Inflammation is a biological response of the horse's body to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a complex process that involves the activation of immune cells, the release of inflammatory mediators, and changes in blood flow. In horses, inflammation can manifest in various forms, affecting different tissues and organs, including the joints, respiratory system, and skin. The inflammatory response is an essential component of the horse's immune system, aiming to eliminate the initial cause of cell injury, clear out damaged cells and tissues, and establish tissue repair. This topic page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, effects, and management of inflammation in equine health.
Cook CP, Scott DW, Erb HN, Miller WH.A retrospective study using light microscopy was performed to assess the prevalence of surface and follicular bacteria and fungi in skin biopsy specimens from 247 horses with inflammatory dermatoses and from 27 horses with healthy skin. Cocci were found on the surface of specimens from 23% (95% confidence interval 18%, 29%) and 7% (95% confidence interval, 0%, 19%), respectively, of horses with skin disease and horses with healthy skin. Of the nine dermatoses with at least 10 cases in our series of horses, bacterial folliculitis had a higher prevalence of surface bacteria (57%; 95% confidence ...
Lankveld DP, Bull S, Van Dijk P, Fink-Gremmels J, Hellebrekers LJ.Ketamine is widely used in equine anaesthesia. Beside its anaesthetic and analgesic properties, ketamine possesses a cytokine-modulating activity. However, to date, no data are available regarding the inhibitory effect of ketamine on the cytokine response in horses. In horses, cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of equine endotoxaemia following gastrointestinal disorders. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of ketamine on LPS-induced TNF-alpha and IL-6 formation in an equine macro...
Sánchez A, Couëtil LL, Ward MP, Clark SP.Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD), exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), and upper airway obstruction (UAO) are common respiratory tract diseases that can decrease performance. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology and arterial blood gas analysis during a treadmill test by poorly performing racehorses presented to Purdue University. One hundred thirty-two horses with a history of poor performance were included in this study. Ten horses with no history or diagnosis of EIPH, IAD, or UAO served as controls. Horses were evaluated by rh...
Zubrod CJ, Farnsworth KD, Tucker RL, Ragle CA.We describe the clinical, imaging, and necropsy findings of two horses with severe injury of the collateral ligaments of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint diagnosed using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In MR images it was possible to examine the collateral ligaments of the DIP joint from the origin at the middle phalanx to the insertion on the distal phalanx. Both horses in this report had abnormal high signal intensity within the collateral ligaments of the DIP joint, and one horse had abnormal high signal intensity within the bone of the distal phalanx on short tau inversion recovery ...
Little CB, Flannery CR, Hughes CE, Goodship A, Caterson B.To determine whether the focal susceptibility to cartilage degeneration in joints is related to a differential response to cytokine stimulation. Methods: Compare aggrecan and collagen catabolism in in-vitro models of cartilage degradation induced by retinoic acid (RA), interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) and IL-1 plus oncostatin M (OSM). Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and hydroxyproline (HyPro) quantification and Western immunoblot analyses of aggrecan and collagen degradation products were undertaken in explant cultures of normal cartilage from regions of equine joints with a kno...
Dart AJ, Dowling BA, Smith CL.Wound repair is a complex series of coordinated events regulated by a delicately orchestrated cascade of cytokines and growth factors that restore the structural integrity of damaged tissue. Manipulation of the growth factor profile or wound environment through topical application of therapeutic agents could positively influence the rate and quality of wound repair. Transforming growth factor-beta,platelet-rich plasma, activated macrophage supernatant, and growth hormone are sources of mediators that may facilitate wound healing. Solcoseryl, ketanserin, tripeptide- and tetrapeptide-copper comp...
Hendrix SM, Baxter GM.Most injuries, including those with significant tissue loss, can be successfully managed with proper therapy. With delayed healing, potential causes for the delay, such as sequestra, foreign bodies, and excessive motion,should be determined and treated to permit complete wound resolution. Horses have the innate ability to heal rapidly; however, minor injuries can quickly turn into complicated wounds, given the severity of the inciting trauma and the less than ideal environment in which the horses are housed. Wound management must focus on a combination of timely surgical and medical interventi...
Bristol DG.Although most equine wounds can be easily treated and heal without consequence, there are many that present special challenges. Skin grafts area valuable part of the veterinarian's armamentarium for treatment of complicated wounds, particularly limb wounds. Attention to preparation of the recipient site and proper aftercare are critical to successful grafting. With better understanding of equine wound and graft physiology and the promise foretold by advances in human skin grafting, the outcome of treatments of difficult equine wounds should continue to improve in the future.
Theoret CL.The equine practitioner who is presented with a wounded horse should fully understand the physiologic mechanisms involved in repair so as to design an appropriate treatment plan. In the following articles of this issue,experienced authors share their thoughts on the management of specific injuries, and the reader should benefit from acquisition of knowledge about the different phases of healing as well as the cytokines that regulate them,because these data dictate the approach to follow, particularly in com-plicated wounds, such as those afflicted by chronic inflammation and/or an excessive pr...
Wilmink JM, van Weeren PR.Second-intention repair is faster in ponies than in horses and faster in body wounds than in limb wounds. To a large extent, the differences between horses and ponies can be explained by differences in the local inflammatory response, which are a result of the functional capacity of leukocytes. In ponies, leukocytes produce more inflammatory mediators,resulting in better local defense, faster cellular debridement, and a faster transition to the repair phases, with more wound contraction. In horses,leukocytes produce fewer mediators, initiating a weak inflammatory response, which becomes chroni...
Benton HP, Esquivel AV, Rice AD, Giri SN.Pirfenidone is under investigation as an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent in several organs including lung. Since important features of arthritic conditions include inflammation and long-term damage to articular cartilage, we have investigated whether PD can suppress chondrocyte responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin 1 (IL-1); modulators that induce a cascade of inflammatory responses that lead to articular joint tissue damage. PD (0 - 5microM) showed no effect on cell number or viability when incubated with high density primary equine chondrocyte cultures for...
Xu J, Lasry JB, Svaren J, Wagner B, Darien BJ.P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1, CD162) is a dimeric, mucin-like, transmembrane glycoprotein constitutively expressed on leukocytes. A high baseline level of P-selectin expression in circulating equine platelets suggests a primed state toward inflammation and thrombosis via P-selectin/PSGL-1 adhesion. To investigate the potential role of equine P-selectin in these events, we first identified the cDNA sequence of equine PSGL-1 (ePSGL-1) using degenerate PCR and RACE-PCR and then compared the predicted sequence with that of human PSGL-1 (hPSGL-1). ePSGL-1 protein subunit is predicted to...
Touzot-Jourde G, Stedman NL, Trim CM.To investigate the effect of endotracheal tube cuff inflation pressure on the occurrence of liquid aspiration and tracheal wall damage. Methods: Prospective, randomized experimental study. Methods: Ten healthy horses, weighing 535 +/- 55 kg. Methods: Horses were anesthetized, orotracheally intubated, placed in dorsal recumbency, and maintained on isoflurane in oxygen with controlled ventilation for 175 +/- 15 minutes. The horses were randomly assigned to an endotracheal cuff pressure of 80-100 or 120 cm H2O. The cuff pressure was continuously monitored and maintained at a constant pressure. Me...
Hobbs SJ, Mather J, Rolph C, Bower JA, Matuszewski B.Strains during stance on the hoof wall surface have been measured by a number of authors in vitro and in vivo. Histological structure and mechanical properties vary through the wall thickness (radially); radial strain measurements may therefore aid the understanding of mechanical function of the capsule and adjacent tissues. Objective: To develop instrumentation capable of measuring internal hoof strain, and to carry out a preliminary comparison of normal and laminitic hooves. Methods: Six forelimbs from 4 horses, including 2 with laminitis from the same horse, were tested using an Instron tes...
Tomlinson JE, Blikslager AT.Recent studies have shown that flunixin prevented recovery of equine jejunum post ischaemia. However, the use of a purported cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 preferential inhibitor, etodolac, also prevented recovery. These findings may have implications for the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in colic patients. Objective: To compare the effects of deracoxib, a highly selective canine COX-2 inhibitor, with flunixin on in vitro recovery of ischaemic-injured equine jejunum. Methods: Six horses underwent 2 h jejunal ischaemia, after which mucosa was mounted in Ussing chambers and recovered for 2...
Arai K, Misumi K, Carter SD, Shinbara S, Fujiki M, Sakamoto H.Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is abundant within cartilage; its turnover and/or degradation have been investigated in various equine joint diseases and it has been suggested that COMP fragmentation might be useful for monitoring such conditions. Objective: To determine whether COMP metabolism is compromised in equine osteoarthritis (OA) and whether COMP degradation is a useful joint marker representing cartilage destruction. Objective: A monoclonal antibody (mAb) with a higher affinity for degraded COMP allows discrimination of diseased joints by quantifying COMP levels and fragme...
Ekman S, Skiöldebrand E, Heinegård D, Hultenby K.One of the most common causes of lameness in racehorses is osteoarthritis (OA). Pathogenesis is not clear and pathological processes of the different joint tissues interact in often progressive events. The interface between cartilage and newly synthesised bone has been shown to be particularly enriched in bone sialoprotein (BSP), a cell-binding matrix protein. Objective: To establish whether changes in the concentration of BSP may serve as a marker for early biochemical changes of the subchondral bone. Methods: Articular cartilage, cartilage/bone interface and subchondral bone of the proximal ...
Hall JA, Van Saun RJ, Tornquist SJ, Gradin JL, Pearson EG, Wander RC.The objective of this study was to compare effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation (corn oil or fish oil) on selected immune responses in normal horses. Two groups of horses (n = 5) were randomly assigned a dietary supplement with either 3.0% corn oil or fish oil for a period of 14 weeks. Plasma fatty acid profiles were monitored to ensure uptake of dietary fatty acids. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed by a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and humoral immunity was assessed by measuring antibody titers to KLH. Production ...
Hall JA, Van Saun RJ, Wander RC.The study objective was to determine the effect of feeding corn oil or fish oil to horses on plasma fatty acid profiles and leukotriene B (LTB) synthesis by stimulated peripheral blood neutrophils. Two groups of horses (n = 5) were randomly assigned to diets supplemented with either 3.0% (by weight) corn oil or fish oil for a period of 14 weeks. The ratio of (n-6) to (n-3) fatty acids in oil supplements was 68.1:1 for corn oil and 0.12:1 for fish oil. Production of LTB4 and LTB, by peripheral blood neutrophils stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 and plasma cholesterol, triacylglycerol, an...
Johnson PJ, Slight SH, Ganjam VK, Kreeger JM.The administration of exogenously administered GCs and syndromes associated with GC excess are both attended by increased risk for the development of laminitis in adult horses. However, there exists substantial controversy as to whether excess GCs cause laminitis de novo. If true, the pathogenesis of laminitis arising from the effects of GC excess is probably different from that associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and endotoxemia. Although a satisfactory explanation for the development of laminitis as a consequence of GC action is currently lacking, numerous possible and pla...
Johnson PJ.Certain management practices tend to promote the development of obesity (metabolic syndrome) in mature horses as they enter their teenage years. These management practices include the provision of starch-rich (high glycemic index) and fat-supplemented rations to healthy horses that are relatively inactive. Some horse breeds and ponies appear to be genetically predisposed to metabolic syndrome. The accretion of intra-abdominal adiposity by equids is associated with the development of insulin insensitivity (hyperinsulinemia), glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insidious-onset l...
Gu W, Bertone AL.To create high-quality sequence data for the generation of an equine gene expression microarray and evaluate array performance by use of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure of synoviocytes. Methods: Public nucleotide sequence database from Equus caballus and synoviocytes from clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Computer procurement of equine gene sequences, probe design, and manufacture of an oligomicroarray were performed. Array performance was evaluated by use of patterns for equine synoviocytes in response to LPS. Results: Starting with 18,924 equine gene sequences, 3,098 equine 3' seque...
Waguespack RW, Cochran A, Belknap JK.To compare the levels of mRNA expression of cycooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 in the digital laminae of normal horses and horses in the developmental stages of laminitis experimentally induced by administration of black walnut extract (BWE). Methods: Samples of mRNA extracted from the digital laminae of 5 control horses and 5 horses at the onset of leukopenia after administration of BWE. Methods: Specimens of laminae were collected from anesthetized horses prior to euthanasia. Expression of COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA in laminae of control and affected horses was evaluated via real-time quantitative po...
Hosaka Y, Sakamoto Y, Kirisawa R, Watanabe T, Ueda H, Takehana K, Yamaguchi M.Although tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha is an important key factor in degeneration of equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), the dynamism of TNF receptors and associated factors on tendinocytes has not been elucidated. To reveal signaling events mediated by TNF-receptors (TNF-Rs) in tendinocytes, we focused on four signaling factors, TNF-R1, TNF-R2, TNF-R-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), and investigated the distribution and production of these factors. Cultured tendinocytes were obtained from SDFTs of thoroughbred horses. The tendinocytes were t...
Hosaka Y, Teraoka H, Yamamoto E, Ueda H, Takehana K.The aim of the present study was to clarify the presence and determine the role of apoptosis in the degenerative process of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in the horse. Samples were obtained from normal and inflamed SDFTs of horses. To detect apoptosis and to identify apoptotic cells, the samples were subjected to immunohistochemical labelling and Western blot analysis. Although a large number of cells in degenerate areas showed positive reactions with caspase-3 and single stranded DNA antibodies, cells in normal tendon samples showed very weak reactions. Excessive apoptosis was ...
Packer M, Patterson-Kane JC, Smith KC, Durham AE.The histological diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in horses and other species is subjective, and pathological assessments vary considerably as a result. One important criterion is increased infiltration of the lamina propria by eosinophils, plasma cells, lymphocytes or macrophages, but this is difficult to assess without a knowledge of the normal immune cell populations and potential for individual variation. Retrospective jejunal specimens were analysed from 14 horses aged 13-15 years which had not shown clinical or post-mortem signs of gastrointestinal disease. Populations of pl...
De Cock HE, Affolter VK, Wisner ER, Ferraro GL, MacLachlan NJ.A condition characterized by progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis, and fibrosis of the distal limbs has been recognized in Shire, Clydesdale, and Belgian draft horses. This chronic progressive disease starts at an early age, progresses throughout the life of the horse, and often ends in disfigurement and disability of the limbs that inevitably leads to the horse's premature death. This study was undertaken to better characterize this disease. Results: Six affected horses were donated for diagnostic workup. A detailed clinical, radiologic, gross, and histologic description is given in this repo...
Macleod KD, Scott DW, Erb HN.A retrospective study was performed to assess the prevalence of apoptotic epidermal keratinocytes in biopsy specimens from 226 horses with inflammatory dermatoses and from 27 normal specimens. One or more apoptotic keratinocytes were found in specimens from 28 of 226 (12%) horses with various dermatoses, and in one of 27 (4%) specimens from normal horses. The prevalence (proportion of cases with apoptotic epidermal keratinocytes) of apoptotic keratinocytes in the group composed of discoid lupus erythematosus, erythema multiforme, photodermatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus was significan...
Skiöldebrand E, Heinegård D, Eloranta ML, Nilsson G, Dudhia J, Sandgren B, Ekman S.The aim of the present study was to correlate the levels of COMP and aggrecan as indicators of tissue damage, in synovial fluid (sf) from carpal joints of acutely lame racehorses, with macroscopical lesions of articular cartilage (OA), osteochondral fractures and ligament tears found at arthroscopy. Sixty-three lame horses [49 Standardbred trotters (STB) and 14 Thoroughbreds (TB)] in conventional training and racing that underwent arthroscopy of their middle carpal or radiocarpal joints were included in the study. Intact as well as fragmented COMP and aggrecan released into the synovial fluid ...
Meissner JM, Chmielińska A, Ofri R, Cisło-Sankowska A, Marycz K.Corneal ulcers, characterized by severe inflammation of the cornea, can lead to serious, debilitating complications and may be vision-threatening for horses. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in corneal stem progenitor cell (CSSC) dysfunction and explore the potential of equine adipose-derived stromal stem cell (ASC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to improve corneal wound healing. We showed that CSSCs expressed high levels of CD44, CD45, and CD90 surface markers, indicating their stemness. Supplementation of the ER-stress-inducer tunicam...
Hobbs KJ, Le Sueur ANV, Burke MJ, Cooper BL, Sheats MK, Ueda Y.Develop, implement, and monitor for adverse effects of, a novel hemoperfusion therapy in adult horses. Unassigned: A prospective, observational feasibility study using three healthy adult horses from the North Carolina State University teaching herd. Health status was determined by physical exam, complete blood count, coagulation panel, and serum biochemistry. Each horse was instrumented with a 14 Fr × 25 cm double-lumen temporary hemodialysis catheter and underwent a 240 min polymer-based hemoperfusion session. Horses were administered unfractionated heparin to maintain anti-coagulation ...
Reis IL, Lopes B, Sousa P, Sousa AC, Rêma A, Caseiro AR, Briote I, Rocha AM, Pereira JP, Mendonça CM, Santos JM, Lamas L, Atayde LM, Alvites RD....Here, we describe a case of a 5-year-old show-jumping stallion presented with severe lameness, swelling, and pain on palpation of the left metacarpophalangeal joint (MCj). Diagnostic imaging revealed full and partial-thickness articular defects over the lateral condyle of the third metacarpus (MC3) and the dorsolateral aspect of the first phalanx (P1). After the lesion's arthroscopic curettage, the patient was subjected to an innovative regenerative treatment consisting of two intra-articular injections of equine synovial membrane mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (eSM-MSCs) combined with umbilic...
Asahi Y, Arai T, Tanaka Y.In older horses, basal metabolic rate decreases, and plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations related to energy metabolism change. The occurrence of age-related diseases, which increases in old animals, may enhance inflammatory reactivity (inflammaging). Finding the appropriate treatment for inflammaging at an early stage may prevent various age-related diseases. Changes in metabolite and hormone concentrations and enzyme activities involved in energy metabolism in the plasma of clinically healthy riding horses of various ages were measured to identify biomarkers of inflammaging (persisten...
de Carvalho JRG, Del Puppo D, Littiere TO, de Sales NAA, Silva ACY, Ribeiro G, de Almeida FN, Alves BG, Gatto IRH, Ramos GV, Ferraz GC.Diagnosing and treating lameness in horses is essential to improving their welfare. In equine orthopedic practice, infrared thermography (IRT) can indirectly detect soreness. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can treat painful and inflammatory processes in horses. Using IRT, the efficacy of meloxicam (Maxicam Gel) was evaluated in pre-treating transient synovitis in horses induced by a middle carpal joint injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from 055:B5 at a dose of 10 endotoxin units. Unassigned: In a cross-over design, six healthy horses were randomly assigned to receive either 0.6 ...
Birkmann K, Jebbawi F, Waldern N, Hug S, Inversini V, Keller G, Holm A, Grest P, Canonica F, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Fettelschoss-Gabriel A.Urticaria, independent of or associated with allergies, is commonly seen in horses and often shows a high reoccurrence rate. Managing these horses is discouraging, and efficient treatment options are lacking. Due to an incidental finding in a study on horses affected by insect bite hypersensitivity using the eosinophil-targeting eIL-5-CuMV-TT vaccine, we observed the prevention of reoccurring seasonal urticaria in four subsequent years with re-vaccination. In an exploratory case series of horses affected with non-seasonal urticaria, we aimed to investigate the role of eosinophils in urticaria....
Jentsch MC, Keilhaue A, Wagner B, Rhyner C, Lübke S, Karagulyan M, Arnold C, Lohmann KL, Schnabel CL.Equine asthma (EA) is a common lower airway disease in horses, but whether its pathogenesis is allergic is ambiguous. Extrinsic stimuli like hay dust induce acute exacerbation of clinical signs and sustained local neutrophilic inflammation in susceptible horses. is an EA stimulus, but it is unclear if it merely acts as an IgE-provoking allergen. We aimed to comprehensively analyze immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes in EA, elucidating their binding to different antigens, and their quantities systemically in serum and locally in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Unassigned: Serum and BALF from he...
Arrigo F, Aragona F, Faggio C, Giudice E, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Rizzo M, Arfuso F.The aim of this study was to assess the changes of pro-inflammatory interleukins in 10 horses subjected to road transport practices (distance of 150 km) from the training site (Messina, Sicily) to the competition centre in Syracuse (Sicily). Blood sampling and interleukins analysis were performed during a round trip transportation (transport 1 and transport 2). In particular, blood samples were collected before the transport took place (Pre), five minutes later (Post) and one hour later (Post 1 h), for each transport, in order to assess the serum concentration of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-...
Bernardini C, Romagnoli N, Casalini I, Turba ME, Spadari A, Forni M, Gentilini F.Platelet lysate, derived from platelets, are valuable biological products rich in bioactive molecules. Their use promotes tissue healing and modulates inflammation. However, maintaining the stability and bioactivity of platelet lysate is challenging since they degrade rapidly at room temperature. This study focused on the possibility to confer enhanced stability to freeze-dried equine platelet lysate as an alternative to platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Platelet lysate (PL) was derived from PRP and freeze-dried either as such or using various adjuvants. Primary cell cultures of porcine Vascular Wal...
Hobbs KJ, Le Sueur ANV, Hallowell K, Martin E, Sheats MK, Ueda Y.An 8-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding was treated with extracorporeal hemoperfusion (HP) therapy for treatment of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) colitis-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The gelding developed C. difficile associated peracute colitis and severe SIRS as evidenced by a positive fecal C. difficile PCR and tachypnea, tachycardia, fever, neutropenia, altered mucous membrane color, and hyperlactatemia. Concurrent acute kidney injury in the horse limited the use of routine anti-inflammatory and anti-lipopolysaccharide treatments, including flunixi...
Jia Q, Ren H, Zhang S, Yang H, Gao S, Fan R.All subtypes of () produce the alpha toxin (CPA), which can cause enteritis or enterotoxemia in lambs, cattle, pigs, and horses, as well as traumatic clostridial myonecrosis in humans and animals. CPA acts on cell membranes, ultimately leading to endocytosis and cell death. Therefore, the neutralization of CPA is crucial for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by . In this study, utilizing CPA as an antigen, a nanobody (CPA-VHH) with a half-life of 2.9 h, an affinity constant (KD) of 0.9 nmol/L, and good stability below 60 °C was prepared from a natural nanobody library from alpa...
Carmona JU, Carmona-RamÃrez LH, López C.(1) Background: There is increasing interest in the use of platelet-rich plasma and related orthobiologics for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal disorders in horses; however, there is no information on the bibliometric impact of the literature published in this area. (2) Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed using the bibliometrix R package by analyzing the documents registered in the WOS and Scopus databases from 2000 to 2024. The included registers were evaluated according to the menu of results from the biblioshiny web app (overview, sources, authors, documents, words, trend...
Woodrow JS, Hopster K, Palmisano M, Payette F, Kulp J, Stefanovski D, Nolen-Walston R.Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a common procedure for evaluation of the equine lower airways. Time to resolution of post-BAL inflammation has not been clearly defined. Objective: Residual inflammation, evident by changes in immune cell populations and inflammatory cytokines, will resolve by 72 hours after BAL. Methods: Six adult, healthy, institution-owned horses. Methods: Randomized, complete cross-over design. Each horse underwent 3 paired BALs, including a baseline and then 48, 72, and 96 hours later, with a 7-day washout between paired BALs. Each sample underwent cytological evaluatio...
Fedorka CE, El-Sheikh-Ali H, Scoggin KE, Coleman S, Humphrey EA, Troutt L, Troedsson MHT.The establishment of pregnancy involves a fine-tuned balance between protection and tolerance within the maternal immune system, as the female needs to accept a foreign antigen (the semi-allogenic fetus) while still being able to combat pathogens from the uterus. In the horse, the first uterine exposure to paternal antigens is during mating when sperm is introduced to the tissue and draining lymphatics of the uterus. Additionally, it has been suggested that seminal plasma and its proteins within it play an essential role in preparing the female tract for a suitable immunologic environment but ...
Serteyn D, Storms N, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Sandersen C, Niesten A, Duysens J, Graide H, Ceusters J, Franck T.Laminitis in horses is a crippling condition marked by the deterioration of the dermal-epidermal interface, leading to intense lameness and discomfort, often necessitating euthanasia. This study aimed to establish an in vitro model of laminitis using a continuous keratinocyte cell line exposed to anoxia-reoxygenation and an activated neutrophil supernatant. A significant decrease in the keratinocytes' metabolism was noted during the reoxygenation period, indicative of cellular stress. Adding muscle-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells during the reoxygenation demonstrated a protective effect...
Meiseberg LK, Delarocque J, de Buhr N, Ohnesorge B.Equine asthma is a common, non-infectious, chronic lung disease that affects up to 80% of the horse population. Strict phenotyping and identification of subclinically asthmatic horses can be challenging. The aim of this study was to describe equine asthma phenotypes (mild, moderate, and severe asthma) defined by BALF cytology and occurrence of clinical signs in a population of privately owned horses and to identify the variables and examination steps with best discriminative potential. The standardised examination protocol included clinical examinations, blood work, airway endoscopy with bronc...
Jacobs RD, Grum D, Trible B, Ayala DI, Karnezos TP, Gordon ME.Probiotics are commonly incorporated into equine diets to impart health and performance benefits; however, peer-reviewed evidence supporting their efficacy in horses is limited. Interestingly, bacteria from the Bacillus genus are gaining interest for their unique ability to impact metabolic, immune, and inflammatory pathways. The objective of this trial was to evaluate a selection of Bacilli for their role in altering the inflammatory response in horses to exercise. Eighteen horses were utilized in a randomized cross-over trial. Horses were randomly assigned to one of 6 starting treatments inc...
Parkinson NJ, Ward A, Malbon AJ, Reardon RJM, Kelly PG.Equine sarcoids are common non-metastasising skin tumours in horses, associated with bovine papillomavirus (BPV) infection. Six subtypes are recognised (occult, verrucose, nodular, fibroblastic, mixed and malevolent lesions), with variable clinical behaviour. The pathophysiology underlying varying tumour phenotype is poorly understood, and previous data on associations with viral load have been conflicting. To better understand this clinical variation, we investigated associations between tumour subtype and viral load, viral early protein gene expression, and expression of 10 host genes by qua...
Li S, Li L, Sun Y, Khan MZ, Yu Y, Ruan L, Chen L, Zhao J, Jia J, Li Y, Wang C, Wang T.Equid herpesvirus type 8 (EqHV-8) is known to cause respiratory disease and miscarriage in horses and donkeys, which is a major problem for the equine farming industry. However, there are currently limited vaccines or drugs available to effectively treat EqHV-8 infection. Therefore, it is crucial to develop new antiviral approaches to prevent potential pandemics caused by EqHV-8. This study evaluates the antiviral and antioxidant effects of cepharanthine against EqHV-8 by employing both in vitro assays and in vivo mouse models to assess its therapeutic efficacy. To assess the effectiveness of ...
Elashry MI, Speer J, De Marco I, Klymiuk MC, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive degenerative joint disease that affects a significant portion of the equine population and humans worldwide. Current treatment options for equine OA are limited and incompletely curative. Horses provide an excellent large-animal model for studying human OA. Recent advances in the field of regenerative medicine have led to the exploration of extracellular vesicles (EVs)-cargoes of microRNA, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids-to evaluate their diagnostic value in terms of disease progression and severity, as well as a potential cell-free therapeutic ...
Elkhenany HA, Linardi RL, Ortved KF.Osteoarthritis (OA) remains a challenging joint disorder necessitating effective anti-inflammatory interventions. In this study, our primary objective was to establish an in vitro protocol that replicates the clinical investigation of anti-inflammatory drugs intended for OA management. Focusing on recombinant IL-10 (r.IL-10) as a potential anti-inflammatory treatment, we designed and implemented two distinct protocols to evaluate the efficacy of r.IL-10 in modulating chondrocyte and synoviocyte inflammation.The experimental design involved sequential stimulation with IL-1β and TNF-α for 24 ...
Martin E, Sarkan K, Viall A, Hostetter S, Epstein K.Neutrophil characteristics in peritoneal fluid (PF) may aid in diagnosing and treating specific colic lesions and complications. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate quantitative PF leukocyte values, as well as PF total protein (TP) and lactate, for associations with diagnosis, morbidity, and mortality in horses with acute colic. Three hundred and forty-two horses that presented to one institution between January 2010-2020 for the evaluation of acute colic were included. The PF total nucleated cell count (TNCC), % and total neutrophil counts, total protein (TP), and lactat...
Mendoza FJ, Buzon-Cuevas A, Aguilera-Aguilera R, Gonzalez-De Cara CA, De Las Heras A, Perez-Ecija A.Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in donkeys is observed to be secondary to colic, diarrhea or pleuropneumonia, among other disorders. Horses with SIRS develop secondary disturbances such as hyperlipemia, laminitis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and hemodynamic and cardiac derangements, which impair their prognosis and increase the mortality rate. In donkeys, no information is available on the effect of experimentally induced endotoxemia in the cardiovascular system. Acute experimental endotoxemia was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion in six healthy adult non...
Barot D, Usimaki A, Linardi RL, Arensberg CM, Ortved KF.Quantify the concentration of α2-macroglobulin (A2M), immunomodulatory cytokines, and TGF-β1 factors in 4 commercially available autologous blood-based products including conditioned A2M (CA2M; Alpha2EQ; Astaria Global), autologous protein solution (APS; Pro-Stride; Zoetis), platelet-rich plasma (PRP; Restigen; Zoetis), and autologous conditioned plasma (ACP; Arthrex ACP). We hypothesized that CA2M would have higher concentrations of A2M and lower concentrations of cytokines and growth factors compared to APS, PRP, and ACP. Unassigned: Blood was obtained from 6 healthy, adult horses and proc...
Sheahan BJ, Schubert AG, Schubert W, Sheats MK, Schnabel LV, Gilbertie JM.Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play a significant role in response to a variety of infectious and inflammatory stimuli in human and veterinary medicine. Although entrapment of bacteria can be an important function of NETs, the exuberant release of DNA and other intracellular molecules has also been negatively implicated in the pathogenesis of different diseases. Thus, NET formation must be tightly controlled and represents an opportunity for therapeutic interventions. Horses are particularly sensitive to bacterial stimuli that have previously been shown to cause NETs in other species, b...
Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Pajuelo D, Steczkiewicz Z, Cywinska A, Marycz K.Astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant carotenoid, has shown promising features in mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress and so that has been considered as a supplement for high-performance animals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of astaxanthin on oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial health in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from Arabian racehorses. Horse-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚) presented increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytoki...
In the present study, the changes in the markers of stress and inflammatory responses of 12 Standardbred horses were investigated before and after exercise during late spring and summer. The environmental temperature, relative humidity, and temperature-humidity index (THI) were assessed during this study. From horses, blood sampling, measurement of heart and respiratory rate (HR and RR), and measurement of rectal temperature (RT) were performed before exercise (Pre) and within 5 min following the end of the exercise (Post). THI values showed mild stress in June and high stress in July. Direct ...
Aragona F, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Arfuso F, Arrigo F, Costa A, De Caro S, Cannuli A, Fazio F.The present study aimed to investigate the effect of time of day and physical exercise on some inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell count-WBCs, leukocyte subpopulation CD4 + and CD8 + cells, total proteins, Interleukins IL-6, IL-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor TNFα) in trained saddle horses. Unassigned: Blood samples were collected from 10 horses before, immediately (following 5 min) and 1 h after the training session in the morning (am) and afternoon (pm). Unassigned: Statistical analysis showed increasing value of WBCs immediately and 1 h after exercise ( < 0.01: <â€...
Espinosa-López EM, Ortiz-Guisado B, Diez de Castro E, Durham A, Aguilera-Tejero E, Gómez-Baena G.Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a multifactorial endocrine disorder characterized by obesity, insulin dysregulation (ID), and an increase in the risk of laminitis, a painful condition that can lead to euthanasia in severe cases. Diagnosing EMS is challenging and often relies on clinical history including obesity, difficulty in losing weight, and recurring episodes of laminitis. The gold standard for laboratory support of an EMS diagnosis is the identification of ID, with basal insulin being the simplest and most accessible method, especially in a field setting. However, various factors such...
