The immune system in horses is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. This system includes both innate and adaptive immune responses, which function to identify and eliminate foreign invaders. The innate immune response provides an immediate, non-specific defense, while the adaptive immune response involves a more targeted and long-lasting protection through the production of antibodies. Key components of the equine immune system include white blood cells, such as lymphocytes and macrophages, as well as various signaling molecules like cytokines. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the structure, function, and regulation of the immune system in horses, with an emphasis on understanding its role in maintaining equine health and its response to diseases.
Strzemienski PJ, Do D, Kenney RM.Luminal fluid from the mare uterus was used to investigate its relation to antibacterial defenses. Uterine flushings were collected at Day 3 of estrus, Day 8 postovulation and Day 15 postovulation. Uterine proteins were concentrated by ultrafiltration, dialyzed and examined for chemotactic activity to neutrophils and for antibacterial properties. Serum taken at the time of flushing was dialyzed and studied in a similar manner. Neutrophil migration in response to serum from Day 3 estrus and Day 8 postovulation was increased (P less than 0.05) above controls. Uterine protein from Day 8 postovula...
Montelaro RC, Parekh B, Orrego A, Issel CJ.The recurrent nature of equine infectious anemia has been attributed to relatively rapid antigenic variations in equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) during persistent infection under selective immune pressures. This model was tested by serological and biochemical analysis of virus isolates recovered from separate febrile episodes in two experimentally infected ponies. Neutralization assays employing immune sera from the experimentally infected ponies demonstrated that distinct antigenic strains of virus predominate during sequential febrile episodes in a single pony. Analysis of the test str...
Blue HB, Blue MG, Kenney RM, Merritt TL.Forty uterine fluid samples were obtained from 4 mares classified as resistant to uterine bacterial infection. The uterus of each mare was flushed with 50 ml of saline solution during estrus and diestrus of successive estrous cycles. Bacteria or fungi were isolated from 4 samples, and 7 additional samples were obtained from a mare with active intrauterine infection. Fluid volumes obtained during estrus (means = 40.3 +/- 11 ml) tended to be greater than those recovered during diestrus (means = 36.8 +/- 7.9 ml), but the difference was not significant. Concentrations and yields of protein in reco...
Coignoul FL, Bertram TA, Roth JA, Cheville NF.Neutrophils from 4 pony foals, 3 lactating pony mares, and 3 nonlactating mares were evaluated ultrastructurally and by in vitro function tests. Neutrophils from foals had significantly (P = 0.05) less random migration than neutrophils from mares; values in tests for iodination and Staphylococcus aureus ingestion were also lower with foal neutrophils. Neutrophils from lactating mares had lower responses to iodination, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and random migration tests than did neutrophils from nonlactating mares. Ultrastructurally, granule concentration did not differ si...
Pellegrini A, Hägeli G, Fretz D, von Fellenberg R.An electrophoretic procedure for the qualitative and quantitative assay of protein protease inhibitors is reported. This assay is particularly suited for investigations of crude biological materials when specific antisera are not available. The supporting medium consists of agarose into which denatured fibrinogen is incorporated as the substrate for proteases. The processing then is divided into two steps: (1) electrophoretic resolution of the inhibitor containing material and (2) detection of the inhibitor bands through their protease inhibiting activity. The inhibitor position is thus made v...
Lindberg R.A morphological study on equine granulomatous enteritis (EGE) in 13 horses is presented. All horses were young (1 to 5 years old) standardbreds. Based on gross pathology, cases were classified into those with diffuse (11 cases) and those with localized (2 cases) small bowel lesions. The granulomatous reaction in the gut was marked by diffuse and patchy infiltrates and distinct granulomas, composed of epithelioid cells, macrophages and lymphoid cells, and was devoid of necrosis. Salient accompanying features of the small bowel included lymphoid hyperplasia, peri-lymphatic and transmural inflamm...
Reef VB, Dyson SS, Beech J.Three horses with equine lymphosarcoma were examined because of clinical signs including chronic weight loss, respiratory distress, peripheral edema, and chronic colic. Clinicopathologic findings included evidence of an immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia also was diagnosed in 1 of the horses and suspected in another. One horse died in spite of treatment, 1 died 5 hours after surgical removal of a tumor encircling the jejunum, and 1 was euthanatized because of deteriorating condition. Necropsy of each horse revealed extensive neoplastic infiltration of peripheral...
Meyer H.Skin diseases of the horse can be produced or enhanced through nutrient deficiency, intestinal formation of detrimental substances, photosensitizing compounds and by intake of allergenes. An exact case history regarding feeding is useful for evaluation of every skin abnormality.
Braun JP, Tainturier D, Bézille P, Raviart I, Rico AG.In goat and mare colostrum, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity is relatively low (mean values are, respectively, 900 and 350 U/l). In the serum of newborns before suckling, GGT is also low (less than or equal to 28 U/l in goats and less than or equal to U/l in foals); then in goats GGT is much increased on the 1st day (mean = 127 U/l), and it decreases during the following days. In foals, serum GGT slowly but regularly increases for the first 5 days, then decreases. Such differences can be attributed to intestinal protein absorption capabilities which are selective in newborn foals and u...
Stratil A, Tomásek V, Bobák P, Glasnák V.Homozygous horse transferrin (Tf O) is highly heterogeneous. In starch gel electrophoresis it gives at least 9 zones. Two main components (2a and 4b) were purified by rivanol and ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and SP-Sephadex chromatography. Molecular weights of 75 200 and 80 500 for components 2a and 4b, respectively, were determined by sedimentation equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Amino acid compositions of the two components were similar, and there were no differences in the N-terminus (glutamic acid followed by glutamine) and the C-terminus (valine). Differe...
Floyd K, Suter PF, Lutz H.Direct staining of the granules of blood eosinophils by anti-immunoglobulin fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugates was observed when feline blood smears were tested for presence of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen by immunofluorescent antibody. When blood smears of other species including swine, horses, cattle, dogs, sheep, birds, and human beings were examined, direct staining of eosinophils by FITC conjugates was also detected. This FITC staining was restricted to eosinophils and was not observed in neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets. Direct FITC staining of eosinophils does n...
Weiser G, Kohn C, Vachon A.Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia was diagnosed in two horses on the basis of regenerative anemia, increased erythrocyte fragility in hypotonic saline, autoagglutination, and a positive direct antiglobulin (Coomb's) test. During steroid therapy partial resolution of the anemia was indicated by rising packed cell volume, macrocytosis, and bone marrow erythroid hyperplasia. Using erythrocyte volume distribution histograms (erythrograms), the regenerative response was characterized by analysis of macrocytic and normocytic erythrocyte subpopulations. In both horses, a gradual net increase of about ...
Bossut DF, Leshin LS, Stromberg MW, Malven PV.Electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment of horses to induce cutaneous analgesia also increased plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and cortisol. The magnitude of these increases did not relate consistently to the degree of EA-induced analgesia. Respiration and heart rates were also markedly increased during EA treatment. Intact female horses had higher packed cell volume and plasma beta-EP as well as lower plasma total protein than castrated male horses. Plasma cortisol, heart rate, and respiration rate did not differ significantly between sexes. None of the parameters measured before...
Klei TR, Chapman MR, Torbert BJ, McClure JR.An indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) was developed using Strongylus vulgaris third stage larvae (L3) as antigens. Observations using the IFA indicate that a species-specific antibody response to S. vulgaris L3 develops in S. vulgaris-infected ponies and that some surface L3 antigens are shared by adult worms. Sequential antibody levels against S. vulgaris were measured in strongyle-naive and in immune ponies following initial and challenge infections using the IFA and an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). Antibody levels measured by IFA increased faster following initial infections...
Zweygarth E, Ahmed JS, Rehbein G, Voigt WP.The capacity of equine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to proliferate in the presence of Babesia equi-transformed lymphoblastoid stimulator cells was tested in an autologous as well as in an allogenic one way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). It was found that both autologous and allogeneic responder lymphocytes incorporated high amounts of 3H-thymidine. The incorporation of 3H-thymidine was lower in MLR using as stimulator cells lymphocytes from which the cell line had previously been established, than when using parasitized culture cells as stimulator. Proliferation of PBL was achieved onl...
Seide RK, Kehoe JM.Studies of the molecular biology of lymphoid cells have markedly increased our understanding of how millions of different antibodies can be synthesized by a single animal. To date, the most detailed understanding has been achieved for the mouse, primarily because of the relatively greater experimental availability of this species. These studies, as well as those involving other species, have shown that the complete genes for antibody polypeptide chains are assembled from disparate genetic elements which are originally widely separated in the genome. The assembly process itself, together with t...
Reef VB.A 10-year-old Quarter Horse mare was referred for evaluation and treatment of a large pectoral skin slough and hemoglobinuria. The skin slough was secondary to Clostridium perfringens cellulitis and associated gas gangrene. Cold hemagglutinin disease was diagnosed and was suspected to be secondary to C perfringens septicemia. The autoimmune hemolytic anemia, severe intravascular hemolysis, and hemoglobinuria were treated with dexamethasone and hydrocortisone. The infection was treated with 20 X 10(6) units of sodium penicillin, IV, 4 times daily, and the wound was debrided. When the mare relap...
Townsend HG, Tabel H, Bristol FM.Parturition was induced in 11 mares, using a synthetic prostaglandin. Eight mares, not treated, were used as controls. There was no significant difference between the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations of the treated and control mares. The concentration of IgG in the colostrum of treated mares compared favorably with that reported for naturally foaling mares. Four foals from treated mares died or were euthanatized because of weakness during the 1st 24 hours after birth. The mean IgG concentration in the surviving foals from treated mares at 24 to 36 hours of age was 1,561 mg/100 ml, w...
Nakazawa M, Sugimoto C, Isayama Y.The selective isolation of R. equi in NANC medium was made by quantitative culture of the organism in the feces. R. equi was observed in the feces of all the mares and foals investigated. The mean viable count of R. equi organisms in 1 gram of feces was 8.42 X 10(2) in the mares and 7.57 X 10(2) in the foals, and its 95% confidence limits were in a range of 6.48 X 10(2) to 1.09 X 10(3) and 4.19 X 10(2) to 1.37 X 10(3), respectively. This result indicates that R. equi is a member of the normal intestinal flora in the horse.
Campbell TM, Studdert MJ.Severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) in foals is the only known animal model for the autosomal recessive form of primary SCID in man. A major requirement in the treatment of SCID is the maintenance of the patient in a disease free state until definitive therapy can be undertaken. This paper reviews the current status of prophylactic and definitive therapy in man and the horse. Particular emphasis is placed on the methods of reconstitution available, involving foetal tissues and bone marrow.
Heyneman RA.The subcellular distribution of the superoxide-forming enzyme in horse polymorphonuclear leukocytes was investigated. After activation of the cells with sodium oleate, a relatively stable and NAD(P)H-dependent oxygen consumption and superoxide production was found in association with the plasma membranes. The pH dependence displayed an optimum near neutrality. The apparent Km values were 38 x 10(-6) mol/l for NADPH and 1,560 x 10(-6) mol/l for NADH, suggesting that NADPH is the physiological donor. The rates of oxygen uptake, O2- production, and NADP consumption were consistent with the stoich...
Latif ZA, Fletcher MA.Immunochemical comparisons were made of the reactivity of membrane glycoproteins from horse, bovine, sheep and goat erythrocytes with heterophile antibodies of infectious mononucleosis. The four receptors were tested as competitive inhibitors of a sandwich-type solid-phase radioimmunoassay and of agglutination of glycoprotein-latex reagents by infectious mononucleosis serum. The results of this study showed that the bovine glycoprotein had a superior reactivity with this heterophile antibody system and sheep erythrocyte glycoprotein was the least reactive. The latter had negligible ability to ...
Watson ED.Incubation of equine neutrophils with povidone-iodine solutions of greater than or equal to 0.2 per cent resulted in total inhibition of migration under agarose. This was caused by the cytotoxic effects of the solutions as shown by pyknosis and cell lysis. Lower concentrations of povidone-iodine, however, did not adversely affect neutrophil viability or locomotion.
Olenchock SA, Murphy SA, Mull JC, Lewis DM.Various work environments in agriculture naturally contain gram-negative bacteria and their endotoxins, which are heat stable, lipopolysaccharide-protein complexes that are integral parts of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria (1). Respiratory exposure to endotoxin-containing dusts has been associated with both an acute decline in pulmonary function (2) and chronic lung disease (3) in cotton dust-exposed subjects. Endotoxins can profoundly affect both humoral and cellular mediation systems in humans and experimental animals (4). One biologically active humoral system that is associate...
Shaw FD, Morton H.The developing embryo/fetus bears antigens which are foreign to the mother and it could be expected that immune rejection of the conceptus would occur. One of the reasons why the fetus is not rejected is because a depression of the maternal immune response takes place during pregnancy. Serum from pregnant animals of several species has been shown to contain a factor, early pregnancy factor (EPF), which is immunosuppressive. EPF has been detected as early as six hours after mating and its detection could aid diagnosis of early pregnancy in all species.
Leid RW.The investigation of the mast cell-basophil products has progressed from studies directed solely at implicating histamine or serotonin in allergic diseases to molecular definitions of pathways to target cell activation and mediator release. In addition, within the last several years the detection and molecular characterization of the many other mediators of immediate hypersensitivity have begun. This area should continue to prove a fruitful arena in the future. Identification of the physiologic importance of these mediators in the heaves syndrome or other potential equine allergic syndromes ma...
Stellmann C, Petermann HG.After vaccination of chickens, rabbits, foals and horses, HI and SN antibody dose response curves were compared for A/Equi 1/Prague and A/Equi 2/Paris strains.
The two curves are parallel for a given strain and the relationship of HI and SN titres is constant, whatever the animal species.
The distribution of HI and SN titres varies for the two strains.
This variation, which is independent of animal species, may be related to the number of sites necessary for the antigenic-antibody response in vitro.
It is suggested that the testing of equine influenza vaccine be carried out in the ...
Karcher LF, Scott DW, Paradis M, Anderson WI.Sterile nodular panniculitis was diagnosed in 5 horses. Physical abnormalities were predominantly limited to cutaneous changes, consisting of multiple subcutaneous nodules that had a tendency to wax and wane over time and were commonly distributed over the trunk, neck, and proximal portion of the limbs. In each horse, the diagnosis was confirmed by excisional biopsy of a nodule and by exclusion of infective causes of panniculitis on the basis of negative culture results and special stain application to skin specimens. Treatment with immunosuppressive doses of glucocorticoids was curative in 1 ...
Bürki F, Nowotny N, Rossmanith W, Pallan C, Möstl K.During 3 foaling seasons around 150 Lipizzaner foals were vaccinated against ERP with commercial vaccines and groups thereof were serotested in CF and SN for their humoral immune response. In addition, 6 horses of cheaper common breeds were vaccinated on the University premises, were continuously serologically screened and subjected to virulent nasal test infection. The live-virus vaccine Prevaccinol interfered so profoundly and up to the 20th week of life with maternal antibodies that its further use was discontinued. The inactivated vaccine Pneumabort-K proved to be of impressive immunogenic...
Maddison JE.Fifty-nine reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were received by the Adverse Drug Reaction Subcommittee of the Australian Veterinary Association from April 1992-March 1993 inclusive. The number of reports received/number of animals involved per species was: dogs (30/43); cats (11/14); horses (8/10); cattle (9/30); ferret (1/1). Of these, 37 (63%) were classified as definite ADRs and 12 (20%) as probable ADRs. In 10 (17%) reports an ADR could not be substantiated or there was insufficient information available to make a decision. Twenty-three reports involved apparent hypersensiti...
Strzemienski PJ, Do D, Kenney RM.Luminal fluid from the mare uterus was used to investigate its relation to antibacterial defenses. Uterine flushings were collected at Day 3 of estrus, Day 8 postovulation and Day 15 postovulation. Uterine proteins were concentrated by ultrafiltration, dialyzed and examined for chemotactic activity to neutrophils and for antibacterial properties. Serum taken at the time of flushing was dialyzed and studied in a similar manner. Neutrophil migration in response to serum from Day 3 estrus and Day 8 postovulation was increased (P less than 0.05) above controls. Uterine protein from Day 8 postovula...
CRAWFORD M.This disease has a very long history, with the earliest written description by Vegetius in the fourth century A.D. It has many names, such as periodic ophthalmia, recurrent ophthalmia, iridocyclitis, uveitis, moon-blindness, etc. Periodic ophthalmia is perhaps the name more generally used, but I prefer to use recurrent iridocyclitis because (a) there is no definite fixed period between the recurrent attacks and (b) because the essential lesion is iridocyclitis.
Claessen C, De Lange V, Huang T, Ma G, Osterrieder N, Favoreel H, Van de Walle GR.Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is an α-herpesvirus that can infect a variety of different cells in vitro and in vivo, including dendritic cells (DC) which are essential in the immune response against EHV1. Infection of equine monocyte-derived DC (MDDC) with EHV1 induced down-regulation of major histocompatibility complex I (MHCI), CD83, CD86, CD206, CD29 and CD172a, but not of CD11a/CD18 and MHCII. This down-regulation was not mediated by the virion host-shutoff (VHS) protein or pUL49.5. Interestingly, down-regulation of CD83 and CD86 was in part mediated by pUL56. Taken together, these data ind...
Journal of biochemistryNovember 1, 1963
Volume 54 388-397 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a127804
JOHKE T.This research article investigates the differences in acid-soluble nucleotides in the milk of various species including cows, goats, mares, and humans through different stages of lactation, and compares the nucleotide [...]
Jongbloets AM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Meeus PJ, Back W.Equine canker is a chronic, hyperplastic, exudative pododermatitis affecting one or more feet. Although many causes and treatments have been suggested, the cause of the disease is still unknown and most probably multifactorial. Local treatments include radical surgical debridement of the diseased hoof tissue and application of caustic substances, antibiotics, and pressure bandaging. Nevertheless, the number of recurrences is high (45%). This article presents a 3-year-old New Forest pony-cross mare in which all horny structures (frogs, coronets, spurs, chestnuts) of all feet were affected. Bact...
Woolcock JB.An atypical variety of Streptococcus equi is described. It was shown to be deficient in capsular material, to be very virulent for mice and to possess a cell-wall protein similar to the M-like protein of classical Str equi. Antiserum prepared against classical Str equi effectively opsonised the atypical strains, and induced the formation of long chains by these atypical strains. It is possible that this variant of Str equi can be used to overcome many of the current problems associated with the manufacture and use of strangles vaccines.
Knickelbein KE, Lassaline ME.Immune-mediated ocular inflammation is a common clinical diagnosis reached for horses with keratitis and uveitis. This diagnosis is made as a diagnosis of exclusion following a thorough effort to rule out an underlying cause for the inflammation, most importantly infectious and neoplastic disease. Practically, response to ophthalmic and systemic anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory medications is used to support a diagnosis of immune-mediated ocular inflammation; however, such medications are often contraindicated in the face of infection or neoplasia. This article will summarize our current ...
Eichenberger EM, Dent A, Hayes T, Woc-Colburn L.Streptococcus equi is an opportunistic pathogen in horses that has rarely been transmitted to humans. Here we present a zoonotic S. equi meningitis case in a kidney transplant recipient with exposure to infected horses. We discuss the patient's risk factors, clinical presentation, and management in the context of the limited literature on S. equi meningitis.
Frymus T, Degórski A, Kowalski B, Crisman M.
Summary:
Serum lysozyme (LZM) activity and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction capacity of circulating phagocytes were determined by the lysoplate technique and the microquantitative method, respectively. As blood donors 47 clinically normal Arabian foals ranging in age from 6 hours to 22 days and their 40 dams were used.
A significantly (p < 0.05) lower serum LZM activity was found in foals older than 24 hours, compared with the mares (40.84 U/ml ± 15.32 and 48,96 U/ml ± 17.9, respectively), but the LZM/phagocyte ratio was similar in foals and mares.
Circulating phagocytes f...
Lunn DP.Monoclonal antibody technology has allowed the recognition and study of numerous leucocyte antigens in man and laboratory animals for over a decade. Numerous advances in the understanding of immune responses and immunopathology have resulted. In recent years equine researchers have started to develop similar reagents, which now offer a powerful tool to investigators of equine immunology and disease.
Takafuji VA, Howard RD, Ward DL, Sharova LV, Crisman MV.The effect of recombinant equine IL-1beta (EqIL-1beta) on steady-state mRNA levels of equine articular chondrocytes in high-density monolayer culture was investigated using a customized cDNA array analysis. Total RNA samples isolated from chondrocytes cultured in media alone or with the addition of 1 ng/ml EqIL-1beta for 1-, 3-, and 6-h durations of exposure were reverse transcribed, radiolabeled, and hybridized to a customized 380-target cDNA array. Means of duplicate log base 2 transformed hybridization signals were normalized to equine glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mean s...
Nunez R, Gomes-Keller MA, Schwarzwald C, Feige K.RATIONALE: Thrombocytopenia is a platelet associated process that occurs in human and animals as result of i) decreased production; ii) increased utilization; iii) increased destruction coupled to the presence of antibodies, within a process know as immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT); or iv) platelet sequestration. Thus, the differentiation of the origin of IMT and the development of reliable diagnostic approaches and methodologies are important in the clarification of IMT pathogenesis. Therefore, there is a growing need in the field for easy to perform assays for assessing platelet morpho...
Minamijima Y, Niwa H, Uchida E, Yamamoto K.In the past decade, mass spectrometry has become an important technology for protein identification. Recent developments in mass spectrometry allow a large number of identifications in samples; therefore, mass-spectrometry-based techniques have been applied to the discovery of biomarkers. Here, we conducted a proteomic study to compare the proteomes in sera between healthy Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbreds with respiratory disease associated with transport (RDT). We found that four proteins, apolipoprotein F, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, lysozyme and protein S100-A8, were upregulated, whi...
Gottschalk RD, Reyers F, van den Berg SS.The effects of a commercially available equine hyperimmune anti-endotoxin serum on synovial fluid parameters were evaluated in an induced synovitis model in normal horses. Four groups of 3 horses each received lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus hyperimmune antiendotoxin (anti-LPS), LPS, anti-LPS, and Ringers lactate (control) respectively injected into the left intercarpal joint. Synovial fluid parameters were measured at 4, 8, 24 and 72 h. It was found that anti-LPS had no attenuating effect on the LPS and that it induced a synovitis almost equivalent to that induced by LPS alone. The introduction...
Scheel J, Duswald KH, Ring J, Seifert J, Scholz S, Brendel W.Eight mongrel dogs received a standard daily i.v. infusion of 20 mg/kg b.w. deaggregated horse-anti-dog-lymphocyte-globulin (ALG) and additional prednisolone (1 mg/kg b.w. daily i.v.) over a maximum period of 82 days following pretreatment with deaggregated normal horse IgG. No sensitization against horse protein was observed during therapy of afterwards as proved by lack of humoral antibodies against horse antigens, maintained lymphopenia, good compatibility, longterm prolongation of xenogeneic skin graft survival (85.6+/-20.6 days, n=8' untreated controls 12.5+/-1.3 days, n=4) and longterm s...
Berger J, Valdez S, Puschner B, Leutenegger CM, Gardner IA, Madigan JE.Highly reactive horses may pose risks to humans involved in equestrian activities. Among the factors that may affect horses' reactivity to external stimuli are pesticides used for fly control in equine facilities. The organophosphorus (OP) insecticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) is used as a feed-through larvicide to prevent completion of the fly larval life cycle in horse manure. TCVP exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme cholinesterase (ChE) leading to the accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (AChE) in synapses of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The aim of the pre...
Ghaeli T, Karimi B, Kojouri GA, Dehkordi RR, Ahadi AM.One of the initial responses of the host's innate immunity of newborns against pathogens is the use of oxidative enzymes. This study aimed to evaluate changes in serum xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) activity, the leukocyte myeloperoxidase (MPO) and XOR genes expression, and some biochemical parameters in healthy Darehshuri newborn foals up to 60 days of life. Blood samples were collected from 16 foals at 1, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days and used for detecting XOR activity, biochemical parameters, and also gene expression by real-time RT-PCR. High activity of XOR was observed at birth, explained by phy...
Poppie MJ, McGuire TC.Foals with combined immunodeficiency (CID), a fatal genetic defect in the production of both B and T lymphocytes, are born without immunoglobulins and are unable to synthesise them. CID foals receiving immunoglobulins via the dam's colostrum may live up to four months of age. Those CID foals with failure of passive transfer (FPT) die at a much earlier age. The occurrence of CID is of value in studying passive transfer of immunoglobulins, as no confusion exists as to when passive transfer ends and active synthesis of immunoglobulins begins. A high correlation has been found between early foal d...
Tobin T, Tai HH, Tai CL, Houtz PK, Dai MR, Woods WE, Yang JM, Weckman TJ, Chang SL, Blake JW.We have developed and evaluated a one step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for fentanyl as part of a panel of pre- and post-race tests for narcotic analgesics in racing horses. This ELISA test detects fentanyl with an I-50 of about 100 pg/ml. The test is economical in that it can be read with an inexpensive spectrophotometer, or even by eye. The test is rapid, and ten samples, a normal pre-race complement, can be analyzed in about twenty minutes. The test readily detects the presence of fentanyl or its metabolites in equine blood and urine from two and twenty-four hours respecti...
Heath SE, Bell RJ, Clark EG, Haines DM.Clinical signs of generalized granulomatous disease in a horse included depression, generalized lymphadenopathy, scaly skin, and dependent edema. Diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically by diffuse granulomas in more than one organ system (lymph nodes and skin), and by ruling out etiologic agents. Response to treatment with corticosteroids was favorable. The clinical features and response to treatment in this horse were different from classic textbook descriptions of equine generalized granulomatous disease. Equine granulomatous disease appears to be comparable to human sarcoidosis. To avoi...
