Comparison of the response to experimentally induced short-term inflammation in the temporomandibular and metacarpophalangeal joints of horses.
Abstract: To investigate the relationship between inflammatory responses of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in clinically normal horses. Methods: 7 mature horses. Methods: In each horse, 1 TMJ and 1 MCP joint were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.0025 μg). The contralateral TMJ and MCP joint were injected with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Synovial fluid samples were collected from all 4 joints over 24 hours after injection. Concentrations of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, and total protein were measured via immunoassay. Horses were assessed for clinical signs of joint inflammation at each time point. Results: Concentrations of interleukin-6 were not significantly different between LPS-injected MCP joints and TMJs at any time point. Transforming growth factor-β concentrations were significantly increased in MCP joints, compared with concentrations in TMJs, at 12 and 24 hours after injection. Tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were significantly higher in LPS-injected TMJs than in LPS-injected MCP joints at 1 and 6 hours after injection. Total protein concentration did not differ significantly between LPS-injected MCP joints and TMJs. Injection of LPS induced clinical inflammation at all time points; additionally, 2 MCP joints (but no TMJs) had an inflammatory response to injection of saline solution. Conclusions: The inflammatory response to LPS appeared to be attenuated more quickly in TMJs than in MCP joints of horses. The difference in response suggested that a lack of clinical osteoarthritis in the TMJ of horses could be attributable to a difference in cytokine response.
Publication Date: 2011-12-01 PubMed ID: 22126685DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.72.12.1586Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The article discusses a study on how horses’ temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP) respond to inflammation experimentally induced. The researchers found that there were differences in the responses, suggesting a different cytokine response could be why horses don’t typically have osteoarthritis in their TMJs.
Research Methodology
- The research team used seven adult horses for this study.
- On each horse, the researchers induced inflammation in one TMJ and one MCP joint by injecting these joints with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a substance known to cause an inflammatory reaction.
- The opposite TMJ and MCP joint on each horse were injected with a saline solution as a control.
- Over a 24-hour period post-injection, the researchers collected synovial fluid samples from all injected joints.
- They then measured the concentrations of different proteins related to inflammation, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and transforming growth factor-β, as well as the total protein concentration, using an immunoassay. The researchers also monitored the horses for signs of joint inflammation.
Research Findings
- Overall, their findings showed no significant difference in the concentration of interleukin-6 and total protein between the LPS-injected MCP joints and TMJs.
- However, the concentration of transforming growth factor-β significantly increased in MCP joints as compared to the TMJs, 12 and 24 hours post-injection.
- On the other hand, the TMJs had significantly higher concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α one hour and six hours post-injection compared to the MCP joints.
- All joints injected with LPS showed clinical inflammation signs at all time points; two MCP joints also demonstrated an inflammatory response to the saline solution, but no TMJs did.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that the TMJs’ inflammatory response appeared to subside more rapidly than the MCP joints’ response to the LPS injections, suggesting a difference in cytokine responses between the two types of joints.
- The difference in the inflammatory response might explain why horses rarely develop clinical osteoarthritis in their TMJs. However, this is merely a suggestion; further research may be required to verify it.
Cite This Article
APA
Carmalt JL, Bell CD, Tatarniuk DM, Suri SS, Singh B, Waldner C.
(2011).
Comparison of the response to experimentally induced short-term inflammation in the temporomandibular and metacarpophalangeal joints of horses.
Am J Vet Res, 72(12), 1586-1591.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.72.12.1586 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada. james.carmalt@usask.ca
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cytokines / metabolism
- Female
- Horse Diseases / chemically induced
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses
- Injections, Intra-Articular / veterinary
- Interleukin-6 / metabolism
- Lipopolysaccharides / administration & dosage
- Lipopolysaccharides / adverse effects
- Male
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / drug effects
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / immunology
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / metabolism
- Osteoarthritis / chemically induced
- Osteoarthritis / immunology
- Osteoarthritis / metabolism
- Osteoarthritis / veterinary
- Proteins / analysis
- Random Allocation
- Synovial Fluid / chemistry
- Synovial Fluid / immunology
- Synovial Fluid / metabolism
- Temporomandibular Joint / drug effects
- Temporomandibular Joint / immunology
- Temporomandibular Joint / metabolism
- Time Factors
- Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Reisbig NA, Pifko J, Lanovaz JL, Weishaupt MA, Carmalt JL. The effect of acute equine temporomandibular joint inflammation on response to rein-tension and kinematics.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1213423.
- Colbath AC, Dow SW, Hopkins LS, Phillips JN, McIlwraith CW, Goodrich LR. Single and repeated intra-articular injections in the tarsocrural joint with allogeneic and autologous equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells are safe, but did not reduce acute inflammation in an experimental interleukin-1β model of synovitis.. Equine Vet J 2020 Jul;52(4):601-612.
- Niemelä TM, Tulamo RM, Carmona JU, López C. Evaluation of the effect of experimentally induced cartilage defect and intra-articular hyaluronan on synovial fluid biomarkers in intercarpal joints of horses.. Acta Vet Scand 2019 May 30;61(1):24.
- Colbath AC, Dow SW, Hopkins LS, Phillips JN, McIlwraith CW, Goodrich LR. Induction of Synovitis Using Interleukin-1 Beta: Are There Differences in the Response of Middle Carpal Joint Compared to the Tibiotarsal Joint?. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:208.
- Moreira JJ, Moraes AP, Brossi PM, Machado TS, Michelacci YM, Massoco CO, Baccarin RY. Autologous processed plasma: cytokine profile and effects upon injection into healthy equine joints.. J Vet Sci 2015;16(1):47-55.
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