Characterization of lipoproteins in cerebrospinal fluid of mares during pregnancy and lactation.

This research measured levels of apolipoproteins (proteins that bind to fats to transport them through the bloodstream) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy, pregnant mares. It was discovered that the levels of these proteins do not have significant changes during the stages of pregnancy and lactation, and also, that the concentrations of cholesterol in the mares CSF are similar to those reported in other mammals.

Methodology

• The research involved five healthy pregnant mares.
• Two sets of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were taken from the mares in two different phases; one set were taken 10 to 30 days before they gave birth, and the second set of samples were taken 19 to 26 days after they gave birth.
• The researchers used a sensitive enzymatic assay to measure cholesterol concentrations in the CSF samples. This is a test that can precisely measure the concentration of a substance in a biological sample.
• Next, the fractions of CSF lipoproteins (complexes of proteins and fats) were characterized by determining the distribution of different types of apolipoproteins (which bind to fats to transport them through the bloodstream). This was done through a technique called polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which is often used to separate different types of proteins.

Results

• The resulting analyses of the separated fractions revealed the presence of two main types of apolipoproteins, with molecular weights corresponding to apolipoprotein E and apolipoprotein A-I.
• There were no significant differences in the levels of these proteins in the CSF of mares between the pre-birth and post-birth stages.
• The concentration of cholesterol in the CSF samples from the mares was found to be comparable to concentrations found in the CSF of other mammals.

Conclusions

• One of the key conclusions from the study was that apolipoprotein E in horses CSF is a major protein associated with high-density lipoproteins, much like in other mammals. High-density lipoproteins are typically ‘good’ cholesterol that help remove ‘bad’ cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) from the bloodstream.
• The researchers suggest that further exploration into the role of apolipoproteins in mammalian cerebrospinal fluid could lend valuable insight into a variety of degenerative neurological diseases. This is because these proteins may play a role in the transport of fats and cholesterol in the brain.