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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses per...
PloS one2020; 15(6); e0235251; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235251

An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses performed on both metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints: Technical, clinical, imaging, biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic characterization.

Abstract: Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and economic loss in both humans and horses. The horse is recognized as a suitable model for human osteoarthritis, because the thickness, structure, and mechanical properties of equine articular cartilage are highly comparable to those of humans. Although a number of equine experimental osteoarthritis models have been described in the literature, these cases generally involve the induction of osteoarthritis in just one joint of each animal. This approach necessitates the involvement of large numbers of horses to obtain reliable data and thus limits the use of this animal model, for both economic and ethical reasons. This study adapts an established equine model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis to induce osteoarthritis-associated lesions in all 4 fetlock joints of the same horse in order to reduce the number of animals involved and avoid individual variability, thus obtaining a more reliable method to evaluate treatment efficacy in future studies. The objectives are to assess the feasibility of the procedure, evaluate variability of the lesions according to interindividual and operated-limb position and describe the spontaneous evolution of osteoarthritis-associated pathological changes over a twelve-week period. The procedure was well tolerated by all 8 experimental horses and successfully induced mild osteoarthritis-associated changes in the four fetlock joints of each horse. Observations were carried out using clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, and magnetic resonance imaging methods as well as biochemical analyses of synovial fluid and postmortem microscopic and macroscopic evaluations of the joints. No significant differences were found in the progression of osteoarthritis-associated changes between horses or between the different limbs, with the exception of higher synovial effusion in hind fetlocks compared to front fetlocks and higher radiographic scores for left fetlocks compared to the right. This model thus appears to be a reliable means to evaluate the efficacy of new treatments in horses, and may be of interest for translational studies in human medicine.
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Publication Date: 2020-06-25 PubMed ID: 32584901PubMed Central: PMC7316256DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235251Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research outlines an experiment where osteoarthritis was successfully induced in all four fetlock joints of the same horse, creating a more reliable animal model for the study of the disorder. The study also monitored how the induced arthritis progressed over a period of 12 weeks.

Research Background

  • The research was initiated because osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and economic worry in both humans and horses.
  • Due to a lot of similarities in the thickness, structure, and mechanical functioning of equine and human cartilage, horses make a suitable model to study human osteoarthritis.
  • However, previous models demonstrating this suffer from two key issues: they generally induce osteoarthritis in only one joint, necessitating a large number of horses for viable data; and they restrict the use of this animal model due to economic and ethical concerns.

Research Goals and Methodology

  • The researchers aimed to assess the feasibility of inducing osteoarthritis in all four fetlock joints of a horse, thus reducing animal count and minimizing individual variability.
  • Another goal was to monitor the progression of osteoarthritis and its related pathological changes over 12 weeks in each horse.
  • This experiment model was successful in inducing mild osteoarthritis in all four fetlock joints of the 8 experimental horses used.
  • Various imaging methods, clinical observations, and postmortem evaluations were conducted to monitor the progression of osteoarthritis.

Findings of the Study

  • The study found that the progression of osteoarthritis-associated changes were quite consistent among the different horses, as well as among the different joints of the same horse.
  • However, two exceptions were noted: higher synovial effusion in hind fetlocks compared to front fetlocks and higher radiographic scores for left fetlocks compared to the right.
  • The new animal model appeared to be a reliable means of studying osteoarthritis, and could potentially be used to assess the efficiency of new treatments for horses. Furthermore, it could have significant implications in human medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
Bertoni L, Jacquet-Guibon S, Branly T, Legendre F, Desancé M, Mespoulhes C, Melin M, Hartmann DJ, Schmutz A, Denoix JM, Galéra P, Demoor M, Audigié F. (2020). An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses performed on both metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints: Technical, clinical, imaging, biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic characterization. PLoS One, 15(6), e0235251. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235251

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 6
Pages: e0235251
PII: e0235251

Researcher Affiliations

Bertoni, Lélia
  • CIRALE, USC 957, BPLC, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Jacquet-Guibon, Sandrine
  • CIRALE, USC 957, BPLC, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Branly, Thomas
  • NORMANDIE UNIV, UNICAEN, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Legendre, Florence
  • NORMANDIE UNIV, UNICAEN, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Desancé, Mélanie
  • NORMANDIE UNIV, UNICAEN, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Mespoulhes, Céline
  • Clinique Equine, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Melin, Martine
  • NOVOTEC, ZAC du Chêne, Europarc, Bron, France.
Hartmann, Daniel-Jean
  • NOVOTEC, ZAC du Chêne, Europarc, Bron, France.
Schmutz, Amandine
  • CWD-VetLab, USC 957, BPLC, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Denoix, Jean-Marie
  • CIRALE, USC 957, BPLC, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Galéra, Philippe
  • NORMANDIE UNIV, UNICAEN, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Demoor, Magali
  • NORMANDIE UNIV, UNICAEN, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Audigié, Fabrice
  • CIRALE, USC 957, BPLC, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Horses
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Metatarsal Bones / pathology
  • Metatarsophalangeal Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Metatarsophalangeal Joint / pathology
  • Metatarsophalangeal Joint / surgery
  • Osteoarthritis / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteoarthritis / metabolism
  • Osteoarthritis / pathology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Synovial Fluid / chemistry

Conflict of Interest Statement

The company NOVOTEC, specialized in tissue analysis services, was involved in the microscopic evaluation of the osteochondral sections. Two of their specialists (DJH and MM) were involved in the microscopic evaluation of the osteochondral sections. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

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  4. Bertoni L, Jacquet-Guibon S, Branly T, Desancé M, Legendre F, Melin M, Rivory P, Hartmann DJ, Schmutz A, Denoix JM, Demoor M, Audigié F, Galéra P. Evaluation of Allogeneic Bone-Marrow-Derived and Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Prevent the Development of Osteoarthritis in An Equine Model.. Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 2;22(5).
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