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Home / Equine Research Bank / BMC Vet Res / Biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aor...
BMC veterinary research2015; 11; 285; doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0597-0

Biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta in warmblood horses, Friesian horses, and Friesians with aortic rupture.

Abstract: Thoracic aortic rupture and aortopulmonary fistulation are rare conditions in horses. It mainly affects Friesian horses. Intrinsic differences in biomechanical properties of the aortic wall might predispose this breed. The biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta were characterized in warmblood horses, unaffected Friesian horses and Friesians with aortic rupture in an attempt to unravel the underlying pathogenesis of aortic rupture in Friesian horses. Samples of the thoracic aorta at the ligamentum arteriosum (LA), mid thoracic aorta (T1) and distal thoracic aorta (T2) were obtained from Friesian horses with aortic rupture (A), nonaffected Friesian (NA) and warmblood horses (WB). The biomechanical properties of these samples were determined using uniaxial tensile and rupture assays. The percentages of collagen and elastin (mg/mg dry weight) were quantified. Results: Data revealed no significant biomechanical nor biochemical differences among the different groups of horses. The distal thoracic aorta displayed an increased stiffness associated with a higher collagen percentage in this area and a higher load-bearing capacity compared to the more proximal segments. Conclusions: Our findings match reported findings in other animal species. Study results did not provide evidence that the predisposition of the Friesian horse breed for aortic rupture can be attributed to altered biomechanical properties of the aortic wall.
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Publication Date: 2015-11-18 PubMed ID: 26581331PubMed Central: PMC4652382DOI: 10.1186/s12917-015-0597-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research paper explores the biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta in warmblood, Friesian horses, and Friesian horses with aortic rupture, aiming to understand whether these properties could contribute to the susceptibility of Friesian horses to aortic rupture.

Research Objectives and Methodology

  • The study’s primary objective was to determine if the biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta predispose Friesian horses to aortic rupture, a rare condition in horses.
  • Researchers compared these properties in warmblood horses, unaffected Friesian horses, and Friesian horses that had experienced aortic rupture.
  • Samples of the thoracic aorta were taken from the ligamentum arteriosum (LA), mid thoracic aorta (T1), and distal thoracic aorta (T2).
  • These samples were subjected to uniaxial tensile and rupture tests to determine their biomechanical properties. The proportion of collagen and elastin (mg/mg dry weight) in the samples was also measured to assess their biochemical composition.

Research Findings

  • The findings did not reveal significant differences in biomechanical or biochemical properties among the different groups of horses.
  • The distal thoracic aorta was found to have increased stiffness and a higher load-bearing capacity than the more proximal segments. These properties were associated with a higher percentage of collagen in this area.
  • These results align with the reported findings in other animal species.

Research Conclusions

  • The research concluded that the biomechanical properties of the aortic wall in the Friesian horse breed do not contribute to their predisposition for aortic rupture.
  • This suggests that other factors, not investigated in this study, could be responsible for the higher incidence of aortic ruptures in this breed.

Cite This Article

APA
Saey V, Famaey N, Smoljkic M, Claeys E, van Loon G, Ducatelle R, Ploeg M, Delesalle C, Gröne A, Duchateau L, Chiers K. (2015). Biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta in warmblood horses, Friesian horses, and Friesians with aortic rupture. BMC Vet Res, 11, 285. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0597-0

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Pages: 285

Researcher Affiliations

Saey, Veronique
  • Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Veronique.Saey@ugent.be.
Famaey, Nele
  • Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Nele.Famaey@kuleuven.be.
Smoljkic, Marija
  • Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Marija.Smoljkic@kuleuven.be.
Claeys, Erik
  • Department of Animal Production, Ghent University, Melle, Belgium. Erik.Claeys@ugent.be.
van Loon, Gunther
  • Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Gunther.Vanloon@ugent.be.
Ducatelle, Richard
  • Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Richard.Ducatelle@ugent.be.
Ploeg, Margreet
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Margreet.Ploeg@uu.nl.
Delesalle, Catherine
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Catherine.Delesalle@ugent.be.
  • Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Catherine.Delesalle@ugent.be.
Gröne, Andrea
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.Grone@uu.nl.
Duchateau, Luc
  • Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Luc.Duchateau@ugent.be.
Chiers, Koen
  • Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Koen.Chiers@ugent.be.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta, Thoracic / chemistry
  • Aorta, Thoracic / physiology
  • Aortic Rupture / etiology
  • Aortic Rupture / physiopathology
  • Aortic Rupture / veterinary
  • Collagen / analysis
  • Elastin / analysis
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses / metabolism
  • Horses / physiology
  • Male
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / etiology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / physiopathology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / veterinary
  • Tensile Strength / physiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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