A reduction in interstitial cells of Cajal in horses with equine dysautonomia (grass sickness).

The research article investigates the role of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in equine dysautonomia, a common and often fatal disease in horses marked by gastrointestinal tract dysfunction. The study found that horses with this disease showed a significant reduction in ICC, suggesting that this decrease may impact the disorder’s development.

Objective and Hypothesis

• The objective of this research was to examine the impact of changes in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which oversee the regulation of gut smooth muscle activity, on equine dysautonomia, also known as grass sickness.
• The hypothesis put forth was that alterations in ICC could potentially elucidate the pathophysiology of the intestinal dysfunction seen in horses affected with grass sickness.

Methodology

• The researchers utilized an anti-c-Kit antibody for immunohistochemical labelling to identify ICC and applied a semi-quantitative grading system to assess their density.
• The team analyzed segments of ileum and pelvic flexure region from both, horses free from gastrointestinal disease and horses suffering from grass sickness. For comparison’s sake, these categories included 24 and 28 horses for the ileum, and 13 and 10 horses for the pelvic flexure respectively.

Findings

• The study discovered that the interstitial cells of Cajal were significantly decreased in both the myenteric plexus and circular muscle regions of both the ileum and pelvic flexure in horses with grass sickness as compared to healthy horses.

Conclusion

• Based on their observations, the researchers concluded that the reduction in ICC could be a crucial factor leading to intestinal dysmotility observed in grass sickness. This highlights the potential connection between the decrease of these cells and the development of motility disorders in the digestive system of horses.