In vivo studies involving horses refer to research conducted within living organisms to understand various biological processes, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions in equine species. These studies provide insights into the physiological and pathological responses of horses under natural conditions. In vivo research encompasses a range of investigations, including pharmacokinetics, disease modeling, and the evaluation of treatment efficacy. It often involves the use of controlled environments to simulate real-life scenarios while observing the effects of specific variables on equine health. This page gathers peer-reviewed research articles and scholarly studies that explore the methodologies, findings, and implications of in vivo research in horses, contributing to the advancement of equine science and veterinary medicine.
Proietto L, Beatty SS, Plummer CE.To compare corneal cytology samples from three common sampling techniques: cytobrush (CB), Kimura platinum spatula (KS), and the handle edge of a scalpel blade (SB). Methods: Equine patients presenting to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine with ulcerative keratitis were included. Following diagnosis of corneal ulcer and sampling for microbial culture, two cytology samples per technique were collected with sterile CB, KS, and SB in a randomized order. Cytologic evaluation was performed by two observers masked to collection method. Objective measures of sample cellularity, ...
Watkins AR, Parente EJ.Guttural pouch mycosis (GPM) is a cause of nasal discharge, dysphagia and fatal haemorrhage in the horse. Objective: To report the complications and success of salpingopharyngeal fistulation in horses with GPM. We hypothesised that creating a direct static opening into the guttural pouch from the pharynx would cause a regression of fungal plaques due to a change in the guttural pouch environment and that this treatment would result in resolution of infection prior to secondary complications. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: The medical records of all horses diagnosed with GPM that ...
Gabner S, Ertl R, Velde K, Renner M, Jenner F, Egerbacher M, Hlavaty J.A combination of tissue engineering methods employing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) together with gene transfer takes advantage of innovative strategies and highlights a new approach for targeting osteoarthritis (OA) and other cartilage defects. Furthermore, the development of systems allowing tunable transgene expression as regulated by natural disease-induced substances is highly desirable. Bone marrow-derived equine MSCs were transduced with a lentiviral vector expressing interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene under the control of an inducible nuclear factor-kappa B-responsive prom...
Perry E, Cross TL, Francis JM, Holscher HD, Clark SD, Swanson KS.The effects of travel stress on the equine cecal microbiota are poorly understood. We hypothesized that travel would affect the equine cecal microbiota. Cecally-cannulated horses (n = 6) were randomly assigned to one of two groups, travel (n = 3) and control (n = 3). Horses received a basal diet (Strategy, Purina Animal Nutrition) with 1.2% body weight mixed grass/alfalfa. Travel horses were transported to an unfamiliar location, stalled to simulate weekend horse show conditions, and then returned to the Southern Illinois University Equine Center. Control horses remained at the equine cente...
Lucas Castillo JA, Gozalo-Marcilla M, Werneck Fonseca M, Possebon FS, da Rosa AC, de Araujo Aguiar AJ.Information on appropriate protocols for sedation of Nordestino donkeys is scarce. Objective: To evaluate the sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of low doses of intravenous (i.v.) xylazine with and without acepromazine in 'Nordestino' donkeys. Methods: Seven healthy female Nordestino donkeys (150 ± 18 kg) were included in this blinded, randomised, crossover experiment. Methods: Four treatments were administered, consisting of two i.v. injections, at baseline (T0, 1st injection) and 15 min later (T15, 2nd injection). Treatments included acepromazine 0.05 mg/kg bwt + saline (AS), saline + x...
Tannahill VJ, Cogan T, Allen K, Acutt E, Busschers E.To determine the efficacy and dermal tolerance of a novel alcohol-based skin antiseptic (ABSA) in horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Systemically healthy horses (n = 25) with no history or clinical signs of skin disease. Methods: Four clipped sites on the abdomen were randomly assigned to a skin preparation protocol: saline (negative control; NC), chlorhexidine gluconate followed by isopropyl alcohol (positive control; PC), saline followed by the ABSA (ABSA A), or a commercially available horse shampoo followed by the ABSA (ABSA B). Microbiological swabs were obtained from each ...
It is currently unknown if the intrathecal administration of a high dose of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is safe, how MSCs migrate throughout the vertebral canal after intrathecal administration, and whether MSCs are able to home to a site of injury. The aims of the study were: 1) to evaluate the safety of intrathecal injection of 100 million allogeneic adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs); 2) to assess the distribution of ASCs after atlanto-occipital (AO) and lumbosacral (LS) injection in healthy horses; and 3) to determine if ASCs homed to the site of injury in neurologically diseased hor...
Gerstner K, Liesegang A.Free faecal water (fluid excreted separate from normal faeces) is a common problem of unknown origin in horses. Multifactorial causes are assumed. This study assessed the effect of a commercial product (EMP) sold to help support intestinal health of horses, particularly regarding the occurrence of free faecal water. The hypothesis was that water-binding capacity and microbial activity are improved in the large intestine of horses fed EMP. EMP contained montmorillonite-bentonite, whey and extracts from hop and absinthium. Eight adult and healthy horses kept on the same diet and bedding were add...
Wilson KA, Raisis AL, Drynan EA, Mosing M, Lester GD, Hayman J, Hosgood GL.To determine the agreement of invasive blood pressure measured in the facial, metatarsal and carotid arteries, and evaluate the effects of two haemodynamic conditions on agreement. Methods: Prospective randomized study. Methods: A group of eight horses aged 7 (4-23) years with a body weight of 493 ± 33 kg. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized and positioned in dorsal recumbency. Invasive blood pressure was measured simultaneously via catheters placed in the facial, metatarsal and carotid arteries. Cardiovascular function and agreement between arteries was assessed before and during administr...
Fettelschoss-Gabriel A, Fettelschoss V, Thoms F, Giese C, Daniel M, Olomski F, Kamarachev J, Birkmann K, Bühler M, Kummer M, Zeltins A, Marti E....Insect-bite hypersensitivity is the most common allergic dermatitis in horses. Excoriated skin lesions are typical symptoms of this seasonal and refractory chronic disease. On a cellular level, the skin lesions are characterized by massive eosinophil infiltration caused by an underlying allergic response. To target these cells and treat disease, we developed a therapeutic vaccine against equine IL-5 (eIL-5), the master regulator of eosinophils. The vaccine consisted of eIL-5 covalently linked to a virus-like particle derived from cucumber mosaic virus containing the tetanus toxoid universal T-...
Wilkołek P, Sitkowski W, Szczepanik M, Adamek Ł, Pluta M, Taszkun I, Gołyński M, Malinowska A.Allergic responses in humans, horses and other species are mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. Serum testing to detect allergen-specific IgE antibodies has been developed for dogs, cats and horses; this allows for the identification of allergens and determination of appropriate allergen- specific immunotherapies. This study compared serum allergen-specific IgE concentrations in atopic and healthy horses. The study was performed on Malopolski breed atopic (n=21) and nonatopic (n=21) clinically healthy horses. Allergen-specific IgE serum concentrations were measured in summer seasons ...
Sandbaumhüter FA, Thormann W.Glucuronidation catalyzed by uridine-5'-diphospho-glucuronosyl-transferases (UGTs) is the most important reaction in phase II metabolism of drugs and other compounds. O-glucuronidation is more common than N-glucuronidation. The anesthetic, analgesic and antidepressive drug ketamine is metabolized in phase I by cytochrome P450 enzymes to norketamine, hydroxynorketamine (HNK) diastereomers and dehydronorketamine (DHNK). Equine urine samples collected two hours after ketamine injection were treated with β-glucuronidase and analyzed with three enantioselective capillary electrophoresis assays. Co...
Journée SL, Journée HL, de Bruijn CM, Delesalle CJG.There are indications that transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) assesses the motor function of the spinal cord in horses in a more sensitive and reproducible fashion than transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). However, no normative data of TES evoked motor potentials (MEP) is available. Results: In this prospective study normative data of TES induced MEP wave characteristics (motor latency times (MLT); amplitude and waveform) was obtained from the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and tibial cranialis (TC) muscles in a group of healthy horses to create a reference frame for functional diagn...
Lorenzo FDR.Non-unions at forearms are usually challenging and difficult to treat. If additionally, an infection is present, reconstructive surgery should be planned only after full debridement, antibiotic treatment, and confirmation, based on clinical observation and laboratory tests that the infection has subsided. Bone grafting may be required for reconstruction. The use of autogenous bone calls for a second surgical site with an increased risk of morbidity. Using bone substitutes may reduce the need for autogenous bone. Stimulating factors, such as bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and demineralized bone ...
Wang XF, Liu Q, Wang YH, Wang S, Chen J, Lin YZ, Ma J, Zhou JH, Wang X.The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) attenuated vaccine was developed by long-term passaging of a field-isolated virulent strain in cross-species hosts, followed by successive cultivation in cells To explore the molecular mechanism underlying the evolution of the EIAV attenuated vaccine, a systematic study focusing on long-terminal-repeat (LTR) variation in numerous virus strains ranging from virulent EIAV to attenuated EIAV was performed over time both and Two hypervariable regions were identified within the U3 region in the enhancer region (EHR) and the negative regulatory element (N...
de Laat MA, Fitzgerald DM, Sillence MN, Spence RJ.Equine insulin dysregulation (ID) is a common and poorly understood disorder that increases the risk of laminitis. Recent data show that the condition may be associated with alteration of the enteroinsular axis and enhanced glucose bioavailability. Upregulation of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), an intestinotrophic peptide, leads to enhanced nutrient uptake and metabolic dysfunction in other species. Objective: The study aimed to 1) determine whether GLP-2 is differentially expressed in insulin-dysregulated ponies, compared with healthy ponies, and 2) confirm intestinal expression of the GLP-...
Lange-Consiglio A, Lazzari B, Perrini C, Pizzi F, Stella A, Cremonesi F, Capra E.Cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) are a recently discovered mechanism of cell-to-cell communication. Our previous data show that MVs secreted by equine amniotic mesenchymal-derived cells (AMCs) are involved in downregulation of proinflammatory genes in lipopolysaccharide-stressed equine tendon and endometrial cells. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether AMC-MVs contain selected microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in inflammation. Two pools of cells, derived from 3 amniotic membranes each, and their respective MVs were collected. Small RNAs were extracted and deep sequenced, followed by m...
Trachsel DS, Tejada MA, Groesfjeld Christensen V, Pedersen PJ, Kanters JK, Buhl R, Calloe K, Klaerke DA.The long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a channelopathy that can lead to severe arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. Pharmacologically induced LQTS is caused by interaction between drugs and potassium channels, especially the K 11.1 channel. Due to such interactions, numerous drugs have been withdrawn from the market or are administered with precautions in human medicine. However, some compounds, such as trimethoprim-sulfonamide combinations are still widely used in veterinarian medicine. Therefore, we investigate the effect of trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TMS), trimethoprim, sulfadiazine, and detomidine...
Brandão JS, Alvarenga ML, Pfeifer JPH, Dos Santos VH, Fonseca-Alves CE, Rodrigues M, Laufer-Amorim R, Castillo JAL, Alves ALG.The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a structure frequently affected by injuries in high-performance athletic horses, and there are limited therapeutic options. Regenerative medicine has evolved significantly in treating different illnesses. However, understanding the cellular behaviour during mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation in healthy tissues is not fully known yet. To address the inflammatory response induced by allogeneic MSC transplantation, this study evaluated the local inflammatory response after the application of allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal ste...
Zayed M, Adair S, Ursini T, Schumacher J, Misk N, Dhar M.Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of joint disease affecting humans and horses, is characterized by the advance and decline of cartilage and loss of function of the affected joint. The progression of OA is steadily accompanied with biochemical events, which interfere with the cytokines and proteolytic enzymes responsible for progress of the disease. Recently, regenerative therapies have been used with an assumption that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess the potential to prevent the advancement of cartilage damage and potentially regenerate the injured tissue with an ultimate goal o...
Rivas F, Zahid OK, Reesink HL, Peal BT, Nixon AJ, DeAngelis PL, Skardal A, Rahbar E, Hall AR.Hyaluronan (or hyaluronic acid, HA) is a ubiquitous molecule that plays critical roles in numerous physiological functions in vivo, including tissue hydration, inflammation, and joint lubrication. Both the abundance and size distribution of HA in biological fluids are recognized as robust indicators of various pathologies and disease progressions. However, such analyses remain challenging because conventional methods are not sufficiently sensitive, have limited dynamic range, and/or are only semi-quantitative. Here we demonstrate label-free detection and molecular weight discrimination of HA w...
Duan W, Chen C, Haque M, Hayes D, Lopez MJ.Use of bioscaffolds to direct osteogenic differentiation of adult multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) without exogenous proteins is a contemporary approach to bone regeneration. Identification of in vivo osteogenic contributions of exogenous MSCs on bioscaffolds after long-term implantation is vital to understanding cell persistence and effect duration. This study was designed to quantify in vivo equine MSC osteogenesis on synthetic polymer scaffolds with distinct mineral combinations 9 weeks after implantation in a murine model. Cryopreserved, passage (P)1, equine bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSC)...
Hibbs CD, Barrett PM, Dees DD.To determine intraocular pressure (IOP) reference intervals in eyes of healthy miniature donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) via rebound and applanation tonometry. Methods: Complete ophthalmic and physical examinations were performed by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists. Inclusion criteria for animals participating in this study were dictated by the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) reference interval guidelines. Intraocular pressure estimates (TonoVet® and TonoPen XL® ) were obtained in both eyes. Forty animals (San Angelo group) received intramuscular xylazi...
Finno CJ, Gianino G, Perumbakkam S, Williams ZJ, Bordbari MH, Gardner KL, Burns E, Peng S, Durward-Akhurst SA, Valberg SJ.The cause of immune-mediated myositis (IMM), characterized by recurrent, rapid-onset muscle atrophy in Quarter Horses (QH), is unknown. The histopathologic hallmark of IMM is lymphocytic infiltration of myofibers. The purpose of this study was to identify putative functional variants associated with equine IMM. A genome-wide association (GWA) study was performed on 36 IMM QHs and 54 breed matched unaffected QHs from the same environment using the Equine SNP50 and SNP70 genotyping arrays. A mixed model analysis identified nine SNPs within a ~ 2.87 Mb region on chr11 that were significantly (...
Rabba S, Grulke S, Verwilghen D, Evrard L, Busoni V.Ultrasonography is routinely used to achieve the diagnosis of equine suspensory ligament desmopathy. In human medicine, power Doppler ultrasonography has also been found to be useful for the diagnosis of tendon/ligament injuries. The aim of this prospective, pilot study was to assess the presence or absence of power Doppler signal in suspensory ligament branches and compare B-mode findings with power Doppler findings in suspensory ligament branches of lame and non-lame limbs. Thirteen horses were used (eight lame horses, with lameness related to pain in the suspensory ligament branches, and fi...
Bowser JE, Costa LRR, Rodil AU, Lopp CT, Johnson ME, Wills RW, Swiderski CE.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of 2 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sampling techniques and the use of N-butylscopolammonium bromide (NBB) on the quantity and quality of BAL fluid (BALF) samples obtained from horses with the summer pasture endophenotype of equine asthma. ANIMALS 8 horses with the summer pasture endophenotype of equine asthma. PROCEDURES BAL was performed bilaterally (right and left lung sites) with a flexible videoendoscope passed through the left or right nasal passage. During lavage of the first lung site, a BALF sample was collected by means of either gentle syringe aspirati...
Bischofberger AS, Fürst AE, Torgerson PR, Carstens A, Hilbe M, Kircher P.OBJECTIVE To characterize delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) features of healthy hyaline cartilage of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) of horses, to determine whether dGEMRIC can be used to differentiate various stages of naturally occurring osteoarthritis of the DIPJ, and to correlate relaxation times determined by dGEMRIC with the glycosaminoglycan concentration, water content, and macroscopic and histologic findings of hyaline cartilage of DIPJs with and without osteoarthritis. SAMPLE 1 cadaveric forelimb DIPJ from each of 12 adult warmblood horses. PROCEDURES T1-...
Tavanaeimanesh H, Azarnoosh A, Ashar FS, Dehghan MM, Mohebbi Z, Akbarinejad V, Corley K.The choice of analgesic agents for the horse is limited, and many have side effects that can restrict their use for chronic and prolonged pain. Little information has been published on tramadol and acetaminophen use in the horse. The study evaluated the analgesic effects of coadministration of tramadol and acetaminophen compared to those of each drug individually in a crossover study. The study was performed on six healthy horses each infused with the following over 1 hour: control (normal saline), tramadol, acetaminophen, or both (acetaminophen and tramadol infused together). Nociception (usi...
Morgan R, Keen J, Halligan D, O'Callaghan A, Andrew R, Livingstone D, Abernethie A, Maltese G, Walker B, Hadoke P.Glucocorticoids are potent inhibitors of angiogenesis in the rodent in vivo and in vitro but the mechanism by which this occurs has not been determined. Administration of glucocorticoids is used to treat a number of conditions in horses but the angiogenic response of equine vessels to glucocorticoids and, therefore, the potential role of glucocorticoids in pathogenesis and treatment of equine disease, is unknown. This study addressed the hypothesis that glucocorticoids would be angiostatic both in equine and murine blood vessels.The mouse aortic ring model of angiogenesis was adapted to assess...
Alonso JM, Peccinini RG, Campos ML, Nitta TY, Akutagawa TYM, Crescencio AP, Alves ALG, Rodrigues CA, Watanabe MJ, Hussni CA.Intraperitoneal (IP) use of antimicrobial agents may lead to therapeutic effects with better clinical results than intravenous (IV) administration. The aim of this study was to compare plasma and peritoneal fluid concentrations of ceftriaxone after IP and IV administration in horses, and to evaluate possible adverse effects. One group of five horses received 25mg/kg ceftriaxone diluted in 1L saline solution by IP catheter once daily for 5 days, while a second group of five horses received 25mg/kg ceftriaxone diluted in 250mL saline solution by IV injection once daily for 5days and 1L saline so...
Meyers KM, Lindner C, Katz J, Grant B.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs impair platelet aggregation and secretion in man, pigs, and rabbits and inhibit platelet thromboxane/prostaglandin synthesis. The present investigation studied the effects of phenylbutazone on platelet aggregation and bleeding times in the horse. Aggregation responses to adenosine diphosphate and collagen were markedly impaired 15 minutes and 2 hours after treatment, but 4 hours after treatment, platelet responses approximated those prior to treatment. The in vivo effect of phenylbutazone correlated with its plasma concentrations. Phenylbutazone, like aspir...
The Journal of heredityMay 1, 1987
Volume 78, Issue 3 171-177 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a110351
Leone NC, Shupe JL, Gardner EJ, Millar EA, Olson AE, Phillips EC.Hereditary multiple exostosis (HME), a bone tumor first described by Virchow, has been studied over a period of 15 years on a comparative basis. The horse, an excellent biomedical model for this physically deforming multiple bone tumor in man, has been utilized in this study. The etiology, hereditary pattern, potential for malignancy and other aspects of this strange affliction need additional clarification. This in-depth study of 261 individuals from 144 families was compared with that of 55 horses bearing the HME trait, selectively bred and studied over the same period. Important information...
Liu XH, Li XY, Li K, Zhang D.Rhinoestrus purpureus (Brauer, 1858) (Diptera: Oestridae) is an economically important parasite that can cause severe nasal myiasis in equids or even attacking humans. The antennae of R. purpureus were examined using stereoscopic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The general morphology was provided detailedly, together with distribution, type, size, and ultrastructure of antennal sensilla. All the three antennal segments, antennal scape, pedicel, and funiculus, are interspersed by microtrichiae. Only mechanoreceptors are detected on antennal scape and pedicel. On antennal funiculus,...
O'Shaughnessy-Hunter LC, Yu A, Rousseau JD, Foster RA, Weese JS.Next-generation sequencing techniques have revealed that human and animal skin is colonised by a rich and diverse population of bacteria, and that microbial composition varies between different body sites and individuals. Very little is known about the normal microbiota of healthy equine skin. Objective: To describe the taxonomic distributions of cutaneous bacterial microbiota in a population of healthy horses in Ontario, Canada, and to evaluate the effects of body site, individual and time of year on microbial diversity and community composition. Methods: Samples were collected from four body...
Maile CA, Hingst JR, Mahalingan KK, O'Reilly AO, Cleasby ME, Mickelson JR, McCue ME, Anderson SM, Hurley TD, Wojtaszewski JFP, Piercy RJ.Equine type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1) is associated with a missense mutation (R309H) in the glycogen synthase (GYS1) gene, enhanced glycogen synthase (GS) activity and excessive glycogen and amylopectate inclusions in muscle. Equine muscle biochemical and recombinant enzyme kinetic assays in vitro and homology modelling in silico, were used to investigate the hypothesis that higher GS activity in affected horse muscle is caused by higher GS expression, dysregulation, or constitutive activation via a conformational change. PSSM1-affected horse muscle had significantly higher gly...
Owen RA, Jagger DW, Quan-Taylor R.A caecocaecal intussusception in a pony and a caecocolic intussusception in a horse, both infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata, are described and the relevance of tapeworms in such intestinal disease of horses is reviewed.
Roberts VL, Fews D, McNamara JM, Love S.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking is an idiopathic neuropathic facial pain syndrome in horses. There are clinical similarities to trigeminal neuralgia, a neuropathic facial pain syndrome in man, which is usually caused by demyelination of trigeminal sensory fibers within either the nerve root or, less commonly, the brainstem. Our hypothesis was that the neuropathological substrate of headshaking in horses is similar to that of trigeminal neuralgia in man. Trigeminal nerves, nerve roots, ganglia, infraorbital, and caudal nasal nerves from horse abattoir specimens and from horses euthanized due to...
Christopherson PW, Insalaco TA, van Santen VL, Livesey L, Bourne C, Boudreaux MK.Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is an inherited, intrinsic platelet defect characterized by a quantitative or qualitative change in the platelet glycoprotein complex IIb-IIIa (integrin alpha(IIb)beta3). The subunits are encoded by separate genes and both subunits must be expressed for a stable complex to form on the platelet surface; therefore, a defect in either gene can result in GT.
Duan W, Chen C, Haque M, Hayes D, Lopez MJ.Use of bioscaffolds to direct osteogenic differentiation of adult multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) without exogenous proteins is a contemporary approach to bone regeneration. Identification of in vivo osteogenic contributions of exogenous MSCs on bioscaffolds after long-term implantation is vital to understanding cell persistence and effect duration. This study was designed to quantify in vivo equine MSC osteogenesis on synthetic polymer scaffolds with distinct mineral combinations 9 weeks after implantation in a murine model. Cryopreserved, passage (P)1, equine bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSC)...
Su TW, Choi I, Feng J, Huang K, Ozcan A.Using a high-throughput optical tracking technique that is based on partially-coherent digital in-line holography, here we report a detailed analysis of the statistical behavior of horse sperms' three-dimensional (3D) swimming dynamics. This dual-color and dual-angle lensfree imaging platform enables us to track individual 3D trajectories of ∼1000 horse sperms at sub-micron level within a sample volume of ∼9μL at a frame rate of 143 frames per second (FPS) and collect thousands of sperm trajectories within a few hours for statistical analysis of their 3D dynamics. Using this high-throughp...
Cohen ND, Bourquin JR, Bordin AI, Kuskie KR, Brake CN, Weaver KB, Liu M, Felippe MJ, Kogut MH.Neutrophils play an important role in protecting against infection. Foals have age-dependent deficiencies in neutrophil function that may contribute to their predisposition to infection. Thus, we investigated the ability of a CpG-ODN formulated with Emulsigen to modulate functional responses of neutrophils in neonatal foals. Eighteen foals were randomly assigned to receive either a CpG-ODN with Emulsigen (N = 9) or saline intramuscularly at ages 1 and 7 days. At ages 1, 3, 9, 14, and 28, blood was collected and neutrophils were isolated from each foal. Neutrophils were assessed for basal and R...
Reesink HL, Nixon AJ, Su J, Liu S, Sutton RM, Mann S, Watts AE, Peterson RP.Galectins are potent regulators of cell adhesion, growth and apoptosis in diverse cell types, including chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts. Elevations in synovial fluid galectin-3 have been observed in rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and experimental inflammatory arthritis in animal models, whereas galectin-1 is thought to be protective. Less is known about galectins-1 and-3 in osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, the purpose of this study was: (1) to determine whether galectin-1 and-3 synovial fluid concentrations and synovial membrane and cartilage histochemical staining we...
Kankavi O, Ata A, Gungor O.The presence of surface-active material in the lung alveolus has been known for several decades as being essential for normal lung function. Surfactant is essential for reducing the surface tension at the alveolar air-liquid interface. Pulmonary surfactant is composed of 90% lipids and 10% proteins. There are four non-serum proteins surfactant protein-A (SP-A), surfactant protein-B (SP-B), surfactant protein-C (SP-C) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) named in chronologic order of discovery. Lung SP-A and SP-D belong to a family of collagen-containing C-type lectin family called collectins. The h...
Forhead AJ, Ousey JC, Allen WR, Fowden AL.This study examined the effects of intrauterine growth on insulin secretion and resistance in newborn foals. Embryo transfer between small pony and large Thoroughbred mares was used to produce four groups of foals with different birth weights (pony in pony n=7; pony in Thoroughbred n=7; Thoroughbred in Thoroughbred n=8; Thoroughbred in pony n=8). On day 2 after birth, glucose (0.5 g/kg) was administered intravenously to the foal and blood samples were taken for 2 h to determine plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. On day 3, insulin sensitivity was assessed by giving insulin (0.75 U/kg i....
Christmann U, Hite RD, Witonsky SG, Buechner-Maxwell VA, Wood PL.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the lipidomic profile of surfactant obtained from horses with asthma at various clinical stages and to compare results with findings for healthy horses exposed to the same conditions. SAMPLE Surfactant samples obtained from 6 horses with severe asthma and 7 healthy horses. PROCEDURES Clinical evaluation of horses and surfactant analysis were performed. Samples obtained from horses with severe asthma and healthy horses before (baseline), during, and after exposure to hay were analyzed. Crude surfactant pellets were dried prior to dissolution in a solution of isopropanol:me...
Tamura N, Nukada T, Kato T, Kuroda T, Kotoyori Y, Fukuda K, Kasashima Y.The objective assessment of the mechanical properties of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) could provide useful information for the rehabilitation of horses with SDFT injuries. Assessment of strain ratio (the strain of a standard reference divided by that of lesions) is a quantitative method in sonoelastography for evaluating tissue stiffness in vivo. As yet, no longitudinal studies have used strain ratio to evaluate the progression of stiffness in SDFT injuries. Objective: To test the hypothesis that strain ratio can evaluate the recovery of stiffness during the healing of SDFT inj...
Foreman JH, Constable PD, Waggoner AL, Levy M, Eppley RM, Smith GW, Tumbleson ME, Haschek WM.The objective of this experiment was to characterize a dose-dependent toxic effect of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and to document initial neurologic signs, clinical progression, and terminal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes in horses administered FB1 IV. Seventeen healthy horses were administered 0.00 (n = 4), 0.01 (n = 3), 0.05 (n = 3), 0.10 (n = 3), or 0.20 mg (n = 4) of purified FB1 IV q24h. When neurologic abnormalities observed by a masked observer became severe, atlanto-occipital CSF taps were performed and CSF pressure, cell count, cytology, protein, albumin and glucose concentrations, and crea...
Pollitt CC, Daradka M.Disintegration of the basement membrane (BM) of the equine hoof lamellae and failure of the BM to remain attached to the basal cells of the secondary epidermal lamellae (SEL) is one of the earliest pathological events to occur in acute laminitis. Changes in the lamellar basement membrane were investigated by immunolabelling the key structural components of the BM, type IV collagen, type VII collagen and laminin in the lamellar BM of horses 48 h after the induction of laminitis. Lamellar tissues were harvested from 2 normal horses and 2 horses with acute laminitis. Immunostaining with antibody ...
Alves KA, Alves BG, Gastal GDA, Haag KT, Gastal MO, Figueiredo JR, Gambarini ML, Gastal EL.The aims of the present study were to: (1) evaluate preantral follicle density in ovarian biopsy fragments within and among mares; (2) assess the effects of mare age on the density and quality of preantral follicles; and (3) determine the minimum number of ovarian fragments and histological sections needed to estimate equine follicle density using a mathematical model. The ovarian biopsy pick-up method was used in three groups of mares separated according to age (5-6, 7-10 and 11-16 years). Overall, 336 preantral follicles were recorded with a mean follicle density of 3.7 follicles per cm. Fol...
Nielsen JV, Berg LC, Thoefnert MB, Thomsen PD.Intra-articular facet joint injection is an established diagnostic procedure in human medicine but there are no reports on its reliability in equine practice. Objective: To investigate the accuracy of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections of the cervical facet joints and to estimate factors influencing the accuracy. Methods: Sixty injections with blue dye were performed on the facet joints between 2nd and 7th cervical vertebra (C2-C7) on horses subjected to euthanasia for nonorthopaedic reasons. The facet joints were subsequently dissected to verify accuracy of deposition. Results: Seve...
Williams DC, Brosnan RJ, Fletcher DJ, Aleman M, Holliday TA, Tharp B, Kass PH, LeCouteur RA, Steffey EP.The effects of anesthesia on the equine electroencephalogram (EEG) after administration of various drugs for sedation, induction, and maintenance are known, but not that the effect of inhaled anesthetics alone for EEG recording. Objective: To determine the effects of isoflurane and halothane, administered as single agents at multiple levels, on the EEG and quantitative EEG (qEEG) of normal horses. Methods: Six healthy horses. Methods: Prospective study. Digital EEG with video and quantitative EEG (qEEG) were recorded after the administration of one of the 2 anesthetics, isoflurane or halothane...
Riggs LM, Franck T, Moore JN, Krunkosky TM, Hurley DJ, Peroni JF, de la Rebière G, Serteyn DA.To compare measurements of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in plasma, laminar tissues, and skin obtained from control horses and horses given black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE). Methods: 22 healthy 5- to 15-year-old horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to 4 groups as follows: a control group given water (n = 5) and 3 experimental groups given BWHE (17) via nasogastric intubation. Experimental groups consisted of 5, 6, and 6 horses that received BWHE and were euthanatized at 1.5, 3, and 12 hours after intubation, respectively. Control horses were euthanatized at 12 hours after intubation. Pl...
De Angelis N, Scivetti M.This paper reports on a patient who underwent horizontal ridge augmentation using recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor BB (rhPDGF-BB) in combination with a collagenate equine block. Ninety days after the first surgery, 8 mm of new bone was noted on a computed tomography scan, and three 5-mm implants were placed. Histology, performed using confocal laser scanning microscopy, showed a large amount of newly formed bone well characterized with osteon and resorption lacunae, which demonstrated the intense bone remodeling. This study supports the use of rhPDGF-BB in combination with allo...
Müller JM, Wissemann J, Meli ML, Dasen G, Lutz H, Heinzerling L, Feige K.Whole blood pharmacokinetics of intratumourally injected naked plasmid DNA coding for equine Interleukin 12 (IL-12) was assessed as a means of in vivo gene transfer in the treatment of melanoma in grey horses. The expression of induced interferon gamma (IFN-g) was evaluated in order to determine the pharmacodynamic properties of in vivo gene transduction. Seven grey horses bearing melanoma were injected intratumourally with 250 µg naked plasmid DNA coding for IL-12. Peripheral blood and biopsies from the injection site were taken at 13 time points until day 14 post injection (p.i.). Samples w...
Woodward EM, Christoffersen M, Campos J, Horohov DW, Scoggin KE, Squires E, Troedsson MH.The first objective of this study was to evaluate intrauterine nitric oxide (NO) and endometrial inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in mares susceptible or resistant to persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) within 24 h after breeding. Mares susceptible (n = 6) or resistant (n = 6) to PBIE were inseminated over five cycles, and uterine secretions and endometrial biopsies were collected before and 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after insemination. Uterine secretions were analysed for NO and biopsies were analyzed for iNOS expression. A second experiment evaluated the effect of treatment with dexame...
Zabrecky KA, Slovis NM, Constable PD, Taylor SD.Accurate diagnostic markers for sepsis in neonatal foals are needed. Plasma C-reactive protein concentration (p[CRP]) and haptoglobin concentration (p[Hp]) are well-established biomarkers of infection in humans, but studies are lacking in foals. Objective: p[CRP]) and p[Hp] are increased in septic foals compared to sick nonseptic and healthy control foals, and are predictive of survival. Methods: Eighty critically ill foals (40 septic, 40 sick nonseptic) and 39 healthy control foals <1 week of age. Methods: Multicenter, prospective observational clinical study. Venous blood was collected at a...
Zsoldos RR, Groesel M, Kotschwar A, Kotschwar AB, Licka T, Peham C.The motion of the atlanto-occipital, cervical vertebral and cervicothoracic joints play an important role in equestrian sports and they are also common sites for lesions limiting performance in horses. Objective: To calculate inverse kinematics based on cervical vertebral motion and to develop a model close to the measured neck movements. Methods: Measurements were recorded in 6 horses without neck pain. Reflective markers were placed on both cristae facialis, both sides of cervical vertebra 1, 3 and 6 on the withers and hooves. The neck model was reconstructed from CT scans of the osseus stru...
Skiöldebrand E, Lorenzo P, Zunino L, Rucklidge GJ, Sandgren B, Carlsten J, Ekman S.The aim of the present investigation was to study the metabolic activity of the third carpal bone and the release of COMP, aggrecan and collagen type II molecules in the synovial fluid as a result of injury. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), aggrecan and collagen type II or fragments of these molecules released to the synovial fluid and serum (COMP) were quantified in samples from 73 left equine middle carpal joints from 2 breeds with different activity profiles (52 Standardbred trotters [STB] and 21 Swedish Warmblood riding horses [SWH]) and different articular cartilage lesions. Sy...
