Topic:Cells
The study of cells in horses encompasses the examination of various cell types and their functions within the equine body. Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life, and in horses, they contribute to numerous physiological processes, including growth, repair, and immune responses. Different cell types, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and muscle cells, each perform specific roles that are vital for maintaining the health and homeostasis of the horse. This topic includes research on cellular mechanisms, cellular responses to disease or injury, and the application of cellular biology in equine medicine. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the structure, function, and significance of cells in equine biology and health.
Evaluation of amniotic mesenchymal cell derivatives on cytokine production in equine alveolar macrophages: an in vitro approach to lung inflammation. Data obtained in both animal models and clinical trials suggest that cell-based therapies represent a potential therapeutic strategy for lung repair and remodeling. Recently, new therapeutic approaches based on the use of stem cell derivatives (e.g., conditioned medium (CM) and microvesicles (MVs)) to regenerate tissues and improve their functions were proposed. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of equine amniotic mesenchymal cell derivatives on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine production in equine alveolar macrophages, which may be beneficial in lu...
Effect of High-Intensity Training in Normobaric Hypoxia on Thoroughbred Skeletal Muscle. Hypoxic training is believed to increase endurance capacity in association with hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a modulator of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and to influence activation of satellite cells (SCs). However, the effect of hypoxic training on SC activation and its relation to angiogenesis has not been thoroughly investigated. Eight Thoroughbred horses were subjected to normoxic (F = 21%) or hypoxic (F = 15%) training for 3 days/week (100% [Formula: see text]) for 4 weeks. Incremental exercise tests (IET) were conducted on a treadmill under normoxia and the ...
A Novel Model for Acute Peripheral Nerve Injury in the Horse and Evaluation of the Effect of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Applied In Situ on Nerve Regeneration: A Preliminary Study. Transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to sites of experimentally created nerve injury in laboratory animals has shown promising results in restoring nerve function. This approach for nerve regeneration has not been reported in horses. In this study, we first evaluated the ability of equine bone marrow-derived MSCs (EBM-MSCs) to trans-differentiate into Schwann-like cells and subsequently tested the MSCs for their potential to regenerate a transected nerve after implantation. The EBM-MSCs from three equine donors were differentiated into SCLs for 7 days, , in the presence of s...
Heat-shock protein 70 expression in the equine cornea. Expression of the 70-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP70) has been demonstrated in normal canine corneal epithelium, and inducible expression has been suggested to facilitate wound resolution through organized migration, proliferation, and adhesion of the corneal epithelial cells. Diminished expression of HSP70 may therefore contribute to prolonged healing in the pathologic cornea of other companion animal species, including the horse. Methods: Normal and pathologic equine cornea was evaluated to determine whether the expression of HSP70 is correlated with appropriate corneal epithelial wound healin...
Identification, characterization and bioactivity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand from Equus caballus. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF superfamily and plays multifunctional roles in the immune system. In the present study, a homolog of TRAIL from the Mongolian horse (named ecTRAIL) was identified and characterized. The 870-bp open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 289 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 33.47 kDa and pI of 8.47. The genomic structure of ecTRAIL shares a five-exon/six-intron arrangement similar to its orthologs. Multiple alignments show that ecTRAIL is a type II transmembrane protein with a t...
The Calcium-Sensing Receptor and the Reproductive System. Active placental transport of maternal serum calcium (Ca(2+)) to the offspring is pivotal for proper development of the fetal skeleton as well as various organ systems. Moreover, extracellular Ca(2+) levels impact on distinct processes in mammalian reproduction. The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) translates changes in extracellular Ca(2+)-concentrations into cellular reactions. This review summarizes current knowledge on the expression of CaSR and its putative functions in reproductive organs. CaSR was detected in placental cells mediating materno-fetal Ca(2+)-transport such as the murine int...
Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment Induces Specific Alloantibodies in Horses. Background. It is unknown whether horses that receive allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) injections develop specific humoral immune response. Our goal was to develop and validate a flow cytometric MSC crossmatch procedure and to determine if horses that received allogeneic MSCs in a clinical setting developed measurable antibodies following MSC administration. Methods. Serum was collected from a total of 19 horses enrolled in 3 different research projects. Horses in the 3 studies all received unmatched allogeneic MSCs. Bone marrow (BM) or adipose tissue derived MSCs (ad-MSCs) were admini...
Orf virus interleukin-10 and vascular endothelial growth factor-E modulate gene expression in cultured equine dermal fibroblasts. Wounds in horses often exhibit sustained inflammation and inefficient vascularization, leading to excessive fibrosis and clinical complications such as "proud flesh". Orf virus-derived proteins, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-E and interleukin (ovIL)-10, enhance angiogenesis and control inflammation and fibrosis in skin wounds of laboratory animals. Objective: The study aimed to determine if equine dermal cells respond to VEGF-E and ovIL-10. Equine dermal cells are expected to express VEGF and IL-10 receptors, so viral protein treatment is likely to alter cellular gene expression an...
Induction of Tenogenic Differentiation Mediated by Extracellular Tendon Matrix and Short-Term Cyclic Stretching. Tendon and ligament pathologies are still a therapeutic challenge, due to the difficulty in restoring the complex extracellular matrix architecture and biomechanical strength. While progress is being made in cell-based therapies and tissue engineering approaches, comprehensive understanding of the fate of progenitor cells in tendon healing is still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of decellularized tendon matrix and moderate cyclic stretching as natural stimuli which could potentially direct tenogenic fate. Equine adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) were...
Central Nervous System and Vertebrae Development in Horses: a Chronological Study with Differential Temporal Expression of Nestin and GFAP. The neural system is one of the earliest systems to develop and the last to be fully developed after birth. This study presents a detailed description of organogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) at equine embryonic/fetal development between 19 and 115 days of pregnancy. The expression of two important biomarkers in the main structure of the nervous system responsible for neurogenesis in the adult individual, and in the choroid plexus, was demonstrated by Nestin and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) co-labeling. In the 29th day of pregnancy in the undifferentiated lateral ventricle...
Alkaline phosphatase added to capacitating medium enhances horse sperm-zona pellucida binding. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) is present in equine seminal plasma and spermatozoa, but its functional role is not fully understood yet. Being that, sperm-oocyte interaction in equine species has been reported to be enhanced at a slightly basic pH, this work aimed at verifying whether exogenous alkaline phosphatase exerts any role on stallion spermatozoa and sperm-oocyte interaction at different pHs (7.4; 8.0; 9.0). Stallion spermatozoa were capacitated in Tyrode's medium at pH 7.4, 8.0, and 9.0 for 4 hours at 38 °C, 5% CO with 2.5-IU AP (AP group) or without AP (capacitated spermatozoa group); ...
Reproductive stage-dependent effects of additional cryoprotectant agents for the cryopreservation of stallion germ cells. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an additional cryoprotectant in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on cryopreserving germ cells from stallions at different reproductive stages. Testicular samples were obtained from pre-pubertal (1-1.5 yr, n=6) and post-pubertal (3-7 yr, n=5) stallions. Germ cells were isolated using a two-enzyme digestion procedure and cryopreserved in minimal essential medium alpha containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 10% DMSO with or without addition of trehalose (50, 100, or 200mM) or polyethylene glycol (PEG, 2.5, 5, or 10%). Viability, cell po...
Identification and characterization of equine blood plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen-presenting cells that can be classified into three major cell subsets: conventional DC1 (cDC1), cDC2 and plasmacytoid DCs (pDC), none of which have been identified in horses. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify and characterize DC subsets in equine peripheral blood, emphasizing on pDC. Surface marker analysis allowed distinction of putative DC subsets, according to their differential expression of CADM-1 and MHC class II. Equine pDC were found to be Flt3(+) CD4(low) CD13(-) CD14(-) CD172a(-) CADM-1(-) MHCII(low). The weak expression of CD4 on...
Synovial incorporation of polyacrylamide hydrogel after injection into normal and osteoarthritic animal joints. Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) is a non-toxic, non-degradable synthetic product, used for years in the augmentation of soft tissues. Preliminary results in animals and humans have suggested long-lasting beneficial effects on symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this histopathological study was to investigate whether intra-articular injection of PAAG is integrated into synovial tissue in normal and OA animal joints, and if this integration is sustained. (A) A prospective, controlled, longitudinal study of normal knee joints injected with PAAG was performed in 10 rabbits, following the an...
Response to Intravenous Allogeneic Equine Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Administered from Chilled or Frozen State in Serum and Protein-Free Media. Equine mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are commonly transported, chilled or frozen, to veterinary clinics. These MSC must remain viable and minimally affected by culture, transport, or injection processes. The safety of two carrier solutions developed for optimal viability and excipient use were evaluated in ponies, with and without allogeneic cord blood-derived (CB) MSC. We hypothesized that neither the carrier solutions nor CB-MSC would elicit measurable changes in clinical, hematological, or biochemical parameters. In nine ponies (study 1), a bolus of HypoThermosol(®) FRS (HTS-FRS), CryoSt...
Regulation of Rev expression by the equine infectious anaemia virus tat-rev mRNA Kozak sequence and its potential influence on viral replication. Rev, an important accessory protein of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV), induces the nuclear export of incompletely spliced viral mRNAs. Rev is translated from the tat-rev mRNA through leaky scanning of the tat CUG. In this study, the function of the Kozak sequence at the beginning of the rev ORF was investigated. Deletion or attenuation of the Kozak sequence resulted in expression of an N-terminal 11 aa-truncated Rev in addition to WT Rev. Truncated Rev displayed weaker promotion of Gag expression and processing than WT Rev. Furthermore, EIAV rescued from an infectious molecular clon...
A new strategy for the decellularisation of large equine tendons as biocompatible tendon substitutes. Tendon ruptures and/or large losses remain to be a great clinical challenge and often require full replacement of the damaged tissue. The use of auto- and allografts or engineered scaffolds is an established approach to restore severe tendon injuries. However, these grafts are commonly related to scarce biocompatibility, site morbidity, chronic inflammation and poor biomechanical properties. Recently, the decellularisation techniques of allo- or xenografts using specific detergents have been studied and have been found to generate biocompatible substitutes that resemble the native tissue. This...
Intratracheal therapy with autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells reduces airway inflammation in horses with recurrent airway obstruction. This research evaluated the effects of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMCs) on the inflammatory process in the equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Eight horses in RAO clinical score were divided into cell therapy group (Gcel) treated with a single intratracheal dose of BMMCs, and dexamethasone group (Gdex) treated with 21days of oral dexamethasone. The horses were clinically revaluated on days 7 and 21, together with cytological evaluation of the BALF, and detection of inflammatory markers (interleukins [IL]-10, -4, and -17, and interferon γ and α). There were decreases in re...
Quantitative analysis of infiltrating immune cells and bovine papillomavirus type 1 E2-positive cells in equine sarcoids. Sarcoids are the most frequently observed skin tumours in equids and consist of cutaneous accumulations of transformed fibroblasts. Their aetiopathogenesis is closely linked to a presumably abortive infection by bovine papillomavirus (BPV) types 1 and 2. In cattle, dermal fibropapillomas induced by BPV1/2 usually regress spontaneously due to a local, cell-mediated, immune response; however, equids appear to lack an effective immune response to BPV1/2 and mechanisms of immune evasion have been postulated. As a consequence, equine sarcoids tend to persist and are prone to recur. In this study, c...
In vitro effects of platelet-rich gel supernatants on histology and chondrocyte apoptosis scores, hyaluronan release and gene expression of equine cartilage explants challenged with lipopolysaccharide. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are a common treatment in equine osteoarthritis (OA). However, there are controversies regarding the ideal concentration of platelets and leukocytes in these biological substances necessary to induce an adequate anti-inflammatory and anabolic response in articular cartilage. The aims were to study the influence of leukocyte- and platelet-rich gel (L-PRG) and pure platelet-rich gel (P-PRG) supernatants on the histological changes of cartilage, the degree of chondrocyte apoptosis, the production of hyaluronan (HA) and the gene expression of nuclear factor ...
Equine herpesvirus type 1 modulates inflammatory host immune response genes in equine endothelial cells. Equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a disease caused by equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), is characterized by severe inflammation, thrombosis, and hypoxia in central nervous system (CNS) endothelial cells, which can result in a spectrum of clinical signs including urinary incontinence, ataxia, and paralysis. Strains of EHV-1 that contain a single point mutation within the viral DNA polymerase (nucleotide A2254>G2254: amino acid N752→D752) are isolated from EHM afflicted horses at higher frequencies than EHV-1 strains that do not harbor this mutation. Due to the correlation between...
Influence of commonly used pharmaceutical agents on equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell viability. To provide evidence to support recommendations regarding the co-administration of drugs with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy. Objective: To determine the influence of sedatives, local anaesthetic and corticosteroids on MSC viability and proliferation, in comparison to somatic cells derived from tendon (TDCs). Methods: In vitro cell culture. Methods: MSCs (n = 3) and TDCs (n = 2) were cultured in media containing a clinically relevant dose range of xylazine, romifidine, detomidine and butorphanol, mepivacaine, methylprednisolone, or triamcinolone acetonide. Cell viability in suspension cult...
Characteristics and multipotency of equine dedifferentiated fat cells. Dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells have been shown to be multipotent, similar to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, we aimed to establish and characterize equine DFAT cells. Equine adipocytes were ceiling cultured, and then dedifferentiated into DFAT cells by the seventh day of culture. The number of DFAT cells was increased to over 10 million by the fourth passage. Flow cytometry of DFAT cells showed that the cells were strongly positive for CD44, CD90, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I; moderately positive for CD11a/18, CD105, and MHC class II; and negative for CD3...
Sternal bone marrow derived equine multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs): investigations considering the sampling site and the use of different culture media. Aspiration of equine sternal bone marrow is required for the cultivation of bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) for regenerative therapies. For bone marrow aspiration as well as for MSC cultivation, there is a need to optimize techniques and protocols to enhance MSC harvest at minimized culture times. In a comparative study bone marrow aspirates from sternebra 4 and 5 were collected at two different positions within the sternebrae, either from 10 mm or from 30 mm dorsal from the ventral margin of the sternebrae. Accuracy of the puncture depth was confirmed by ...
Inflammation affects the viability and plasticity of equine mesenchymal stem cells: possible implications in intra-articular treatments. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are gaining relevance for treating equine joint injuries because of their ability to limit inflammation and stimulate regeneration. Because inflammation activates MSC immunoregulatory function, proinflammatory priming could improve MSC efficacy. However, inflammatory molecules present in synovial fluid or added to the culture medium might have deleterious effects on MSCs. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of inflammatory synovial fluid and proinflammatory cytokines priming on viability and plasticity of equine MSCs. Equine bone marrow ...
Expression of von Willebrand factor, pulmonary intravascular macrophages, and Toll-like receptors in lungs of septic foals. Sepsis causes significant mortality in neonatal foals; however, there is little data describing the cellular and molecular pathways of lung inflammation in septic foals. This study was conducted to characterize lung inflammation in septic foals. Lung tissue sections from control (n = 6) and septic (n = 17) foals were compared using histology and immunohistology. Blinded pathologic scoring of hematoxylin and eosin stained samples revealed increased features of lung inflammation such as thickened alveolar septa and sequestered inflammatory cells in septic foals. Septic foal lungs showed increase...
Enhanced cytotoxicity of bleomycin, cisplatin, and carboplatin on equine sarcoid cells following electroporation-mediated delivery in vitro. Electroporation is a method used to deliver poorly permeant chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor cells, potentiating the cytotoxic effects of drugs and overall clinical response. Despite existing evidence of the potential benefits of electroporation to enhance the antitumoral effects of drugs, there is a lack of understanding about the effects of electroporation on equine tumor cells. This study investigated the combined effects of electroporation and bleomycin, cisplatin, and carboplatin on an equine sarcoid cell line (EqS04b). The use of electroporation increases the cytotoxic effects of bleomyci...
Effect of storage time and temperature on the results of analysis of synovial and mesothelial fluids. Delays between collection and laboratory analysis of equine body fluid samples are common in practice; however, the effects of delays on the accuracy of results and diagnostic interpretation are unknown. Objective: To assess the effects of storage time and temperature combination on protein and cell parameters of equine synovial and mesothelial cavity fluids and determine whether any changes affect clinicopathological interpretation. Methods: In vitro experiment. Methods: Body fluid samples obtained from horses during diagnostic investigation were divided into 7 aliquots and total protein conc...
Chondroitin sulphate glycosaminoglycans contribute to widespread inferior biomechanics in tendon after focal injury. Both mechanical and structural properties of tendon change after injury however the causal relationship between these properties is presently unclear. This study aimed to determine the extent of biomechanical change in post-injury tendon pathology and whether the sulphated glycosaminoglycans (glycosaminoglycans) present are a causal factor in these changes. Equine superficial digital flexor tendons (SDF tendons) were surgically-injured in vivo (n=6 injured, n=6 control). Six weeks later they were harvested and regionally dissected into twelve regions around the lesion (equal medial/lateral, pr...
Characterization and differentiation of equine experimental local and early systemic inflammation by expression responses of inflammation-related genes in peripheral blood leukocytes. Local inflammation may progress into systemic inflammation. To increase our understanding of the basic immunological processes during transition of equine local inflammation into a systemic state, investigation into the equine systemic immune response to local inflammation is warranted. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the innate peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) immune response to local inflammation in horses, and to compare this response with the PBL immune response during the early phase of acute systemic inflammation. Expression of 22 selected inflammation-related genes w...