Age-related variation in the cellular composition of equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Abstract: Previous reports reveal variation in the cellular composition of equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the profiles of BALF from horses to assess age-related differences. Serial BALF samples were collected from the same individuals over a one-year period to identify changes in individual animals as they aged. Methods: Collection of BALF was performed on horses aged one week and one, 2, 6, and 12 months. Total nucleated cell count (TNCC), protein concentration, and cytology were assessed. Longitudinal analysis was performed and compared to healthy adults. Results: Foals at one week and 6 months of age had significantly higher TNCC than adults (medians: 320/μL, 285/μL, and 90/μL, respectively); no differences in total protein were found. Foals at one month had the highest proportion of macrophages (median: 87.3%), differing significantly from both yearlings and adults (medians: 45.5% and 48.7%, respectively). Foals aged one week and one month had significantly lower proportions of lymphocytes than yearlings and adults (medians: 3.2% and 4.7% vs 43.2% and 45.8%, respectively). Eosinophil percentage was lowest in foals aged one week, one month, and 2 months (median: 0.0%) and highest in foals aged 6 months (median: 2.2%). Mast cell percentages were highest in yearlings and adults (medians: 2.2% and 3.3%, respectively) and neutrophil percentage was highest in foals aged one week (13.7%). Conclusions: Cytologic profiles of BALF from foals and adult horses differed considerably. Significant changes in TNCC and percentages of lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils occurred with age.
© 2017 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.
Publication Date: 2017-03-27 PubMed ID: 28346682DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12473Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the variations in the cellular composition of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in horses as they age, from being a foal to the adult phase. The study employed a longitudinal analysis, examining changes in total nucleated cell count (TNCC) and percentages of specific cell types such as macrophages, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and more over time, which revealed significant differences in the cytologic profiles of BALF between foals and adult horses.
Methodology
- The research was conducted on horses at different stages of growth, specifically at one week, one month, two months, six months, and one year.
- Over this one-year period, BALF samples were serially collected for analysis from the same set of individuals to track changes as they progressed in age.
- The researchers used both the TNCC and protein concentration as assessment metrics, supplemented by cytology to identify the different cell types present in the BALF samples.
Results
- The study found that one-week-old and six-month-old foals had statistically higher TNCC than adult horses, without any significant alterations in total protein.
- One-month-old foals had the highest proportion of macrophages, much higher than those aged one year and adults.
- The counts of lymphocytes, an essential type of white blood cell, were notably lower in one-week and one-month-old foals, compared to yearlings and adults horses.
- The eosinophil percentage, another white blood cell type, was the least in foals aged one week to two months but peaked in six-month-old foals.
- Mast cells were most abundant in yearlings and adult horses, while the highest percentage of neutrophils was observed in foals of one week old.
Conclusions
- The results underscored marked differences in the cellular composition of BALF between foals and fully grown horses.
- Significant age-related changes were seen in TNCC and percentages of lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils.
- This finding hints at the possible role of age and maturation in influencing pulmonary cellular components and potentially the overall immune response in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Hostetter SJ, Clark SK, Gilbertie JM, Wiechert SA, Jones DE, Sponseller BA.
(2017).
Age-related variation in the cellular composition of equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Vet Clin Pathol, 46(2), 344-353.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12473 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- Departments of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Aging / pathology
- Aging / physiology
- Animals
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Al-Ali MA, Shawaf T. Effect of age, season, and gender on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology in camels. Open Vet J 2023 May;13(5):550-557.
- Shawaf T, Schuberth HJ, Hussen J. Immune cell composition of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in healthy and respiratory diseased dromedary camels. BMC Vet Res 2022 Sep 21;18(1):353.
- Hussen J, Shawaf T, Al Humam NA, Alhojaily SM, Al-Sukruwah MA, Almathen F, Grandoni F. Flow Cytometric Analysis of Leukocyte Populations in the Lung Tissue of Dromedary Camels. Vet Sci 2022 Jun 10;9(6).
- Bordin AI, Cohen ND, Giguère S, Bray JM, Berghaus LJ, Scott B, Johnson R, Hook M. Host-directed therapy in foals can enhance functional innate immunity and reduce severity of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia. Sci Rep 2021 Jan 28;11(1):2483.
- Johnson LR, Vernau W. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid lymphocytosis in 104 dogs (2006-2016). J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1315-1321.
- da Silveira BP, Cohen ND, Lawhon SD, Watson RO, Bordin AI. Protective immune response against Rhodococcus equi: An innate immunity-focused review. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):563-586.
- Rivolta AA, Bujold AR, Wilmarth PA, Phinney BS, Navelski JP, Horohov DW, Sanz MG. Comparison of the broncoalveolar lavage fluid proteomics between foals and adult horses. PLoS One 2023;18(9):e0290778.
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