Beta defensins as biomarkers: detectable in LPS-stimulated equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells and normal, aseptic, and probable septic equine synovial fluid.
Abstract: Diagnosis of equine septic arthritis is not straightforward, and increasing time between onset, diagnosis, and treatment can have serious consequences for quality of life. Defensins are used in diagnosis of human joint infection. The presence of beta defensins (BDs) in equine synovial fluid and their utility as a biomarker of sepsis has not been investigated; therefore, our objectives were to (1) compare in vitro gene expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated equine neutrophils to unstimulated neutrophils and (2) compare BD protein expression from normal, aseptically inflamed, and septic equine joints. Methods: 5 horses for isolated neutrophil BD expression and 21 synovial fluid samples from 14 horses. Methods: RT-qPCR analysis was performed for BD gene expression of stimulated and unstimulated equine peripheral neutrophils. BD protein expression was evaluated from equine joints with no disease, aseptic inflammation, and septic inflammation using a commercial ELISA designed for horses and analyzed with a Kruskal-Wallis test (significant at P < .05). Results: A significant increase was noted in expression of BD-3 in LPS stimulated as compared to unstimulated neutrophils. There were no significant differences in BD expression noted between joints with no disease, aseptic inflammation, and septic inflammation. Low case numbers and different types of cases in the aseptic inflammation group were main limitations. BD expression patterns in samples from stimulated equine peripheral neutrophils and synovial fluid were identified. Conclusions: BDs are detectable in equine synovial fluid and can be stimulated from peripheral neutrophils. Further examination is needed to define their role as biomarkers of joint disease.
Publication Date: 2022-07-20 PubMed ID: 35895769DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.21.12.0204Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article focuses on the role of beta defensins (a type of protein) in diagnosing equine septic arthritis. The study investigates their presence in horse synovial fluid and their potential as a useful biomarker of sepsis in horses.
Objective of the Research
- The research aims to identify the presence and activity of beta defensins in equine synovial fluid, and their potential utility as a biomarker for septic arthritis in horses.
- It compares the in vitro gene expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated equine neutrophils to unstimulated neutrophils and evaluates BD protein expressions in different equine joint conditions, such as normal, aseptically inflamed, and septic.
Methods
- The research method involved testing 5 horses for beta defensin expression in isolated neutrophils and analyzing 21 synovial fluid samples from 14 horses.
- Further, the research used RT-qPCR analysis to examine the beta defensin gene expression in stimulated and unstimulated equine peripheral neutrophils.
- The researchers also evaluated beta defensin protein expression levels in equine synovial fluid from different joint conditions using an ELISA test and analyzed the outcomes with a Kruskal-Wallis test.
Results
- The researchers noted a significant increase in the expression of beta defensin-3 in LPS-stimulated equine neutrophils compared to unstimulated ones.
- However, the study did not find any significant differences in beta defensin expressions between equine joints experiencing normal conditions, aseptic inflammation, and septic inflammation.
- The limitations of the study included a low number of cases and variations in the types of cases within the aseptic inflammation group.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that beta defensins can be found in equine synovial fluid and can be stimulated from peripheral neutrophils.
- Though beta defensins were present, their exact role as biomarkers for equine joint disease needs further investigation.
Cite This Article
APA
Boger BL, Manfredi JM, Yob C, Weber PSD, Jacobs CC.
(2022).
Beta defensins as biomarkers: detectable in LPS-stimulated equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells and normal, aseptic, and probable septic equine synovial fluid.
Am J Vet Res, 83(9).
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.21.12.0204 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
- Department of, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
- Equine Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomarkers / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses
- Inflammation / metabolism
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear
- Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism
- Quality of Life
- Synovial Fluid / metabolism
- beta-Defensins / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Kamr AM, Bartish C, Summers J, Horton J, Hostnik LD, Orr K, Browne N, Dembek KA, Saliba C, Gomez DE, Toribio RE. Longitudinal Evaluation of Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, Antimicrobial Peptides, and Immunomodulatory Genes in Hospitalized Foals. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e70012.
- Egli P, Boone L, Huber L, Higgins C, Gaonkar PP, Arrington J, Naskou MC, Peroni J, Gordon J, Lascola KM. Pilot study characterizing a single pooled preparation of equine platelet lysate for nebulization in the horse. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1488942.
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