often relied on small sample sizes collected from single and relatively localized geographic regions. Previous work also largely employs single timepoint analyses, or horses selected based on limited health criteria. Results: To address these limitations and expand our understanding of the core microbiome in health, and the changes associated with advers...
Cooper BL, Hobbs KJ, Bayless R, Stinson-Miller A, Gruber E, Hepworth-Warren K, Lavoie JP, Sheats MK.Severe equine asthma (sEA) is characterized by increased lower airway neutrophils that contribute to dysregulated inflammation through the release of cytokines, reactive oxygen species and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs are composed of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) intercalated with enzymatic proteins and are known to be increased in the lower airway of asthmatic horses. The objectives of this study were two-fold: 1. Determine if cfDNA can be accurately measured in equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and tracheal wash (TW) with a Qubit 4 fluorometer. 2. Determine whether Qubit-meas...
Donnelly CG, Peng S, Pflieger L, Manfredi J, Coleman M, Rappaport N, Price ND, Finno CJ.Metabolic syndrome (MetS)-encompassing obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension-is prevalent in both humans and horses, offering a unique opportunity to explore shared pathophysiological mechanisms across species in a controlled model organism. In this first report from the Pioneer 100 Horse Health Project (P100HHP), we conducted a longitudinal, multi-omic analysis of 108 deeply phenotyped horses to interrogate individual health trajectories for precision insights into MetS. We identified two primary metabotypes: one characterized by elevated unsaturated triglycerides (TGs) ...
Sullivan J, Blea J, Morales CJ, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Knych HK.Corticosteroids, such as isoflupredone, are effective anti-inflammatory medications and as such are commonly used to treat inflammation associated with training and injuries in performance horses. While the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of isoflupredone acetate (IPA) following intra-articular administration to horses has been well described, studies characterizing intramuscular (IM) administration are lacking. The objective of the current study was to describe the pharmacokinetics and anti-inflammatory effects of IPA following IM administration to horses. Twelve horses received a singl...
Helmer A, Hacohen A, Bart O.Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) encompass a range of therapeutic interventions utilizing equine interactions to achieve therapeutic goals. This study explores heart rate synchronization between horses and riders during mounted and unmounted interactions, focusing on its potential implications for emotional regulation. A total of 25 participants aged 6-12 took part in the study, which included two groups: novice riders diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (n = 15) and experienced neurotypical riders (n = 10). Heart rate measurements were obtained using Polar Equ...
Da Silva-Álvarez E, Martín-Cano FE, Alonso JM, Becerro-Rey L, Zabalo-Palomo C, Gil MC, Peña FJ, Ortega-Ferrusola C.This study aims to characterize and compare the uterine fluid proteome and cytokine profile of reproductively healthy mares (HM; n = 15) and mares with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus)-associated endometritis (SAE; n = 9). Uterine flush samples collected during the follicular phase were analyzed by shotgun proteomics and multiplex cytokine assays. Equine proteins were mapped to human orthologs, and enrichment and network analyses were performed using g:Profiler, Metascape, ToppGene, and STRING/MCODE. SAE mares showed higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, GRO, IL12p...
Marković L, Vićić I, Lazarević Macanović M, Francuski Andrić J, Kovačević Filipović M, Radaković M.Working horses often develop distinct patterns of joint degeneration, yet research in this population remains limited. This study aimed to characterize degenerative changes in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints of Serbian Mountain Horses using computed tomography (CT) and to explore their associations with synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 32 MCP/MTP joints from eight clinically sound horses. Postmortem, joints underwent CT imaging, and SF samples were analyzed for viscosity, protein content, total nucleated cell count (...
Pennington MV, Zoller JL, White-Springer SH, Harlin JF, Huseman CJ, Leatherwood JL, O'Reilly CL.Competition stress is a common factor influencing the success of performing athletes. However, few studies have quantified the physiological stress responses in horses and riders surrounding an equestrian event. Objective: The objectives of the current study were to determine salivary cortisol concentrations (SCC) as an indicator of stress in fifteen horse and rider pairs competing in western stock horse events and to investigate the relationship between SCC and performance. Methods: Subjects included male and female Quarter horses aged 3-15 years and equestrians aged 18-22 years. Salivary sam...
Castanheira CIGD, Taylor S, Skiöldebrand E, Rubio-Martinez LM, Hackl M, Clegg PD, Peffers MJ.The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples of control horses and those with osteoarthritis (OA) to identify potential candidates for biomarkers of disease. Total RNA was extracted from serum and SF samples of control (n = 4) and OA (n = 9) horses and sequenced. Differential expression analysis, pathway analysis and miRNA target prediction were performed. A group of six miRNAs (eca-miR-199a-3p, eca-miR-148a, eca-miR-99b, eca-miR-146a, eca-miR-423-5p and eca-miR-23b) was selected for validation in an independent coho...
Giannone C, Atallah E, Dalla Costa E, Benetti E, Santolini E, Tassinari P, Bovo M.Technology for monitoring behaviour and health of horses has evolved significantly, presenting new opportunities and challenges in equine management and healthcare. This scoping review consolidates recent findings on wearable sensors and non-contact technologies, discussing their benefits and limitations. Among these advancements, heart rate monitors stand out as a key point in equine monitoring. By tracking heart rate variability, devices help monitor cardiac autonomic regulation, optimise training regimens and allow early detection of cardiac issues, although accuracy can be compromised by i...
George JM, Leatherwood JL, Paris BL, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Conrad MB, Martinez RE, Vergara-Hernandez FB, Nielsen BD, Colbath AC, Welsh TH, Bradbery AN.Perceived chondroprotective and anti-inflammatory benefits of bisphosphonates in the juvenile horse has led to extra-label use without supportive data regarding intra-articular effects on cartilage metabolism and inflammation. Thirty-two yearling Quarter Horses were stratified into 4 treatment groups by age (500 ± 13 d), BW (336 ± 26 kg), sex (n = 16 female; n = 16 male) and initial bone optical density for a 140-d study. The study consisted of two exercise phases: Phase 1 (d 0-84) emulated sales preparation and Phase 2 (d 99-140) mimicked early exercise training. Horses we...
Hanousek K, O'Hara V, Riddell DO, Piercy RJ.In Thoroughbred horses, a highly prevalent short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) mutation in the myostatin gene (MSTN) promoter influences circulating myostatin concentration and is associated with muscle morphology, fracture risk and optimal race distance. Our prior data reveal that within horses there is substantial variation in serum myostatin concentration, particularly in MSTN heterozygotes and wild type horses but it was unclear whether such variation relates to within-horse differences or to environmental or temporal effects. Here we report the intra-horse consistency of circulating...
Pollock PJ, Prendergast M, Schumacher J, Bellenger CR.The serum concentrations of serum amyloid A, haptoglobin and fibrinogen were measured in a group of horses before and at intervals after elective and non-elective surgery, and in a control group of normal horses. There was a significant, rapid and repeatable increase in the concentration of serum amyloid A in response to both elective and non-elective surgery. In the control horses its serum concentration was within the normal range, from 0 to 0.2 microg/ml. Twenty-four hours after elective surgery its mean peak concentration was 16.4 microg/ml, and after non-elective surgery it was 27.3 micro...
Hernández-Avalos I, Mota-Rojas D, Mendoza-Flores JE, Casas-Alvarado A, Flores-Padilla K, Miranda-Cortes AE, Torres-Bernal F, Gómez-Prado J....Pain and anxiety are two of the most important concerns in clinical veterinary medicine because they arise as consequences of multiple factors that can severely affect animal welfare. The aim of the present review was to provide a description and interpretation of the physiological and behavioral alterations associated with pain and anxiety in equines. To this end, we conducted an extensive review of diverse sources on the topic. The article begins by describing the neurophysiological pathway of pain, followed by a discussion of the importance of the limbic system in responses to pain and anxi...
Broeckx SY, Martens AM, Bertone AL, Van Brantegem L, Duchateau L, Van Hecke L, Dumoulin M, Oosterlinck M, Chiers K, Hussein H, Pille F, Spaas JH.There is a need to improve therapies for osteoarthritis in horses. Objective: To assess the efficacy of equine allogeneic chondrogenic-induced mesenchymal stem cells combined with equine allogeneic plasma as a novel therapy for osteoarthritis in horses. Methods: Randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled experiment. Methods: In 12 healthy horses, osteoarthritis was induced in the metacarpophalangeal joint using an osteochondral fragment-groove model. Five weeks after surgery, horses were randomly assigned to either an intra-articular injection with chondrogenic-induced mesenchymal stem cel...
McIlwraith CW, Kawcak CE, Frisbie DD, Little CB, Clegg PD, Peffers MJ, Karsdal MA, Ekman S, Laverty S, Slayden RA, Sandell LJ, Lohmander LS, Kraus VB.We report the results of a symposium aimed at identifying validated biomarkers that can be used to complement clinical observations for diagnosis and prognosis of joint injury leading to equine osteoarthritis (OA). Biomarkers might also predict pre-fracture change that could lead to catastrophic bone failure in equine athletes. The workshop was attended by leading scientists in the fields of equine and human musculoskeletal biomarkers to enable cross-disciplinary exchange and improve knowledge in both. Detailed proceedings with strategic planning was written, added to, edited and referenced to...
Contreras-Aguilar MD, Tvarijonaviciute A, Monkeviciene I, Martín-Cuervo M, González-Arostegui LG, Franco-Martínez L, Cerón JJ, Tecles F....Measurement of adenosine deaminase (ADA) can provide information about cell-mediated immunity. This report's objective was to study the enzymatic activity of total ADA (tADA) and its isoenzymes ADA1 and ADA2 in canine, equine, porcine, and bovine serum and saliva and their changes in different inflammatory situations in each species. Besides, an automated method for ADA2 measurement was developed and validated. Results: tADA was present in serum and saliva of healthy animals of the four species. Erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) concentration of 0.47 mM was needed for ADA1 inhibit...
Kawcak CE, Frisbie DD, Werpy NM, Park RD, McIlwraith CW.To identify changes in imaging outcomes in a controlled model of osteoarthritis (OA) vs exercise. Methods: Sixteen 2-year-old horses were randomly assigned to an exercise control (n=8) or an exercise OA (n=8) group. All horses had middle carpal joints arthroscopically explored and an osteochondral fragment was induced in one middle carpal joint of the OA group. All horses were treadmill exercised for the duration of the study (91 days). Clinical, radiographic, nuclear scintigraphic, computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed and outcomes of these were...
Schmallenbach KH, Rahman I, Sasse HH, Dixon PM, Halliwell RE, McGorum BC, Crameri R, Miller HR.Inhalant exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus (Asp. f.) antigens induces marked inflammatory and immunological alterations in the lungs of horses affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study we investigated the role of specific allergen(s) present in Asp. f. on systemic and pulmonary IgE and IgG responses in control and COPD-affected horses, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting techniques. Compared with controls, horses affected with COPD had significantly higher levels of BALF IgE and IgG to somatic Asp. f. antigens as well as to the ...
Bertuglia A, Pagliara E, Grego E, Ricci A, Brkljaca-Bottegaro N.Joint impact injuries initiate a progressive articular damage finally leading to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Racehorses represent an ideal, naturally available, animal model of the disease. Standardbred racehorses developing traumatic osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint during the first year of their career were enrolled in our study. Age-matched controls were contemporarily included. Biomarker levels of equine osteoarthritis were measured in serum and synovial fluid (SF) at baseline, and repeated yearly over the next 4 years of training (from T1 to T4). The effect of time and disea...
Steger K, Balhorn R.Protamines are nuclear proteins which are specifically expressed in haploid male germ cells. Their replacement of histones and binding to DNA is followed by chromatin hypercondensation that protects DNA from negative influences by environmental factors. Mammalian sperm contain two types of protamines: PRM1 and PRM2. While the proportion of the two protamines is highly variable between different species, abnormal ratios within a species are known to be associated with male subfertility. Therefore, it is more than likely that correct protamine expression represents a kind of chromatin checkpoint...
Pacholewska A, Mach N, Mata X, Vaiman A, Schibler L, Barrey E, Gerber V.MiRNAs regulate multiple genes at the post-transcriptional level and therefore play an important role in many biological processes. It has been suggested that miRNA exported outside the cells contribute to inter-cellular communication. Consequently, circulating miRNAs are of particular interest and are promising biomarkers for many diseases. The number of miRNAs annotated in the horse genome is much lower compared to model organisms like human and mouse. We therefore aimed to identify novel equine miRNAs for tissue types and breed in serum. We analysed 71 small RNA-seq libraries derived from n...
Mach N, Ramayo-Caldas Y, Clark A, Moroldo M, Robert C, Barrey E, López JM, Le Moyec L.Endurance exercise in horses requires adaptive processes involving physiological, biochemical, and cognitive-behavioral responses in an attempt to regain homeostasis. We hypothesized that the identification of the relationships between blood metabolome, transcriptome, and miRNome during endurance exercise in horses could provide significant insights into the molecular response to endurance exercise. For this reason, the serum metabolome and whole-blood transcriptome and miRNome data were obtained from ten horses before and after a 160 km endurance competition. We obtained a global regulatory ...
Griffin DJ, Bonnevie ED, Lachowsky DJ, Hart JC, Sparks HD, Moran N, Matthews G, Nixon AJ, Cohen I, Bonassar LJ.There has been much interest in using autologous chondrocytes in combination with scaffold materials to aid in cartilage repair. In the present study, a total of 27 animals were used to compare the performance of matrix-assisted chondrocyte implantation (MACI®) using a collagen sponge as a chondrocyte delivery vehicle, the sponge membrane alone, and empty controls. A total of three distinct types of mechanical analyses were performed on repaired cartilage harvested from horses after 53 weeks of implantation: (1) compressive behavior of samples to measure aggregate modulus (HA) and hydraulic p...
Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Leclere M, Lemos K, Wagner B, Lavoie JP.Systemic inflammation in horses with heaves is poorly characterized. Objective: To assess acute phase proteins (APP) and inflammatory cytokine profiles in serum of healthy horses and horses with heaves. Methods: Six healthy horses and 6 heaves-affected horses belonging to the University of Montreal. Methods: Prospective, observational study. Healthy and heaves-affected control horses were exposed to a 30-day natural challenge with hay and straw to induce clinical exacerbation of heaves. Serum samples were obtained by venipuncture before (T0) as well as after 7 (T7) and 30 days (T30) of stablin...
Novak S, Smith TA, Paradis F, Burwash L, Dyck MK, Foxcroft GR, Dixon WT.The global proteome of sperm and seminal plasma of fertile stallions was investigated to determine whether associations with relative in vivo fertility exist. Seven stallions at stud in a commercial breeding station were collected throughout the breeding season and bred to a total of 164 mares to determine conception rates. On three occasions during the breeding season, raw semen was obtained from a regular collection for proteomic analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis and also assessed for routine semen quality end points. First cycle conception rate was negatively related to ejacula...
Schöniger S, Schoon HA.Mares are seasonally polyestric. The breeding season in spring and summer and the winter anestrus are flanked by transitional periods. Endometrial diseases are a frequent cause of subfertility and have an economic impact on the horse breeding industry. They include different forms of endometrosis, endometritis, glandular maldifferentiation, and angiosis. Except for suppurative endometritis, these are subclinical and can only be diagnosed by the microscopic examination of an endometrial biopsy. Endometrosis is characterized by periglandular fibrosis and nonsuppurative endometritis by stromal in...
Serra M, Papakonstantinou S, Adamcova M, O'Brien PJ.The use of cardiac troponin (cTn), the 'gold-standard' biomarker of myocardial injury in humans, is growing in veterinary medicine and in animal safety studies, although there are differences in its application in animals. In this study six new assays for the marker were assessed in 619 animals of six different species (dog, cat, horse, cattle, rat and rabbit), in clinical and drug-safety studies. Healthy animals and clinical cases without cardiac disease served as controls. Several of the tested assays had poor analytic or diagnostic sensitivity and only one test was effective in all species ...
Pacholewska A, Kraft MF, Gerber V, Jagannathan V.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate post-transcriptional gene expression and may be exported from cells via exosomes or in partnership with RNA-binding proteins. MiRNAs in body fluids can act in a hormone-like manner and play important roles in disease initiation and progression. Hence, miRNAs are promising candidates as biomarkers. To identify serum miRNA biomarkers in the equine model of asthma we investigated small RNA derived from the serum of 34 control and 37 asthmatic horses. These samples were used for next generation sequencing, novel miRNA identification and differential miRNA expression ana...
Hultén C, Grönlund U, Hirvonen J, Tulamo RM, Suominen MM, Marhaug G, Forsberg M.Despite the importance of noninfectious joint diseases in equine medicine, little is known about the acute phase response which may be elicited if the local inflammatory process of noninfectious arthritis is sufficiently strong, Therefore the aim of this study was to monitor the systemic inflammatory response during experimentally-induced noninfectious arthritis by studying the dynamics in serum of the acute phase proteins serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, fibrinogen and alpha2-globulins. Twenty-four Standardbred horses, age 3-7 years, found healthy on thorough clinical, radiological, haemat...
Peffers MJ, McDermott B, Clegg PD, Riggs CM.The aim of the study was to characterise the protein complement of synovial fluid (SF) in health and osteoarthritis (OA) using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) following peptide-based depletion of high abundance proteins. Methods: SF was used from nine normal and nine OA Thoroughbred horses. Samples were analysed with LC-MS/MS using a NanoAcquity™ LC coupled to an LTQ Orbitrap Velos. In order to enrich the lower-abundance protein fractions protein equalisation was first undertaken using ProteoMiner™. Progenesis-QI™ LC-MS software was used for label-free quantification. ...
Williams LB, Koenig JB, Black B, Gibson TW, Sharif S, Koch TG.Improvement has been reported following intra-articular (i.a.) injection of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in several species. These observations have led to the use of i.a. MSCs in equine practice with little understanding of the mechanisms by which perceived improvement occurs. Objective: To evaluate the effect of i.a. allogeneic umbilical cord blood (CB-) derived MSCs using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced synovitis model. We hypothesised that i.a. CB-MSCs would reduce the inflammatory response associated with LPS injection. Methods: Randomised, blinded experimental study. Methods: Feas...
Marck A, Berthelot G, Foulonneau V, Marc A, Antero-Jacquemin J, Noirez P, Bronikowski AM, Morgan TJ, Garland T, Carter PA, Hersen P, Di Meglio JM....Locomotion is one of the major physiological functions for most animals. Previous studies have described aging mechanisms linked to locomotor performance among different species. However, the precise dynamics of these age-related changes, and their interactions with development and senescence, are largely unknown. Here, we use the same conceptual framework to describe locomotor performances in Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus domesticus, Canis familiaris, Equus caballus, and Homo sapiens. We show that locomotion is a consistent biomarker of age-related changes, with an asymmetrical pattern througho...
Anderson JR, Jacobsen S, Walters M, Bundgaard L, Diendorfer A, Hackl M, Clarke EJ, James V, Peffers MJ.Extracellular vesicles comprise an as yet inadequately investigated intercellular communication pathway in the field of early osteoarthritis. We hypothesised that the small non-coding RNA expression pattern in synovial fluid and plasma would change during progression of experimental osteoarthritis. In this study, we conducted small RNA sequencing to provide a comprehensive overview of the temporal expression profiles of small non-coding transcripts carried by extracellular vesicles derived from plasma and synovial fluid for the first time in a posttraumatic model of equine osteoarthritis. Addi...
Durgam SS, Stewart AA, Pondenis HC, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SM, Evans RB, Stewart MC.To compare in vitro expansion, explant colonization, and matrix synthesis of equine tendon- and bone marrow-derived cells in response to insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) supplementation. Methods: Cells isolated from 7 young adult horses. Methods: Tendon- and bone marrow-derived progenitor cells were isolated, evaluated for yield, and cultured on autogenous cell-free tendon matrix for 7 days. Samples were analyzed for cell viability and expression of collagen type I, collagen type III, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein mRNAs. Collagen and glycosaminoglycan syntheses were quantified ov...
Arévalo-Turrubiarte M, Baratta M, Ponti G, Chiaradia E, Martignani E.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used therapeutically in equine medicine. MSCs release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which affect cell processes by inhibiting cell apoptosis and regulating inflammation. To date, little is known about equine EVs and their regenerative properties. Objective: To characterise equine MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and evaluate their effect on equine chondrocytes treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Methods: In vitro experiments with randomised complete block design. Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and ...
Comin A, Veronesi MC, Montillo M, Faustini M, Valentini S, Cairoli F, Prandi A.Stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and elevated cortisol concentrations in fetal plasma are associated with foal maturity, viability and adaptation to independent life. However, non-invasive measurement of cortisol in hair samples has not yet been validated in horses. The current study developed a radioimmunoassay to analyse cortisol in horse hair and was used to measure cortisol hair concentration at birth and at 30 and 60 days of age as a retrospective study of HPA axis activity. Cortisol was detectable in the hair of foals from birth until 2 months, but decreased w...
Ball BA, Conley AJ, MacLaughlin DT, Grundy SA, Sabeur K, Liu IK.Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), also known as Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS), is expressed by granulosa cells in females of many mammalian species, and circulating AMH concentrations have been used to monitor granulosa-cell tumors (GCT) in women. The objective was to characterize expression of AMH in equine GCT, and in normal equine ovaries, based upon immunohistochemistry (IHC), using a polyclonal primary antibody directed against human AMH. Equine GCT (n=27) and normal equine ovaries (n=10) were examined by IHC. In addition, sera from four mares with GCT were characterized for AMH bioa...
Marañón G, Muñoz-Escassi B, Manley W, García C, Cayado P, de la Muela MS, Olábarri B, León R, Vara E.Exercise induces changes in several organs and tissues, and this process might be due to oxidative damage caused by free radicals and inflammatory mediators. Methyl Sulphonyl Methane, better known as MSM, is a naturally occurring sulphur compound with well-known antioxidant properties. On the other hand, Vitamin C is important in limiting free radical damage in the aqueous phase of the cell, and cellular vitamin C status may be linked to the mechanisms involved in quenching cellular reactive oxygen species. The aim of this study was to determine if supplementation with MSM and vitamin C could ...
Céleste C, Ionescu M, Robin Poole A, Laverty S.Although intraarticular (IA) corticosteroids are frequently used to treat joint disease, the effects of their repeated use on articular cartilage remains controversial. The aim of our study was to determine the effects of a clinically recommended dose of IA triamcinolone acetonide (TA), on synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers of cartilage metabolism. Ten adult horses, free of osteoarthritis (OA) in their radiocarpal joints, were studied. One radiocarpal joint of each horse was randomly chosen for treatment and the contralateral anatomically paired joint acted as the control. Aseptic arthrocentesis w...
Desjardin C, Vaiman A, Mata X, Legendre R, Laubier J, Kennedy SP, Laloe D, Barrey E, Jacques C, Cribiu EP, Schibler L.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules ranging from 18 to 24 nucleotides. They negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play key roles in many biological processes, including skeletal development and cartilage maturation. In addition, miRNAs involvement in osteoarticular diseases has been proved and some of them were identified as suitable biomarkers for pathological conditions. Equine osteochondrosis (OC) is one of the most prevalent juvenile osteoarticular disorders in horses and represents a major concern f...
