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Biomarkers for equine joint injury and osteoarthritis.

Abstract: We report the results of a symposium aimed at identifying validated biomarkers that can be used to complement clinical observations for diagnosis and prognosis of joint injury leading to equine osteoarthritis (OA). Biomarkers might also predict pre-fracture change that could lead to catastrophic bone failure in equine athletes. The workshop was attended by leading scientists in the fields of equine and human musculoskeletal biomarkers to enable cross-disciplinary exchange and improve knowledge in both. Detailed proceedings with strategic planning was written, added to, edited and referenced to develop this manuscript. The most recent information from work in equine and human osteoarthritic biomarkers was accumulated, including the use of personalized healthcare to stratify OA phenotypes, transcriptome analysis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal injuries in the human knee. The spectrum of "wet" biomarker assays that are antibody based that have achieved usefulness in both humans and horses, imaging biomarkers and the role they can play in equine and human OA was discussed. Prediction of musculoskeletal injury in the horse remains a challenge, and the potential usefulness of spectroscopy, metabolomics, proteomics, and development of biobanks to classify biomarkers in different stages of equine and human OA were reviewed. The participants concluded that new information and studies in equine musculoskeletal biomarkers have potential translational value for humans and vice versa. OA is equally important in humans and horses, and the welfare issues associated with catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in horses add further emphasis to the need for good validated biomarkers in the horse. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:823-831, 2018.
Publication Date: 2018-01-24 PubMed ID: 28921609DOI: 10.1002/jor.23738Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Congress
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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The research article discusses the findings from a symposium aimed at identifying possible biomarkers that could aid in diagnosing and predicting the occurrence of joint injury leading to osteoarthritis (OA) in horses, which holds potential translation value for human OA as well.

Symposium Participants and Scope

  • The symposium was attended by a group of leading scientists involved in studying biomarkers in equine and human musculoskeletal health with the intention of exchanging knowledge and improving understanding across both fields.
  • The work at hand aimed to recognize biological markers, or simply biomarkers, that can supplement clinical observations for the diagnosis and prognosis of joint injuries triggering osteoarthritis in horses.

Biomarkers and Personalized Healthcare

  • The symposium explored the most recent information from work on both equine and human osteoarthritic biomarkers.
  • Personalized healthcare was highlighted as a tool to differentiate OA phenotypes, using biomarkers to provide individualized prognosis and treatment plans.

Joint Injury Analysis

  • In addition, transcriptome analysis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal injuries in the human knee was discussed.
  • This type of genetic analysis provides additional insight into the biomolecular changes that occur following such injuries.

Role of ‘Wet’ Biomarker Assays and Imaging Biomarkers

  • Furthermore, the symposium also shed light on “wet” biomarker assays which are antibody-based and have proven valuable in studies on both humans and horses.
  • Importance of imaging biomarkers and the role they play in diagnosing equine and human osteoarthritis were also highlighted.

Prediction Challenges and Potential Solutions

  • Prediction of musculoskeletal injury in horses was listed as a significant challenge.
  • Potential solutions such as spectroscopy, metabolomics, and proteomics, along with the development of biobanks for categorizing various biomarkers at different stages of OA were discussed.

Conclusions and Future Implications

  • The symposium concluded with the assertion that new insights and research on equine musculoskeletal biomarkers hold potential translational value for the study of human osteoarthritis and vice versa.
  • It stressed that OA is equally significant for both humans and horses, and the welfare concerns correlated with catastrophic skeletal injuries in horses further emphasized the need for reliable and validated biomarkers.

Cite This Article

APA
McIlwraith CW, Kawcak CE, Frisbie DD, Little CB, Clegg PD, Peffers MJ, Karsdal MA, Ekman S, Laverty S, Slayden RA, Sandell LJ, Lohmander LS, Kraus VB. (2018). Biomarkers for equine joint injury and osteoarthritis. J Orthop Res, 36(3), 823-831. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.23738

Publication

ISSN: 1554-527X
NlmUniqueID: 8404726
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 36
Issue: 3
Pages: 823-831

Researcher Affiliations

McIlwraith, C Wayne
  • Orthopaedic Research Center, Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedics, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.
Kawcak, Christopher E
  • Orthopaedic Research Center, Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedics, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.
Frisbie, David D
  • Orthopaedic Research Center, Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedics, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.
Little, Christopher B
  • Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Labs, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Clegg, Peter D
  • Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Peffers, Mandy J
  • Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Karsdal, Morten A
  • Nordic Biosciences, Biomarkers and Research, Örebro, Sweden.
Ekman, Stina
  • Department of Biomedicine and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Laverty, Sheila
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Slayden, Richard A
  • Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Sandell, Linda J
  • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Lohmander, L S
  • Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopaedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Kraus, Virginia B
  • Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genomics
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Osteoarthritis / diagnosis
  • Precision Medicine
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Grant Funding

  • MR/P020941/1 / Medical Research Council

Citations

This article has been cited 27 times.
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