RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a fundamental molecule involved in various biological processes in horses, including gene expression, protein synthesis, and regulation of cellular activities. RNA plays a critical role in translating genetic information from DNA into proteins, which are essential for maintaining cellular function and overall health in horses. There are different types of RNA, such as messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), each serving distinct functions within the cell. Research on RNA in horses focuses on understanding its role in development, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic applications. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the structure, function, and implications of RNA in equine biology and health.
Castanheira CIGD, Taylor S, Skiöldebrand E, Rubio-Martinez LM, Hackl M, Clegg PD, Peffers MJ.The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples of control horses and those with osteoarthritis (OA) to identify potential candidates for biomarkers of disease. Total RNA was extracted from serum and SF samples of control (n = 4) and OA (n = 9) horses and sequenced. Differential expression analysis, pathway analysis and miRNA target prediction were performed. A group of six miRNAs (eca-miR-199a-3p, eca-miR-148a, eca-miR-99b, eca-miR-146a, eca-miR-423-5p and eca-miR-23b) was selected for validation in an independent coho...
van Heule M, Verstraete M, Norris JK, Graniczkowsa KB, Scoggin KE, Ali HE, Ball BA, De Spiegelaere W, Daels P, Weimer BC, Dini P.Nocardioform placentitis (NP) is an understudied form of equine placentitis historically attributed to nocardioform bacteria, yet it remains uncertain whether these organisms are the sole pathogens involved. Objective: To elucidate the pathophysiology of NP and the host-pathogen interaction. Methods: In vivo clinical multi-omics study. Methods: Dual RNA sequencing was performed to profile transcriptionally active microbial communities and concurrent placental transcriptome responses in samples from 31 placentas with and without NP. Untargeted metabolomics was performed to study the associated ...
Wang T, Li M, Ren W, Meng J, Yao X, Chu H, Yao R, Zhai M, Zeng Y.Yili horses undergo coordinated physiological adaptations across systems in response to customized training. This study aimed to clarify the molecular mechanisms of these adaptations by integrating analyses of cardiac function and multi-omics (lipidomics, transcriptomics, miRNomics). We collected whole blood samples from ten Yili horses before and after 12 weeks of specialized racing training to perform these analyses. Results showed training induced adaptive cardiac remodeling, with substantial increases in LVIDd and LVIDs. At the molecular level, this was accompanied by extensive blood lipid...
Haugaard SL, Nissen SD, Schneider MJ, Birk JB, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, Altıntaş A, Barrès R, Kjøbsted R, Wojtaszewski JFP, Herum KM....High recurrence rates after atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment may be driven by myocardial changes induced by the arrhythmia itself. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind these changes is crucial for developing targeted therapies and improving outcomes. Objective: To characterise the cardiac transcriptome of healthy horses and explore transcriptional changes associated with persistent AF (naturally occurring and tachypacing-induced). Methods: Case-control study. Methods: RNA-sequencing was performed on atrial and ventricular tissue samples collected from six horses with naturally occur...
Wang T, Yang X, Ren W, Meng J, Yao X, Chu H, Yao R, Zhai M, Zeng Y.Exercise performance is a critical trait for evaluating the economic and breeding value of working and athletic horses, with cardiac structure and function serving as essential physiological determinants of athletic capacity. This study aimed to investigate the multi-omics response mechanisms associated with varying degrees of cardiac remodeling under identical exercise intensity. Twenty 2-year-old Yili horses were selected and categorized based on echocardiographic parameters into a high cardiac remodeling group (BH; EDV > 500 mL, SV > 350 mL, EF > 66%) and a low cardiac remodeling group (BL;...
Broothaers K, Jouneau A, Angel-Velez D, De Coster T, Festuccia N, Archilla C, Calderari S, Jouneau L, Van den Branden E, Peere S, Polfliet E....In vitro production of equine embryos has been performed using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for the last two decades. Since 2022, a repeatable protocol for conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) provides a successful alternative. However, little is known about the influence of the fertilization method on embryo quality and the transcriptomic profile. In this study, we aimed to examine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ICSI and IVF embryos in the horse. Therefore, ten equine sibling blastocysts, produced in vitro by either ICSI or IVF from three different mares, were s...
Beaumont RE, Flood C, Guest DJ.Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) is upregulated following a tendon injury and in vitro studies have shown that it leads to numerous negative effects on tendon cell function and gene expression. IL-1β activates nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and we hypothesised that inhibiting NF-κB activation would mediate the negative effects of IL-1β on equine tendon cells in 3-dimensional (3D) cultures. Results: Here, we tested three inhibitors of NF-κB signalling (Bortezomib, BAY11-7082 and Wedelolactone) along withTJ-M2010-5, an inhibitor of MyD88, which is a critic...
Wang T, Yang X, Ren W, Meng J, Yao X, Chu H, Yao R, Zhai M, Zeng Y.Training not only enhances the athletic performance of horses but also improves cardiac structure and function, strengthens cardiovascular adaptability, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the consequences of training on equine cardiac structure and function remain unclear. This study investigated the morphological, functional, genetic, and metabolic changes in the hearts of Yili horses divided into three groups: high athletic performance (agility group, AG), low athletic performance (ordinary group, OG), and untrained (untrained group, UN). The results showed remodeling ...
Verstraete MH, Kuijpers F, Holl W, Norris J, van Heule M, Martin-Pelaez S, Heard C, Uribe-Salazar J, Armien A, Conley A, De Spiegelaere W....The endometrium is a hormonally responsive tissue that undergoes cyclic remodeling. Although endometrial organoids have been established in several species, detailed characterization remains limited. Here, we assessed the structural and molecular fidelity of equine endometrial organoids across reproductive cycle stages and during extended culture. Organoids were generated from biopsies collected during estrus and diestrus and analyzed using histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and bulk- and single-cell RNA sequencing. Organoids formed polarized cystic structures composed of co...
Austin MMP, Ivey JLZ, Shepherd EA, Myer PR.Starvation in horses presents critical welfare, economic, and management challenges with underlying molecular mechanisms of metabolic modification and recovery left poorly defined. Prolonged caloric deprivation induces significant systemic shifts in carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, reflected in coordinated changes in tissue-specific gene expression. This review synthesizes current knowledge on equine metabolic responses to starvation, emphasizing pathways found through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) studies. Molecular investi...
Huang Q, Ren W, Shan D, Su Y, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Ma S, Wang J.This study aimed to compare blood samples from Yili horses with outstanding and average performance in 5000 m races through transcriptome sequencing, identify key differentially expressed genes, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, as well as related enriched pathways, and elucidate their regulatory networks. This study used six healthy four-year-old Yili stallions as subjects, divided into an excellent group (E group, = 3) and an ordinary group (O group, = 3) based on their 5000-m race performance. Blood RNA-Seq technology was used to analyze differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs. A total...
Frontiers in geneticsOctober 1, 2025
Volume 16 1676558 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1676558
Ma S, Ren W, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Su Y, Huang Q, Dehaxi S, Wang J.Equine athletic performance is modulated by both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. As dynamic regulators of gene expression, MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a central role in the physiological response to exercise-induced stress18. This study focused on the top three elite Yili horses from a 5000-m race, collecting peripheral blood samples pre-race (group B) and post-race (group A). A longitudinal comparative analysis integrating miRNA omics profiling and target gene functional enrichment was performed. Nineteen miRNAs exhibited significant differential expression (10 upregulated, 9 downregulated), w...
Wang T, Yang X, Wang C, Wang J, Meng J, Yao X, Zeng Y, Ren W.Studying the genetic characteristics and molecular mechanisms of immune regulation in horses is of great significance for protecting their genetic resources, improving breeding strategies, and enhancing their disease resistance, thereby ensuring their healthy performance in both sports and production. Objective: This study investigates the genetic characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying immune regulation in Yili horses, comparing them with Thoroughbreds and Kazakh horses. Methods: Blood samples from each breed were analyzed for physiological, biochemical, and immune indices alongsi...
Sadowska A, Wójtowicz A, Molcan T, Drzewiecka EM, Kaczmarek MM, Słyszewska M, Ferreira-Dias G, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A.Equine endometrosis is a chronic degenerative condition with fibrosis being one of the most significant characteristics. A growing body of evidence indicates the critical role of interleukin (IL)-17 in fibrotic disorders. However, its exact role during equine endometrosis remains to be discovered and explained. The main aim of the current study was to establish the expression of IL-17A signaling components in equine endometria with and without endometrosis as well as the effects of IL-17A on the transcriptomic signature, cellular functional characteristics, expression of extracellular matrix (...
Zhou Y, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The Kazakh horse is a highly valuable indigenous Chinese breed known for its use in both milk and meat production. However, the mechanisms underlying color variation in the abdominal adipose tissue of this breed remain poorly understood. In this study, the sequencing of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) was conducted on abdominal adipose tissue of different colors from Kazakh horses, with the aim of investigating the molecular mechanisms responsible for this variation. A total of 205 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DELncRNAs) including , , and ; 52 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEm...
Wubuli A, Su Y, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The Kazakh horse, a versatile breed, is renowned for stable genetic performance and strong tolerance to coarse feed. Sex is a key factor influencing skeletal muscle development. However, the mechanisms underlying sex-specific regulation of equine muscle growth remain obscure. This study employed transcriptomic analysis to investigate sex-associated molecular differences in skeletal muscle of Kazakh horses. The experimental cohort comprised four three-year-old Kazakh stallions and four three-year-old Kazakh mares. After slaughter, six groups of muscle samples were collected immediately, includi...
Cullen JN, Cieslak J, Petersen JL, Bellone RR, Finno CJ, Kalbfleisch TS, Calloe K, Capomaccio S, Cappelli K, Coleman SJ, Distl O, Durward-Akhurst SA....MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of gene expression, yet few comprehensive databases exist for miRNA expression in non-model species, limiting our ability to characterize their roles in gene regulation, development, and disease. Similarly, isomiRs - length and sequence isoforms of canonical miRNAs with potentially altered regulatory targets and functions - have received even less attention in non-model species, including the horse, leaving a critical gap in our understanding of their biological significance. To address these challenges, we developed an open-source, containerized pip...
Frontiers in geneticsAugust 29, 2025
Volume 16 1651628 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1651628
Su Y, Ren W, Ma S, Meng J, Yao X, Zeng Y, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Wang J.This study employed Yili horses participating in a 5000-meter race as a model to investigate exercise-induced gene expression alterations in peripheral blood using whole transcriptome sequencing. Jugular vein blood samples from the three leading horses were collected pre- and immediately post-race, yielding 2,171 differentially expressed mRNAs (2,080 upregulated, 91 downregulated), 4,375 differentially expressed LncRNAs (4,354 upregulated), and 68 differentially expressed circRNAs (64 upregulated). GO/KEGG analyses demonstrated significant enrichment of differential mRNAs in transmembrane tran...
Sahoo DK, Wong D, Paital B, Ruby RE, Patel A.The progression of inflammation during sepsis represents a multifaceted biological cascade that requires effective therapeutic interventions to improve survival. In septic neonatal foals, oxidative stress (OS) arises due to a compromised antioxidant defense system. Oxidative stress may disrupt the functionality of redox-sensitive organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Endoplasmic reticulum stress disorder affects multiple cellular signaling pathways, including redox balance, inflammation, and apoptosis, and contributes to the pathogenesis of sepsis. The study aimed to elucidate wh...
Toda J, Miyasaka J, Osako H, Murata K, Yunus M, Amalia R, Soe BK, Sato H.Food poisoning caused by consuming raw horsemeat contaminated with Sarcocystis is a significant public health concern. Two morphotypes of sarcocysts in horsemeat, characterized by upright and folded villar protrusions, are typically identified as Sarcocystis fayeri and S. bertrami, respectively. However, recent molecular studies focusing on the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) have indicated a conspecific relationship between these two morphotypes using a limited number of specimens. To explore further genetic diversity in equid sarcocysts,...
Schwochow D, Alameddine A, Spörndly-Nees E, Montigny M, Naboulsi R, Jansson A, Niazi A, Lindgren G.Racing without protective shoes is common in the Swedish harness racing industry, as it can enhance horses' performance on the track. Trainers typically decide whether a horse will race barefoot based on practical experience rather than objective measures. However, this practice can sometimes lead to excessive hoof wear, posing potential welfare concerns for racing horses. Gene expression differences may help reveal the underlying genetic mechanisms associated with different phenotypic traits. To explore an objective measure for assessing which horses are best suited for barefoot racing, we co...
Scoggin KE, Adlan F, Fedorka CE, Rakha SI, Stout TAE, Troedsson MHT, Ali HE.The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system regulates implantation, placental development, and angiogenesis in eutherian mammals. However, little is known about the changes in this system in equine placenta (chorioallantois; CA) and the endometrium (EN) during pregnancy, or the relationship to vascular endothelial growth factor () expression. The current study investigated the expression of the IGF system components, namely the ligands ( and ), their receptors (, , and ), and their binding proteins ( and s) in equine CA at 45 days, 4, 6, 10, and 11 months of gestational age (GA) and immediatel...
Sawicki S, Bugno-Poniewierska M, Żurowski J, Szmatoła T, Semik-Gurgul E, Bochenek M, Karnas E, Gurgul A. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising tool in regenerative medicine due to their ability to secrete paracrine factors that modulate tissue repair. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by MSCs contain bioactive molecules (e.g., mRNAs, miRNAs, proteins) and play a key role in intercellular communication. This study compared the transcriptomic profiles (mRNA and miRNA) of equine MSCs derived from adipose tissue (AT-MSCs), bone marrow (BM-MSCs), and ovarian fibroblasts (as a differentiated control). Additionally, miRNAs present in EVs secreted by these cells were characterized using nex...
Ren M, Michaelson LP, Mungunsukh O, Bedocs P, Friel L, Cofer K, Dartt CE, Sambuughin N, O'Connor FG.Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is primarily driven by mechanical stress on muscles during strenuous or unaccustomed exercise, often exacerbated by environmental factors like heat and dehydration. While the general cellular pathway involving energy depletion and calcium overload is understood in horse ER models, the underlying mechanisms specific to the ER are not universally known within humans. This study aimed to evaluate whether patients with ER exhibited transcriptional signatures that were significantly different from those of healthy individuals. Methods: This study utilized RNA sequenci...
Shakeel M, Yoon M.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase-2 (NTRK2) have known important roles in the central nervous system for neurite growth, survival, and differentiation. Nevertheless, the significance of BDNF in spermatogenesis remains unclear in stallions. Therefore, the present study was designed 1) to investigate the expression of BDNF and its receptor NTRK2 and 2) the seasonal variation in the expression patterns of BDNF and NTRK2 in stallions' testes. We used testes from eight postpubertal Thoroughbred stallions collected after a field castratio...
Bauswein M, Arnold L, Springer DN, Redlberger-Fritz M.Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) is a zoonotic virus with a recently confirmed potential to cause rare but severe cases of encephalitis in humans. While the bicolored white-toothed shrew (Crocidura leucodon), which represents the reservoir, is widely distributed over eastern, central, and southern Europe as well as south-west Asia, human infections have so far only been reported from Germany. As infections in sentinels such as horses indicate the endemic circulation of the virus also in circumscribed regions of neighboring countries (Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland), we initiated a retrospec...
Wubulikasimu M, Liu J, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.Kazakh horses, a distinguished breed in China known for their dual-purpose use in milk and meat production, exhibit early maturation, tolerance to coarse feeding, and strong resistance to environmental stress. However, the gene expression differences across various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses have yet to be elucidated. In this study, transcriptomic sequencing was performed on muscle tissues from three anatomical regions of Kazakh horses, including the longissimus dorsi (Gb), external oblique (Gf), and diaphragm (Gg) muscles. In the Gb and Gf groups, 426 differentially expressed genes (DEGs...
Lu Z, Wen M, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The reproductive performance of horses is closely associated with testicular development, which involves a complex network of gene regulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive traits of Kazakh horses are yet to be fully understood. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was performed on testicular tissues from Kazakh horses at different developmental stages using whole-transcriptome sequencing, aiming to investigate differential gene expression and regulatory mechanisms during testicular development. The results revealed significant differential expression of 7678 mRNAs, in...
Frontiers in geneticsJuly 18, 2025
Volume 16 1630614 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1630614
Gong W, Ding W, Bou T, Shi L, Lin Y, Shi X, Li Z, Wu H, Dugarjaviin M, Bai D.Ferulic acid (FA), a natural antioxidant, has attracted considerable attention for its regulatory potential in skeletal muscle development, energy metabolism, and muscle fiber type transformation. Unassigned: This study established a research system based on Mongolian horse skeletal muscle satellite cells to elucidate the molecular basis by which ferulic acid regulates muscle fiber type transformation through a non-coding RNA interaction network. Unassigned: A total of 18 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMIRs) and 128 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified through transcript...
Frisch V, Ramsauer AS, Preining I, Unterköfler MS, Fuehrer HP, Hofer M, Lyrakis M, Bouhsira E, Liénard E, Cavalleri JV.Equine hepacivirus (EqHV) from the family, has been detected in horses worldwide with a global RNA prevalence of up to 7.9%. While vertical transmission and iatrogenic transmission with infected blood products have been demonstrated for this virus, field infection rates suggest an additional horizontal transmission route. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of (Diptera, Muscidae) – a hematophagous fly that is found in stables with ruminants and horses as preferred hosts– in the transmission of EqHV RNA. From 2021 to 2022, were collected from three horse barns in ...
Shirato K, Kimura T, Mizutani T, Kariwa H, Takashima I.West Nile (WN) virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that can cause lethal encephalitis in humans and horses. The WN virus endemic in New York City (NY) in 1999 caused large-scale mortality of wild birds that was not evident in endemic areas in other parts of the world, and the pathogenesis of the WN virus strain isolated in NY (NY strain) appears to differ from that of previously isolated strains. However, the pathogenesis of NY strain infection remains unclear. This study examined CC (RANTES/CCL5, MIP-1 alpha/CCL3, MIP-1 beta/CCL4) and CXC (IP-10/CXCL10, B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC/CXCL...
Richardson DW, Dodge GR.To assess the effects of glucocorticoids on the expression of multiple matrix-related genes in normal and cytokine-treated cultured equine articular chondrocytes in a phenotypically correct suspension culture. Methods: Articular cartilage harvested from the joints of 15 foals, 7 yearling horses, and 16 adult horses. Methods: Glucocorticoids (dexamethasone, prednisolone, triamcinolone) at 10(-10) to 10(-4) M. Methods: Equine articular chondrocytes maintained in suspension cultures were treated with glucocorticoids with and without human recombinant interleukin 1-beta (IL1-beta) and tumor necros...
Lichtenstein DL, Rushlow KE, Cook RF, Raabe ML, Swardson CJ, Kociba GJ, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.As an important enzyme in DNA synthesis, dUTPase is present in a wide variety of organisms and viruses and has been identified as a component of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) pol gene. The role of EIAV dUTPase, designated DU, in virus replication in vitro and in vivo was investigated with a recently described infectious molecular clone of EIAV. A deletion mutant that was deficient in dUTPase activity was constructed, and its replication kinetics was examined in fetal equine kidney (FEK) cells and primary equine bone marrow macrophage (EBMM) cells. In FEK cells, which are permissive...
Liu G, Cao W, Salawudeen A, Zhu W, Emeterio K, Safronetz D, Banadyga L.Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which belongs to the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae, is a well studied livestock pathogen and prototypic non-segmented, negative-sense RNA virus. Although VSV is responsible for causing economically significant outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis in cattle, horses, and swine, the virus also represents a valuable research tool for molecular biologists and virologists. Indeed, the establishment of a reverse genetics system for the recovery of infectious VSV from cDNA transformed the utility of this virus and paved the way for its use as a vaccine ...
Das PJ, McCarthy F, Vishnoi M, Paria N, Gresham C, Li G, Kachroo P, Sudderth AK, Teague S, Love CC, Varner DD, Chowdhary BP, Raudsepp T.Mature mammalian sperm contain a complex population of RNAs some of which might regulate spermatogenesis while others probably play a role in fertilization and early development. Due to this limited knowledge, the biological functions of sperm RNAs remain enigmatic. Here we report the first characterization of the global transcriptome of the sperm of fertile stallions. The findings improved understanding of the biological significance of sperm RNAs which in turn will allow the discovery of sperm-based biomarkers for stallion fertility. The stallion sperm transcriptome was interrogated by analy...
Baer A, Lundberg L, Swales D, Waybright N, Pinkham C, Dinman JD, Jacobs JL, Kehn-Hall K.Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a previously weaponized arthropod-borne virus responsible for causing acute and fatal encephalitis in animal and human hosts. The increased circulation and spread in the Americas of VEEV and other encephalitic arboviruses, such as eastern equine encephalitis virus and West Nile virus, underscore the need for research aimed at characterizing the pathogenesis of viral encephalomyelitis for the development of novel medical countermeasures. The host-pathogen dynamics of VEEV Trinidad donkey-infected human astrocytoma U87MG cells were determined by car...
Mach N, Plancade S, Pacholewska A, Lecardonnel J, Rivière J, Moroldo M, Vaiman A, Morgenthaler C, Beinat M, Nevot A, Robert C, Barrey E.The adaptive response to extreme endurance exercise might involve transcriptional and translational regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). Therefore, the objective of the present study was to perform an integrated analysis of the blood transcriptome and miRNome (using microarrays) in the horse before and after a 160 km endurance competition. A total of 2,453 differentially expressed genes and 167 differentially expressed microRNAs were identified when comparing pre- and post-ride samples. We used a hypergeometric test and its generalization to gain a better understanding of the biological functio...
McGivney BA, McGettigan PA, Browne JA, Evans AC, Fonseca RG, Loftus BJ, Lohan A, MacHugh DE, Murphy BA, Katz LM, Hill EW.Digital gene expression profiling was used to characterize the assembly of genes expressed in equine skeletal muscle and to identify the subset of genes that were differentially expressed following a ten-month period of exercise training. The study cohort comprised seven Thoroughbred racehorses from a single training yard. Skeletal muscle biopsies were collected at rest from the gluteus medius at two time points: T(1) - untrained, (9 +/- 0.5 months old) and T(2) - trained (20 +/- 0.7 months old). Results: The most abundant mRNA transcripts in the muscle transcriptome were those involved in mus...
Watts AE, Millar NL, Platt J, Kitson SM, Akbar M, Rech R, Griffin J, Pool R, Hughes T, McInnes IB, Gilchrist DS.Tendon injuries (tendinopathies) are common in human and equine athletes and characterized by dysregulated collagen matrix, resulting in tendon damage. We have previously demonstrated a functional role for microRNA29a (miR29a) as a post-transcriptional regulator of collagen 3 expression in murine and human tendon injury. Given the translational potential, we designed a randomized, blinded trial to evaluate the potential of a miR29a replacement therapy as a therapeutic option to treat tendinopathy in an equine model that closely mimics human disease. Tendon injury was induced in the superficial...
Kamm JL, Nixon AJ, Witte TH.Understanding the expression of catabolic and anabolic genes during osteoarthritis progression should help to identify the major mediators of the disease. Objective: To compare the cytokine and anabolic marker concentrations in synovium, synovial fluid and cartilage between normal and osteoarthritic joints. Methods: Carpi from horses age 2-11 years were used. Tissues were harvested at the time of surgery or euthanasia, and RNA was isolated for RT-PCR analysis. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), aggrecanase 1 (ADAMTS-4), aggrecanase 2 (ADAMTS-5), matrix metallopro...
Ahmed A, Siman-Tov G, Keck F, Kortchak S, Bakovic A, Risner K, Lu TK, Bhalla N, de la Fuente-Nunez C, Narayanan A.Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), a new world alphavirus belonging to the Togaviridae family, causes periodic disease outbreaks in humans and equines with high associated mortality and morbidity. VEEV is highly infectious via the aerosol route and so has been developed as a biological weapon (Hawley and Eitzen, 2001). Despite its current classification as a category B select agent, there are no FDA approved vaccines or therapeutics to counter VEEV infections. Here we utilize a naturally occurring host defense peptide, LL-37, as a therapeutic strategy to inhibit VEEV multiplication i...
Klein C, Scoggin KE, Ealy AD, Troedsson MH.Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy are critically dependent on embryo-maternal communication during the preimplantation period. To gain new insights into this complex process in the horse, transcriptional profiling of Day 13.5 pregnant and cyclic endometrial tissue samples was carried out using custom-designed microarrays. Selected array data were validated using quantitative RT-PCR, and proteins of interest were localized using immunohistochemistry. One hundred and six transcripts were up-regulated, whereas 47 transcripts showed lower expression levels in pregnant mares, that is, were...
da Silveira JC, Winger QA, Bouma GJ, Carnevale EM.Age-related decline in fertility is a consequence of low oocyte number and/or low oocyte competence resulting in pregnancy failure. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling is a well-studied pathway involved in follicular development and ovulation. Recently, small non-coding RNAs, namely microRNAs (miRNAs), have been demonstrated to regulate several members of this pathway; miRNAs are secreted inside small cell-secreted vesicles called exosomes. The overall goal of the present study was to determine whether altered exosome miRNA content in follicular fluid from old mares is associated wi...
Shimada M, Yanai Y, Okazaki T, Yamashita Y, Sriraman V, Wilson MC, Richards JS.During ovulation, granulosa cells and cumulus cells synthesize and secrete a wide variety of factors including members of the IL cytokine family via the process of exocytosis. Exocytosis is controlled by the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor complex consisting of proteins residing in the vesicle membrane and the plasma membrane. One of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor proteins, synaptosomal-associated protein (SNAP)25, is expressed abundantly in neuronal cells and is also induced transiently in the rat...
Bean WJ.The RNAs coding for the nucleoproteins of a panel of influenza isolates from human and nonhuman hosts were compared by RNA-RNA hybridization to determine the extent of genetic diversity of this protein and to determine if related nucleoproteins (NP) are consistently found in viruses from certain hosts. Five nucleoprotein groups were defined. Group 1 contains nearly all of the avian influenza viruses, group 2 includes only certain viruses isolated from gulls, group 3 includes all recent equine influenza strains, group 4 contains only equine/Prague/1/56, and group 5 contains all human and swine ...
Lin C, Stahl DA.A total of six 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes were used to quantify Fibrobacter abundance and diversity in the gastrointestinal contents of a pony. Approximately 12% of the total 16S rRNA extracted from cecal contents hybridized with a Fibrobacter genus-specific probe and a Fibrobacter succinogenes species-specific probe. However, no significant hybridization was observed with a probe for the species. Fibrobacter intestinalis or with three probes for F. succinogenes subspecies. This suggested the presence of a previously undescribed population of F. succinogenes-like organisms. Novel...
Stephens RM, Derse D, Rice NR.We isolated and characterized six cDNA clones from an equine infectious anemia virus-infected cell line that displays a Rev-defective phenotype. With the exception of one splice site in one of the clones, all six cDNAs exhibited the same splicing pattern and consisted of four exons. Exon 1 contained the 5' end of the genome; exon 2 contained the tat gene from mid-genome; exon 3 consisted of a small section of env, near the 5' end of the env gene; and exon 4 contained the putative rev open reading frame from the 3' end of the genome. The structures of the cDNAs predict a bicistronic message in ...
Breathnach CC, Sturgill-Wright T, Stiltner JL, Adams AA, Lunn DP, Horohov DW.The increased vulnerability of foals to specific pathogens such as Rhodococcus equi is believed to reflect an innate immunodeficiency, the nature of which remains poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that neonates of many species fail to mount potent Th1 responses. The current research investigates the ability of circulating and pulmonary lymphocytes of developing foals to produce interferon gamma (IFNgamma). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were prepared from up to 10 horse foals at regular intervals throughout the first 6 months of life. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)...
Fridell RA, Partin KM, Carpenter S, Cullen BR.Several members of the lentivirus family of complex retroviruses have been shown to encode proteins that are functionally equivalent to the Rev posttranscriptional regulatory protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Furthermore, the domain organization of HIV-1 Rev, featuring a highly basic N-terminal RNA binding domain and a leucin-rich C-terminal effector domain, has also been shown to be highly conserved among Rev proteins derived from not only the primate but also the ovine and caprine lentiviruses. Although it has therefore appeared highly probable that the lentivirus equin...
Seo MG, Lee SH, VanBik D, Ouh IO, Yun SH, Choi E, Park YS, Lee SE, Kim JW, Cho GJ, Kwon OD, Kwak D.Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria (CLB) are genetically and ecologically distinct despite some genetic similarities. Furthermore, CLB are exceptionally diverse and widespread in ticks, but rarely detected in domestic animals. Since Coxiella bacteria can be transmitted from infected horses by inhalation or by coming in contact with ticks during activities such as horseback riding, it is necessary to study their prevalence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first large-scale nationwide investigation of the prevalence of C. burnetii and CLB among horses reared in South Korea. O...
Steinbusch MM, Fang Y, Milner PI, Clegg PD, Young DA, Welting TJ, Peffers MJ.The development of effective treatments for the age-related disease osteoarthritis and the ability to predict disease progression has been hampered by the lack of biomarkers able to demonstrate the course of the disease. Profiling the expression patterns of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) in joint ageing and OA may provide diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study determined expression patterns of snoRNAs in joint ageing and OA and examined them as potential biomarkers. Using SnoRNASeq and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) we demonstrate snoRNA expression levels in murine age...
Harrold SM, Cook SJ, Cook RF, Rushlow KE, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) infection of horses is characterized by recurring cycles of disease and viremia that typically progress to an inapparent infection in which clinical symptoms are absent as host immune responses maintain control of virus replication indefinitely. The dynamics of EIAV viremia and its association with disease cycles have been well characterized, but there has been to date no comprehensive quantitative analyses of the specific tissue sites of EIAV infection and replication in experimentally infected equids during acute disease episodes and during asymptomatic ...
Walter S, Rasche A, Moreira-Soto A, Pfaender S, Bletsa M, Corman VM, Aguilar-Setien A, García-Lacy F, Hans A, Todt D, Schuler G....The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen. Genetically related viruses in animals suggest a zoonotic origin of HCV. The closest relative of HCV is found in horses (termed equine hepacivirus [EqHV]). However, low EqHV genetic diversity implies relatively recent acquisition of EqHV by horses, making a derivation of HCV from EqHV unlikely. To unravel the EqHV evolutionary history within equid sister species, we analyzed 829 donkeys and 53 mules sampled in nine European, Asian, African, and American countries by molecular and serologic tools for EqHV infection. Antibodies were found in...
Tanaka T, Kasai H, Yamashita A, Okuyama-Dobashi K, Yasumoto J, Maekawa S, Enomoto N, Okamoto T, Matsuura Y, Morimatsu M, Manabe N, Ochiai K....Equine hepacivirus (EHcV) has been identified as a closely related homologue of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, but not in Asian countries. In this study, we genetically and serologically screened 31 serum samples obtained from Japanese-born domestic horses for EHcV infection and subsequently identified 11 PCR-positive and 7 seropositive serum samples. We determined the full sequence of the EHcV genome, including the 3' untranslated region (UTR), which had previously not been completely revealed. The polyprotein of a Japanese EHcV strain showed ap...
Ergunay K, Gunay F, Erisoz Kasap O, Oter K, Gargari S, Karaoglu T, Tezcan S, Cabalar M, Yildirim Y, Emekdas G, Alten B, Ozkul A.West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus with significant impact on human and animal health, has recently demonstrated an expanded zone of activity globally. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency and distribution of WNV infections in potential vectors and several mammal and avian species in Turkey, where previous data indicate viral circulation. The study was conducted in 15 provinces across Turkey during 2011-2013. In addition, the entomological study was extended to 4 districts of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. WNV exposure was determined in humans, horses...
Cordeau ME, Joubert P, Dewachi O, Hamid Q, Lavoie JP.Heaves is a common condition of horses of cold climate that is characterized by small airway inflammation and obstruction following exposure of susceptible horses to moldy hay and straw. It has been shown that helper T lymphocytes (Th) orchestrate the inflammatory response in asthma and in various animal models of allergic lung diseases by the release of Th2-type cytokines. Results of previous studies indicate that a predominant expression of Th2-type response by airway cells may also be present in heaves. To evaluate the temporal mRNA expression of Th1 (IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) type cy...
Janssen IJ, Krücken J, Demeler J, Basiaga M, Kornaś S, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) represent the major drug class for control of parasitic infections in humans and animals. However, recently reports of treatment failures became more frequent. In addition to human and ruminant parasitic nematodes this also is the case for the horse-nematode Parascaris equorum. Nevertheless, to date the molecular basis of ML resistance is still not understood. Unspecific resistance mechanisms involving transporters such as P-glycoproteins (Pgps) are expected to contribute to ML resistance in nematodes. Here, complete sequences of two P. equorum Pgps were cloned and i...
Weaver SC, Bellew LA, Rico-Hesse R.We studied the evolution of alphaviruses in the Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) complex using phylogenetic analysis of RNA nucleotide sequences from limited portions of the nsP4, E1, and 3' untranslated genome regions of representative strains. The VEE complex constituted a monophyletic group of viruses (descended from a common ancestor); some serologic VEE varieties such as subtype III formed monophyletic groups while subtype I did not. Subtype II Everglades and variety ID enzootic viruses formed a monophyletic group which also included all epizootic variety IAB and IC VEE isolates. Ever...
Capomaccio S, Vitulo N, Verini-Supplizi A, Barcaccia G, Albiero A, D'Angelo M, Campagna D, Valle G, Felicetti M, Silvestrelli M, Cappelli K.The horse is an optimal model organism for studying the genomic response to exercise-induced stress, due to its natural aptitude for athletic performance and the relative homogeneity of its genetic and environmental backgrounds. Here, we applied RNA-sequencing analysis through the use of SOLiD technology in an experimental framework centered on exercise-induced stress during endurance races in equine athletes. We monitored the transcriptional landscape by comparing gene expression levels between animals at rest and after competition. Overall, we observed a shift from coding to non-coding regio...
Richardson DW, Dodge GR.To determine the effects of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on expression and regulation of several matrix-related genes by equine articular chondrocytes. Methods: Articular cartilage harvested from grossly normal joints of 8 foals, 6 yearling horses, and 8 adult horses. Methods: Chondrocytes maintained in suspension cultures were treated with various doses of human recombinant IL-1beta or TNF-alpha. Northern blots of total RNA from untreated and treated chondrocytes were probed with equine complementary DNA (cDNA) probes for cartilage matrix-related ge...
