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Topic:Sarcoids
Sarcoids are a type of skin tumor commonly found in horses, characterized by their locally aggressive behavior but non-metastatic nature. These tumors are associated with bovine papillomavirus infection and can appear in various forms, including nodular, verrucous, and fibroblastic types. Sarcoids are the most frequently diagnosed equine skin tumors and can affect horses of any age, breed, or sex. They often occur on the head, limbs, and ventral abdomen, causing discomfort and potential interference with tack and equipment. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the etiology, pathology, clinical presentation, and management strategies for equine sarcoids.
Type-specific L1 virus-like particle-mediated protection of horses from experimental bovine papillomavirus 1-induced pseudo-sarcoid formation is long-lasting. Equine sarcoids are common therapy-resistant skin tumours induced by bovine papillomavirus type 1 or 2 (BPV1, BPV2) infection. We have previously shown that prophylactic vaccination with BPV1 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) efficiently protects horses from experimental BPV1-induced pseudo-sarcoid development. Here, we assessed BPV1 L1 VLP vaccine-mediated long-term protection from experimental tumour formation in seven horses 5 years after immunization with three different doses of BPV1 L1 VLPs, and three unvaccinated control animals. Horses were challenged by intradermal inoculation with infec...
Potential of a BPV1 L1 VLP vaccine to prevent BPV1- or BPV2-induced pseudo-sarcoid formation and safety and immunogenicity of EcPV2 L1 VLPs in horse. We have previously shown that immunization of horses with bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) is safe and highly immunogenic and that BPV1 and bovine papillomavirus type 2 (BPV2) are closely related serotypes. Here we evaluated the protective potential of a BPV1 L1 VLP vaccine against experimental BPV1 and BPV2 challenge and studied the safety and immunogenicity of a bivalent equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2)/BPV1 L1 VLP vaccine. Fourteen healthy horses were immunized with BPV1 L1 VLPs (100 µg per injection) plus adjuvant on days 0 and 28, while seven remai...
Comprehensive characteristics of microRNA expression profile of equine sarcoids. Equine sarcoids are the most common neoplasms occurring in horses. Despite frequent occurrence, they are still not well described at the molecular level. Thus, in the present study, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of sarcoid miRNAome profile to identify aberrantly expressed microRNAs, along with their structural variants, potentially useful as biomarkers and, in a wider perspective, broaden the knowledge about this tumor and underlying mechanisms. To this end, we conducted next generation sequencing and as a result we identified both known and potentially novel miRNAs. Differ...
Comparative analysis of DNA methylation patterns of equine sarcoid and healthy skin samples. In this study, for the first time we report the genome-wide DNA methylation profile of skin tumour in horses and describe differentially methylated genomic regions (DMRs) with respect to healthy skin. Methods: The comparative analysis of DNA methylation patterns detected using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS) technique, allowed identification of 136 regions showing differential methylation between sarcoid and normal skin tissue. Results: Most of the identified DMRs were short fragments, less than 1 kb in size, located in the intergenic regions. Among identified DMRs there wer...
Glycolysis inhibition improves photodynamic therapy response rates for equine sarcoids. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds great promise in treating veterinary and human dermatological neoplasms, including equine sarcoids, but is currently hindered by the amount of photosensitiser and light that can be delivered to lesions thicker than around 2 mm, and by the intrinsic antioxidant defences of tumour cells. We have developed a new PDT technique that combines an efficient transdermal penetration enhancer solution, for topical delivery of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photosensitiser, with acute topical post-PDT application of the glycolysis inhibitor lonidamine. We show that the new ...
Transcriptome analysis of equine sarcoids. Equine sarcoids are the most commonly detected skin tumours in Equidae. In the present research, a comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed which aimed at looking inside a tumour biology and identification of the expression profile as a potential source of cancer specific genes useful as biomarkers. We have used Horse Gene Expression Microarray data from matched equine sarcoids and tumour-distant skin samples. In total, 901 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between lesional and healthy skin samples have been identified (fold change ≥ 2; P < 0.05). The la...
Epidemiologic analysis of a sarcoid outbreak involving 12 of 111 donkeys in Northern Italy. Equine sarcoids develop upon bovine papillomavirus type 1 or 2 (BPV1, BPV2) infection in conjunction with trauma and represent the most common tumour disease in horses and other equids, including donkeys. In face of a sarcoid outbreak involving 12 of 111 donkeys and mules at the 'Rifugio degli Asinelli', a subsidiary charity organization of The Donkey Sanctuary, non-invasively collected sample material including crusts, dandruff, swabs and hair roots was collected from sarcoid-affected and 26 healthy donkeys, as well as dandruff from a grooming kit and tabanids caught from or in the vicinity o...
Electrochemotherapy as a single or adjuvant treatment to surgery of cutaneous sarcoid tumours in horses: a 31-case retrospective study. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of electrochemotherapy (ECT) with cisplatin as a single or adjuvant treatment for sarcoids in equids. Different treatment options with different success rates were proposed. Thirty-one horses and one donkey with different clinical type, size and location of tumours were treated with ECT as a single treatment (18 animals with 52 tumour nodules) or as adjuvant treatment with marginal surgical excision (14 animals with 18 tumour nodules). In animals treated only with ECT with cisplatin, complete response was obtained in 48/52 (92.3 per cent) nodul...
Bovine Papillomavirus DNA and S100 Profiles in Sarcoids and Other Cutaneous Spindle Cell Tumors in Horses. Histopathologic differentiation between deep dermal or subcuticular equine sarcoids (ie, nodular sarcoids) and other spindle cell tumors in the dermis and subcutis such as peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) can be challenging based on morphologic criteria alone. It has been proposed that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bovine papillomavirus (BPV) DNA and S100 immunohistochemistry be used as diagnostic tests to separate equine sarcoids from PNSTs. We reviewed 197 skin-associated spindle cell tumors (ie, soft tissue sarcomas), including PNSTs and sarcoids, received at the University of F...
Treatment of sarcoids in equids: 230 cases (2008-2013). OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcomes following treatment of sarcoids in equids and to identify risk factors for treatment failure in these patients. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 230 equids with 614 sarcoids. PROCEDURES Records were searched to identify equids treated for ≥ 1 sarcoid between 2008 and 2013. A standardized protocol was used to determine treatment choice (electrosurgery, electrosurgery with intralesional placement of cisplatin-containing beads, topical administration of imiquimod or acyclovir, cryosurgery, bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine injection, or intralesional injec...
Clinical course of sarcoids in 61 Franches-Montagnes horses over a 5-7 year period. The progression of equine sarcoids (ES) is notoriously unpredictable. Making a choice for the appropriate treatment is challenging when dealing with milder manifestations of ES. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course of ES in young horses. Methods: A cohort of 61 ES-affected three-year-old Franches-Montagnes horses and a breed-, age- and geographically matched control group of 75 ES-free peers were examined twice over a period of 5-7 years. Owners and caretakers were queried, using a standardized questionnaire. Results: More than half of the 38/61 (62%) horses...
Quantitative analysis of infiltrating immune cells and bovine papillomavirus type 1 E2-positive cells in equine sarcoids. Sarcoids are the most frequently observed skin tumours in equids and consist of cutaneous accumulations of transformed fibroblasts. Their aetiopathogenesis is closely linked to a presumably abortive infection by bovine papillomavirus (BPV) types 1 and 2. In cattle, dermal fibropapillomas induced by BPV1/2 usually regress spontaneously due to a local, cell-mediated, immune response; however, equids appear to lack an effective immune response to BPV1/2 and mechanisms of immune evasion have been postulated. As a consequence, equine sarcoids tend to persist and are prone to recur. In this study, c...
Enhanced cytotoxicity of bleomycin, cisplatin, and carboplatin on equine sarcoid cells following electroporation-mediated delivery in vitro. Electroporation is a method used to deliver poorly permeant chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor cells, potentiating the cytotoxic effects of drugs and overall clinical response. Despite existing evidence of the potential benefits of electroporation to enhance the antitumoral effects of drugs, there is a lack of understanding about the effects of electroporation on equine tumor cells. This study investigated the combined effects of electroporation and bleomycin, cisplatin, and carboplatin on an equine sarcoid cell line (EqS04b). The use of electroporation increases the cytotoxic effects of bleomyci...
Both tumour cells and infiltrating T-cells in equine sarcoids express FOXP3 associated with an immune-supressed cytokine microenvironment. Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) infections of equine species have a central role in the aetiology of equine sarcoids; a common benign skin tumour of horses, zebras and donkeys. Within the lesions, all of the early papillomavirus genes are expressed and promote the excessive replication of fibroblasts which characterise these tumours. Equine sarcoids differ from BPV induced fibro-papillomas of cattle (the natural host of BPV), in that they do not produce high amounts of virus particles, do not usually regress spontaneously and do not sero-convert to BPV; features which suggest that affected horses ...
Host genetic influence on papillomavirus-induced tumors in the horse. The common equine skin tumors known as sarcoids have been causally associated with infection by bovine papillomavirus (BPV). Additionally, there is evidence for host genetic susceptibility to sarcoids. We investigated the genetic basis of susceptibility to sarcoid tumors on a cohort of 82 affected horses and 270 controls genotyped on a genome-wide platform and two custom panels. A Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) identified candidate regions on six chromosomes. Bayesian probability analysis of the same dataset verified only the regions on equine chromosomes (ECA) 20 and 22. Fine mapping us...
Topical distribution of acyclovir in normal equine skin and equine sarcoids: An in vitro study. Topical acyclovir application is an owner-friendly treatment for occult equine sarcoids, without the caustic side-effects other topical treatments have. Variable clinical success rates have been described, but it is not known to what rate and extent acyclovir penetrates in and through equine skin from a topical formulation. In the current study, an in vitro Franz diffusion model was used to determine the permeation parameters for a generic 5% acyclovir cetomacrogol cream for both healthy and sarcoid equine skin. The distribution of acyclovir between different layers of both skin types was also...
Extracellular matrix remodeling in equine sarcoid: an immunohistochemical and molecular study. Equine sarcoids are locally invasive, fibroblastic benign skin tumors. Bovine papillomavirus type-1 (BPV-1) and/or Bovine papillomavirus type-2 (BPV-2) are believed to be the causative agent of sarcoids, although the mechanisms by which the virus induce the tumor are still poorly understood. We hypothesized that in genetically predisposed equines latent BPV infection may be reactivated by immunosoppression and/or mechanical injury leading to a form of pathologic wound which may transform into a sarcoid. In this study, we investigated in 25 equine sarcoids and in five normal skin samples the hi...
[Association of skin problems with coat colour and white markings in three-year-old horses of the Franches-Montagnes breed]. In the last 30 years the amount of white markings in the population of Franches-Montagnes horses (FM) has more than doubled which has led to some controversy, particularly in respect to the health of the horses. The objective of this study was to investigate if the coat colour and white markings have an impact on selected skin diseases and hoof horn abnormalities. To this purpose 974 three-year-old FM were subjected to a clinical examination during the field and station tests organized by the FM breeding association. In 16.9% of the horses, one or several equine sarcoids were detected, 15.2% o...
Heritabilities of health traits in Swiss Warmblood horses. There is a lack of evidence regarding genetic parameters of health traits in Swiss Warmblood horses. Objective: To estimate heritabilities of equine sarcoid disease, horn quality of hooves, prognathism and increased filling of talocrural joints as a possible indicator for osteochondrosis in Swiss Warmblood horses examined at the field tests for 3-year-olds between 2005 and 2013. Methods: Retrospective analysis of breed society database. Methods: Swiss Warmblood horses were examined clinically by 13 veterinarians at field tests in Switzerland between 2005 and 2013. The presence of sarcoids, hor...
Laser surgery as a treatment for histologically confirmed sarcoids in the horse. Laser resection for the treatment of sarcoids is an established part of equine practice; however, few studies have provided long-term follow-up results. Additionally, many previous reports have evaluated several treatments concurrently or have not been able to provide a definitive histological diagnosis of sarcoid. Objective: To establish the success rate following laser resection as a sole treatment for histologically confirmed sarcoids and evaluate risk factors for recurrence. Methods: Retrospective time-to-event analysis. Methods: Horses included had laser surgery to remove at least one sar...
Localization of Bovine Papillomavirus Nucleic Acid in Equine Sarcoids. Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV1/BPV2) have long been associated with equine sarcoids; deciphering their contribution has been difficult due to their ubiquitous presence on skin and in the environment, as well as the lack of decent techniques to interrogate their role in pathogenesis. We have developed and characterized an in situ hybridization (ISH) assay that uses a pool of probes complementary to portions of the E5, E6, and E7 genes. This assay is highly sensitive for direct visualization of viral transcript and nucleic acid in routinely processed histopathologic samples. We demonstrate here t...
Autologous vaccination for the treatment of equine sarcoids: 18 cases (2009-2014). The purpose of this retrospective case series was to assess the outcome of an autologous vaccination procedure on single and multiple sarcoid lesions, determine complication rate, and report owner satisfaction. Medical records (18 cases) from January 2009 through May 2014 were evaluated to identify horses undergoing the procedure. Signalment, number, size, anatomic location of lesions, and type of historical treatment were recorded. Follow-up was obtained via standardized owner survey, veterinary examination, and digital images. Data recorded and analyzed included ancillary therapies post-proc...
A novel murine model for evaluating bovine papillomavirus prophylactics/therapeutics for equine sarcoid-like tumours. Equine sarcoids are highly recurrent bovine papillomavirus (BPV)-induced fibroblastic neoplasms that are the most common skin tumours in horses. In order to facilitate the study of potential equine sarcoid prophylactics or therapeutics, which can be a slow and costly process in equines, a murine model for BPV-1 protein-expressing equine sarcoid-like tumours was developed in mice through stable transfection of BPV-1 E5 and E6 in a murine fibroblast tumour cell line (K-BALB). Like equine sarcoids, these murine tumour cells (BPV-KB) were of fibroblast origin, were tumorigenic and expressed BPV-1 ...
A database survey of equine tumours in the United Kingdom. Survey data on equine tumours are sparse compared with other species and may have changed over time. Objective: To describe the most frequently diagnosed equine tumours recorded by a diagnostic pathology laboratory over 29 years, to identify background factors associated with tumour type, and to identify any changes in the tumours diagnosed or the background of cases submitted during the study period. Methods: Observational; cross-sectional analysis of records of a diagnostic pathology laboratory. Methods: The records of all neoplastic equine histology submissions to the University of Bristol ...
Increased FOXP3 expression in tumour-associated tissues of horses affected with equine sarcoid disease. Recent studies suggest that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are associated with disease severity and progression in papilloma virus induced neoplasia. Bovine papilloma virus (BPV) is recognised as the most important aetiological factor in equine sarcoid (ES) disease. The aim of this study was to compare expression levels of Treg markers and associated cytokines in tissue samples of ES-affected equids with skin samples of healthy control horses. Eleven ES-affected, and 12 healthy horses were included in the study. Expression levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), interleukin 10 (IL10), interleuki...
Analysis of the long control region of bovine papillomavirus type 1 associated with sarcoids in equine hosts indicates multiple cross-species transmission events and phylogeographical structure. Papillomaviruses are a family of slowly evolving DNA viruses and their evolution is commonly linked to that of their host species. However, whilst bovine papillomavirus-1 (BPV-1) primarily causes warts in its natural host, the cow, it can also cause locally aggressive and invasive skin tumours in equids, known as sarcoids, and thus provides a rare contemporary example of cross-species transmission of a papillomavirus. Here, we describe the first phylogenetic analysis of BPV-1 in equine sarcoids to our knowledge, allowing us to explore the evolutionary history of BPV-1 and investigate its cross...
Equine sarcoid: In situ demonstration of matrix metalloproteinase expression. Sarcoids are the most prevalent equine skin tumours and remain a therapeutic challenge due to their differing clinical morphology, local aggressive behaviour, and high recurrence following surgical treatment. In vitro, sarcoid derived fibroblasts are invasive and express matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -1, -2 and -9. It was hypothesised that the MMPs produced by neoplastic cells play a role in both their local invasiveness and interaction with the overlying epidermis (picket fence formation). The objective of this morphological study was to investigate the local behaviour and in situ MMP expres...
Quantitative PCR high-resolution melting (qPCR-hRM) curve analysis, a new approach to rapid detection and differentiation of bovine papillomavirus detected in equine sarcoids. The aim of the study was to evaluate a novel diagnostic scheme which combines quantitative PCR and High-Resolution Melting (qPCR-HRM) curve analysis for rapid differentiation based on E5 partial CDS of bovine papillomavirus type 1 or 2 (BPV-1 or BPV-2), and to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the complete CDS of the E5 gene of BPV detected in equine sarcoids. Samples of 38 skin lesions obtained from 27 horses were collected for molecular examinations. All lesions were clinically diagnosed as sarcoids, but results of histopathological examinations did not always corroborate the clinical diagn...
Owners’ perception of the efficacy of Newmarket bloodroot ointment in treating equine sarcoids. A retrospective questionnaire-based survey was used to determine the perceived efficacy of Newmarket bloodroot ointment in treating equine sarcoids. In 49 horses with 74 sarcoids, 64 sarcoids responded either completely (n = 49) or partially (n = 15) while 10 did not respond or worsened. Sarcoids < 2 cm responded better to treatment (P < 0.001) than did larger sarcoids. Un sondage rétrospectif réalisé par questionnaire a été utilisé pour déterminer l’efficacité perçue de l’onguent à la sanguinaire de Newmarket pour traiter les sarcoïdes équines. Chez 49 chevaux atteints ...
